Deployment Logistics and the Impact of Seabasing : An Army Perspective

Deployment is one of the hardest and most critical logistical tasks. Since WWII, the development of distribution methods to overcome logistics issues has continued with mixed success. This monograph explores these issues and the methods used to mitigate them in a case study format. The three case studies used are WWII through the end of the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The findings of the case studies are that attempts to mitigate issues in logistics fail to address the entire distribution network. The methods discussed are the land-base concept (basing), Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS), regular transportation by either air or sea (bulk shipping), Prepositioning (PREPO), Joint Task Force Port Opening (JTF-PO), and the sea-base concept (Seabasing). Improvements made to one method hinder the success of other methods and fail to address the true problems of early entry command and control, visibility and capability issues that exist in the distribution process. The conclusion of this analysis is the recommendation of continued integration of the distribution process, specifically the integration and synchronization of the six methods of deployment in light of the command and control, visibility and capability issues and the need to maintain this focus when confronting concepts like seabasing and direct delivery. This paper articulates an analysis, solution and recommendation of the way forward by seabasing the command and control of logistics forces.