Using Civilian Supply Chain Management Best Practices to Improve Army Supply Chain Management Procedures

The purpose of this study is to examine the Armys supply chain management system for capability gaps in the management of Class IX repair parts and determine if the best practices for civilian supply chain management can be applied to the Army system improving its overall performance. Furthermore, this thesis discusses some of the different practices used by civilian corporations that have been tested and proven to achieve enhanced capabilities and improve supply chain procedures. Finally, this paper examines future strategies adopted by the Army and provided recommendations and additional advice on how to ensure successful implementation and proper evaluation criteria after full solution is completed. These techniques and procedures will provide insight on solutions that will address the bullwhip effect across all stages of the Army supply chain management system and how implementing lessons learned from civilian corporations, the Center for Army Lessons Learned, and Combat Training Centers can vastly improve Army logistics. The overall reason of this study is to identify how the Army can improve fleet readiness by providing Class IX repair parts quickly to the end user and support soldiers with modernized multi-functional logistics in all locations.