Training of the US Army Special Forces Communication Sergeant (18E)

Special Forces are the best trained and equipped force in the world. The United States Army Special Forces are world renowned for producing some of the most skilled, elite Soldiers on the battlefield today. These specially trained and equipped Soldiers don’t materialize on their own. Each Soldier goes through a rigorous and demanding training course to become one of the best. Although this training outpaces any in the regular Army, it is not without its own shortcomings. Large amounts of time and resources go into training a Special Forces Soldier. Each man may spend anywhere from eighteen months to two-and-a-half years in training at the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS, or SWCS for short) before they graduate and become green berets. This is certainly true for the Special Forces Communications Sergeant. The goal at SWCS is to train Special Forces Communication Sergeants, or 18E’s as they are commonly referred, that can operate on a Special Forces Team, or Operational Detachment Alphas (ODA), with minimal additional training. Training received by the 18E on special operations communication systems at SWCS is believed to not allow the 18E to arrive at his first ODA and execute his duties without substantial additional training. Because of the fast-paced changes of today’s technology and the ever increasing information requirements from the front lines of Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, the training received by the 18E at SWCS must keep up with the times. This field project took several approaches were taken to determine if in fact SWCS has fallen behind in training 18E’s for duty. First, a close look was taken at the current syllabus, or Program of Instruction (POI) to find what communication systems and techniques are taught in the 18E course. Second, interviews were conducted with current members of ODA’s who gave their impression of new 18E’s who join their team shortly after graduation from SWCS. Third, a survey of three hundred ninety one graduates from the fifteen most recent classes, dating back to 2010, were contacted via email and asked to voluntary participate in a survey of their communication knowledge upon arrival at their first ODA. All individuals have had some time operating on an ODA as an 18E, Special Forces communicator. Seventy six of them responded to the survey. The research clearly shows both the strengths and weaknesses of the 18E course in SWCS. It is very apparent that the 18E course is teaching some of the right things, however it is clear that there are many topics and systems used by 18E's on the ODA that are not being taught. Keeping up with the latest tactics, techniques, training, and equipment is essential for the United States Army if we are to remain the world’s premier fighting force. Training of the Special Forces Communication Sergeant is no different. Identifying the shortfalls is only the beginning. Additional research is required to discover ways SWCS can keep up with the ODA’s in terms of training and equipment so they can truly produce 18E’s that can make a difference on today’s battlefield

Marine Forces Reserve: accelerating knowledge flow through asynchronous learning technologies

"Further distribution of all or part of this report is authorized."Most scholars agree that knowledge is key to competitive advantage. Organizations able to move dynamic knowledge quickly can outperform their rivals, peers and counterparts. The US Marine Corps is clearly a knowledge organization, and Marine Forces Reserve (MFR) is an organization exemplifying the need for rapid knowledge movement. Indeed, a key component to MFR success is the knowledge of Active Duty Inspector Instructors (I-Is), but a great number of them are required to take charge quickly—although most lack prior training and experience working with the unique and dynamic challenges of the Reserves—and their extant knowledge flows are relegated principally to questionably effective presentation slideshows and error-prone on the job training. Leveraging deftly the power of information technology—in conjunction with knowledge management principles, methods and techniques—we employ a class of systems used principally for distributed and remote learning, and we engage key subject matter experts at MFR Headquarters to accelerate the knowledge flows required for effective I-I performance. Preliminary results point to huge return on investment in terms of cost, and early indications suggest that training efficacy can be just as effective as—if not better than—accomplished through previous methods. This sets the stage for even more effective use of I-I personnel time and energy when they gather for their annual conference in New Orleans, and it highlights enhanced opportunities for continuing our acceleration of knowledge flows through online training and support—both for I-I personnel and across other MFR training populations. Further research, implementation and assessment are required, but results to date are impressive and encouraging.Marine Forces ReserveMarine Forces ReserveApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Creating an Effective Regional Alignment Strategy for the U.S. Army

View the Executive SummaryAs the war in Afghanistan draws to a close, the Army increasingly is focused upon “regionally aligning” its forces. To do so effectively, however, it must undertake several initiatives. First, the Army must acknowledge and liberate the unique productive capabilities (talents) of each individual. Second, it must shift from process-oriented, industrial age personnel management to productivity-focused, information age talent management. Third, the Army must foster enduring human relationships between its organizations and the governments, militaries, and populations to which they are regionally aligned. Hand in hand with this, it must redesign its Force Generation Model to create regional expertise at both individual and organizational levels. Finally, the Army must ensure that regional alignment does not degrade the worldwide “flex” capabilities of its forces.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1474/thumbnail.jp

