Multifunctional Logistics Officer Corps

The logistics support structure of the U.S. Army has evolved continuously in order to provide efficient and effective support to Army forces. Logistics officers are critical in providing decisions that allocate support to Army forces. In the past, these logistics officers specialized in one of three basic logistics branches: Transportation, Ordnance or Quartermaster. Recent developments in doctrine, organizational change and technology require logisticians to understand the entire combat service support system. This monograph examines whether the U.S. Army should consolidate the officer corps of the Transportation, Ordnance and Quartermaster Corps into one multifunctional branch. This monograph analyzes changes in: logistics doctrine, organizations, technology, and historical analysis of the efforts of other organizations to consolidate elements of there combat service support structure. This analysis will determine whether the conditions exist that support the formation of a multifunctional logistics officer corps and if this action can provide added efficiency to the U.S. Army. The Army could consolidate the officer corps of the Transportation, Ordnance, and Quartermaster corps into a Multifunctional Logistics Officer Corps to gain efficiency in combat service support. The recent changes in doctrine, organization and emerging technology indicate that logistics officers are performing in this role now. Conducting the consolidation could combine resources of the three branches and result in a training program that would result in thoroughly trained multifunctional logisticians at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.