Joint Distribution: Two Decades of Change

Abstract

The unforeseen requirements associated with sustaining U.S. forces in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF), and now OPERATION NEW DAWN, have triggered significant adaptations in joint distribution across all levels of war. While the events since 2001 highlight significant change in the logistics system, the evolution of joint distribution traces back to 1989. The joint distribution community has affected change in the strategic through tactical levels of logistics, responding to a myriad of challenges presented by enemy action, distance, politics, and bureaucratic organization. In 2010, the Joint Staff J4 attempted to codify the changes that came with the release of Joint Publication 4.09 "Distribution Operations." JP 4.09 depicts a complex array of strategic, operational, and tactical distribution capabilities tied together in a single global distribution pipeline. The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution of the joint distribution community and attempt to determine how the Department of Defense (DoD) developed the current model, and what the implications are for the future of distribution. It will do so through the transformative partner relationships among the national distribution partners and U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM). The paper is organized into four parts. Part 1 is dedicated to the evolution of joint distribution from 1989 to 2003, focusing on evolution of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and early impacts of OEF. Part 2 is dedicated to the time period from 2003 through 2007, focusing on the development of U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) as the Distribution Process Owner, and how the national partners operated in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility. Part 3 covers the time period from 2008 to the present, highlighting the partnerships between USCENTCOM, USTRANSCOM, and DLA. Part 4 is a discussion of emerging concepts that are likely to drive additional changes to joint distribution.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 05, 2011
Accession Number
ADA560282

Entities

People

  • James B. Stanford

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Command And Control
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Iraqi-War
  • Logistics
  • Military Science
  • Supply Chain
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Supply Depots
  • Unified Combatant Commands
  • United States
  • United States Central Command
  • United States Transportation Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.