One Defence: one direction? The First Principles Review of Defence

Overview: The recently released report of the First Principles Review of Defence, Creating One Defence, is set to reshape the Defence enterprise over the next few years. This ASPI special report explains the review’s recommendations and analyses the consequences for Defence. It provides three perspectives on the forthcoming reforms: Peter Jennings, ‘One Defence–root causes, risks and values’; Andrew Davies, ‘The capability development life cycle’; Mark Thomson, ‘One Defence in two parts’

The Strategic Distribution Management Initiative and its effects on inventory levels and readiness

Until just a few years ago, no organization was tasked with measuring overall effectiveness, design, or optimization of DOD's global supply chain management system. As a result, the Strategic Distribution Management Initiative (SDMI) was created as a joint venture between Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) charged with enterprise level redesign, streamlining, and optimization of the DOD global supply chain. This thesis examines the affects of the SDMI implementation on the Army's two maneuver divisions stationed in the Europe. Specifically, it analyzes affects of SDMI implementation on the eight supply support activities located within the two maneuver divisions in USAREUR. This thesis studies SDMI impacts on inventory levels; inventory turbulence in the SSAs during SDMI implementation; SDMI improvements with respect to readiness; and existing barriers to improving velocity. The research indicates that: (1) expected inventory reductions were not realized following SDMI implementation, (2) inventory turbulence consumes limited resources and is a lucrative target for further improvement, (3) there is no evidence that SDMI increased fleet readiness, and (4) backorder rates and time, along with sub-optimization of pieces of the DOD supply chain, are significant barriers to velocity that still must be broken through.http://archive.org/details/thestrategicdist109455797Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Toward joint Medical Logistics 2010 and beyond: process innovation and redesign of Class VIII supply chain at a medical logistics company

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate current Class VIII supply chain procedures at a U.S. Medical Logistics Company (Med Log Co), process map the "as is" baseline process and propose possible "to be" process redesign alternatives that will possibly improve efficiency and produce long-term cost savings. To perform this analysis, the 1st Med Log Co at Camp Pendleton, CA was chosen. The assessment of their "as is" process includes a historical background on medical logistics within the Department of Defense, a comprehensive material logistics literature review, site visits, personnel interviews, process mapping of the baseline "as is" process, and proposal of two redesign alternatives for the "to be" process. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using Thomas Davenport's Process Innovation Framework and quantitative measurements were obtained using the Knowledge-based Organizational Process Redesign (KOPeR) methodology to diagnosis existing pathologies. KOPeR measurements indicate that the 1st Med Log Co's existing "as is" process is a fragmented, mostly manual procurement process that can be innovated now using information technology as a process enabler. Our results indicate that by formally injecting the use of electronic mail and shared databases into the "as is" procurement process an immediate impact can be realized. Further efficiency and cost savings can be accomplished by coupling the injection of information technology with a web- based end-to-end procurement process that assigns a case manager to the "to be" process.http://www.archive.org/details/towardjointmedic00auguMajor, United States Marine CorpsLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Iran’s Arak Heavy Water Reactors: Past, Present and Future

The Iranian nuclear impasse involved issues related to centrifuges and uranium enrichment, the Fordow underground enrichment plant and the IR-40 Heavy Water Reactors (HWRs). It is in this context that the paper tracks the development of the Arak HWRs prior to the nuclear deal and the concerns regarding the HWRs during the nuclear negotiation process and the neutering process post Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The paper further discusses whether Iran could resort to nuclear weapons with either enriched uranium or HWRs

Supply Chain Management in Humanitarian Relief Logistics

Hundreds of millions of people are affected by disasters each year. This thesis explores the use of supply chain management techniques to overcome the barriers encountered by logistics managers during humanitarian relief operations. Using grounded theory methodology, barriers were analyzed based on academic, organizational, and contemporary literature. Possible solutions to these barriers were selected from available supply chain management literature. This work is different from others in that it marries supply chain principles from different disciplines (including private, nonprofit, and military sectors) to benefit humanitarian operations. It also serves to advance the body of knowledge on this subject so that future logistics managers can build upon the concept. The result of the study is a simple framework of supply chain management solutions for overcoming logistics difficulties during humanitarian relief operations. (3 tables, 66 refs.