March 6, 2024
Contingency Contractors: Partnerships Power the Mission in U.S. Central Command
U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND - “An army runs on its stomach,” a phrase attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, emphasizes the importance of meeting the basic logistical needs of a military force first and foremost. In a modern contingency environment such as the Middle East, the U.S. Air Force directly supplies a base with equipment like aircraft, heavy machinery and weaponry. But when it comes to smaller logistical details, an expeditionary contracting squadron is largely responsible for feeding the “stomach.”
“We have our hands in just about every aspect of the mission here, from food, phone services, and office equipment to making sure we have electricity and running water. Whether it’s at the AFCENT (U.S. Air Forces Central) level or handled right here by our team, those items or services were procured by Air Force contracting,” said an ECONS director of operations deployed to the Middle East.