Fielding The Army Combat Uniform (ACU)

Lessons in Supply Chain Management

Todd R. WendtDirector, LogisticsProject Manager Soldier Equipmenttodd.wendt@us.army.mil(703) 704-0055

Project ManagerSoldier Weapons

DPM Soldier Weapons

Project ManagerSoldier Equipment

DPM Soldier Equipment

Chief of Staff

Program Executive Office Soldier

CongressionalAffairs

Liaison OfficersDASC

PM Individual Weapons

PM Crew Served Weapons

PM Clothing & Equipment

PM Sensor & Lasers

PM Survivability (For FY06)

PM Air Warrior

PM Land Warrior

Business Management

Public Affairs

Systems Integration

Admin &Program Resources

Contracts Management

PEO

DirectorRapid Fielding Initiative

Project ManagerSoldier Warrior

DPM Soldier Warrior

Operations

Logistics

Fielding CONUSIraqAfghanistan

Operations & Plans

DPEOPEO Soldier CSM

Administrative Assistant

Executive Officer (XO)

Executive Assistant

Administrative Assistant

As of 10 JUL 06

Enhanced Night Vision

Goggles

Aviator’s Night Vision Imaging

System (ANVIS)

Night Vision Device

AN/PVS-7D

Night Vision Device

AN/PVS-14

Heavy Thermal Weapon Sight

(TWSII)

Medium Thermal Weapon

Sight (TWSII)

JSLIST (Joint Service Lightweight

Integrated Suit Technology)

STEPO (Self-Contained Toxic

Environment Protective Outfit)

Parachutes

MOLLE Load Carriage

Sniper Night Sight AN/PVS-10

Armor and Aircrew

Protective Clothing

Army Combat Uniform High Power

Tactical Flashlight

GlovesLLDR

I STORM

Mark VII

Service Uniforms

STORM MFLSPEQ 2

PAQ 4

ECWCS

Project Manager Soldier Equipment Areas of Responsibility

PM Soldier SurvivabilityPM Clothing and Individual Equipment PM Sensors and Lasers

Joint Service Lightweight

Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST)

Body Armor Inserts

CPE(Cupola Protective Ensemble)

Protective Eyewear

Helmets

Body Armor

Advanced Bomb Suit

DAP

MARK VII E Target Acquisition Laser Observation Night

(Mark VII E)

Soldier: 2006Soldier: 2003

Fielded since 2003

Interceptor Body

Armor(ACU

Camouflage Pattern)

Outer Tactical

Vest (OTV)

BallisticInserts

(ESAPI set)

Deltoid Axillary

Protector (DAP)*

Side Plates(ESAPI set)*

*Item Not Shown

Army Combat Helmet

& Accessories

Infantry Combat Boot

Type II (Tan)

M4 carbine (modular)

Army CombatUniform

Knee and Elbow Pads

Monocular Night Vision

Device & Accessories

PEQ-2A Infrared

Aiming Light

Gloves

Close Combat Optic

ProtectiveEyewear

Thermal Weapons Sight II (Light)

Soldier Equipment 1975 - 2006

CombatBoots

Steel Helmet

Flak Vest*M16A1

Load Carrying Equipment

Uniform

Knee and Elbow Pads

PASGT Helmet & Accessories

Desert Combat Boot

M4 carbine (modular)

Gloves

Desert CamouflageUniform

Interceptor Body Armor

(Woodland Camouflage

Pattern)

Outer Tactical

Vest (OTV)

BallisticInserts

( SAPI set)

Close Combat Optic

Infrared Aiming Light*

Monocular Night Vision

Device & Accessories

Soldier: 1975

Page 4

Background• Fielding new Army Combat Uniform (ACU) to all Soldiers

deploying to OIF/OEF.• First time the Army has fielded a uniform.• Goal is to issue 100% fill of items to every Soldier in a

unit at the first pass.• From February 2005 to March 2006, a good fielding

achieved 92% fill with an average fill of 87%.• Since March 06, average fill is above 98.7% and

approaching 99.8% fill.• Over 300,000 deploying Soldiers issued the ACU to

date.

BackgroundBasis of Issue per Soldier

• ACU Coat 4 ea• ACU Trousers 4 ea• ACU Patrol Cap 1 ea• ACU Sun Hat 1 ea• T-Shirts 4 ea• Knee Pads 1 set• Elbow Pads 1 set

• Accessories– Name Tape 3 ea– US Army Tape 2 ea– Rank 2 ea– Unit Patch 2 ea– Colored Flag 2 ea– IR Flag 1 ea

• Total Items 28

BackgroundNumber of Sizes

• ACU Coats 37• ACU Trousers 36• Patrol Caps 14• Sun Hats 14• T-shirts 8• Knee Pads 2• Elbow Pads 3• Pin-on Ranks 22• Digital Ranks 22• Total: 158

Plus Unit Patches and Nametapes!

