Senior Army Logistician Preparedness for Expeditionary Theater Opening and Theater Distribution Operations

When the nation calls to exercise military force in support of a Major Combat Operation (MCO) campaign, the Department of Defense is required to open a theater of operations. Since the majority of troop deployments and materiel movements occur in support of the U.S. Army, the headquarters of choice to serve as the joint force commander and supported by USTRANSCOM to orchestrate and synchronize theater opening and theater distribution operation is the U.S. Corps Headquarters or the Operational Command Post (OCP) from an Army Service Component Command (ASCC). The G4 for both the U.S. Corps and the ASCC OCP is a colonel. Should the combatant commander direct the Army service component to form a Joint Force Headquarters (JFC), either a Joint Task Force (JTF) or a Joint Force Component Command (JFLCC), and conduct theater opening, how well prepared is the logistics colonel to plan, execute and control the logistics portion of the Expeditionary Theater Opening (ETO) and theater distribution (TD) operation. The most critical component to ETO and TD is the strategic-to-operational seam. Covering this seam are four U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) deployment and distribution capabilities. These capabilities include the Joint Task Force Port Opening (JTF-PO), the Joint Deployment and Distribution Operation Center (JDDOC), the Director Mobility Forces-Air (DIRMOBFOR-A), and the Director Mobility Forces-Surface (DIRMOBFOR-S). This monograph employed the Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff (CJCS) joint learning continuum to help answer this preparedness question. In the context of the four USTRANCOM capabilities, and through the lens of the U.S. Army logistics colonel, assessed was the completeness of joint doctrine, U.S. Army Joint Professional Military Education (JPME), joint assignment opportunities, and performance during the U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM)-led and U.S. Army Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) simulation exercise. The study identified much latency with keeping joint doctrine and U.S Army JPME institutions up-to-date, and insufficient joint assignment opportunities for senior Army logisticians to acquire joint experience. Nonetheless, actual senior logistician performance during the BCTP exercises involving ETO and TD was rather positive. Findings conclude that U.S. senior Army logisticians are trained in joint matters and are mission ready, and that both USTRANSCOM and USJFCOM are working together to ensure the strategic-to-operational logistics seam is adequately documented in support of individual and collective training events. To improve senior U.S. Army logistician preparedness to execute ETO and TD operations, study recommendations target incremental enhancements to the CJCS joint learning continuum. The education, training, and experience enhancements include various modifications to joint doctrine and the Universal Joint Task List (UJTL), changes to joint assignment policies and strategies, and more extensive incorporation of USJFCOM training capabilities in unit BCTP preparation.