Fully Burdened: Building Resilient, Ready, Combat-Credible Forces

by Capt. Tyler D. Bates, USSF

The Chief of Space Operations, General B. Chance Saltzman, is leading the United States Space Force into the future. In a series of?publications?dubbed “C-notes”, the CSO articulated his Lines of Effort to 1)?Field?Combat-Ready Forces, 2)?Amplify?the Guardian Spirit, and 3)?Partner?to Win. In advancing these Lines of Effort, the Space Force will transform itself from a newly formed military service into a combat-credible force ready to fight tonight.?

Here, at Headquarters Space Operations Command – the Field Command of the Space Force that generates, presents, and sustains combat-ready intelligence, cyber, space, and combat support forces – we have answered the CSO’s call to action. Headquarters SpOC will meet the directive to field combat-ready forces by?embracing?and promulgating the “Fully Burdened” mindset. The Fully Burdened mindset looks beyond the mere acquisition and delivery of a new capability by accounting for all factors associated with performing real-world operations. As such, Headquarters SpOC will focus on the fully burdened costs of all space weapon systems deliveries: human capital; integration and interoperability; training, testing, and technical orders; resiliency; sustainment; automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning; and facilities and infrastructure.

In practice, approaching capability deliveries with a Fully Burdened mindset means working through all the “unseen” supporting elements that allow space systems and operators to perform the mission in the first place. Doing so requires us to answer hard questions. How many crewmembers and support staff will be needed to operate a new space system? What will be the required training pipelines and career progression constructs to develop personnel to perform at different skill levels and in different positions within the unit over the lifetime of the system? Which facilities can support the physical footprint of the unit, its mission systems, and all supporting infrastructure? Will those facilities support projected mission growth, or will we need a different approach to accommodate an expanded systems footprint down the road? Are we on target to meet the needs of the Joint warfighter, or do we need to pivot to alternative solutions? How we answer these and other questions will impact real-world operations.?

In the directorate that I work for, Deputy Commanding General-Support/S8, we approach the Fully Burdened mindset from a resource perspective, i.e., funding, human capital (billets), and facilities (available spaces, military construction). We analyze program information and identify resource gaps to provide our leadership with non-advocate recommendations for how to best utilize scarce resources effectively. That way, when the SpOC Commander asks “If we fund this, then what is the opportunity cost – what is not being funded?” our leadership will be able to provide the Commander with the best possible advice. We also spearhead the SpOC Program Objective Memorandum process. Through the POM, we ensure the five-year funding roadmap for proposed resource requirements enables Fully Burdened capabilities by providing targeted investments at the time of need. The other?SpOC directorates?also apply the Fully Burdened mindset, and, at all levels, SpOC coordinates with the other Field Commands and relevant mission partners to ensure that they too are employing the Fully Burdened mindset.?One Team, One Fight!

The Fully Burdened mindset is a powerful tool. It allows Guardians and other space professionals at Headquarters SpOC to objectively analyze the force generation elements of any given program to determine the true status of current and future capabilities. It allows us to win the fight before it is fought. Armed with this information, senior leaders and their action officers will be empowered to make difficult decisions, take calculated risks, and advocate for change within each program. Successful programs are lauded and sustained. Promising programs facing challenges are bolstered. Unsatisfactory programs are rejected or terminated. This approach ensures that only resilient, ready, and combat-credible capabilities are operationally accepted and presented to?United States Space Command?and other Combatant Commands.?

Headquarters SpOC champions the Fully Burdened mindset across all levels of the command. We empower our personnel with the Guardian Spirit to innovate and deliver results on tactically relevant timelines. We team with the Headquarters Space Force staff, our sister Field Commands, product centers, and all other stakeholders to communicate effectively and openly about capability deliveries. Headquarters SpOC will always advocate for the needs of the Deltas and their tactical units. In the words of the CSO, they are the ones who will rise to “outcompete rivals, deter aggressors, and defeat enemies.”?Via Vincimus!

Note: This OpEd reflects the personal opinion of the author and does not imply official endorsement of the USSF, USAF or Department of Defense organizations.