An Afghan National Army supply officer and an interpreter inspect the paperwork of transmission parts awaiting shipment to the Kabul Central Work Shop. The ANA has developed a retrograde supply chain to repair such items.

By Petty Officer 1st Class Bill Steele
RC-East PAO

KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Around Afghan National Security Forces maintenance and repair shops, it is a growing problem – what to do with worn out vehicle parts that continue to accumulate after 10 years of war.

Too valuable to throw away, or hoarded for no good reason, they are often piled in the corner of the shop, gathering dust, or in some cases left outside to rust in the dirt. It has become a waste of resources and an unsightly mess.

“We had to do something about it,” said Afghan National Army Maj. Mohamed Azeem, senior maintenance officer for the 201st Corps based here.

With the help of logistics advisors from the Oklahoma National Guard’s Tactical Command Post -1, Stability Transition Team and mentors from the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan command also based here, the ANA finally did.

On Jan. 28, ANA logisticians, mechanics and other soldiers coordinated the first ever shipment of retrograde, or repairable, engines and other vehicle parts in Afghanistan. The 104 tagged and marked parts were shipped to the Afghan Central Work Shop in Kabul, where they will be refurbished and then stockpiled in distribution centers around the country.

A minor accomplishment by the standards of coalition supply systems, it represents a key milestone for the ANSF and the Afghan Ministry of Defense’s goal of logistics self-sustainment by 2014.

“This is an important first step for the Afghans,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Thomas Mackey, native of Choctaw, Okla., with the Oklahoma Guard’s TAC -1, STT and the senior logistics advisor for the ANA. “They’re now putting parts, once they’re fixed, back into the supply system.”

In the past, if an engine went bad on a Ford Ranger pickup, for example, which is commonly used by the Afghan National Police, mechanics would simply order a new one from the U.S. Army’s supply chain. The broken engine went unrepaired. Now it will be recycled, reducing turnaround time and saving money.

“With this [supply system], you’ve just saved the U.S. taxpayer from having to buy countless new engines,” Mackey said.

Creating a recoverable parts supply chain is a complex logistical undertaking, requiring repair facilities with skilled technicians, forward supply depots, transportation routes, and an organizational culture that follows strict procedures.

Cultivating this organizational culture is one of the biggest hurdles the ANSF faces as it tries to build a fully functional logistical program, says Navy Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Elizabeth Lynn, native of Cincinnati, Ohio and NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan mentor for the ANA.

“We’ve had difficulty advising the ANA that it’s okay to let go of these items and put them back into the supply chain,” Lynn said. “Once they came to understand the benefit to them, that these parts will be an asset, they have really pushed forward.”

Most of the coordination, Lynn said, was completed with minor assistance from NTM-A advisors.

“Once our ANA officers were able to connect with the right people, they demonstrated the ability to get the job done,” she said.

Lynn stressed that all parties involved are carefully tracking this first shipment as a test case to validate the system. If the pilot is successful, the gates will be opened for more.

“This is the start of a huge operation,” Lynn explained.

Azeem states he is confident that the ANA can handle the retrograde operation its own, although he acknowledges streamlining the process will take considerable leadership and follow-through.

“We can do it, but it will take time,” Azeem said.