If you are not familiar with the term PBL it is time you get educated on it. PBL is the acronym for Performance Based Logistics. While it is a common buzz word in the acquisitions community, it is not a term that most in the operating forces have ever heard of. However, the implications of PBL can be significant and just about every Marine should be familiar with what it is, especially anyone in a logistics, maintenance, or supply MOS. PBL is the new Department of Defense mandated way of supporting weapon systems throughout their life-cycle. PBL is a change from the typical practice of just stockpiling quantities of spare parts and supplies to be applied by the appropriately trained mechanic or technician. An simplified example of this traditional method is the Marine Corps supply system via the Defense Logistics Agency provided parts and consumable items need to maintain the M16A4 rifle and operators and 2111 MOS mechanics do all the required maintenance using those parts. With this traditional system other than the Marine Corps there is not normally anyone else directly involved with maintaining any level of performance or readiness for the M16A4. PBL changes this method and instead contracts for a certain level of performance or readiness and everything that encompasses. The use of PBL for the M16A4 for example would consist of a contract to a company to provide a certain level of performance and readiness for that weapons system and could be as simple as provide certain parts to providing all parts, technicians, and improvements to the system. There could be a provision of the contract that stipulates certain levels of readiness that the contractor must maintain on the M16A4 or stipulate that the mean time between failure must be a certain amount. It is responsibility of the weapons system’s Program Manager to decide what kind of role the PBL contractor will have and what the measures of effectiveness will be while the contractor has the flexibility to best meet those measures. So what does that mean at the tactical level? Well, when I first heard about PBL the first thing I thought was, “Oh no, the DOD has institutionalized Field Service Representatives (FSRs)”. Yes FSRs can be part of a PBL, but a PBL by no means automatically includes FSRs. What PBL means for tactical level logisticians, supply personnel, and mechanics is you will have some type of interaction with the PBL contractor directly and/or through normal Marine Corps supply and maintenance procedures. For example the PBL contractor for the M16A4 example would closely monitor standard MIMMS/GCSS-MC reports looking for maintenance trends or low readiness ratings and proactively work to improve things. That could mean speeding production of certain parts or sending FSRs out to specific units to help them with repairs. The feedback from uses and maintainers will be essential and will need to be more involved than submitting the occasional Product Quality Deficiency Report. PBL gives the tactical level Marine a strategic level partner in industry who will be working to help sustain the weapons systems we use. All Marines will need to learn the process and how to best leverage PBL to keep our weapons systems in the highest state of readiness possible.PBL is DOD mandated and here to stay. It is a significant change, and it can be a great thing if everyone involved understands their role and works hard to accomplish the tasks associated with that role.