NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville tests ship’s store resupply options in Fourth Fleet AOR
Class VI material is ship’s store resale inventory intended to support Sailors’ personal demand needs while deployed. Class VI generally includes convenience and quality of life items, such as toiletries, snacks, beverages, and similar merchandise. These items are distinct from repair parts, operational consumables, and mission equipment.
Despite end-of-fiscal-year constraints and cost-saving measures, NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville remains committed to sustaining deployed warfighters. The effort demonstrated that deliberate planning, close coordination, and flexible transportation solutions can ensure Sailors receive authorized ship’s store merchandise in austere locations.
“With limited Navy logistics infrastructure in the region, we needed to demonstrate that the Navy has the capability and capacity to provide class VI supplies across the region,” Robert Brunson, NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville Fleet Logistics Support Department deputy director, said. “Class VI items are essential to shipboard quality of life and morale.”
For the testing Panama was selected as the best location in the region to receive the items. Other locations such as Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Puerto Rico were not viable due to time and distance for ships to conduct port visits.
In the absence of Navy Exchange Command (NEXCOM) services within the Fourth Fleet AOR, the team tested three delivery methods during the past month.
The first method involved ordering material through NEXCOM in Norfolk, Virginia; transporting it to Charleston, South Carolina; and loading it onto a military flight, space available, for delivery to Panama.
The second method tested was shipping material from Puerto Rico through commercial air transportation, accepting longer lead times and potential customs delays in Panama.
The last method involved NEXCOM placing a blanket order agreement with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) operation at Fort Buchanon, Puerto Rico and shipping the material to Panama via military airlift.
Lt. Cmdr. Johnny Quintong, NAVSUP FLC Jacksonville operational logistics planner, supported coordination of cargo movement and flight onload from Puerto Rico to Panama during the testing and coordinated items for receipt, storage, and delivery to the USS Gridley (DDG-101).
“The 4th Fleet is not an easy AOR, it’s very challenging,” Quintong said. “The biggest take away is to be able to provide full support to our customer no matter how, what, why, where, and when challenges arise, we must face them to maintain warfighter readiness in the 4th Fleet AOR.”
Each method successfully delivered material to the customer while presenting distinct planning considerations.
The Norfolk-to-Charleston process required extensive coordination among multiple organizations to determine feasibility, synchronize cargo movement, and align delivery with aircraft schedules. The commercial-air option increased shipping costs because of cargo weight and carrier fees, while also carrying out the potential for customs delays. The Puerto Rico AAFES and military-airlift option supported an emergent requirement but required the ordering unit to coordinate transportation to the airfield, cargo staging, and aircraft loading areas.
The team also identified payment procedures as a critical component of the process. It was determined that vendor quotes must be obtained before the ordering unit can generate and submit the documentation required for payment. During end-of-fiscal-year closeout, the vendor’s requirement for immediate payment conflicted with the timeline for government commercial purchase card payment through NEXCOM. Aligning vendor-payment procedures with operational timelines will help prevent delays in future deliveries.
“NEXCOM’s involvement in processing the order and arranging payment to AAFES in a time sensitive evolution were critical in meeting the deadline to load on to the supporting airlift mission,” Brunson said.
The effort confirmed that several viable methods exist to deliver Class VI material to ships operating in remote locations. Airlift, early coordination, and clearly defined responsibilities among ordering units and supporting organizations remain essential to meeting customer requirements.
“The Navy has flexibility to use various options to sustain ship operations,” Brunson said. “Availability of transportation will drive which option is used in the future.”
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