Civilian NAVSUP HQ OPLOG planners are recognized subject matter experts (SMEs) across the planner community who provide continuity as military OPLOG planners rotate in and out of the Enterprise. Our planners are the focal point for aligning NAVSUP HQ and FLCs with COCOMs, numbered fleets, OPLANs and other operational requirements. We developed subject-matter expertise of the naval and joint OPLOG environment over years of experience which requires a deep understanding of planning principles, strategies, practices, capabilities and limitations. As civilian OPLOG planners, we have the opportunity to work closely with NAVSUP HQ program managers to develop policy and regulatory requirements with the aim of translating fleet readiness and joint measures into quantifiable action items. We identify relevant policies, regulations, directives and procedures – ensuring adherence and identifying roadblocks that require exceptions in support of Navy and joint operations across the contested logistics continuum. As OPLOG planners we work closely with NAVSUP HQ acquisition professionals developing our operational contract support knowledge to better understand how the acquisition processes will be employed in support of major theater OPLANs. Additionally, OPLOG planners aid our fleet logistics planners in the development of the concepts of support, contingency operations, overall planning processes, and contract strategy development.
As OPLOG planners we are heavily involved in data analysis and modeling enablers for problem solving through data gathering, analysis (quantitative and qualitative, statistical) and the development of data models to support logistics conclusions and recommendations. This requires close coordination with the operational research analyst assigned to the NAVSUP HQ Business Process Analytics and Integration Division. Together we identify and assess trends and problems in logistics plans, developing alternative solutions and implementing corrective actions. Our problem-solving and decision-making ability to identify and resolve complex logistics challenges and make sound recommendations has been paramount to our success due to the unique challenges we experience across varying areas of operation. These challenges directly impact both the naval and JLEnt, to include environmental, transportation, area denial, resource constraints (funding, personnel, facilities, etc.) and supply chain disruptions – just to name a few. As a civilian planner, I have spent years developing expertise in logistics, planning, data analysis and communication. Our planning cell continuously provides supportability analysis, consolidating and submitting supportability plans, analyzing logistics plans and providing time-phased force and deployment data (TPFDD) recommendations.
I continually work to improve critical communication skills to effectively work with diverse stakeholders presenting information to Senior leadership, key stakeholders and industry. From day-to-day, I may find myself responsible for communicating tactical level NAVSUP FLC point-of-delivery requirements for current operations, or operational level of war OPLOG considerations with the Fleet N4 Staff, or providing strategic communications to the NAVSUP Enterprise up to, and including, Chief of Supply Corps. As OPLOG planners we work closely with a wide range of naval and logistic enterprise stakeholders, including NAVSUP FLC leadership, numbered fleets, combatant commands, joint services, joint task forces, interagency partners (Federal Emergency Management Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. Transportation Command, General Services Administration, U.S. State Department, commercial logistics providers, NGOs and operational personnel. While challenging to be conversant across such a wide diversity of entities, it is personally rewarding to be able to bring the JLEnt to bear to solve some of the most challenging operational requirements in preparation for kinetic operations, as required.
Actively engaging in deliberate planning efforts, I have the opportunity to address NAVSUP Enterprise equities in developing specified task for inclusion into major theater OPLANs supporting the COCOM's logistics concepts of operations incorporating NAVSUP personnel in the TPFDD for sustainment of joint and naval forces. This line-of-effort has provided me the opportunity to work with the Joint Staff in tackling the issue of unit line number (ULNs) assignment to entities that historically do not have ULNs assigned. Additionally, our OPLOG Planning cell has been called upon on multiple occasions to engage in contingency planning efforts to develop contingency response plans for non-combatant evacuation operations, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief and defense support of civil authorities.
I must say that one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a civilian OPLOG planner is the critical role we fill in exercise and wargame development and execution. This is our opportunity to address logistical challenges with out-of-the-box planning solutions. Once developed, we have the opportunity to exercise our solutions from table-top, to fleet level exercises, to OPNAV sponsored wargames, to COCOM level exercises and wargame. It is very fulfilling when your team develops a solution that is exercised and adopted by the naval/joint force. As a civilian OPLOG Planner we coordinate the development of synchronized logistics support analysis and participate in exercises and wargames, assessing mission essential tasks lists against real world requirements. I have even had the opportunity to be a team lead for deliberate planning events/efforts on special operational planning teams with our fleet logistics partners. Additionally, as an OPLOG Planner we are involved in providing policy recommendations, OPLAN development, participating in overseas logistics management, developing policy recommendations for logistics roles, developing funding justifications and deploying Enterprise Logistic Response Teams for exercise and real-world operations.
Finally, I take great pride in providing operational level of war and the Navy planning process training to the greater NAVSUP Enterprise. As an example, the planning cell provides training to the military plans and operations directorate, the NAVSUP FLC fleet planners embedded in the numbered fleets, the NAVSUP FLC operations officers and staffs, the joint and OPLOG planner interns and the NAVSUP HQ assistant commands. I personally had the opportunity to collaborate with the NAVSUP Reserve Operations Unit, the Naval War College and the Naval Supply Corps School in developing an Operational Logistics course scheduled for instruction at the Navy Supply Corps School to train all future supply officers. And in closing, our OPLOG planners are responsible for the oversight and training of the NAVSUP Liaison Officer Program who are the driving force in OPLOG alignment between logistics operations centers, emergency operations centers, logistics readiness centers and other logistics commands and control centers across exercises and operations. I could not be better positioned to have real-world impact on the naval and JLEnt than to be a civilian OPLOG planner at NAVSUP HQ.
