While John was still in his office working on his "82nd Division's Logistics Reform Plan," Eisenhower, who had just been transferred to the Ninth Army, was also worried about a logistics work report at the Fort Lewisburg military base in Washington State in the northwestern United States. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Although he was over 50 years old, Eisenhower was still in good shape. Since he was promoted to chief of staff of the 3rd Division in September last year, he has worked almost 18 hours a day, all day a week. He drew up training plans, inspected troops, lectured newly appointed officers, commanded field studies, studied European wars, summed up experience and applied it to his own troops, and seemed to have an inexhaustible amount of energy.

Far from dragging down his body, this high-intensity work made him look younger and more energetic. The only regret is that he is now almost completely bald, with only a few strands of light brown hair left on the back of his head and temples. However, Mamie (Eisenhower's wife, Mary Givney-Eisenhower's nickname) thought baldness would make him look a little more pleasing to the eye, as it matched his large, flexible mouth.

In the four months since he took office, Eisenhower has greatly changed the mental outlook of the Third Division by leading by example, much to the satisfaction of his superiors. The commander of the Ninth Army, General Kenyon Joyce, was particularly impressed by Eisenhower, who had been transferred to Fort Lewisburg as his interim chief of staff just last week.

"Tex, help me adjust my schedule for tomorrow morning, I'm going to the 113th regiment." Eisenhower took one last look at the report in his hand and decided that he should go to the field to understand the situation before making a decision.

"Okay, Chief of Staff." Answering him was Adjutant Lieutenant Ernest Lee.

Before joining the military, Lee worked as an insurance broker and auto salesman in San Antonio. He is smart, optimistic by nature, and has all the qualities of a good salesman. Eisenhower liked his new lieutenant and often affectionately called him "Tex." Historically, until the end of the war, Lee and Mickey, an orderly soldier, were always by Eisenhower's side, and were even regarded by the outside world as core members of Eisenhower's "family".

"Originally, you were going to the hospital tomorrow morning to see Brigadier General Meyer (George Meyer, chief of staff of the Ninth Army from 1940 to 1943, Eisenhower is currently acting as his temporary deputy), and I will transfer you to tomorrow afternoon, can you see it?" Lieutenant Lee flipped through the notepad in his hand and suggested to Eisenhower.

"Tyx, look at the arrangement." Eisenhower's mind was not on that at all. The report jointly submitted by more than 40 logistics officers just now listed many problems that have arisen in the process of logistics reform of the Ninth Army, which made him a little upset.

As one of the first units of the Army to carry out logistical reform on a pilot basis, the Ninth Army's road to reform has not progressed smoothly. The first step is to implement asset transparency throughout the military. Most of the materials in the logistics warehouse do not match the original account books of the logistics department. Some of the items on the books have disappeared many years ago, while some of the materials that don't exist on the books have been piling up in warehouses for more than 20 years. Until now, more than 1/3 of the material warehouses have not been counted.

In the second step, the implementation of a new supply model in combat units at the regimental level has caused all units to complain. The vast majority of grass-roots logistics officers are at a loss and completely unable to adapt to the new way of working. Far from materializing, the results of the originally envisaged logistical reform have further deteriorated the logistical situation of the regiments.

The report that Eisenhower received today was a joint complaint by a group of grassroots logistics officers that the new supply model would affect the troops' training progress and suggested that the promotion should be postponed. The report describes the various problems brought about by the logistical reform in great detail, and the data seems to be very reasonable. Eisenhower was a little unsure whether to pause and see what the problem was.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

A violent explosion broke the silence of the valley, and several clouds of earthy yellow blasting smoke rose up a steep slope that had been piled up, and a group of combat sappers quickly destroyed the remaining obstacles on the slope under the cover of machine-gun fire.

"Keep up, stay in formation!" Led by the junior squad platoon leaders, about a company of infantry was stormtrooping through the newly opened passage and charging the "defenders" on the high ground ahead.

About 450 meters away, on the shady side of the valley, Eisenhower was watching the routine training with a telescope, accompanied by his old friend, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley, acting commander of the 113th Regiment.

"Ike, how's my boys?" Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley was so pleased with his men's performance today that he couldn't help but show off. To be able to train a company almost entirely of recruits to such an extent in just two months, Kingsley does have the capital to be proud.

"Yes, you have an excellent company commander, and the offensive organization is very organized. The engineer platoon commander did not do a bad job, and the work of opening a passage in the line of fire was completed quickly. "Eisenhower was an expert, and he could see at a glance the true level of this company." However, the setting of the defense facilities is a little simpler, so you can increase the difficulty appropriately next time. ”

"Okay, Ike, I knew I couldn't hide it from you." Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley said with a smile: "But it's not easy for the boys, their training progress is already a week and a half ahead of the requirements of the new syllabus." ”

"I know, Kingsley, your 113th Regiment has always been the fastest in training." Eisenhower patted Kingsley on the shoulder: "The training volume has increased recently, is there a problem with the logistics supply?" ”

This is the real purpose of Eisenhower's visit to the 113th Regiment today. He hoped to learn from his friend Kingsley how much the ongoing logistical reform had affected the normal supply of troops.

"Of course there is, Ike." Kingsley organized the language: "Last week, there was a problem with the replenishment of parts for four companies in our regiment, and the parts sent were not what they wanted at all. You also know that the new logistical supply method divides the types of supplies into very small ones. Those quartermaster sergeants are not professional accountants, and mistakes are inevitable. ”

"You mean, the problems in logistics right now are only due to unskillfulness and are temporary?" Eisenhower asked.

"Let's put it this way, Ike. Rank-and-file company commanders and soldiers love this new way of supplying, at least they have a new drink every week. Last year, we used to drink coffee ordered in 1935 for months on end. Kingsley looked left and right, and whispered, "But the logistics officers are not so happy, because it makes their work much more difficult......"

After returning from the 113th Regiment, Eisenhower was still pondering Kingsley's words. Clearly, Kingsley, like him, was a supporter of logistical reform. In fact, all those who have carefully studied the reform package are well aware of the benefits of doing so.

However, the problems reported by those logistics officers do exist. Is it because he and Kingsley haven't done any specific logistics work, so they don't realize the loopholes in the new supply model? Or is it just because the logistics officers can't adapt to the new way of working?

Eisenhower always felt as if he was faintly approaching the crux of the matter, but he couldn't figure it out for a while. After sitting quietly in his office for a while, he picked up the phone on his desk.

Of his friends, John was undoubtedly the most vocal on the matter. Moreover, much of the content of this logistical reform pilot was originally based on his suggestions. Eisenhower wanted to talk to John, maybe he knew what the problem was.