Military

5-1. The area support maintenance company (ASMC) of the division support battalion (DSB) provides direct support (DS) level maintenance to division troop units, DIVARTY headquarters, and other elements operating in the division rear area. The ASMC provides DS level maintenance support from the base maintenance shop or from its modular maintenance support teams (MST).

5-2. The ASMC provides unit level maintenance for itself and the HHC DISCOM. The remainder of division troop and field artillery units retain their organic unit maintenance sections. The aviation brigade and division cavalry squadron are supported by the ground maintenance company (GMC), division aviation support battalion (DASB).

5-3. The area support maintenance company consists of a company headquarters, a maintenance control section, a base shop platoon, and a forward repair platoon. See Figure 5-1.

5-4. The company performs the following functions:

5-5. The headquarters section is responsible for the command and control of unit operations and overall unit mission accomplishment. It provides organizational administration, unit supply, and organizational level maintenance in support of company operations. The command element is responsible for training, discipline, billeting, and security for assigned personnel. This section uses the unit level logistics system - ground (ULLS-G) to provide the Army maintenance management system (TAMMS) functions and monitor organizational services for itself as well as the DISCOM headquarters company.

5-6. The MCS performs DS level maintenance management functions and production control for maintenance elements within the ASMC. The MCS directs the DS maintenance mission of the base maintenance platoon and forward repair platoon. It accomplishes its mission by using SAMS-1. It provides technical inspection services and maintains shop stock for base shop and on-site maintenance operations. It coordinates for back up and reinforcing maintenance support and services with customer units and DSB support operations section. The MCS processes SAMS-1 Class IX requests through the quartermaster company's SARSS-1 site. The MCS also forwards periodic maintenance status and equipment readiness reports from SAMS-1 to SAMS-2 operated by the maintenance branch of the DSB support operations section.

5-7. The base shop platoon headquarters provides command, control, and overall supervision of the platoon. The platoon consists of a mechanical maintenance section, an armament section, a communication and electronics section, and a missile system repair section.

5-8. The mechanical maintenance section provides dedicated recovery/lift and base shop DS level maintenance support to itself, DISCOM headquarters, division headquarters, DIVARTY headquarters, division MP company, and the division band. On an area basis, it provides support to units operating in the DSA. This section works on wheeled, tracked, power generation, and utility commodities. It provides reinforcing DS level maintenance support to the forward repair platoon maintenance teams. The MCS can tailor the section into teams to provide on-site maintenance support to customer units.

5-9. The armament repair section provides base shop and on-site DS level maintenance support for fire control devices, small arms artillery, and test, diagnostics, and repair by replacement of line replaceable units. The section supports the ASMC, supported customers, and units operating in the division support area (DSA). This section uses direct support electrical systems test set (DSESTS) for LRU repair.

5-10. The communications/electronic maintenance section provides base shop DS level maintenance for all COMSEC equipment (less signal/MI peculiar items, combat-electronic warfare intelligence (CEWI) and aviation units). It also provides DS level radio, wire and radar systems repair from divisonal customers.

5-11. The missile system repair section provides base shop DS maintenance for land combat missile systems (LCMS) and air defense artillery (Avenger). In addition it tests, diagnoses, and repairs by replacement specific line replaceable units within other missile systems. This section supports the ASMC, all supported customers, and units operating in the DSA. This section also uses integrated family of test equipment (IFTE) for LRU diagnostics and repair.

5-12. The forward repair platoon headquarters provides C2 and overall supervision of the platoon maintenance support teams. The platoon consists of an ADA battalion support team, signal battalion support team, MI battalion support team, and MLRS support team.

5-13. This team provides on-site DS level maintenance support to the ADA battalion. Repair capabilities include wheeled and tracked vehicles, power generation and utility equipment. All other maintenance support comes from the base maintenance platoon.

5-14. This team provides on-site DS level maintenance support to the signal battalion. Repair capabilities include wheeled and tracked vehicles, power generation, and utility equipment. All other maintenance support comes from the base maintenance platoon.

5-15. This team provides on-site DS level maintenance support to the MI battalion. Repair capabilities include wheeled and tracked vehicles, power generation, and utility equipment. All other maintenance support comes from the base maintenance platoon.

