The Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) headquarters auditorium was filled to capacity with employees from NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (WSS), NAVSUP Business Systems Center (BSC), NAVSUP headquarters, and remote participants across the global enterprise as the Reform all-hands call commenced onboard Naval Support Activity Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, April 23.

“NAVSUP has always had smart people, people who know what needs to be done, what needs to be changed and we’re trying to tap into that energy and allowing them to drive that change from the bottom,” NAVSUP Vice Commander Michael Madden said as he welcomed the crowd of over 275 attendees. NAVSUP enterprise members from 18 locations around the world also attended via video teleconference.

“We are preparing the Navy… from a readiness perspective. The nice thing about having a military is potentially you don’t have to fight a war, but it’s got to be a credible military,” Madden continued. “That’s our job, to create that credible military every day, and to make sure they have the parts that they need to maintain the readiness so that they can meet the mission they’re supposed to meet.”

The Reform all-hands continued with updates from Reform Management Office Lead Charla Fridley, who highlighted recent successes and the current year’s lines of effort, including forecasting, integrated logistics, customer presence, contracting, and strategic supplier management.

“As one example, we have the new signed NAVSUP WSS supply demand override policy instruction. It returns the decision making to the planner, it enables them to be able to make decisions for demand override when they have additional information,” Fridley explained. The new rules help speed supplies to where they’re needed.

NAVSUP WSS Vice Commander Lynn Kohl followed Fridley and laid out NAVSUP WSS initiatives to be conducted on very aggressive timelines.

“There is a limited window of time, that we can go out and make these changes effectively, we have a very supportive audience,” shared Kohl.  “They’re listening to us, we have a lot of admirals talking about supply when that was not heard of before, we want to strike while the iron is hot.

“It’s all focused on achieving readiness, and at the same time we have to focus on being accountable, so inventory audit and accountability is also a part of the reason why we’re going after these specific initiatives this year.”

“Strategic budgeting is a huge shift,” Kohl said, as she elaborated on one of the key initiatives. “It’s a shift from the just-in-time supply model to being ready for wartime, let’s make sure we can fight tonight. In order to do that we have to make sure all the supplies are there now, not just-in-time.”

The NAVSUP WSS 2019 blueprint also touched on improving data quality and supply forecast accuracy, reorganizing cross-functional teams and developing an industrial integration plan.

“Inserting a NAVSUP presence in the industrial environment is part of the Industrial Integration Plan, with both the shipyards and the [Fleet Readiness Centers],” challenged Kohl. “To ensure we know what’s going on with the supply system there, and understanding the needs that they have.”

Kohl rounded out her remarks by emphasizing ownership and knowledge of the innumerable systems NAVSUP supports throughout the Navy by rebuilding configuration control capability.

“We really need to understand the variance in configurations of the equipment models and versions out there in the fleet,” said Kohl. “That is what enables us to build a supply chain, and have the right supplies in place to support the fleet.”

Capt. David Carnal, NAVSUP WSS Surface Operations director, provided an update of the integrated maritime operational model code model and then joined fellow reform committee members Madden and Kohl to finish out the remainder of the time with an executive panel addressing questions and individual reform concerns from the audience.

“We need to design a system that allows a finer resolution in inventory control and help maintain inventory validity.” Madden said, responding to a question regarding the role or vision for the Fleet Logistics Centers in the reform process.

“The reform effort is incremental and constant,” Madden said. “We advertise big wins, but it’s about the changes we do each and every day and how we look at the problems before us.”

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