Lieutenant General
Joseph M. Heiser Jr.

Lieutenant General Joseph M. Heiser, Jr., was born on January 22, 1914 in Charleston, South Carolina and retired with over 30 years’ active duty in the U.S. Army.

Throughout his career, his motto remained, “A well supported combat soldier is the backbone of an effective Army and it is the logistician’s job to provide that support.”

His rapid ascension through the ranks, from a first sergeant to second lieutenant in 1943, is indicative of his outstanding organizational ability and resourcefulness.

His name has become synonymous with two of the most successful programs in ordance: the closed-loop system and the logistics offensive. The closed-loop system maximized the utilization of material and substantially reduced acquisition requirements by effecting the overhaul of unserviceable materiel and its return to the supply system.

The logistics offensive resulted in marked reduction in tonnages of supplies, greatly improved inventory and location accuracy, materially reduced response time required to meet unit requirements, significantly improved operational readiness rates, and upgraded combat readiness throughout the entire U.S. Army.

His career was characterized by professionalism of the highest order. His inspired leadership, competence, and devotion to duty profoundly affected the U.S. Army’s logistical effectiveness. He retired in 1973, and remained an active advisor on Ordnance matters.

He served as the first Honorary Colonel of the Ordnance Corps from May 1987 until May 1990. General Heiser died on April 9, 1994.