Class III (Bulk) Distribution Successes

Major combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) were a great success; however, the theater logistics system has come under an enormous amount of criticism from both warfighters and logisticians. Leaders at all levels of command have criticized OIF distribution management systems. However, distribution of bulk petroleum served as one supply commodity that was an exception to the criticism. The performance of OIF bulk petroleum distribution was in contrast to Operation Desert Storm (ODS) with its noted fuel shortages and reports of units running out of fuel on the battlefield. Key CFLCC leaders witnessed and in some cases personally experienced fuel shortages during ODS and were determined that there would not be any fuel shortages on the OIF battlefield. This determination was evident in the preparation and development of the OIF bulk fuel distribution infrastructure. That same emphasis and priority was not consistent throughout the entire logistical spectrum resulting in degraded performance. It is important to study the success of Class III (B) distribution to determine if there are systematic attributes transferable to the distribution of other commodities. Distribution has been problematic throughout military history and with America's military logistics system, evolving from supply based to distribution based makes optimizing distribution even more critical. The Army's push to become highly expeditionary further stresses the importance of effective distribution across the operational spectrum. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the distribution processes for bulk petroleum (Class III Bulk) against the distribution processes for (Class I-MREs) at the operational and tactical levels of war. The methodology involved a historical comparison of Class I (MREs) and Class III (Bulk) using the criteria of command and control (C2) and theater development. Theater development was defined as the amount of effort: expressed as priority of effort, construct