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Chapter 9

The brigade receives CSS from an FSB and elements of DISCOM and COSCOM. This support includes DS-level maintenance, health services, field services, and materiel collection and classification. The FSB provides dedicated division-level CSS for a specified maneuver brigade. In heavy units, the FSB is comprised of a headquarters company, a supply company, a maintenance company, and a medical company. In light and specialized division, they are organized into an HHD/A Company supply, maintenance company, and medical company. These companies are tailored to fulfill the needs of the brigade and of other divisional units who operate in the brigade area. The FSB provides the following support:

a. Division-level logistics support of Classes I, II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, and IX supplies.

b. Direct support maintenance to attached and supported units of the brigade.

c. Field services, when augmented by the main support battalion or the corps (for example, water and mortuary affairs).

d. Materiel collection and classification functions.

e. Combat service support information and advice to the brigade commander and his staff on support abilities of the FSB.

f. Coordination of division-level health services support for the brigade.

g. Plan, coordinate, and execute the rear operation base cluster defense plan for the BSA.

h. Coordination of all CSS assets located in the BSA that are organic, in direct support, or attached to the brigade.

The brigade CSS participants are the battalion trains, the forward support battalion, and the division and corps support units. Unit-level CSS for the divisional brigade is organic to its headquarters company and its attached maneuver battalions.

a. The brigade support area is the personnel and logistics center of the maneuver brigade; it includes the brigade rear CP, FSB, and selected DISCOM and COSCOM support units. Also, the BSA usually includes the field trains of subordinate maneuver battalions, DS artillery battalions, DS engineer company /battalion DS MPs, MI battalion elements, and part of the division extension signal platoon that supports the brigade (Figure 9-1).

b. A BSA should include the following characteristics:

• Be convenient to units served.
• Be situated away from the main enemy avenue of approach.
• Be beyond the range of threat artillery.
• Have sufficient space for dispersion.
• Offer concealment from hostile ground and air observation.
• Be on firm ground for ammunition and fuel vehicles.
• Be near a water source.
• Have access to a network of good roads.
• Possess suitable helicopter landing sites.
• Be situated in built-up areas to harden command posts, to improve work areas, and to reduce visual and IR signatures.
• Be located to enhance defense capability.
• Be located where good communications can be maintained with the brigade main CP.

c. The brigade S3 selects the general location of the BSA based on recommendations of the brigade S4, support battalion S2/S3, and FSB commander.

d. An FSB is designated as being in DS of an infantry brigade and is positioned in the BSA. The FSB commander is responsible for unit positioning within the BSA and for the BSA defensive plan. Normally, the FSB CP and the brigade rear CP are collocated in the BSA.

e. The BSA rarely displaces as an entity; rather, its elements are normally echeloned to maintain continuous support. The exact composition of each echelon depends on the criticality of each type support required. Echelons include elements of the brigade rear CP, the FSB headquarters, and limited Classes III, V, VIII, and IX supply assets as well as medical and maintenance personnel.

f. The lifelines that connect the BSA and supported units are the brigade supply routes. Supply routes, based on the tactical plan, are selected by the brigade S4 and approved by the brigade S3. An MSR and at least one alternate supply route are normally established to facilitate continual security, upkeep, movement control of brigade CSS assets.

g. The DS MP platoon regulates traffic along the supply routes. Engineers repair route damage to facilitate delivery of supplies forward. Host-nation support can be used to repair roadways when engineers are not available. Alternate routes are planned and reconnoitered to reduce details. Contaminated routes (See FM 63-20 for more information on the FSB are also included. organization and functions.)

The battalions use a system of combat and field trains to provide unit-level CSS for their maneuver units. Trains are organic to the maneuver battalions and are organized and equipped to provide support well forward. Routine resupply techniques for the light infantry are in-position, out-of-position, and pre-position.

a. The battalion field trains are supervised by the HHC commander. The battalion field trains normally operate from the BSA. The FSB commander is responsible for their positioning and defense. At times, the field trains may operate separately from the BSA, or it can be combined with a battalion combat trains to form a unit trains.

b. Other units, operating in a DS, GS, or OPCON role to the brigade, can be provided CSS assistance if it is coordinated by the brigade rear CP. The brigade can also task a subordinate unit to provide support. The subordinate battalion's trains can require additional augmentation (vehicle/personnel) to accomplish the added support requirements.

The brigade commander is responsible for overall planning and integration of all aspects of brigade operations to include CSS in the brigade area of operations. The FSB commander is the brigade commander's main CSS adviser. He is also a key member in the planning process. The brigade S1 and S4 prepare estimates that identify logistics strengths and weaknesses of tactical COAs and identify the personnel and logistics requirements of the tactical plan. The brigade S4 coordinates with the FSB commander who synchronizes the logistics and medical assets needed to support the brigade plan. The FSB commander should always be included in the planning process and order briefing.

a. Unit-Level Maintenance and Food Service Support. The HHC of the light infantry brigade provides unit-level maintenance and food service support for the maneuver battalions.

b. Combat Service Support Planning. Combat service support planners must analyze the requirements of the brigade before, during, and after all phases of an operation. The staff planning process must consider the supportability of proposed COAs. Once the brigade concept of the operation is determined, CSS planning focuses on supporting it. The brigade rear CP should continuously monitor and track the on-going battle to anticipate CSS requirements. To ensure that CSS is synchronized with all other battlefield functions, the S1, the S4, and the FSB liaison officer/support operations officer should participate in the development and war-gaming of the COAs.

