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In the first of two articles on the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, the author discusses the commander's role in planning and executing the program successfully.
During my deployment to Iraq to provide support to Operation Iraqi Freedom, commanders sometimes expressed frustration that the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) did not meet their expectations. I believe the commanders' perceptions stemmed, in part, from the fact that they did not fully understand their roles and responsibilities in planning and executing the program and did not always have realistic expectations of the program's capabilities. LOGCAP 's strengths lie in preplanned support and economies of scale and effort. These strengths have not been exploited fully because of incremental, bottom-up planning rather than top-down, integrated staff planning; underdeveloped theater contracting management processes; and a lack of knowledge at all levels of what the program can do and how to access it.
Two major findings of a 2004 Government Accountability Office audit of LOGCAP operations in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom were that the Department of Defense did not comply fully with guidance on identification of contracting requirements early in the planning process and that the LOGCAP contractor was not adequately involved in the planning process. I believe that Army Materiel Command (AMC) Pamphlet 700-30, LOGCAP, does not detail the tactical- and operational-level mechanics of LOGCAP or provide "how to" information the combatant commanders (COCOMs) and Army service component commanders (ASCCs) need to properly implement the contract during contingency operations. In this article, the first of two on proper planning and employment of LOGCAP, I will attempt to help fill some of the voids in that doctrine.
LOGCAP Doctrine
Army Regulation (AR) 700-137, Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP), establishes Department of the Army (DA) policies, responsibilities, and procedures for implementing LOGCAP to augment Army forces during wartime. AMC Pamphlet 700-30 outlines procedures for commanders at both the DA and regional COCOM levels to follow when requesting and implementing LOGCAP services.
However, the pamphlet does not discuss operational and tactical execution or program mechanics. Nor does it explain fully how to maximize the program's capabilities or establish who is responsible for identifying or validating LOGCAP requirements, writing statements of work (SOWs), preparing independent cost estimates, tracking funds obligated against...