402nd AFSB commander highlights commercial readiness, scalable sustainment at Pacific conference

HONOLULU - As the Army prepares for large-scale combat operations across the Indo-Pacific, the ability of commercial industry to rapidly mobilize and sustain capabilities alongside military formations is becoming an increasingly important component of operational readiness.

Col. Matthew T. Amsdell, commander of the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade, joined military and industry leaders Sept. 15 at the International Stability Operations Association's Pacific Deterrence and Readiness Conference in Honolulu to discuss the challenges of aligning commercial capabilities with the Army's operational requirements.

Amsdell participated in a panel titled "From Exercise to Execution: Building Operational Readiness in the Pacific," which examined how military and commercial capabilities can transition from exercise environments to sustained operational execution.

The discussion highlighted commercial readiness - the ability of industry partners to mobilize personnel, equipment, logistics networks and services at the scale and speed required to support military operations.
For the Army, this challenge extends beyond acquiring new technologies. Commercial capabilities must be scalable, sustainable and capable of supporting dispersed formations across vast distances and demanding environments.

Amsdell emphasized the need for industry solutions that extend beyond individual small-unit applications to meet the requirements of larger formations.
"We see a lot of smaller versions of capabilities that will meet the need of the platoon or squad," Amsdell said in prepared remarks for the panel.

He stressed that those capabilities must also provide sufficient sustainment capacity across extended distances to support brigade- and division-level operations.
The Indo-Pacific presents unique challenges for military and commercial sustainment. Vast ocean distances, dispersed operating locations and extreme environmental conditions demand equipment and support networks capable of sustaining operations far from established logistics hubs.

"Standard systems development and processes are insufficient for the operational environments of the Pacific and Arctic," Amsdell said. "True survivability of these capabilities requires testing in these environments."
Amsdell emphasized that systems must withstand extreme cold, heat and corrosive conditions that cannot be fully replicated through laboratory testing.

He also highlighted the importance of designing equipment that Soldiers can operate, maintain and repair in austere environments without creating additional dependencies on specialized civilian technical support.
"The Solider must have the ability to self-sustain and maintain these," Amsdell said in his written response.
Together, these requirements reflect the importance of commercial solutions that can be deployed at operational scale while minimizing additional sustainment demands on military formations.

As Army Sustainment Command's theater Army field support brigade supporting U.S. Army Pacific, the 402nd AFSB connects operational forces with the capabilities of the Army Materiel Command enterprise. Through its subordinate battalions in Hawaii and Alaska, the brigade helps integrate materiel readiness, technical expertise and sustainment capabilities across the Indo-Pacific.

The panel also featured Col. Dave Butler, U.S. Army Pacific G37 director; Maj. Jonathan Haines, plans officer for the 18th Theater Medical Command; and Glen Genove, future capabilities portfolio manager for Amentum. Lynne M. Schneider, CEO of Entovation International, moderated the discussion.

The conference, held Sept. 14-15 at the Waikiki Beach Marriott, brought together government and industry representatives to examine operational readiness, deterrence, resilient logistics networks and the commercial capabilities required to support military operations throughout the Pacific.

As the Army transforms its formations and expands operational capabilities across the region, commercial readiness remains a critical consideration: ensuring industry can provide the personnel, equipment, services and sustainment capacity necessary to support military operations at scale.

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