Photo By Megan Gully | Marion Whicker, Army Materiel Command executive deputy to the commanding general,...... read more read more
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Leaders across the Army’s Organic Industrial Base are setting the course for the OIB’s future, while remaining focused on providing readiness for today’s joint warfighter.
That was a key message from Army sustainment leaders during the bi-annual OIB Commander’s Summit at Redstone Arsenal, August 20-21, which highlighted changes coming to the 23 depots, arsenals and ammunition plants and how the Army thinks about the OIB’s role.
“The purpose of the OIB is incredibly important for the defense of this nation,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general and acting commander. “Not just the work done at the sites, because what a lot of people don’t know is our OIB capabilities are absolutely expeditionary. At any given time, we have between 600-1,000 teammates who are working somewhere other than where they live. They are overseas and in unit motor pools bringing their technical expertise to increase the Army readiness and train others to do the same.”
Mohan underlined the Army’s ability to quickly get equipment back into the fight is crucial and the OIB’s artisan workforce will play a key role in large-scale combat operations within a contested environment.
“We already have forward mobile teams providing that on-site expertise, but now is the time to practice and codify that process also using data to make smart decisions about where people are,” said Mohan.
Along with continuing to prepare the OIB expeditionary capabilities, Mohan said that the Army must continue to protect the OIB’s ability to surge when needed, saying that right now the OIB is surging in many areas, but it is important to have a plan for when that need drops.
“Everywhere I’ve seen pockets of whole organizations surging,” Mohan said. “You can’t buy that surge capability when the war starts, you have to have it built in. We’ve made mistakes in the past and we have to have a better plan to preserve that capability when the war starts.”
A part of that long-term planning is the OIB 15-year Modernization Implementation Plan, which will modernize facilities, processes and the workforce to bring the OIB into the 21st century, infuse industry best practices and refine human capital management structures to maximize the skills and capabilities of the workforce.
“This is a generational opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact to the future of our Army,” said Rich Martin, AMC’s director supply chain management. “The OIB is greater than the sum of its parts and the change you are driving today is an investment into our nation’s national insurance policy.”
The modernization plan synchronizes an investment of more than $18 billion in three phases: Build 21st Century Capability for the Future (Fiscal Years ‘24-28); Continue to Build Capabilities and Attack Vulnerabilities (FY ‘29-33); and Maintain and Sustain OIB Investments (FY ‘34-38).
“As you think about the next couple of years ahead, I want to underline the strategic importance you play in our Army,” Martin said. “Don’t judge your strategic importance by your proximity to the battlefield because you are making a difference. You have a significant opportunity to shape the future operational readiness of our Army.”
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2024 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 479273 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Senior leader underpins impact of expeditionary OIB, by Megan Gully, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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