November 26, 2025
In the Media
The U.S. military is mighty, formidable, and singular in influence, stationed in at least 128 overseas bases across 51 countries. Concealed beneath the United States’ biggest investment is a surprise: The military was responsible for the birth of an industry. Today, that industry is essential for its operations.
“If you think about it, logistics started as a military function,” says Chris Caplice, executive director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL). “The idea of getting supplies, ammunition, food, all the material you need to the front line was the core of logistics, and really supply chain came out of that over the last decades or centuries.”