MacDill AFB, Fla., March 8, 2019 —
Logisticians and engineers throughout the Department of Defense gathered at U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) headquarters to participate in the inaugural Joint Strategic Support Board (JSSB) wargame from Feb. 25 until Mar 1, 2019.
Stemming from the Joint Logistics Coordination Board (JLCB), USCENTCOM’s director of logistics and engineering, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Sharpsten saw a need to initiate a detailed scenario-driven approach to his directorate’s planning and analysis that would better anticipate and address strategic support issues that provide engineering and logistics support to military operations ahead of the commander’s decision cycle.
"As USCENTCOM continues to respond to national level strategy and guidance, Maj. Gen Sharpsten has asked the joint logistics and engineering community to peer into the future and place USCENTCOM in the best position possible,” said U.S. Army Col. Martine Kidd, USCENTCOM’s chief of logistics plans, strategy and policy.
During the JSSB, representatives from USCENTCOM service component commands, and support agencies explored the complexities and potential options in support of posture-related decisions. They examined assumptions, identified shortfalls, gaps, seams, opportunities, and risks.
“This wargame affords us that opportunity to collectively prepare our unique insights, better inform USCENTCOM-wide planning efforts, and enable the decision making of our senior leaders," said Kidd.
Participants addressed the challenges of supporting deployed forces efficiently while operating in austere conditions across USCENTCOM’s area of responsibility, emphasizing the importance of synchronizing efforts with all of the command’s service components and combat support agencies like the Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Transportation Command.
“The JSSB wargame enabled our staff to think through realistic future scenarios and collaborate internally, and then with cross service components, to meet the scenario's mission,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Arno Bischoff, U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s director of installations. “We were able to increase our knowledge of potential shortfalls to enable actions to close gaps and seams so we are better prepared as a joint logistics and engineering enterprise.”
USCENTCOM’s directorate of logistics and engineering (CCJ4) will consolidated the recommendations from this initial wargame and present them in a forthcoming JSSB executive level out-brief next month.
“This JSSB provided a renewed strategic review of potential operations, and the required posture and logistics support requirements to effectively sustain forces from locations we haven't discussed in detail in the past,” said U.S Army Col. Aaron Cook. U.S. Army Central Command’s chief of plans, exercise, policies, and programs.