Logistics lesson

[sarisataka]

Problem- your house is on fire

Solution- there is a fire hydrant across the street. You happen to have a friend, 2 coffee cups, a roll of duct tape and a hose cut in 8 places.

What is the best way to get the fire out? Use the cups, running back and forth or try using the hose while your friend uses the tape to repair the hose?


Logistics is simply moving a needed thing from one place to another. What it is and the places are simply details. The key is the transport.

[ffr]

1. None of the above. Call the fire department to put out the fire

They have the equipment and means to do it all safely & effectively.

Fire hyrants require a large and possibly a special wrench to open and turn on, regardless of the fact that your eight piece hose more than likely won't connect to it nor will the two covfefe cups be able to receive water from it.

[MineralMan]

3. Now, stop that! Why inject actual logic into a lesson on logistics?

The two concepts are often only slightly related.

[sarisataka]

4. The metaphor

Is meant to be illustrative; perhaps I should include a disclaimer

[MineralMan]

5. Actually, after calling the fire department,

it's a really good idea to move your vehicles and other outside belongings away from the burning house to prevent them from being damaged as well. That will also help the fire department to gain access to the home for better firefighting.

A taped up hose isn't going to get much done, really. You could, though, check to see if your next door neighbor has a hose connected to an outdoor faucet and sprinkle the house with that, while you wait for the sirens to get closer.

[sarisataka]

7. Hopefully the fire department

Had workers show up today, fuel for their truck and the road between you and them isn't washed out...

[MineralMan]

9. Oh, I didn't realize were were talking about Puerto Rico.

I was thinking about St. Paul, MN. I'm very unlikely to encounter a house fire in PR.

[sarisataka]

15. I was assuming

People here can think in the abstract to consider the problems on the ground

The fact that the WH occupant has delayed and hindered aid does not change the fact the we have to deal with a nearly destroyed infrastructure.

[LanternWaste]

2. Odd that many hypothetical scenarios reduce the myriad solutions to only those

Odd that many hypothetical scenarios reduce the myriad of potential solutions to only those convenient to a particular narrative.

[sarisataka]

6. The final point remains

Supplies can be moved efficiently, inefficiently or both at the same time. If the option to do both is chosen, then one must decide how much effort is devoted to the inefficient method, taking away from utilizing more efficient means.

[Kaleva]

8. Sometimes one cannot wait to use the most efficient method

Using destroyers out of Norfolk to use as fast transports to get the most needed supplies and human aid down to Puerto Rico would not be the most efficient method but it could be used until harbors are repaired to allow merchant ships to dock and unload.

[sarisataka]

11. The supplies are there

Puerto Rico's aid is trapped in thousands of shipping containers

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/27/us/puerto-rico-aid-problem/index.html

Airlift may be needed for especially inaccessible areas but to supply millions by air is fantasy. Repair of the MSRs and communications is critical.

[Kaleva]

12. Thats why it's critical to get people and equipment on the ground to repair the airfields and ports

Even if that is brought in by not the most efficient means.

[B2G]

10. Let me guess. You're tenured. Nt

[sarisataka]

14. I was voluntold

To be an embarkation NCO. I was lucky enough to plan and execute a battalion movement to the ME.

While in S-3 I learned more about loading ships than I ever dreamt existed.

[ProudLib72]

13. Is the duct tape red in color by chance? nt