PRODUCT SUPPORT
and Pilot projects and bilateral and multilateral forums, the department ensures that co-sustainment is not just a policy concept but a practi - cal capability. Their role bridges the gap between strategy and execution, turning broad objectives into action - able improvements that deliver mea - surable results for the Warfighter. Conclusion The RSF and the associated co- sustainment forums, initiatives, and activities collectively represent a par - adigm shift in sustainment and a new way of thinking about how to deliver product support and ensure global reach in a contested logistics environ - ment. By moving from isolated sus - tainment models to shared networks, the department, its allies, partners, and industry are building resilience where it matters most—at the point of need for the Warfighter. The progress to date shows that co-sustainment is not aspirational. It is real, it is practical, and it is already delivering results. Pathway and Pilot projects are proving that bilateral cooperation can create efficiencies and improve readiness. Multilateral forums are demonstrating that col - lective action is possible, and that allies, partners, and industry are ea - ger and well positioned to share the burden. Comparative advantage is re - vealing how each nation’s strengths can reinforce the whole, while PSMs and sustainment professionals in the field are ensuring that strategies re - main grounded in operational reality. The next step in this journey is in - stitutionalization. Co-sustainment must be embedded into the way we plan, program, and execute sustain - ment across the department. It must become routine for every Service, every CCMD, and every acquisition program to consider international collaboration as part of their product support strategy; and the workforce must be enabled, incentivized, and measured accordingly.
This is where the sustainment community plays a decisive role. Leaders, managers, and practitio - ners must continue to identify op - portunities, share lessons learned, and expand the network of coopera - tion. Every incremental step, whether a shared repair project or a new bi - lateral agreement, contributes to a stronger and more resilient sustain - ment enterprise. Every relevant ac - tivity, whether it’s a named Pathway Project, an announced pilot project, or otherwise, is important and helps move us closer to normalization. As the department institutional - izes co-sustainment through RSF, it is also advancing the broader vision of the Acquisition Transformation Strategy. RSF shows how the strate - gy’s pillars, industrial base expansion, streamlined requirements, empow - ered portfolio leadership, workforce development, and agile funding can be realized in practice. By embedding these principles into sustainment, the department ensures that readiness is delivered not only faster but also more resiliently, in lockstep with its acquisition transformation The call to action is clear. The sus - tainment enterprise can reshape how the department and its allies, part - ners, and industry deliver readiness. By embracing co-sustainment, we can ensure that our forces remain ready, our allies remain engaged, and our lo - gistics remain resilient in the face of imminent disruption. The Warfighter deserves nothing less. BROOKS is executive director of the Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (DASW) for Product Support. He has over 20 years of experience in defense logistics, crisis management, and sustainment opera- tions. Brooks is a graduate of Washington College, the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business, and the U.S. Army War College. FUNCHES is associate director for Internat- ional Logistics and Strategy in the Office of the DASW for Product Support. With more than 25 years in defense logistics and international acquisition, he leads global engagement and integration efforts. A Ph.D.
candidate at Walden University, Funches holds degrees from the U.S. Army War Col- lege, Troy State University, and Norfolk State University. ROBERTS is a senior consultant support- ing the DASW for Product Support. A retired Marine lieutenant colonel with 30 years of service, he provides advice on international logistics and strategy and contributed to the RSF and the Regional Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Playbook . Roberts holds a B.S. in Management from the University of Phoenix as well as multiple warfighting acquisition certifications. MCCAIN is a consultant supporting the DASW for Product Support, providing expertise in strategic communications. She has over 15 years of experience in defense logistics, congressional engagement, and strategic communications. McCain holds a degree in Economics from the University of Tennes- see as well as multiple warfighting acquisi- tion certifications.
The authors can be contacted at joseph.a.brooks44.civ@mail.mil , william.r.funches.civ@mail.mil , joshua.b.roberts10.ctr@mail.mil , and jillian.r.mccain.ctr@mail.mil .
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors alone and not the Department of War. Reproduction or reposting of articles from Defense Acquisition magazine should credit the authors and the magazine.
Related Resources
– (LOG 0050) Developing a Life Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) (Online Training Course) – (LOG 0470) Sustaining Engineering (Online Training Course) – (LOG 1050) Fundamentals of Systems Sustainment Management (Online Training Course) – (LOG 2060) Intermediate Systems Sustainment Management (Online Training Course)
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