Outsourcing Sealift for the Modular Force

The end of the Cold War has introduced new strategic challenges and threats to our political and senior military leaders. As the U.S. Army transforms its force to modular expeditionary brigade combat teams to compensate for these evolving challenges and threats, the importance of strategic sealift becomes paramount in terms of power projection. This essay addresses the effects of using the U.S - flagged commercial shipping industry versus the Military Sealift Command (MSC) Fast Sealift Ship (FSS)/Large Medium Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ship (LMSR) organic inventory to move unit equipment. Research focuses on the recently transformed 25th Infantry Division (ID) modular organization within U.S. Army Pacific Command in Oahu, Hawaii. The analysis centers on geography the vessel selection process two major 25th ID Hawaii-based unit deployments in 2006 and 2007 requiring outsourcing of strategic sealift challenges facing the supported unit commander and Department of Defense (DoD) policy. Based upon this study, a proposal for procedural and policy adjustments are recommended due to shortfalls discovered in the strategic sealift selection process for 25th ID Hawaii-based modular forces.