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One of the greatest challenges facing BCTs at the National Training Center is ammunition resupply. Units are challenged in their capability to properly identify requirements and accurately request resupply in a timely manner. A disturbing trend is the amount of blank and live ammunition, upwards of 65 percent, being turned in at the end each of rotation. Despite this high turn in rate, numerous emergency resupply missions occur every rotation. The bottom line is that units do not know what they have at a given point during the campaign and do not account for Class V expenditures accurately. Why are rotational units finding it difficult to manage Class V? The answer lies in the polarization of Class V operations training in peacetime versus wartime resupply operations. In peacetime, Class V resupply operations are executed in S3/G3 channels, while during wartime and NTC rotations ammunition resupply operations are executed in S4/G4 channels. Class V operations are not trained in peace as they are conducted in war, so combat and combat service support (CSS) planners and operators are simply not trained to conduct this vital mission when it counts. The purpose of this article is to discuss the roles of the key soldiers involved in Class V resupply operations, articulate how to request Class V, and present a training technique that will allow units to train doctrinally correct methods of Class V resupply while at home station.
Definitions, Roles and Responsibilities
Required Supply Rate (RSR): The RSR is the amount of ammunition a maneuver commander estimates is required to sustain tactical operations, without ammunition expenditure restrictions, over a specified time period. The RSR is expressed as rounds per day or per mission. As the threat or mission objectives change, RSRs change to reflect revised ammunition forecasts.
Controlled Supply Rate (CSR): The CSR is the amount of ammunition that can be allocated, based on the availability of ammunition assets, Class V storage facilities, and transportation assets over a specified time period. The CSR is expressed in the same terms as the RSR. Maneuver commanders should use CSRs to allocate or prioritize the flow of ammunition assets to units engaged in combat and to units held in reserve.
Ammunition Supply Point (ASP): Within a division, either a corps support battalion (CSB) or an ordnance battalion operates an ASP to provide ammunition support for the division. The ASP receives, stores, accounts for, and maintains a one-to-three-day supply of ammunition to meet routine, surge, and emergency requirements for supported units. ASP stockage levels are based on tactical plans, availability of ammunition, and the threat to lines of communication.
Ammunition Transfer Point (ATP): Within each brigade, the forward support battalion (FSB) operates an ATP to provide ammunition support for the brigade. The ATP section is organic to each FSB supply company. It receives mission guidance from the division ammunition officer (DAO) and responds to priorities established by brigade commanders. The ATP is a designated, temporary site from which the BCT receives the division’s ammunition requirements from the corps ASPs. All ammunition is delivered on corps transportation assets. Ammunition delivered to ATPs normally remains on corps transportation assets until the receiving unit empties them. The ammunition is transferred from corps transportation assets to the user’s tactical vehicles using organic material handling equipment (MHE) including the user's heavy expanded mobility tactical trucks (HEMTTs).
Standard Army Ammunition System: Modified (SAAS-MOD): SAAS-MOD is a multi-command management information system that integrates Class V management and report functions from theater Class V storage locations to the division level. It provides uniform procedures for ammunition management and controls functions at all echelons from theater to user. SAAS-MOD provides ammunition managers with the following capabilities:
- Maintains current status of all ammunition within the command ammunition storage areas and ATPs.
- Provides data used by the manager to determine redistribution of assets.
- Supports Class V logistics estimates based on weapons systems.
- Maintains and calculates the status of CSRs.
- Plans, determines, and forecasts future requirements.
- Computes and determines transportation requirements for movement by type and number of carriers.
- Maintains asset visibility aboard transport vehicles passing through the system including due-ins and due-outs.
- Provides a balance between ammunition requirements, available storage space, and transportation assets.
The system provides the maneuver commander with the flexibility needed to rapidly adjust supply rates, allocations, or asset locations in response to an ever-changing tactical situation. The system operates on a standard off-the-shelf laptop and standard local area network (LAN) equipment.
Maneuver Company XO/1SG: Coordinates and supervises the company’s logistical efforts. During planning, he receives status reports from the platoon leaders/sergeants, reviews the tactical plan with the commander to determine company’s CSS requirements, and coordinates these needs with the battalion S4. The 1SG is the primary CSS operator for the company. He executes the company’s CSS plan and supervises the company trains. He ensures the XO receives current status reports from all subordinate units and helps the XO prepare reports/requests to battalion.
Maneuver Battalion S4: Coordinates and supervises the battalion’s logistical efforts. During planning, he receives status reports from the company XOs, reviews the battalion’s tactical plan with the battalion XO to determine the battalion’s CSS requirements, and coordinates these needs with the brigade S4.
Brigade S4: Coordinates and supervises the brigade’s logistical efforts. During planning, he receives status reports from each battalion S4, reviews the brigade tactical plan with the brigade XO to determine the brigade's CSS requirements, and coordinates these needs with the brigade FSB support operations officer.
Forward Support Battalion Support Operations Officer (SPO): Monitors basic loads of maneuver battalion for shortfalls based on current and future operational plans (OPLANS). Make distribution adjustments as directed by the brigade S3/4 while anticipating and effecting Class V replenishment. Coordinates with the division support command (DISCOM) support operations branch and division ammunition officer (DAO) on priority of Class V supply issues and prepositioned locations to support the tactical operation. Coordinates the placing or relocation of the ATP with the DAO as part of the brigade or division movement. Monitors the CSR and basic load status in the supported unit to predict ammunition short falls based on anticipated usage in time to get the items needed.
