Customer Reviews

Integrated Logistics Support Handbook, Special Reprint Edition

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My motivation for buying this book came from my extensive experience with material maintenance management during my 22 year career in the navy, and subsequent experience with integrated logistics in Department of Defense contracting. I used the first edition of this book as a reference when I was on a proposal team for a DoD contract, and found it to be one of the best references available because it distilled tens of thousands of pages of directives, instructions and related material into less than 500 pages. It covered the topic in sufficient detail as to serve as an authoritative reference as well as to get other members of the team up-to-speed in ILS.

During subsequent consulting engagements for commercial clients I used many of the concepts and methods detailed in this book to outline requirements for automated materials and maintenance management systems. In particular, any commercial business domain, such as refinery maintenance or maintenance data collection and analysis are candidates for applying parts of ILS to commercial uses. This book then becomes more valuable to a wider audience than DoD contractors.

A second use for the concepts is the structured and proven approach to an encompassing systems maintenance management initiative within IT. For example, the use of logistics support analysis is a sound approach to planning enterprise-wide maintenance from a cost management perspective. Moreover, using a modified (and shortened) form of logistics support analysis records is a good foundation for enterprise asset management, as well as developing a reliability baseline.

While this book has obvious value to readers from the DoD contracting community, it also contains information that can be tailored to commercial uses.

This type of specialized technical book is usually expensive - no exception here. This book is a helpful background reference; however, for some persons working in Federal Government acquisition logistics, generally termed "ILS" for integrated logistics support. Users for this book may be military, contractor or Civil Service personnel in ILS. Some caveats, though, before you buy this book.

The book is of little use to military field operational logistics personnel, e.g., those working in S-4, base supply, aviation maintenance, POL and the like. It is likewise not applicable to commercial logistics (usually shipping, transportation, warehousing, plant maintenance, production, materiel, etc). Commercial logistics does not use this type of logistical planning.

Also be warned that many of the procedures described in this book date back to the period 1970-1990, when Government acquisition logistics relied heavily on Military Standards (MIL-STDs). Nearly all of those MIL-STDs are obsolete and withdrawn today, as the Government tends more toward buying commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, and leaves it to the contractor to describe how the support (ILS) will be accomplished. The book; however, is packed with these older MIL-STD oriented procedures, for which you may never find a use. As for quality, it is well written and clear. If your HQs, client or managers want you to use this older type of logistics, buy the book. If you want an ILS understanding, buy the book. Otherwise, you may not get your money's worth, however well-written it is.

The military has pioneered the concepts of logistics -- indeed napoleon was responsible for the development of canning foodstuffs to provide for his armies. As the military has gotten more complex but must still provide for everything their soldiers need, the military's development of what's now called ILS (Integrated Logistics Support) has gotten more developed. Beyond the military, various commercial ventures must also provide for logistics support. When your automobile has a problem you expect the dealer to have parts. These types of companies have developed commercial systems that are based on those of the military.

This book, now in its third edition, is based on MIL HDBK 502, Acquisition Logistics and MIL-PRF-49506 Logistics Management Information. Basically it takes the military documents and makes sense out of them for people who must implement ILS systems. The third edition updates the information on the available software-based systems, commercial off the shelf solutions and the latest DoD requirements.

Here in one volume is basically a complete introduction to ILS. It's not a small book, over 500 pages and pretty small type for older eyes like mine.

The book I purchased is exactly what I thought it would be. The detail and references will enhance my ability to understand and perform my job.