COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT (CSS) BOS
(Trends are numbered sequentially for cross-reference and are not in any priority order.)
Positive Performance
TREND
1
SUBJECT:
Logistical support
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): The forward support battalion (FSB) and support battalions (SB) provided doctrinally based logistical and tactical support to their brigade throughout the rotation.
DISCUSSION: The FSB/SB provided their brigades with consistent and baseline logistical support during their rotations.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The FSB/SB used doctrinally based logistical and tactical concepts outlined in FM 63-1, Support Battalions and Squadrons, Separate Brigades and Armored Cavalry Regiments; and FM 63-20, Forward Support Battalions.
(TA.7
Combat Service Support)
TREND
2
SUBJECT:
Aircraft maintenance
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Aircraft maintenance continues to be one of the strong points of assault and heavy list units.
DISCUSSION: Units routinely average an operational ready rate of 85 percent.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: None.
(TA.7.3.2
Fix/Maintain Equipment)
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Troop-level maintenance is strong.
DISCUSSION: Units are scheduling service to best support key missions.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Continue to follow the appropriate Technical Manual (TM) in scheduling and conducting service and periodic maintenance.
(TA.7.3.2
Fix and Maintain Equipment)
TREND
4
SUBJECT:
Vehicle maintenance and sustainment operations
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 MP): Units are succeeding in their vehicle maintenance and sustainment operations at the JRTC.
DISCUSSION: The success of vehicle maintenance operations can be attributed in part to platoons bringing their organic mechanics to JRTC. Sustainment operations continue to be a positive trend at JRTC. From prior coordination before the deployment to operational sustainment during the rotation, the platoon sergeant shoulders the bulk of the sustainment operation, to include not only all classes of supply but also personnel.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Success can be attributed to the platoon sergeant's knowledge of the supply and replacement system and rapport with the supported brigade.
(TA.7.3.2.1
Perform Preventive Maintenance)
TREND
5
SUBJECT:
Maintenance skills
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Aircraft mechanics display a superior knowledge of aircraft maintenance skills at the JRTC.
DISCUSSION: Aircraft mechanics demonstrate the ability to perform both real-world and notional repairs in a tactical environment. Additionally, aviation unit maintenance (AVUM) units have made great strides in planning for deployment.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Most maintenance slices now deploy with the appropriate tools, test equipment, and repair parts to support 40 or more aircraft.
2. Units routinely average an operational ready rate (OR) of 85 percent during a rotation.
(TA.7.3.2.6
Repair)
TREND
6
SUBJECT:
Casualty treatment and collection
OBSERVATION (TF 1): Treatment of soldiers on the battlefield continues to improve.
DISCUSSION: Assignment of platoon and company medics, combat lifesaver personnel, and emergency medical technicians (EMT) have reduced the amount of time soldiers remain untreated on the battlefield after injury. After contact is over, centralized collection by the company 1SG and medics has made rapid evacuation of the most critically injured personnel a battle drill.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Use of poleless litters and SKEDCO litters has dramatically increased the ability of the unit to move injured personnel over long distances and at a quicker pace. Additionally, less manpower is required to conduct the evacuation, so more personnel are able to provide security or continue combat operations.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
7
SUBJECT:
Treatment and evacuation of casualties
OBSERVATION (LF DIV): Platoons are doing well on treating and evacuating casualties during both the fight and consolidation/reorganization periods.
DISCUSSION: Units have also done well using the 9-line medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) request, marking the PZ, and transporting casualties to the helicopter.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Soldiers are waiting for an opportunity to safely move the wounded back to a casualty collection point (CCP).
2. Leaders are continuing to plan for intermediate and en route evacuation to CCPs.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
8
SUBJECT:
Treatment far forward
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Battalion aid stations often split in order to support the main effort and areas with heavy casualty estimates.
DISCUSSION: Pre-positioned ambulances and forward treatment teams and ambulances from the medical companies provide additional support to battalion aid stations. Forward support is either direct support (DS) at the aid station/combat trains or acting as an ambulance exchange point, or reinforcing behind the aid station or acting as an ambulance exchange point (AXP) for the medical company.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The combat support hospital (CSH) lends support with surgical teams to the medical company and an ambulance exchange point between CSH and the medical company.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
9
SUBJECT:
Casualty evacuation
OBSERVATION (TF 2): Units have identified that moving injured soldiers from the point of injury on the battlefield is critical to preventing additional casualties.
