News

Robins first air logistics center to implement BRAC 2005 decisions

  • Published
  • By Amanda Creel
  • 78th ABW/PA
Robins AFB, Ga. --  The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center is the first of the Air Force's three air logistics centers and the first of 13 industrial sites across all four military services to implement the Base Realignment and Closure 2005.

The BRAC 2005 decision calls for the Department of Defense to reconfigure its industrial supply, storage and distribution infrastructure into one integrated provider supporting WR-ALC depot maintenance requirements. This infrastructure will reduce duplication of functions and inventory, optimize resources and streamline processes.

The Defense Distribution Center was tasked by the BRAC decision to elevate the Defense Distribution Depot at Robins and at Oklahoma City, Okla. to a strategic distribution platform.

A joint implementation team has been formed to plan the execution of the BRAC 2005 Supply, Storage and Distribution Management Reconfiguration decision at the Center.

The team consists of Air Force Materiel Command and Defense Logistics Agency personnel charged with creating a plan of action and milestones for the supply, storage and distribution implementation. The action plan will define specific tasks to be completed that will support a successful transfer of functions and people without degradation of support to readiness and the warfighter.

"As we continue to integrate with the Air Force BRAC implementation team to meet the BRAC 2005 decisions, DLA pledges to ensure uninterrupted customer support," said Army Brig. Gen. Dave Kee, executive director of the DLA BRAC Implementation Office.

DDC's Distribution Reengineering Directorate, led by Air Force Col. Arnold Flores, is planning the transition. He said that DDC has developed and DLA has approved an organizational structure for all four SDPs called "the SDP construct."

Implementation of this construct will occur in phases as customers are transitioned to Defense Distribution Depot Oklahoma City, Okla. (DDOO) and Defense Distribution Depot Warner Robins (DDWG).

This will expand the number of SDP managed by the DDC to four. The two existing platforms are located at the Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, Pa., and San Joaquin, Calif.

According to General Kee, the main focus continues to be support to the warfighter.

Colonel Flores said the platforms are designed for increased surge capability during wartime as well as contingency support for national emergencies and natural disasters.

The additional SDPs at DDWG and DDOO will improve the mobilization, deployment and sustainment of combatant forces deployed worldwide. All four SDPs will be equipped with state-of-the-art consolidation, containerization, and palletization capabilities, called Containerization Consolidation Point, or CCP, Colonel Flores said.

"The CCP being added to each new SDP is significant," Flores said. "It will require some construction at both DDOO and DDWG both have new structures planned for consolidating and shipping materials outside the continental U.S."

Maj. Gen. Tom Owen, commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, is delighted with progress thus far.

"We are working closely with the DLA to ensure this comes off smoothly, and results in the best possible use of resources. We are working with state and local officials to accomodate changes to traffic patterns. We are excited that Robins was chosen for this key strategic distribution platform mission," said General Owen.

As DDWG and DDOO transition to platforms, they will begin to assume new customers, Colonel Flores said. DDWG and DDOO will also be the first source of replenishment for other DDC distribution centers in their geographic regions.

The platforms also use technology that allows military customers to track shipments of supplies, called in-transit cargo visibility and real-time accountability of shipments.

"SDPs are a critical component of the global Department of Defense distribution network," Colonel Flores said, "and provide long-term mission stability."

"Our depots deliver the aircraft and repair parts that keep Air Force missions flying. A superb plan, executed well, will ensure our maintenance lines keep delivering and our Air Force keeps flying," said Lorna Estep, deputy director of supply for AFMC's Directorate of Logistics.

Plans call for supply, storage and distribution implementation to take place at AFMC's air logistics centers in fiscal 2008. WR-ALC is planned for the first quarter; Oklahoma City ALC at Tinker AFB, Okla., is scheduled for the second quarter.

(Editor's note: Air Force Print News and Polly Charbonneau, Defense Distribution Center Command Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)