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The logistics and health service support structure military operations. If the division is the highest for LIC operations depends on the situation. headquarters involved in LIC operations, the Support can range from a medical team providing DISCOM deploys with the division and should plan humanitarian assistance to a full DISCOM with to interface directly with the CONUS wholesale COSCOM elements supporting a division conducting logistics system.

The DISCOM role in support for insurgency and counterinsurgency may involve two types of support. First, it may have to support US military advisory teams. In other cases, it may provide support to the host country, including security assistance to help improve military and civil organizations. The G1/AG and the G4 coordinate with the G5 to determine how to use local resources to meet as many requirements as possible. If local resources cannot meet the support needs, small teams from a DISCOM (or other support element) may provide supply, maintenance, ammunition medical, and transportation support to indigenous forces. Although the immediate purpose is to assist indigenous tactical forces, the DISCOM's long-term objective is to develop a local capability to perform these tasks.

Advisory team support, needs that local resources cannot meet are likely to be minimal. If the US presence increases beyond small teams, the size of the support element also increases, and DISCOM planners must be prepared to employ additional elements.

The DISCOM may also have a role in providing humanitarian assistance as part of a counterinsurgency program (nation building or military assistance). If the force has the mission of humanitarian assistance, DISCOM planners must consider several factors:

• Size of the supported population.
  

• Deployment and redeployment plans.
  

• Approved command and control.
  

• Communications requirements and capabilities.
  

• Coordinated embassy/military public affairs plan.
  

• Local population customs and traditions, including dietary habits.
  

Combatting terrorism involves defensive (antiterrorism) and offensive (counterterrorism) measures required to meet the evolving terrorism threat. Divisions are not likely to participate in combatting terrorism. However, DISCOM forces deployed to a LIC environment need to take antiterrorism measures as well as measures to protect supplies, personnel and LOCs. FM 100-20 and FM 100-37 discuss these measures.

Division forces may participate in a peacekeeping force. If so, the DISCOM uses normal support operations as much as possible. An austere base development and a mixed military/civilian contractor support structure may characterize the support environment. Host-nation support, however, may not be a significant support factor. Political considerations derived from the nature of PKO itself may affect host-nation support.

In PKO planning, the G3, with the G1/AG and the G4, identifies division units requiring support and the necessary support packages. For example, they must plan for sufficient transportation assets to rapidly relocate peacekeeping forces. If additional transportation is required beyond the organic assets of the peacekeeping force, they must plan for the required augmentation well in advance.

Supply support for a deployed peacekeeping force requires longer order-ship times for surface shipments. The DISCOM must be involved in planning initial supply support well in advance. Stockage of repair parts and other supplies must be at a level that supports a deployed force for an extended period. Self-service supply items are also required. The DISCOM may need to help coordinate contractor support for fresh food supplies and dining facility operations. Prior planning and coordination are essential to arrange for supplemental rations. Planners must ensure sufficient veterinary inspection support is available to monitor local purchase activities. In addition, members of the force on remote patrol may require MREs or other combat-ready meals. Also, because DISCOM elements may have the mission of supporting all members of the PKO force, they must consider the type and contents of certain foods for religious or cultural reasons.

Water supply may be included in an overall custodial contract, obtained from local sources, or provided by water purification/distribution units, such as those in the DISCOM. Preventive medicine personnel test and approve all water prior to distribution.

Due to the limited assets within the DISCOM, the division may require corps assets to assure a dedicated transportation capability and to provide the necessary flexibility and mobility to the supported force. Host-nation or third party contract assets, however, should be used whenever possible. If US vehicles are used, vehicle operators may need local or international driver licenses. Also, the DTO and MCO must examine the road network before the force arrives in country. Planners require up-to-date information on all roads and bridges. This must include information on the main supply routes and restrictions on vehicles (such as convoy size, weight of vehicles, and times that roads can be used).

DISCOM medical elements support PKO operations as part of a single health service assistance program. Their primary mission is to provide HSS to the peacekeeping force. The responsibility for all overall medical planning rests with the division surgeon. The division surgeon coordinates any medical support to host-country nationals.

The division commander is responsible for determining the desired sequence of deployment for peacetime contingency operations. The division commander will determine the tactical force, supporting elements, fillers and replacement personnel, and bulk supplies needed for PCO. The DISCOM coordinates the deployment of its units and recommends changes in the deployment sequence if the force does not remain balanced. In some cases, DISCOM elements may arrive in the country or an adjacent country before tactical forces. In other cases, only support elements may deploy.

In any case, before execution of planners must arrange for feeding, the deployment, fueling, arming, fixing, and loading the force at the staging base. Due to the unique aspects of PCO (such as short duration and possible bare base conditions), certain support activities and management functions may take place at the CONUS support base. Forces use operational readiness float to maximize readiness prior to deployment. Also, planners must identify the source of supply early. It may be CONUS, designated OCONUS, or third country sources.

In the development of the composition and deployment sequence of DISCOM elements, a primary consideration is the availability of local resources, particularly fuel, transportation, facilities, labor, and services. The contingency force should take full advantage of any applicable host-nation agreement, as well as local purchasing and contracting.

Certain DISCOM elements must deploy early in support of PCO. The first elements to deploy must handle Class I, III, and IX, and water as well as critical transportation, maintenance, and HSS assets. As mentioned above, if applicable, qualified personnel authorized to purchase goods and services, to let contracts, and to render payment also deploy early.

The force enters the area with accompanying supplies, which represents the first phase of supply in a contingency operation. Accompanying supplies for a contingency operation should include basic loads of MREs and Class II, III, IV, V, and VIII items, and the prescribed load of Class IX items. DISCOM supply elements must be on the ground to handle the second phase of supply, which is follow-on supply.

Support elements use follow-on supply before the normal supply system is fully established and routine supply (the third phase of supply in contingency operations) can be initiated. Follow-on supplies can arrive on the first day. They include supplies that planners anticipate to be critical in the early phases of the contingency, such as fuel, food, medical supplies, and water (if it is not available locally). Planners estimate consumption of these items in advance, and support base personnel configure the items into prepackaged loads. Airdrop can be effective in follow-on supply operations to reduce ground movement requirements.

There are two kinds of follow-on supply- automatic and on-call. With automatic resupply, the prepackaged loads are delivered directly to forces on a preplanned schedule. On-call supply is an emergency resupply system to provide prepackaged loads for items with unpredictable consumption schedules.

During the build-up phase, the G1/AG, the G4, and the DISCOM commander must pay close attention to the number of support units in country. Many of the support units may be detachments, teams, and companies without a parent headquarters. In order to execute effective command and control, some elements of the DISCOM headquarters should arrive early to organize these smaller elements into a composite DISCOM. As the situation develops and more headquarters elements arrive, the temporary composite headquarters transitions to the normal DISCOM headquarters.