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Military supply lines flawed

The Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 3:01 PM EDT 08/05/08

Troops get what they need through determination, rather than organization, Fraser says ...Read the full article

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  1. Kim Morton from Canada writes: Not surprising. Having worked for the alarmed farces I can attest to the lack of organization. Most of the lower ranks try hard but the problems stem from the top and their insistence on following the chain of command, so a simple question can take days to get an answer to or as is more common lost in the chain. Their system is virtually unchanged from WW1 or before and none of the senior officers and few enlisted troops have any experience from other industries to compare to.
  2. Jim Somerville from Ottawa, Canada writes: Too bad the supply chain management can't be simply outsourced to Walmart. But seriously, perhaps they could learn a thing or two from such organizations.

    http://himmicane.blogspot.com
  3. Popeye Dillon from North Vancouver, Canada writes: Kim Morton: So who should be in charge the lower ranks? I work with one now and he can't tie his shoes unless he's told too.
  4. Jimmy K from Toronto, Canada writes: This isn't just a military problem. Most average performing large companies have supply chain hiccups. However, the best ones have got it down to an artform.

    The Military could learn a lot from the likes of Wal-Mart, Dell, or Toyota.
  5. UCant Haveitall from Canada writes: Kim - the bulk of the Bureaucracy wears a suit not a uniform
  6. Nick B. from Canada writes: As though this problem was so simple. It's nothing new. Procurement decisions have been made to satisfy political concerns (witness the purchase of the LSVW, for example). Despite the fact that the supply techs work hard to get what's needed to where it's needed it's sort of difficult when procurement is such a mess. Good equipment is being fielded in some cases but some things are taking incredibly long times to reach soldiers (like a new ruck sack that's been in the works for some seven years!) and by the time some new stuff gets issued it's already obsolete (like the tactical vest used by the Army that seems to be satisfactory to no one.)

    Fixing the procurement system is just one step in solving the problems, but there's not much hope of that it seems.
  7. Roberto P from Canada writes: While Canada's military is counting inventory on a clipboard the US military is currently shifting to 'Sense and Respond' supply chain strategies.

    From my dealings with Canadian and US military logistics and procurement it's clear to me Canada's military brass doesn't know how far other military's have advanced in this area.

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