Extending the Awareness of Fuel Consumption in Afghanistan

      One of the biggest logistical concerns in warfare is that of fuel consumption. The United States has been aware of their dependence on the use of petroleum and their ability to obtain it, but who would be the one to take the lead on informing others of this problem? The 633rd Quartermaster Group was able to take this matter into their own hands by developing two different methods of managing and informing people of this problem. In order to manage this dilemma they created the Subarea Petroleum Office (SAPO) as well as a monthly fuel/border crossing report.
    One of the biggest concerns is getting fuel from one point to another and making sure it gets there safely. With sustaining troops comes the necessity to get supplies to their position. Each convoy is dangerous because it risks the opportunity of being ambushed by small arms fire or IED attacks. This has to be taken into consideration, but at the same time our troops need to be combat effective. In order to be combat effective they need to be fueled up and ready to patrol around the vast distances in-between villages. With such a high chance for attack it really puts a strain on logisticians and their ability to create effective means of managing the fuel consumption we use in theater.
    The Subarea Petroleum Office is the main point of contact for the distribution and monitoring of bulk fuel. "The SAPO mission is to work with other agencies to ensure all actions coordinated are validated according to the Joint Petroleum Office’s petroleum plans and priorities." By creating this agency did the United States really help them in their pursuit to find a quality plan for fuel consumption? America's problem in this category can be traced back to the early stages of the United States in combat. One key example of this problem is when the Third Army was stranded without fuel during World War 2. The United States three biggest consumers of fuel are vehicles, aircraft, and generators. In order to sustain long term combat is essential we have all three of these available, so in order to be a more successful unit the management of this problem is key to our success.
       With the SAPO program under way and working, the fuel/border crossing report is the main tool in which it functions off of. NATO alone utilizes almost 600 million gallons of fuel annually, illustrating the reliance on JP8 fuel consumption. With such a reliance on this to function it is important to work together to combat this problem. In order to better organize with one another the 633rd Quartermaster group incorporated an NCO Liaison officer to work closely with organizations like the Joint Petroleum Office, DLA–E, and NATO.
     As we realize that most of future warfare will involve long periods of sustained fighting, how will the United States continue to develop their logistical footprint in consumption of fuel? Most importantly, will we switch to another type of fuel or just find other means of sustaining this reliance on fuel consumption?