Strategic Assessment for Depot System Command Revitalization of Army Depots for the Year 2000
Abstract
The Depot System Command (DESCOM) is a major subordinate command of the AMC. DESCOM's primary missions are to supply repair parts and ammunition to the Army's combat forces and to perform depot-level maintenance on major Army weapons systems. In its supply role, DESCOM serves as a key link in the supply chain from the manufacturer to Army units around the world. Thirteen DESCOM depots and six depot activities receive shipments of Army materiel and ammunition from manufacturers; store and maintain it; and ship it on demand to Army bases and units in the field. DESCOM also has the primary responsibility for maintaining, overhauling and repairing most major Army systems, including tanks, howitzers, aircraft, combat and support vehicles, and missiles. Finally, the depots maintain a manufacturing capability to produce special purpose items for the Army. The basic functions of Army depots have not changed in over 200 years. However, the materiel handled and manufactured by the depots and the complexity of the international supply function have changed the nature and mission of the depot function remarkably. In this strategic assessment, the status of the facilities and equipment, management, and logistical capabilities of DESCOM are examined in light of the increased demand for sophisticated personnel, hardware, and management systems to meet the complex sustainment needs of today's Army. Increasingly sophisticated systems require more parts to maintain them in the field, and special equipment and a highly trained work force to repair them in the depots.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA228897
Entities
People
- C. H. Imhoff
- R. E. Rhoads