The iron mountain: The effect of just-in-case stockage versus just-in-time delivery of vehicle repair parts on vehicular operational readiness during United States Army operations overseas

This study compared the readiness level differences between deploying with just-in-case stockages, or the iron mountain, and using a just-in-time supply system to get parts where needed within theaters of military operations overseas. The purpose of the study was to explore the inefficiencies of personnel-intensive supply processes when military troops and supplies are deployed and to determine the extent to which either supply method is more efficient. Interviews ( N = 12) and a survey (N = 62) were used to collect data, which were coded and then analyzed using SPSS.; Findings indicated that for the purposes of deploying forces more rapidly, the just-in-time supply scenario worked more efficiently. For the purposes of receiving vehicular repair parts in a timely manner, the just-in-case supply scenario worked more efficiently. The problem of getting the vehicular repair parts to the requesting party was not solved by the introduction of just-in-time distribution without the accompanying support infrastructure to speed the disbursement of these supplies to the requesting units.; The study's identification of several causes of low customer satisfaction, including the many-layered hierarchy, among U.S. Army officers and enlisted personnel highlights opportunities to make significant improvements to delivery of vehicular repair parts in overseas theaters of operations. Pursuing the identified changes, practitioners in the field of logistics can realize increased ground vehicle operational readiness through greatly increased efficiency in delivery of vehicular repair parts to units and repair shops deployed in overseas theaters of operation.