Introduction
The discussed topic is connected with the challenges military supply chain management faced during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and after it. Business activity decreased significantly during this period because the production line stopped and transportation between countries was challenged. As a result, managers should elaborate alternative plans for the supply of products and find substitutions for the products they had used before. At the same time, challenges in supply chain management make professionals search for more stable alternatives and substitute foreign products with local ones, which increases the overall stability in the sphere. Managers should establish contacts with new suppliers which also increases the number of opportunities for this sphere. Supply chain management should plan and execute operations regarding the transit and storage of products. In the military, logistics managers should get and deliver equipment and supplies to troops, which affects national security and is a relevant issue that requires a solution.
Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic affected supply distribution in general and the military supply chain in particular. The military adopted techniques to handle the problems of supply shortages and allocations during this period, even though the military’s supply chains are heavily reliant on foreign suppliers. It is possible to state that the pandemic proved the military’s ability to respond promptly and effectively to the crisis because it managed to find new sources of production and expand the network of potential suppliers. Diversification of suppliers for the military and enhancing the network increase the stability and security of the army in the long-term perspective.
Background
The problem with supply in a critical situation like the COVID-19 pandemic exists due to the outsourcing tradition in the American army. As the main army in NATO, the US military uses all positive sides of cooperation within this organization. Therefore, the supply of products, services, and components that are critical for military service is international, and the United States can expect that they can outsource the necessary things. Obligatory lockdowns in most countries during the recent two years led to the situation when factory production stopped, and business activity decreased significantly. The second major problem was the crisis in transportation and shipping and the increase in prices for all logistics services (Omand 2). As a result, the military has to cooperate with civilians more and complete new tasks to cope with the persisting crisis in logistics (Wilén 21). Therefore, the global economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic affected the military supply directly.
Side A
The problems with logistics that appeared during the COVID-19 pandemic made the military expand its network and find alternative suppliers of the required goods and services. If the problem with the destroyed supply chain is not solved, the level of American national security will be reduced, and the military will become more vulnerable, which is an unacceptable outcome. For this reason, active networking, cooperation with civilian organizations within the United States, localization of some services and products of the necessary goods and elaboration of several alternative scenarios in case of problems in the supply chain are essential components that guarantee the safety of the US army.
COVID-19 is an example of a natural hazard that people cannot control and managers cannot predict. The military has to elaborate the alternative plan for defense supply chains because it has to support society in situations of disruptive crisis (Omand 6). The supply chain management in the US military is stable and semi-automatic, which means that the working supply chain will not change when there is no objective need for it (Shipman 19). It foregrounds the need to elaborate on several alternative plans for supply management and substitution of suppliers in disruptive situations like the pandemic or other natural hazards.
Side B
At the same time, alternative supply management plans might be affected by political choices and might not be optimal. For instance, economic cooperation between countries is often guided by the desire of politicians to spread their influence in a particular region. The cooperation of European countries with Turkey in the economic sphere instead of working with Great Britain after Brexit is a vivid illustration of the political impact of politics on logistic decisions (Miel 35). The contracts that the American military signs with the suppliers are also connected with the political motivation of the government due to the importance of the national security sphere (Shipman 19). Therefore, it is vital to ensure that the alternative contracts for supply in the military that the officials sign are optimal from the perspective of logistics and economy and are not determined only by political motivation.
Possible Solutions
The solution to the problems of logistics and supply management should be balanced and correspond to the principles of national security. In all cases, it should enhance the well-being of Americans in general and improve the state of the military. The American army showed a high adaptability level in critical situations like the COVID-19 pandemic (Wilén 25). It managed to substitute the products and the services it lacked, increased the use of local civilian ones, and signed new contracts (Wilén 25). At the same time, the existing logistics chains continue to function after the pandemic is almost over and business activity returns to the norm. The preservation of economic contracts with Chinese suppliers allows for political balance, another positive consequence of this cooperation (Sachs 30). Thus, it is critical to preserve the old contracts in logistics while signing new ones to promote the country’s well-being.
Conclusion
It is critical to analyze logistics management as part of the supply chain process that plans, implements and controls the efficient flow and storage of goods, services, and information. There should be a balance between the customer requirements and the products that the suppliers propose, and finding this balance is the responsibility of the logistics manager. Moreover, it is essential to consider the broader political and economic context that affects logistics decision-making. The military cannot function without detailed planning, managing, and controlling the flow and the shortages of supplies. Therefore, it is critical for the logistics manager in the army to supply services and carry out operations to meet the organization’s needs. The actions of the supply manager in the military affect national security, making it a critical sphere. The COVID-19 pandemic shows that when the old schemes of supply destroy, it is essential for the logistics manager to establish new contacts quickly to find appropriate suppliers who can satisfy the needs of the military. At the same time, preserving the old contracts for supplies in the military sphere allows it to ensure the loyalty of another side, which is also a critical component in the political and military cooperation between different states.
Works Cited
Miel, Jennifer. “The Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery: U.S.-Turkey Commercial Ties That Bind.” Insight Turkey, vol. 22, no. 2, 2020, pp. 33–52.
Omand, David. “Natural Hazards and National Security: The COVID-19 Lessons.” PRISM, vol. 9, no. 2, 2021, pp. 2–19.
Sachs, Jeffrey D. “COVID-19 and Multilateralism.” Horizons: Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development, no. 16, 2020, pp. 30–39.
Shipman, Matt. “New Tool Tackles Uncertainty in Military Logistics Planning.” Defense Transportation Journal, vol. 75, no. 4, 2019, pp. 19–21.
Wilén, Nina. “The Military in the Time of COVID-19: Versatile, Vulnerable, and Vindicating.” PRISM, vol. 9, no. 2, 2021, pp. 20–33.