CALL No. 04-13: OIF CAAT II Initial Impressions Report - Supply the Force - End of Fiscal Year Mass Cancellations in OIF

CALL Newsletter 04-13
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
CAAT II Initial Impressions Report (IIR)

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
CAAT II Initial Impressions Report (IIR)

Chapter 4: Combat Service Support
Topic A: Supply the Force

Subtopic 2: End of Fiscal Year Mass Cancellations in OIF

Observation Synopsis

In the last days of FY03, Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC)/Coalition Joint Task Force (CJTF) directed the mass cancellation of all backordered OIF customer requisitions with dates earlier than 1 August 2003. Major subordinate commands (MSCs) across theater were not properly informed, since CFLCC had rescinded a fragmentary order (FRAGO) that directed the MSCs to execute the mass cancellations. Instead, United States Army, Europe (USAREUR) logistics automation division (LAD) developed a standard Army retail supply system (SARSS) script to input customer requests for cancellation (AC1) at the SARSS-2AC level. The script successfully generated AC1s for all customer requisitions, thus canceling the customer requirement (RON) at the SARSS-1. However, this action did not cancel the rollover document (DON) for many of the RON/DON logic requisitions in the system. Routinely, when a RON/DON logic requisition is canceled and the DON arrives, if there's no longer a requirement, SARSS will excess the part out. This generated a large amount of serviceable excess at the supply support activity (SSA) level as rollover document parts (DON) began to arrive without a requirement (customer due-out) at the SSA.

Lessons Learned

Units in contingency operations should not be subject to this type of funds control or de-obligation of funds to recuperate monies prior to end of fiscal year closeout.
Since the wholesale and theater systems are already unable to get a backordered part or item to customers in no less than 30-35 days, this procedure is ill-conceived.