The Military Sealift Command (MSC) will implement an organizational plan to realign its shore-side operations. According to a Navy press statement, the realignment is designed to improve efficiency and increase operational effectiveness.
RADM Mark Buzby, MCS commander, said the new plan is being implemented “so that we will be ready for anything that comes our way in this challenging fiscal environment.”
The mission of MSC, a component of the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), is to “conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.” To fulfill its mission, MSC operates about 110 government-owned and commercial noncombatant ships.
The new plan will change three core aspects of MSC’s operations: senior civilian leadership; management structure, and reporting structure.
Three key civilian Senior Executive Service (SES) leaders will be repositioned into positions to support the new management structure: program executive for government-owned ships, program executive for contract-operated ships; and executive for total workforce management worldwide.
The plan will create a new management structure of five mission-driven programs (there are currently four programs): Combat Logistics Force (former Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF)), Services Support (new mission), Special Mission (realigned), Prepositioning; and Sealift.
The new Services Support program will include four government-operated ships from the Special Mission program (two submarine tenders, a command ship, and a repair ship) and 10 government-operated ships from the former NFAF (hospital ships, fleet ocean tugs, and rescue and salvage ships).
The reporting structure for some field activities will be realigned. Under the plan, the 12 ship support units that reported to MSC Fleet Support Command, Norfolk, will report to operational area commands headquartered in Norfolk, San Diego, Naples, Italy, Bahrain, and Singapore.