Issues We have to Manage

• Production ramp-up to meet demand• Legal limitations• Statistical limitations of the tariff • Breaking culture/paradigm • Accountability and property transfer• Accommodating a stressed customer• Special circumstances

TF

Elements of Logistics• Training and Support

– Establishing correct fit and wear standards.• Technical Data

– Use and care requirements – breaking old habits. • Supply Support

– Hand recording documentation not keeping-up with fielding pace. Accurate property accountability very difficult.

– Large, mismatched inventory to attempt to meet fielding requirements.

– Committed, on the road, inventory unavailable to support other fieldings. Bringing it back clogged the staging facility operations.

Get % fill up and inventory correct with good supply chain management

Establishing and Managing the Supply Chain

Plan:• Forecast the demand

– Identify baseline requirements with assumption of 5 Brigades x 3,500 Soldiers (17,500) per month.

– Prioritize the requirement of 100% fill and establishing the wear standards. – Aggregate resources (inventory packages, issue teams, transportation, etc.) to

meet requirements.

• Balance inventory to meet demand – Automated inventory control for real time status of assets on hand to include in-

transit.– Forecasting tools to project production to meet future demand.– Compare the inventory and future demand to assess requisition requirements

based on a 125 day fielding plan.

• Manage a planning infrastructure– Create a collaborative environment with all players (DLA/G4/Natick, Industry,

etc.).– Universal visibility of inventory and BalancedFlow– Timely requisitions to DLA in the right numbers and sizes.

BF

IN

TF

SC

Supply Chain (Con’d)Plan (Con’d)• Establish and communicate the plan

– Daily inventory status/production meetings w/fielders, production managers and industry.– Monthly uniform IPTs.– Shared Goals – 100% fill to meet demands.

• Metrics– All about performance– Enterprise - % fill– Functional – tariff efficiency, order fulfillment accuracy, on-time delivery

• Other– Provisioning– Coding and cataloguing– Item support and secondary items

Supply Chain (Con’d)Source• DLA for initial procurement and long term sustainment

– Volume, EOQ, safety levels, reorder points, etc.– Infrastructure, e.g. storage, transportation management, automated re-

supply.

Make/Maintain• Uniform with 180 day expected life in combat. • DX when unserviceable.• Replacement items requisitioned from DLA via Army Direct Ordering (ADO).• No secondary items.• Basic repair at the operator level includes sewing small holes.

Supply Chain (Con’d)Deliver• Customer Service

– Track all shortages and keep going back to the unit until 100 % fill is achieved. – Fielding teams provide initial fit and wear training during issue.– Use and Care manual provided to every Soldier. – Establish Soldier accountability and conduct inventory transfer to the unit or CIF property

book officer.

• Staging facility stockage and kitting to support tailored unit fielding packages.

• Accountability at fielding sites and movement of inventory between sites reduces impact on staging facility and reduces transportation costs.

• Use competitive commercial transportation sources.– Ground whenever possible.– Usually commercial overseas as too low a priority for MILAIR.

Supply Chain (Con’d)Return• Redistribution of inventory between fielding sites to reduce impact to staging facility

and reduce transportation costs.• Quality deficiency reports.• No maintenance, repair or overhaul.

Supporting Technologies• Automated information technology

– Automation and scanners at the fielding site linked to a web-based database at the staging facility. Tracked incoming and outgoing plus in-transit between sites.

– BalancedFlow managed requisitions to meet 125 day fielding plan.– All parts of the supply chain able to see the data.

• Barcode and ID card scanning to manage inventory and ensure accountability.• CIF ISM interface for automated transfer of updated Soldier clothing records and

property book accountability.• Active RFID tags for overseas transportation. FD

Conclusion

• A disciplined approach to establishing and managing the supply chain is the key to success.

• Invest in the right people (and numbers) to execute the mission.

• Invest in the supporting technology and share it with all your partners.

• Leadership and communications are integral part of the supply chain.

• Know what matters to the Customer and strive to meet his expectations.

Resources/References

Coyle, John J. et al. The Management of Business Logistics; A Supply Chain Perspective, 7th Edition. South-Western, 2003.

DoD 4140.1-R, DoD Supply Chain Materiel Management Regulation, May 23, 2003.

Logistics 102 Text, “Planning a Management System for a Supply Chain,” “Enabling Technologies,” “End to End Distribution,” “Supply Chain Performance,” and “Supply Chain Operational Reference (SCOR) Model.”

EndFielding the ACU

Back-up Slides

SCOR Model*

*Supply Chain Council, Supply Chain Operational Reference Model, from LOG 102, “Planning a Management System for a Supply Chain.”