5-16. The MLRS support team provides on-site DS level maintenance support for MLRS self-propelled launcher/loaders and the target acquisition battery's surveillance/acquisition radar. This includes the capability to repair wheeled and tracked vehicles and generators. The 27M, MLRS repairers, are organized into six 2-man teams (1 team per 3 launchers) which equates to two teams per battery. The MLRS maintenance teams deploy and operate as part of the battery. Remaining MLRS repair capability is positioned forward and operates from the battalion combat trains. The base maintenance platoon provides all other maintenance support.

5-17. The ASMC provides DS level support to units operating in the division rear. The ASMC establishes base shop operations in the division support area (DSA). As directed, MSTs from the ASMC provides on-site maintenance support to elements of the ADA, signal, and MI battalion as well as the division's MLRS battery. The company is focused on returning as many systems to the battle as possible. The ASMC is oriented toward equipment through the replacement of major components and LRUs. The ASMC typically collocates near the quartermaster company to facilitate the flow of Class IX parts to and from the company.

5-18. The ASMC maintenance control section provides command, control, and communications for the direct support maintenance mission. This section coordinates maintenance priorities with the company commander and DSB support operations officer. The maintenance control officer task organizes the DS maintenance assets to execute the established maintenance priorities. Maintenance assets provide maintenance support from either the base shop located in the division support area (DSA), from predetermined maintenance collection points (MCPs), or from on-site based on METT-TC. As the division task organizes to conduct combat operations, ASMC maintenance assets are tailored to support the changing missions. Figure 5-2 depicts maintenance relationships in the division.

5-19. The ASMC operates the DSA MCP. Maintainers in the MCP perform replacement maintenance. Units recover their non-mission capable equipment to the MCP. Using advanced diagnostics, maintainers determine the major component failure and replace that component. METT-TC, availability of parts, tools, and maintenance expertise may dictate the need to perform BDAR or controlled exchange. When necessary, the ASMC submits requests for back-up support and augmentation from corps units through the DSB support operations section. These units will generally locate in or around the DSA. In most cases the DSB support operations section would coordinate forward repair activities, special repair activities, or contractor support, but as necessary, the MCS interfaces with these activities to facilitate the expeditious return of equipment to the using unit. The company currently uses both ULLS-G (organizational maintenance) and SAMS-1 (DS level maintenance) to manage maintenance functions. With the introduction of global command support system - Army (GCSS-Army), all maintenance functionality will be combined in a single maintenance module. The company manages a limited amount of prescribed load lists (PLL) and shop stock items such as major assemblies and LRUs.

5-20. The base maintenance platoon of the company provides limited reinforcing recovery support for units in the DSA. Recovery is the process of retrieving or freeing immobile, inoperative, or abandoned materiel. Items are recovered from where they are disabled or abandoned and returned to operation or to the MCP. When recovery is required, the operator/crew sends a call for support message to the maintenance control section of the ASMC. The MCS sends a task order to the base maintenance platoon, mechanical maintenance section. The operator/crew will receive a return acknowledgment message from the recovery operators. It is at this point that the recovery team coordinates the time and location for the link up operation. The inoperable equipment is repaired on-site, recovered to the MCP, or recovered to a designated location for evacuation.

5-21. Prior to calling for recovery support, the operator must attempt to repair the equipment or perform self-recovery or like-vehicle recovery. If the operator cannot recover the equipment, he requests additional assistance from the unit maintenance officer (UMO). The UMO evaluates the request on the basis of command guidance and the overall tactical and maintenance situation and develops a recovery plan. If the recovery support is beyond the unit's capability, the unit requests help from the ASMC, maintenance control section.

5-22. BDAR is a technique used to expedite the return of a damaged piece of equipment to the current battle. Through battle damage assessment (BDA), maintainers inspect equipment to determine the extent of damage, classify it, and develop a maintenance plan of action. Priorities for repair of battle damaged systems are usually:

5-23. BDAR uses emergency repair procedures outlined in BDAR technical manuals (TMs) to return systems to a full or partial mission capable status. Commanders may direct use of BDAR during combat. Fuel and combat platforms are primary candidates for BDAR. At the completion of the mission, maintainers will perform standard maintenance procedures to repair the items.