c. Casualty Evacuation. Casualties can be extensive on today's battlefields. Internal brigade treatment/evacuation plans must be coordinated/synchronized with the medical company commander, the brigade surgeon, and the brigade S1. Based on casualty estimates provided by the battalion and brigade S1s, as well as the distance between the battalion aid stations and the medical company, the medical company may designate ambulance exchange points between the BSA and the supported units. The brigade S1 will have a member collocate with the medical company to track casualties as they are brought in. The brigade S1 also tracks KIAs at the mortuary affairs point. When required, additional evacuation resources and treatment teams can be requested by the battalions from the FSB and or to the FSB from the MSB. The keys to managing casualties are the use of on-site triage, combat lifesavers, and medical treatment teams. Other important areas include the following:

d. Reporting. It is essential that user units report what they have on-hand or their daily logistics report. There are few conceivable scenarios where US forces will have all of the supplies that they need for an operation. Combat service support planners try to standardize push packages as much as possible, but they must know the commander's guidance for the issuance of scarce but heavily requested supplies. Accurate reporting allows CSS planners to quickly forecast supply constraints and to order more. Inaccurate or no reporting means that some units will go into combat without enough supplies to accomplish their mission while other units have excess supplies.

e. Support of the Offense. The availability of adequate supplies and transportation to sustain the operation becomes more critical as the operation progresses. Supply lines and communications are strained, and requirements mount for repair and replacement of weapon systems. The NBC contamination on the battlefield compounds these problems and degrades the performance of CSS units. The CSS commanders and planners must anticipate these issues and ensure considerations are included in their planning. During offensive planning, CSS considerations include the following:

f. Support of the Defense. The aim of CSS activities in the defense are to support defensive battles and facilitate rapid transition to the offense. Defensive operations take many forms. They range from absolutely static, relying on firepower from fixed positions, to dynamic, based on maneuver to disrupt and destroy the attacking force. The CSS commanders must be involved early in defensive planning. This allows them to plan support for the defense and to anticipate changing priorities. To support defense, the brigade S4 and FSB commander should--

g. Support of Retrograde Operations. The CSS for retrograde operations is complex because many activities can be taking place concurrently. Maneuver units at any given time can be defending, delaying, attacking, or withdrawing. All must be supported under the overall retrograde operation. Since the retrograde is a movement away from the enemy, CSS elements must be prepared--

• To echelon in depth and rearward.

• To limit the flow of supplies forward to only the most essential positions. All other supplies and equipment are evacuated early.

• To evacuate supplies and equipment to planned fallback points along the withdrawal routes.

• To keep supply and evacuation routes open and decontaminated.
• To withdraw forward medical treatment units as early as possible.
• To evacuate patients early, to develop alternate means of evacuation and to augment field ambulance capabilities.
• To recover or evacuate equipment rather than risk being overrun while repairing at forward sites. Self- and like-vehicle-recovery must be increased.

• To move all nonessential CSS units and facilities to the rear as early as possible.

• To supply and evacuate at night and during limited visibility.
• To implement the division commander's policy of controlled exchange.
• To keep abreast of the tactical situation.

Reconstitution tasks include reestablishing or reinforcing C2; cross-leveling or replacing personnel, supplies, and equipment using command priorities to allocate resources; conducting essential training; and reestablishing unit cohesion.

a. Reconstitution could be required for any unit and must be anticipated at all levels of command. Commanders have two reconstitution options--reorganization and regeneration--for returning units to a specified level of combat capability.

b. The brigade commander evaluates his units during the course of the battle and decides whether a unit needs reconstitution. Authority for reorganization is maintained by the commander one echelon above; for regeneration, authority comes from two levels above.

Aviation from corps or division can provide transportation of supplies, materiel, and personnel in support of brigade operations. However, weather and other limitations make it unwise to have air as the sole planned means of resupply.

a. Higher headquarters decides whether to use aviation in resupply operations based on the urgency of the requirement and the availability of aviation assets. Requests for aerial resupply are processed through supply channels to the division G4.

b. If aerial resupply is used, the agency at the point of origin of the airlift is responsible for obtaining the required packing, shipping, and sling-loading equipment; preparing the load for transportation by air; preparing the pickup zone; and conducting air-loading operations.

c. The unit at the destination of the airlift is responsible for preparing the LZ to accommodate aerial resupply and for receiving the load. This includes providing a drop-zone safety team (DZST) with a qualified DZST leader and recovering the containers used in the USAF container delivery system.

d. The light infantry has limited transportation assets. Therefore, loads should be configured in bundles that are within the receiving unit's capability to recover and move.

The logistics support structure of the separate brigade is designed to link into a COSCOM.

a. The separate brigade support battalion resembles a small DISCOM. The direct link between the separate brigade support battalion and the COSCOM is not cut, even when the separate brigade is attached to a division. Corps augmentation to the separate brigade support battalion remains in place since the division does not have the resources to support another brigade.

b. When the brigade is attached to a division, the DISCOM coordinates the logistics effort for the entire division. The DISCOM ensures the separate brigade is neither specially favored nor penalized because of its distinctive characteristics. Because the attachment of the separate brigade to a division is not permanent, logistics arrangements should facilitate the eventual decoupling of the brigade from the DISCOM.

The capability of an infantry soldier to fight is directly related to his load. Excessive loads cause fatigue and lack of agility, which places soldiers at a disadvantage when reaction to enemy contact is required. The brigade commander must ensure his subordinate commanders tailor the loads of their soldiers to fit the mission requirements. Commanders must take appropriate risks and delete items from the soldier's load, as necessary. The commander can best assist in this function by providing haul assets to subordinate commanders, allowing them to echelon their loads. (For detailed information, see FM 21-18.)