DISCUSSION: Soldiers were well trained in buddy-aid and cared for injured soldiers until the soldiers were moved to casualty collection points where they received further treatment from medical personnel.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: None.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
10
SUBJECT:
CASEVAC operations
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 MP): CASEVAC operations are well done.
DISCUSSION: This success can be attributed in part to a high concentration of combat lifesavers within the platoons.
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: In addition to combat lifesavers, platoons are bringing their highly skilled and respected platoon medics.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
11
SUBJECT:
Maneuver control focus
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 ENG): Brigades recognize that establishment and control of ground lines of communication (GLOCs) is critical during a low- to mid-intensity operation.
DISCUSSION: Brigades understand the importance of conducting a thorough intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) as well as establishing a combined arms route clearance package to facilitate clearing and securing routes within their area of operations (AO).
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Leaders must commit the time and resources to conduct a thorough IPB.
(TA.7.5.1.2
Move/Evacuate Cargo, Equipment, and Personnel)
TREND
12
SUBJECT:
Supply support activity
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): The Department of the Army (DA) goal for demand satisfaction is continuously surpassed through proper authorized stockage listing (ASL) management and ASL line increase as a result of cost banding.
DISCUSSION: Standard Army Retail Supply System (SARSS) sites are effective in sending non-stockage list (NSL) or zero-balance ASL requisitions to Home Station, either by using the CSS Automated Information Systems Interface (CAISI) or Tactical Terminal Adaptor (TTA).
SUSTAINMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: None.
(TA.7.5.2
Supply the Force)
Needs Emphasis
TREND
1
SUBJECT:
Ammunition management
OBSERVATION: Ammunition planning is often an afterthought.
DISCUSSION: Lack of planning and analysis on ammunition type and volume leads to units not having the proper ammunition and 155mm propellants on hand when needed to support the scheme of fires. Additionally, once the emergency push arrives at the firing battery, proper ammunition management techniques are not followed.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. The ammunition planning process begins during the brigade's Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP). The fire support officer (FSO) specifies the type and effects of fires needed to support essential fire support tasks. Concurrent planning by the field artillery (FA) battalion S3/battalion fire direction officer (FDO) allows converting the effects of fires into volumes of fire. During the FA battalion mission analysis, these requirements are presented to the battalion XO and S4. The XO and S4 plan should be designed to resupply ammunition to the firing batteries in a timely manner during course of action (COA) development and wargaming.
2. The chief of firing battery must account for ammunition arriving at the battery and spot-check the section chief's segregation of ammunition. Additionally, fire direction centers (FDCs) need to track the ammunition by powder lot versus type of ammunition lot.
(TA.7.1
Arm)
TREND
2
SUBJECT:
Preventative maintenance checks and services (PMCS)
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 ARMOR/MECH): Operators fail to execute the daily required preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS). The primary reason for this failure is the lack of supervisor involvement.
DISCUSSION: When the PMCS are conducted, they are often not executed to standard.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Leaders at all levels are not doing what is expected to ensure that maintenance is performed, parts are ordered, and status is updated.
(TA.7.3.2
Fix/Maintain Equipment)
TREND
3
SUBJECT:
Standards for preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS)
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Units do not enforce adequate PMCS programs for individual equipment, to include weapons, night-vision devices, and protective masks.
DISCUSSION: Squad leaders do not know the standard, do not have the required manuals on hand to learn the standard, and do not provide the supervision required for soldiers to attain the standard.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: PMCS should be conducted daily in accordance with (IAW) the applicable Technical Manual, recorded on DA Form 2404, and maintained by the soldier (Step 8 of troop-leading procedures (TLP): Supervise [Inspections]).
(TA.7.3.2.1
Perform Preventive Maintenance)
TREND
4
SUBJECT:
Automation connectivity
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Logistical Standard Army Management Information System (STAMIS) connectivity is substandard.
