WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Less than a year after standing up, the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (Provisional) will lose its "Provisional" designation during the unit's formal standup at Scott AFB, Ill., March 28.

Gen. Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, will officiate at the ceremony. Although headquartered at Scott AFB, the center is part of AFMC.

In the Air Force's 2007 Posture Statement, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Michael T. Moseley confirmed that the new center would provide global logistic support to the Air Force.

The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center, or AFGLSC, will be the hub for supply chain management, networking logistics experts from around the Air Force to link wholesale and retail logistics, as well as integrate and oversee all logistic processes, technology and resources to deliver end-to-end warfighter support with increased velocity and reduced cost.

The AFGLSC has three primary functions: 1) enterprise-wide planning of the Air Force supply chain including planning for material, maintenance and distribution; 2) command and control as a single point of contact for customers to resolve immediate logistics issues at the point of execution; and 3) authority for supply chain strategy and integration. This includes management of business rules and procedures, providing functional requirements for supply chain systems, financial management and measuring, assessing and taking action to improve supply chain performance.

Cadres who worked on implementing AFGLSC concepts, organization and functions were Air Force subject matter experts from Headquarters AFMC, other major commands, air logistic centers, mobility and combat air forces, Air Force Logistics Management Agency, Defense Logistics Agency and Headquarters Air Force. Subject matter experts from AFMC's Logistics Directorate provided full-time support while other experts provided support from their home station with short, temporary duty assignments to complete GLSC actions.

Following unit activation, there will be approximately 4,500 people transitioning into the AFGLSC. Personnel will become part of AFGLSC even though the vast majority will remain at their current operating locations.