Security Assistance; and Logistics - Federation of American Scientists

Observation 18. Class IX Material ManagementThe IA did not appear ready to assume responsibility for or control of Class IX repairparts management at Taji National Depot or at the KMTB Location Command.The IA did not have an organic management system to monitor inventory, usage ordistribution of parts, nor did they have a system in place to ensure Class IX inventoryreplenishment. The IA units that would be responsible for Class IX repair partsmanagement did not have a sufficient number of trained and qualified logisticiansassigned to perform that function. Additionally the software currently used by thenational maintenance contractor for spare parts tracking was not in Arabic, hindering itstransition to the Iraqis for them to manage their Class IX parts.Without a usable, standardized parts management system that is linked to requirements,the Iraqi Army would not have the necessary capability to efficiently, economically, orpromptly requisition, receive, track, and store the parts needed for the wide array ofequipment in their inventory. As a consequence, equipment and major end items wouldsoon become non-operational for lack of repair parts.Applicable CriteriaDoD Directive 3000.05. DoD Directive (DoDD) 3000.05, “Military Support forStability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations,” November 28,2005, states it is DoD policy that “Stability operations are a core U.S. military missionthat the Department of Defense shall be prepared to conduct and support. They shall begiven priority comparable to combat operations and be explicitly addressed andintegrated across all DoD activities including doctrine, organizations, training, education,exercises, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and planning.”Transition to Iraqi ControlSince 2005, 1 st through 3 rd Line maintenance for IA vehicles had been managed throughthe Iraqi Army national maintenance contract, administered by MNSTC-I. Class IX 28repair parts management was closely aligned with the vehicle maintenance program and,in fact, was managed through the same contract as the Iraqi Army Maintenance Program.As the Iraqi Army developed capability and demonstrated an increased commitment toassume responsibility for its own sustainment, it became clear that many of the logisticstasks previously accomplished by the Coalition should be transferred to Iraqi control.The national maintenance contract was originally due to expire in March 2007, but was28 Supply Class IX encompasses all repair parts needed for major end items such as: aircraft, groundsupport equipment, administrative vehicles, tactical vehicles, missiles, weapons, etc. In the Iraqi Army,repair parts fall under their supply designation of “Electrical & Mechanical Engineering.”115