DISCUSSION: Inadequate direct support (DS) maintenance and support operations connectivity, to include effective and consistent maintenance meetings, causes inadequate visibility of the brigade maintenance posture and prevents the unit from providing logistical support during sustained combat operations.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: None.
(TA.7.3.2x1
Troop Support Material)
TREND
5
SUBJECT:
Unified maintenance
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Maintenance units have difficulty understanding the concept of maintenance in operations other than war.
DISCUSSION: Aviation unit maintenance (AVUM) is assigned responsibility in the operations order (OPORD) for task force maintenance of all the attached assets. In a normal rotation, this generally will include three to four different types of airframes. Most AVUMs have difficulty unifying the maintenance effort, which results in poor status reporting to the task force commander and, in most instances, higher not-mission-capable maintenance (NMCM) and not- mission-capable supply (NMCS) rates.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The task force commander should unify the maintenance effort by attaching maintenance test pilots, mechanics, and technical inspectors for each type of airframe to the AVUM who is delegated responsibility for maintenance operations in accordance with the task force OPORD.
(TA.7.3.2.6
Repair)
TREND
6
SUBJECT:
Brigade casualty evacuation planning and execution
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Brigades need to improve in the areas of planning, coordination, and execution of casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) operations.
DISCUSSION: Brigades need to improve their ability to plan, coordinate, and execute casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) operations. CASEVAC is part of the combat operations continuum and should not be planned as a separate function. Not having the roles defined and practiced only serves to obstruct the CASEVAC planning process.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Staff roles for the brigade S1, brigade surgeon, and the C Company commander must be defined and understood by the entire staff. These roles should be clearly defined in the unit standing operating procedures and routinely practiced within the staff.
(TA.7.4.4.2
Evacuate Casualties)
TREND
7
SUBJECT:
Soldier and leader NBC common task training
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 NBC): Leader and soldier reaction to chemical attacks are minimal.
DISCUSSION: This resulted in high casualty rates. During chemical events, units displayed problems with detection and identification of hazards and prevention of the spread of contamination. Individual soldier skills relating to survival in an NBC environment were weak, which resulted in an increased loss of life and increased time for the unit in MOPP IV.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The brigade must conduct consolidated low-density military occupational skill (MOS) training with chemical personnel on a regular basis. Follow through with an emphasis on individual and leader training on critical NBC common tasks. Finally, ensure that NBC events are included on a regular basis in brigade and battalion collective training events during the training cycle.
(TA.7.4.5
Train Tactical Units and Personnel)
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Leaders do not know or enforce training standards at Home Station in accordance with Army doctrine.
DISCUSSION: Unsupervised and unresourced training at Home Station lacks realism and falls prey to complacency and eyewash. Home Station training is not scheduled and emphasized to correct deficiencies and maintain proficiency or does not accurately reflect mission essential task list (METL) weaknesses and strengths.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Conduct performance-oriented training at Home Station.
(TA.7.4.5.2
Develop Unit and Individual Training Programs)
TREND
9
SUBJECT:
Aviation employment in CSS
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Aviation task forces typically find themselves underemployed from a CSS standpoint during most JRTC rotations.
DISCUSSION: The aviation task force usually has about 15 UH-60s and 4 CH-47s in addition to attack or reconnaissance aircraft. With the exception of several large-scale air movement or assault missions, these assets spend a majority of their time "standing by for CASEVEC" or other "911" missions.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: The success or failure of the execution of an operations order is the direct result of planning and coordination, and modifying the plan as conditions change. All too often a unit has a great plan on D-Day, but the enemy impacts on the plan as soon as it is executed and so goes the CSS effort, regardless of good intentions.
(TA.7.5.1.2.2
Move by Air)
TREND
10
SUBJECT:
Planning the CSS effort
OBSERVATION (AV DIV): Units do a poor job of prioritizing supplies for movement.
DISCUSSION: None.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. In the JRTC environment, it is recommended that the brigade S4 establish priorities for movement by class of supply and by unit (with the commander's concurrence).
2. Once the priorities for use of utility and medium-lift assets are established, the aviation liaison (LNO) builds an air movement table in coordination with the security, plans, and operations officer (SPO). This table is distributed to the units and updated twice daily.
