Supporting Special Operations Forces

Special Operations Forces have rewritten a logistics plan during their time in the Middle East. They have streamlined the acquisition of mission critical equipment to the front line in order to maintain their high pace dynamic operations. MAJ. Joel Anderson, a public affairs officer with an extensive background in logistics, explains in his article Mission-Critical support for Special Operations Forces, that due changes in "the support structure originally envisioned", which has forced SOF "to create their own capabilities...especially for things like logistics." The SOF logistics elements, called CSOTF, has a forward logistics cell at Bagram Airfield in order to reduce response time to the far reaching remote locations, particularly to the East and North Kabul. MAJ Anderson goes on to describe how the effective logistics support by the CSOTF team, in conjunction with civilian contractors used to transport goods, is dependent upon, "deliberate and meticulous planning in order to anticipate the needs of teams in the field and ensure mission success.
This, "push logistics" system is similar the idea that was fielded during the conflict in Vietnam. During this conflict,austere conditions, a counterinsurgency environment and areas of operations far from main supply hubs created a need for advances in logistics; these three conditions are all seen in the war in the Middle East. What has changed, however, is the advancement in the ability to track supplies and the means of transporting them.

Special Operations Logistics

 Push vs Pull logistics is debated by logisticians and industrial engineers in the field. The push idea has a rear element anticipating the needs of the troops in contact based on trends and mission types. This can lead to excess in some materials and shortages in others, but it does reduce the overall wait time for units to receive materials. The Pull idea, however, is dependent upon requests from the field resulting in a larger lag time for the front line troops to receive the material as well as an overemphasis of the priority in which the unit needs the supplies.

Another theme evident between the two conflicts is the balance between civilian contractors and military personnel. During the conflict in Vietnam, the cap on troops forced the military to contract out transportation of goods to companies such as Alaska Barge. In the current conflict, MAJ Anderson explains that troop and contractors, "all work together to deliver world-class logistics in eastern Afghanistan." USSOC was given their own power to independently contract not only people as described in the article by MAJ Anderson but materials, research and development.
From its own logistics support to contracting abilities,  some argue USSOC is acting as its own branch within the military. While they are efficient, a follow on report by Deputy Assistant Inspector General of Acquisition and Contract Management, Bruce A. Burton discussed the wasteful tendencies behind some of the contracting officers within USSOC. He sites that Special Operations Forces Support Activity did not develop and implement a quality assurance surveillance plan on several task orders as well as directing funds to procurement rather than their designated research and development appropriation. As we look into the future, there will be a debate about how autonomous USSOCOM can act.