# CENTCOM's top logistics officer: APS-5 'the epitome of strength'

/ Published July 25, 2017
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- U.S. Central Command's top logistics officer visited Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 facilities here, July 20, to get a closer look at how modernization and combat configuration of APS-5 equipment is progressing.                 Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman (left), J-4 (logistics), U.S. Central Command, looks at a combat configured tank with Sgt. 1st Class Frank Taylor, contract officer representative, Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait and Col. Carmelia Scott-Skillern, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade during a tour of an Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 warehouse at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 20. (U.S. Army Photo by Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)                            CENTCOM's top logistics officer: APS-5 'the epitome of strength'                            Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman (left), J-4 (logistics), U.S. Central Command, looks at a combat configured tank with Sgt. 1st Class Frank Taylor, contract officer representative, Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait and Col. Carmelia Scott-Skillern, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade during a tour of an Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 warehouse at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 20. (U.S. Army Photo by Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public AffairsVIRIN: 170725-M-LM770-001Army Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman, J-4 (logistics), CENTCOM, toured an APS-5 warehouse and spoke with 401st Army Field Support Brigade leadership and subject matter experts about how the brigade is improving speed of issue on a large scale."It's always a pleasure as a joint guy to come back to my Army roots and see why we call it Army strong, because this fleet is the epitome of strength," Dorman said. "The work U.S. Army Materiel Command and U.S. Army Sustainment Command have done in securing investment, and ensuring the equipment is headed toward operationalization so we can issue it combat configured is phenomenal."Dorman received short briefings from 401st AFSB leadership and maintenance experts about what it takes to move equipment from a sleep state within Care of Supplies in Storage (COSIS) to fully combat enabled for fielding."You've got an excellent team here running this," Dorman said. "You've got experts like Sgt. 1st Class (Frank) Taylor, and a phenomenal work force that really understands the vehicles, and all of the equipment."AMC and CENTCOM leadership have called for the ability to issue a full Armored Brigade Combat Team from APS-5 in only 96 hours with no prior notice."So, I think combat configuration along with the additional planning will get us to that benchmark of 96 hours," Dorman said. "In 96 hours it's in our units' hands, and it's moving toward the fight. You can't ask for more than that."The Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait conducted an issue exercise in June, 2017 to assess its abilities and procedures. During the exercise, the battalion issued a company sized element totaling 264 pieces of equipment in only 12 hours -- well under the expected timeline of 48 hours."I have tremendous confidence," Dorman said. "When the CENTCOM commander came back from his recent visit, along with his team, they were exceptionally impressed with how AMC has moved this capability as far along as it is."It gives us a tremendous sense of confidence when it comes to planning and it reassures us that our plans can be executed quickly given the sporadic nature of this environment."Dorman had the opportunity to see side-by-side comparisons of equipment and vehicle platforms both in COSIS and fully combat configured along his warehouse tour.                Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman (left), J-4 (logistics), U.S. Central Command, talks with Col. Carmelia Scott-Skillern, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade during a tour of an Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 warehouse at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 20. (U.S. Army Photo by Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)                            CENTCOM's top logistics officer: APS-5 'the epitome of strength'                            Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman (left), J-4 (logistics), U.S. Central Command, talks with Col. Carmelia Scott-Skillern, commander, 401st Army Field Support Brigade during a tour of an Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 warehouse at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, July 20. (U.S. Army Photo by Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public AffairsVIRIN: 170725-M-LM770-002The tour was led by Lt. Col. Mike Jordan, commander, Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait."We had the opportunity to show the CENTCOM J-4 (logistics) how we're providing increased readiness and responsiveness across the CENTCOM footprint," Jordan said. "I think we demonstrated how combat configured platforms will provide strategic resources to the CENTCOM commander that he can employ in many different ways across his area of responsibility."The AFSBn-Kuwait, which manages most of APS-5 and directly oversees the ABCT, Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Sustainment Brigade within APS-5, has been focused on increasing speed of issue for several months.The ability to issue a brigade sized element from APS-5 in only 96 hours will set a new higher bar for efficiency and sustainment, according to Jordan."We're talking about fully combat configured ABCT, to include the latest Soldier technologies, and all of the combat enablers and weapons," Jordan said. "The faster we can draw and build combat power, the more opportunities we're going to have to leverage the element of time."It gives our troops a decisive edge, and helps get them the equipment they need to win and to get home safely."Jordan was just beginning his career as an Army logistician when he first met Dorman and was excited to host this tour as his first since taking command of the AFSBn-Kuwait, he said."Considering I've known Maj. Gen. Dorman for almost 18 years now, it's actually pretty enlightening that I can have a conversation with him and tell him all the good things that we're doing here for the Army," Jordan said."He is someone that I grew up in my career watching," Jordan said. "I've watched him doing great things for the Army for many years, and to see that now my organization is able to do that, it's actually very fulfilling."This tour was Dorman's second APS-5 visit in the last year. He toured the APS-5 watercraft set at Kuwait Naval Base in Aug. 2016, where he expressed interest in finding ways to leverage APS-5 as a flexible strategic planning capability.