Global Strike Command director briefs upcoming logistics changes

by Valerie Mullett
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

7/30/2010 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. (AFNS) -- The Air Force Global Strike Command's director of installations, logistics and mission support visited here July 21 through 23 to discuss the base's transformation from the current logistical process to the Expeditionary Combat Support System.

During her site visit, Ann Mitchell stressed the importance of change with regard to ECSS, the system that will manage the logistical infrastructure in the future.

Ms. Mitchell called ECSS the most significant logistics transformation in Air Force history which has great potential to improve warfighter capability.

"ECSS is going to fundamentally change the way we do business," Ms. Mitchell said. "It's going to decommission hundreds of our legacy systems and it's going to give us more valuable information."

The new system of systems will enhance the logistical infrastructure with integrated software, standardized business processes, transformed personnel roles and total asset visibility across the enterprise.

"The way we organize, deploy and employ has changed," Ms. Mitchell said. "Therefore, the way we support the warfighter must also change."

While ECSS will not be fully implemented at Malmstrom until June 2012, Ms. Mitchell said it is important for leaders to start preparing for the transformation early.

"Visible, sustained leadership throughout the transition is the number-one means of effecting change to the desired state," she said.

In order to do so, change-agent coordinators have been appointed at various levels, with Ms. Mitchell serving as the lead for the logistics transformation.

Bases will have a coordinator to lead the base's readiness efforts which will include establishing a network for change-agents, providing training educational materials, in addition to facilitating communication and problem resolution.

"ECSS will drive changes in the way the Air Force does business and the way logisticians perform their jobs," said Steve Gilman, deputy commander for the 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron and Malmstrom's ECCS coordinator. "The result will be an Air Force enterprise better enabled to provide its warfighters the right materiel at the right time and enable logisticians to use their time more productively."