3. If weather or maintenance should interfere with scheduled deliveries, the S4 may need to adjust unit priorities accordingly.
(TA.7.5.2
Supply the Force)
TREND
11
SUBJECT:
Integration of the brigade support area (BSA)
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Tenants are not fully integrated during BSA operations, to include priorities of work, mission, and standard operating procedures.
DISCUSSION: Poor communications, lack of redundant communications, and lack of prior coordination cause disconnects in understanding and accomplishment of the BSA commander's intent. BSA responsibilities and requirements are not shared between the forward support battalion (FSB) and other tenant units, which strains direct support (DS) mission and support as well as protection of critical assets.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Conduct tenant meetings prior to and during deployment; understand, enforce, and disseminate BSA tactical standing operating procedures (TACSOP). The integration and synchronization of the logistical operations, required to support the brigade, need refinement.
(TA.7.5.2
Supply the Force)
TREND
12
SUBJECT:
Class XI customer satisfaction
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Non-stockage list (NSL) and zero-balance authorized stockage list (ASL) parts are not acquired and delivered to the brigade support area in a timely manner by the Division Support Command (DISCOM) forward Class IX manager.
DISCUSSION: Visibility of requisitions forwarded from the supply support activity (SSA) to the Materiel Management Center (MMC) is often lost. Parts are not tracked when received by the MMC, and a lack of communication between the MMC and the SSA results in parts not being delivered to the brigade support area.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: Units should implement a referral system.
(TA.7.5.2x1
Class XI)
TREND
13
SUBJECT:
Internment/resettlement operations
OBSERVATION (BDE C2 MP): Many units have problems with internment/resettlement operations.
DISCUSSION: The origin of the problems seemed to stem from a failure to develop an enemy prisoner of war (EPW) annex or place pertinent critical information in the coordinating instructions paragraph of the base order. Due to limited military police (MP) assets, the brigade combat team (BCT), at certain times, does not require the MP platoon to conduct enemy prisoner of war/civilian internee (CI) operations. The result is that the military intelligence (MI) company performs the mission assisted by the forward support battalion (FSB), and the brigade fails to provide the division with the required information, logs, and status reports on EPW/CI. Additionally, brigades do not maintain and forward the required forms for EPW/CI accountability. Military police must be involved in EPW/CI operations.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. If there are other operational requirements for the MP platoon, it is advisable to require at least MP supervision over the processing and reporting of prisoners of war/civilian internees. Platoons should enforce the guidelines for processing EPW/CI IAW company and division tactical standing operating procedures (TACSOP).
2. Review FM 19-4, Military Police Battlefield Circulation Control, Area Security, Enemy Prisoner of War; and STP 19-95B1-SM (Task #191-376-4101).
3. There is a need to develop a BCT contingency EPW support package that identifies the necessary Class I and IV items required for conducting internment/resettlement operations. BCTs should also place the construction of the EPW cage on the brigade support area (BSA) execution matrix to ensure proper focus and priority. In addition, there is a great need for training within the BCTs on the proper handling, searching, and tagging of EPWs.
(TA.7.7.1
Perform PW Operations)
TREND
14
SUBJECT:
Aerial resupply operations
OBSERVATION (CSS DIV): Planning and execution of aerial resupply operations is inadequate, unsynchronized, and poorly tracked.
DISCUSSION: Poor forecasting and loss of intransit visibility of aerial bulk fuel resupply ("bladder birds") leads to poor use of Air Force assets and low average receipt rates by customer units. The security, plans, and operations officer (SPO) relies on pre-synchronized forecasts rather than reforecasting or adjusting priorities based on operational tempo (OPTEMPO) and current mission. Aerial resupply modes, to include combat off-load (COL), containerized delivery system (CDS), and airland aircraft authorized cargo load (ACL), are underutilized. Poor air mission briefs often contribute to poor coordination and synchronization of aviation assests.
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Use the containerized delivery system and airland aircraft authorized cargo load as they were designed.
2. Commanders need to ensure that air mission briefs are complete and contribute to the coordination and synchronization of all aviation assets.
(TA.7.5.1.2.2 Move by Air)
TA.6
Mobility/Survivability BOS and NBC Narrative
TA.4
Command and Control BOS Narrative
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