Accession Number:

ADA505296

Title:

Back to Basics: Redefining CSS Principles

Descriptive Note:

Research paper

Corporate Author:

MARINE CORPS COMMAND AND STAFF COLL QUANTICO VA

Personal Author(s):

• Mullen,

Report Date:

2005-02-08

Pagination or Media Count:

17.0

Abstract:

Straying from time-tested Marine Corps basics, the Combat Service Support CSS community currently operates in a gray area of piece-meal tactics and business procedures. MCDP-1, Warfighting, warns that, Without a clearly identified concept and intent, the necessary unity of effort is inconceivable. Lack of unity of effort is caused by the indistinctness of the seven principles of logistics, outlined in FMFM 4-1, Combat Service Support Operations as responsiveness, simplicity, flexibility, economy, attainability, sustainability, and survivability. These inconsistent principles have forced the CSS community to chase both efficiency and effectiveness at the cost of supporting todays Marine Corps. As Lieutenant Colonel Chandler succinctly stated, The dynamics of EMW Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare has exceeded the dynamics of our logistics chain. While Logistics Modernization is currently working to address the symptoms, a basic reordering of logistics doctrine must first be addressed. The CSS community must identify focused principles of support to bring unity of effort to the struggle of supporting EMW. As such, the seven principles of Marine Corps logistics should be narrowed to three principles that align with time-tested Warfighting fundamentals simplicity, flexibility, and effectiveness.

Descriptors:

• *LOGISTICS SUPPORT
• *MILITARY DOCTRINE
• *MILITARY MODERNIZATION
• *OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
• *MARINE CORPS
• ORGANIZATIONAL REALIGNMENT
• MARINE CORPS OPERATIONS
• COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS

Subject Categories:

• Military Forces and Organizations
• Logistics, Military Facilities and Supplies

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE