Additional information
by John M. Menter (Author)
This book is designed to assist the newly assigned Sustainment Unit Commander or Staff Officer/Non-Commissioned Officer in understanding the capabilities of the Sustainment Brigade, the Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (CSSB), and the Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), as well as provide an understanding how to develop a contemporary Unit Operations Orders (OPORDs) through use of a sustainment operations configured military decision making process (MDMP) checklist. Since 2004, the US Army has started a revolution of reorganization and doctrine development throughout its Combat (now 'Maneuver'), Combat Support (Maneuver Support), and especially Combat Service Support "logistics" organizations, known as "Transformation". In the logistics or 'Sustainment' arena, the Army's concept towards supporting other units has changed from the old "out-stockpile" the enemy concept towards a system used by modern civilian distributors - "Just-in-Time" sustainment, leaving planning and synchronizing throughput of commodities and support to the customer with little margin for error. To successfully accomplish this, Sustainment Planners must thoroughly understand the Military Decision Making Process or "MDMP" for short. Conducting a Sustainment oriented MDMP is essential in integrating the Sustainment War Fighting Functional (WFF) into the unit's plan and for ensuring a synchronized and supportable course of action. Successful integration is a result of having the right personnel, available tools, correct MDMP methodology, and synchronized timeline throughout the process. If this guide can assist logistics' planners in accomplishing this process, then it has accomplished its intent and mission.
Author Biography
Colonel (Ret) John M Menter was commissioned into the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant of Armor through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Program and assigned to an Armored Cavalry Regiment following completion of his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering & History from the California Polytechnic University in 1979. He is also a graduate of the US Army War College Defense Strategic Studies Course, the US Army Command and General Staff College (Honor Graduate), the Armor Officer Basic & Advance Course, Quartermaster and Transportation Officer Advance Course, and the Army's Medical Officer Qualification Course. His civilian education also includes a Doctorate in History as well a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of La Verne. In 2005, he qualified as a Certified Logistics Professional (CLP) through the Institute of Logistics Management. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin from the US Army Association of Quartermasters, the Honorable Order of Saint Christopher from the US Army Transportation Corps Regimental Association, as well as the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe. Dr. Menter has served in a variety of tours world-wide in both armor and sustainment support positions from company up to Division level. He retired after 25 years from active duty in April 2002, and is now working for Team Northrop-Grumman/CACI Inc. as a Doctrinal Training Team Lead and Operations Coordinator for the Mission Command Training Support Program (MCTSP), with his specific focus on training sustainment type units. In the time since, he has conducted hundreds of classes and seminars for the U.S. Army Maneuver, Maneuver Support, and Sustainment units in the Military Decision Making Process as well as conducting Battlestaff training & Unit Command Post Exercise simulations for units preparing for overseas operations. He currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife, Jeanette.
