East Air Command (FEAC), bases located on Pacific Islands, and activities within the Alaskan Air Command, including Alaskan Air Depot.

Mobile Overseas Shipment Control Depot. This oversea shipment control depot receives and controls requisitions submitted by activities in the Caribbean Command (Albrook Air Force Base, Canal Zone; San Juan, and Ramey AF Base in Puerto Rico) and Africa (Libya and French Morocco).

When the requisition is received at the Shipment Control Depot, extractions are effected to the appropriate zonal depots within the zone in which the Shipment Control Depot is located. For example, Newark and Mobile extract to the appropriate zonal depot in the Eastern zone, while Sacramento extracts to the appropriate zonal depot in the Western zone.

The zonal depot receiving extraction makes shipment direct to the Aerial or Water Port of Embarkation, and notifies the Shipment Control Depot of action taken.

Channels for oversea shipments

Physical movement of matériel from the Zone of Interior to its oversea destination is effected via the following methods of transportation:

Water Shipment.-Water shipments of AF matériel are accomplished through three main control points which are:

1. Newark TCD which routes shipments through New York Port of Embarkation and through the ports at Newark, Norfolk, Savannah, and Boston to destinations in Europe, Middle East, Northeast Air Command activities, Bermuda, Iceland, and Greenland.

2. Mobile OSCD which controls shipments through NOPE and shipments through other Gulf Coast ports to the Caribbean Command activities such as the Canal Zone and Puerto Rico, and to Africa.

3. Sacramento OSCD which controls shipments through the San Francisco POE and the ports of Seattle and Long Beach to destinations in Alaska, the Pacific Islands, and Japan.

Air Shipments.-Air shipments of AF matériel are routed by the OSCD to the following aerial ports of embarkation.

1. Westover Air Force Base for air shipments to destinations in Europe, Africa, Northeast Air Command activities, Bermuda, Azores, Iceland, and Greenland.

2. Travis Air Force Base for aerial shipments to destinations in the Pacific Islands and Japan.

3. McChord Air Force Base primarily for aerial shipments to Alaska and when required, for shipments to the Far East and Pacific Islands.

4. Great Falls aerial Port of Embarkation for aerial shipments to Alaska. 5. Brookley Air Force Base Caribbean and South America.

Over the Road to Alaska.—Shipments to Alaska via truck are effected directly from the shipping depot, or through consolidation points located at Ogden, Utah; Great Falls, Montana; Sacramento, California; Seattle, Washington, or Dawson Creek, B. C. Control of Over the Road Shipments to Alaska by any routing is vested in the Sacramento Oversea Shipment Depot.

Distribution cycle to FEAF

Chart 5 represents the Supply Distribution cycle to FEAF that is constantly being examined with a view to reducing the cycle to an absolute minimum consistent with economical management techniques.

Ordering time

It should be noted that the ordering time has been reduced to 18 days, as follows:

The last 662 days of the cycle represent processing and shipping time; it indicates actual supplies committed to or moving in the pipeline.

The actual physical movement cycle of 41 days is fixed until faster transportation utilizing huge air carriers is developed.

A reduction in Depot processing time would appear at first glance to offer a fertile field for some reduction in the present 30-day processing time. Continuous studies are being made in this area. In this connection, a problem at our Depots is that of holding shipments for consolidation to effect definite savings in Transportation Funds at the expense of a few days pipeline time. Another problem is weighing the cost of extra shifts in supply to process shipments more rapidly against the benefits derived from speedier processing. The intangibles in these two areas are many and complex. As the chart indicates, airlift promises the only positive means of effecting considerable reduction in the supply-distribution cycle. A long-range study is now under way to evaluate all elements of a plan to increase airlift within ZI and to oversea commands.

The Far East Air Matériel Command has a stock-control level which is equal to 180 days of supply, as follows: 90 days of supply on hand, 90 days ordershipping time.

A supply pipeline can be likened to a flow of liquid through a pipeline. This pipeline has length, diameter, and a friction factor, which, at times, limits the flow of matériel through the pipeline. The other factor is the pressure on the line which determines the quantity passing through the line. Transportation factors affect only the length and friction losses. Supply factors affect the diameter and pressure (quantity and urgency of movement). With length and friction factors constant, a reduction in diameter will reduce the quantity in the pipeline.

Distribution cycle to USAFE

Chart 6 represents the average Supply Distribution Cycle to USAFE. This cycle is constantly being examined to effect reductions in the cycle.