“Product Support Manager Expectations and Challenges”

1. “Product Support Manager Expectations and Challenges” Mr. Tom Stevenson Assistant Program Executive Officer Land Systems Marine Corps for Acquisition Logistics and Product Support (APEO LS ALPS) 5 June 2012

2. Overview Introduction of Product Support Manager (PSM) requirements in OSD DTM 10-015 provided Logisticians with a great tool to help ensure that qualified senior logisticians were assigned to ACAT I/II programs and their recommendations were taken seriously by PMs as peer members of their Program Management Teams (PMTs) The DTM provided us with legitimacy, which has been respected by the Program Management community There is renewed emphasis at all levels of program review highlighting the need for affordable sustainment for our weapon systems- PSM responsibilities are more important than ever to assist PMs to develop affordable, executable sustainment strategies

3. Challenges • Labels Associated with Supportability Management functions • titles PSM vs. APML vs. Dir Log etc. and what those things connote • Sufficient and timely resourcing • Identification and nurturing of the next set of logistics leaders to fill PSM slots is critical • Need to identify talented and capable logisticians early and mentor them to success, get them ready for “Command” • ACAT I/II vs. ACAT III/IV/AAP – to assign a PSM or not… • Most USMC programs are ACAT III/IV/AAP. Good and bad, because we can concentrate PSMs on the few ACAT I/II programs we have, but we lose the “hammer” of having a Product Support Manager with “clout” on smaller program

4. Initial Actions • Trained/Educated PSMs and then the rest of the Organization • Educated the first set of PSMs on their responsibilities under the DTM • Educated PEO/MCSC Staff, PMs/PGDs on the requirements of OSD DTM 10-015 , importance of the PSM and role of the PSM within a PMO • Educated the logistics workforce on the PSM role and as a position to strive for • Assigned PSMs • Specific assignments by letter to ACAT I/II PSMs, from the Competency Director (AC LCL within MARCORSYSCOM), cc PM and APEO/APGD • Emphasized the PSM terminology – “enculturated” the role • Within charts, documentation and with the PSMs themselves • Reference/use the PSM terminology to get everyone in the command familiar with the terminology and what it represents • Associated it to the roles and responsibilities that being a PSM carries

5. Continuing Actions • Advertise how the PSM role is improving things • Have PSMs actively pursue opportunities to explain what they do, how they can help, and demonstrate by example • Exemplify • Make the PSM position one that junior logisticians aspire to achieve • Leadership and Supervision is Essential to the role… • Make PSMs supervise their teams actively – these are our “G-4s” in the trenches doing the day-to-day battles to keep Marines supported and planning future cost-effective and efficient support for their systems • PSMs must be in charge of their Log teams, making the day-to-day decisions and working issues in IPTs wrt sustainment planning and execution • PSMs act in direct support of their PM/DPM, assigning resources to accomplish tasks • PSMs must be in constant communication up line and down to their teams, be at the forefront of knowledge on the logistics community, understand new/revised policies etc., and train their teams

6. Summary OSD DTM 10-015 provided a major assist in legitimizing the role of the sustainment manager embodied as the “Product Support Manager” PSM’s role is more critical than ever in ensuring programs can show affordability in sustainment at all MS decision reviews PSM position carries great responsibility and is one of the pinnacle positions within the Log community that junior logisticians should strive to attain Need to continue to establish the PSM terminology as standard vernacular with PMs and throughout DoD