Sustainment Improvisation

This monograph investigates historical examples of sustainment improvisation at the operational level to determine the role sustainment improvisation has played in the conduct of the operational art of war and the significance of improvisation for future operational sustainment planners. First, twentieth century improvisation examples are described with a general situation. The examples from World War II include the aerial Hump operation in the China-Burma-India Theater, the logistics-over-the-shore (LOTS) operations with the Normandy Beach landings, and the system of express highway routes to include the Red Ball Express. More recent examples from Vietnam include the civilian contracting of terminal services and a modern aerial Red Ball Express for high priority parts resupply. In each case appropriate detail is presented to create a broad picture of the effort, techniques, and procedures employed to create and operate the improvisation. Significant problems and costs associated with the operation are highlighted to illustrate some of the challenges that can be expected when improvising sustainment. Specific focus is placed on why sustainment improvisation was required operationally. Reaction time and duration are analyzed. The command and control aspects of the improvisation are explored to determine at what level the decision was made for initiating the action and who controlled the sustainment operation during its life span. The operational role and impact of the sustainment improvisation is analyzed to determine how the improvisation expanded the realm of the possible. Opinions are expressed for whether or not the improvisation was worth the cost. Findings, lessons learned, shared characteristics, and implications are presented to better prepare future sustainment improvisers when they are challenged to expand the realm of the possible. Some of the shared characteristics include the inevitability of the need to improvise, the large magnitude in time and resour