Army Maintenance System Transformation
Abstract
The first official use of the term "transformation" is often attributed to the document "Joint Vision 2010," which was published in 1996. Logistics, an integral component of this transformation, is adjusting as well. As a part of logistics transformation, maintenance has been thoroughly reworked. Maintenance transformation must address the issues presented by a transforming Army while it is at war. General Systems Theory offers many valuable insights into how a transformed maintenance system should develop. Used in conjunction with pertinent historical data and developed with Army transformation goals in mind, General Systems thinking can provide the framework for guiding maintenance transformation. System aspects such as stability, interaction, and feedback provide the universal qualities that any valid system must possess. Applying these aspects to the pillars of Army maintenance system transformation, multi-capable maintainers, conceptual foundations, maintenance organization, and Class IX (repair parts) will provide principles to guide the development of transformation as a whole. This paper will show that maintenance transformation, as it is currently understood, is insufficiently resourced to meet the requirement of adequately maintaining the Army's operational readiness. One section of the paper is devoted to issues that face today's maintenance system that can be resolved without solutions that are transformational in nature or spurred by a revolution in military logistics. These solutions involve enforcing standards and instilling discipline into the maintenance process. The impact of the debate between effectiveness and efficiency proves useful in prioritizing efforts and in designing the maintenance system to ensure it is resourced to sustain the Army in its continuing mission of fighting and winning the Nation's wars.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA450071
Entities
People
- Frank V. Gilbertson
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College