Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment

ICYMI: The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment returned from last week's Department of Defense (DoD) Maintenance Symposium with record-breaking attendance of over 3,500 registered attendees! The event was a booming success and this year's theme of Advancing the Sustainment Enterprise for Global Competitive Advantage inspired discussions about global security threats and how the Department must evolve to compete in a contested logistics environment. More to follow - including detailed coverage of the event! Begin your arrangements now: Next year's event will take place in December in Louisville, Kentucky!

This week, the Assistant Secretary of Defense - Sustainment team will be participating in the 2024 DoD Maintenance Symposium in Salt Lake City, Utah. With over 3,000 registered attendees comprised of military, government, industry, and academia, this year’s symposium will be the highest attended event in it’s history! For more information, see the link below or stop by our booth in the expo to speak to our team members. https://lnkd.in/ePEbDujJ

On 19 November 2024, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, Mr. Steve Morani, participated in the National Defense Industrial Association - (NDIA) Fall Board of Directors panel along with Honorable Ronald T. Keohane, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower & Reserve Affairs and Lieutenant General Dagvin Anderson, Director for Joint Force Development, Joint Staff. The panel addressed contemporary operational challenges, focusing on the complexities of prolonged conflicts and large-scale mobilization. Discussions highlighted the need for agility and resilience in the DoD, emphasizing collaboration with defense contractors and industry leaders to support the Warfighter. Key topics included integrating technologies like artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and improving supply chains and logistics to ensure resource availability. The aim was to bridge current capabilities with future needs to enhance national security and defense readiness.

The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Product Support (DASD(PS)) recently organized a comprehensive offsite meeting, bringing together the Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) community. This meeting aimed to bolster awareness and actively engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the ongoing advancement and thorough implementation of the RSF. DASD(PS), Ms. Lisa Smith, alongside Regional Sustainment Director, Mr. Joseph Brooks and the RSF team, spearheaded in-depth discussions on a multitude of pertinent topics. The offsite emphasized the importance of developing effective staffing strategies essential for the RSF's success. It explored the specific roles and responsibilities of personnel, ensuring clarity and alignment with the framework's objectives. Additionally, the RSF community identified and prioritized key areas, setting clear milestones to guide future actions and progress. The discussions included a forward-looking perspective, focusing on future initiatives and actions necessary to sustain and enhance the framework's impact. This collaborative effort underlines the commitment of DASD(PS) and its partners to foster a well-coordinated approach in achieving the overarching goals of the RSF. Through these efforts, they aim to ensure that the framework not only meets current demands but is also resilient and adaptable to future challenges. For those seeking detailed information about the RSF and its objectives, further resources can be found by visiting the following link:

Last week, Acting ASD(S) Morani visited the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Cadence, and NextFlex in Northern California to review activities surrounding microelectronics sustainment. During the visit, Acting ASD(S) received briefings on DMEA’s microelectronics sustainment support to operational customers across the defense enterprise and held a town hall with DMEA employees highlighting how their work advances the priorities of the NDS. Acting ASD(S) also visited DIU to discuss how the Sustainment enterprise can support the innovative solutions that DIU is acquiring on behalf of the Department. Acting ASD(S) closed out the visit at Cadence, an industry partner supporting microelectronics sustainment efforts, and NextFlex, a member of the OUSD(R&E)-funded DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes on their support for the capabilities and workforce of the Organic Defense Industrial Base.

Mr. Kumashiro, Senior Advisor for F-35 Sustainment recently traveled to Australia where he participated in key sustainment meetings with their Department of Defense senior leadership during the F-35 JPO’s Program Management Review with the Royal Australian Air Force. The F-35 Program continues to epitomize the best attributes of the Department’s Regional Sustainment Framework (RSF) and the importance of international partnerships within a vital cooperative program.

Today, the United States Department of Defense published the unclassified National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan (NDIS-IP) detailing actions that DoD is currently taking, and will continue to take, to modernize the defense industrial base: https://lnkd.in/e85fU9Jt “Publishing the NDIS was a significant accomplishment as we work to strengthen the size and resilience of our industrial base,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante said, “But we’ve always said that it was only the first step—implementation is what really matters. While we still have a lot of work ahead of us, this implementation plan is showing that we remain focused on putting words into tangible actions.”      The NDIS-IP includes six cross-cutting initiatives that will enable the Department to achieve a more resilient defense industrial ecosystem and buy-down risks. The plan demonstrates activities the U.S. Government, private industry, and international allies and partners are undertaking, emphasizing that this effort cannot be a DoD-only initiative.   "The vision outlined in the NDIS will require alignment of resources and we will not achieve the NDIS vision alone,” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale. “Implementing these actions will require coordinated efforts across the DoD, collaboration and partnership with interagency, industry, and international stakeholders, and support and cooperation from our champions in Congress.” Read the full NDIS-IP here: https://lnkd.in/dUp-pDem   #NDIS #ExpandTheBase #SucceedThroughTeamwork

Leadership Perspectives with the Honorable Christopher Lowman In August, HON Lowman sat down with the Army Management Staff College to reflect on 40 years of service as a Marine, Army Civilian, and Political Appointee. Today, HON Lowman will depart the Pentagon on his last official day leaving the institution with a legacy of leadership, mentorship, and sustainment change over the years. Check out the podcasts below for final words. #BuildTheBench #LeadershipMatters Spotify - Episode 70 - Leadership Perspectives with the Honorable YOUTUBE: https://lnkd.in/ed8EyY_P

2024 Maintenance Innovation Challenge (MIC) is OPEN and ready for your technology submissions !   If you’re an acquisition and sustainment professional, you won’t want to miss this! The Department of Defense (DoD) is accepting submissions for the Maintenance Innovation Challenge (MIC) as part of the upcoming DoD Maintenance Symposium, happening December 10-13, 2024, in Salt Lake City, UT.  **What’s the Challenge About? The MIC is a platform for innovators to showcase novel technologies, unique business relationships, resourcing strategies, business processes, production processes, and other transformative solutions to enhance DoD maintenance and sustainment operations.   What’s at Stake? Great exposure: Finalists will present their innovations at the MIC session during the Symposium, with top DoD leaders and a large audience in attendance.   Submission Deadline: October 6, 2024 For more information or to submit your entry, visit:  https://lnkd.in/gwSF4w5   Let’s get those innovative solutions out there!   #Innovation #DoD #Maintenance #Technology #Sustainment #MIC #Defense

HON Lowman gave the keynote address at last week's Product Support Management Workshop and was honored to have the opportunity to recognize Ms. Lisa Smith, DASD for Product Support, Ms. Misty Shivers, and Mr. Joe Parran for their excellent work. #BuildtheBench