Division Ammunition Officer: Coordinates with corps support command (COSCOM) and other appropriate logistic organizations to control the flow of Class V by quantity and type for the division. Receives Class V requests from the BCT S4/FSB SPO or the BCT’s DAO representatives in each brigade support area (BSA). Forwards requisitions through the corps material management center (CMMC) to corps support area (CSA) or ASP if within the requesting unit’s CSR in combat configured load (CCL) packages.
Division Ammunition Officer’s Representative: The DAO representative at the ATP inspects and inventories arriving shipments and assigns locations for loaded trailers and returns documents to the DAO and division material management center (DMMC). He conducts inventory adjustments if the quantity received is inaccurate.
Requesting Class V
The keys to successfully requesting Class V are accuracy and time. Weapons system managers must report their requirements accurately and timely through their chain of command to ensure proper weapons system stockage prior to combat operations. To simplify the accuracy and timely reporting of Class V requirements, the BCT must develop a standardized report format. This format must at a minimum designate basic load, on-hand quantities, and what is required to bring the weapon system to its full basic load. If Class V requirements are not forwarded correctly and in a timely manner, it will place an extreme burden on the logistics system and may result in weapons systems not going into combat with a full load of Class V. The request process starts with maneuver platoon leaders/PSGs. The platoon leadership conducts an accurate count of expended munitions after each engagement and forwards this list in the pre-designated report format. The platoon’s request is forwarded to the company XO/1SG who checks the request for accuracy, and it is consolidated with other platoon requests into the company’s request. Once the company’s XO/1SG ensures the report is correct, the request is given to the company’s supply NCO who translates the request on to a DA 581 (request for issue turn-in of Class V). The DA 581 is then forwarded to the battalion S4.
After the battalion S4 receives each company’s DA 581, the 581s are checked for accuracy and forwarded to the brigade S4. The brigade S4 receives each battalion’s 581s, consolidates them and forwards them to the FSB SPO. The SPO checks the 581s for correctness and balances them against the brigade’s CSR, transportation capabilities, and on hand balance. The 581s are then given to the DAO representative. The SPO then coordinates with the FSB’s supply and service (S&S Company), the brigade S3 and S4 for the time and location for the establishment of the ATP and an issue schedule. The DAO representative will input the request into SAAS-MOD and send the request to the DAO either by blasting or carrying a disk with the information to the DAO. Using SAAS-MOD, the DAO representative, in conjunction with the SPO, BCT S3, and BCT S4, will establish a database which tracks ammunition issues to each maneuver element. This establishes a tracking system that systemically and accurately tracks the distribution of the BCT’s ammunition at the ATP.
The DAO receives the request from the DAO representative and uses SAAS-MOD. He then checks it against the division’s RSR, CSR, and corps stockages. If the CSR can support the request, the DAO will authorize the release the ammunition. If the CSR cannot support the request, the request will be cut to the established CSR. Once the DAO approves the request, he will submit the request to the corps ammunition officer (CAO) at the corps material management center (CMMC) using SAAS-MOD. The CAO then determines which ASP can support the request and submits a material release order (MRO) to the ASP, which tasks the ASP to prepare the required ammunition. The CMMC, through the corps movement control battalion (CMCB), submits a request for corps transportation assets to move the requested ammunition to the BCT’s ATP. Once the CMCB cuts a transportation movement request (TMR) to a supporting transportation unit, the request process is complete.
Distribution of Class V
Once the CMMC sends the MRO and TMR to the supporting corps units, the distribution process begins. Corps transportation assets will arrive at the ASP and load the requested ammunition and move it forward to the BCT’s ATP.
When the convoy crosses the division’s rear boundary, the convoy commander contacts the DISCOM movement control office (MCO) for instruction on MSR usage and location of the BCT’s ATP. After coordinating with the DISCOM SPO, who coordinates with the FSB SPO and BCT S4, the MCO informs the convoy commander as to the location and time the ammunition needs to arrive at the BCT’s ATP. The FSB SPO tasks the FSB S&S company to establish the ATP at an agreed upon time and location. The BCT S4 issues the draw schedule to each maneuver battalion S4. At the prearranged time, the corps transportation assets and each maneuver battalion’s support platoon’s transportation assets arrive at the ATP. Once the ammunition is accounted for by the DAO representative using SAAS-MOD’s issue module, the DAO representative issues the ammunition to the maneuver battalion support platoon leader. After the ammunition is signed for, the transloading of the ammunition from corps assets to support platoon assets is accomplished.
After the ammunition is loaded onto the support platoon’s transportation assets, the ammunition is moved forward to the battalion’s logistical resupply point (LRP). At the LRP the ammunition is linked up with each company’s 1SG, who in turn moves the ammunition forward on the company’s LOGPAC where it is then distributed to the individual weapon systems.
Home Station Training
The Class V challenge is rooted in a lack of home station training: We do not train in peacetime as we will fight in wartime. We must do this in order to set the conditions for wartime success in Class V resupply operations. When a BCT conducts gunnery training, combined live fire exercises (CALFEX), and NTC train-up cycles, maneuver battalion support platoons are sent directly to the installation ASP (IASP) and then directly to a Class V load point. This goes completely against doctrinal ammunition procedures by leaving out the FSB ATP section and the wartime resupply distribution system. By doing this, we take the BCTs support systems (FSB, ATP section, 1SG) out of a beneficial training event.
During training events that involve ammunition, the BCT should capitalize on the training and fully exercise its ammunition resupply systems. The greatest challenge is the requesting process. During home station training events, use wartime requesting procedures which include all key players from the maneuver brigade and battalion S4 through the FSB support operations officer, the DAO, and the DAO representative to the BCT. This training must include the use of SAAS-MOD. Prior to the BCT’s roll out, have each battalion’s S3 pass the training events ammunition requirements to the battalion’s S4 who turns the requirements into a request. The battalion S4 submits the request to the brigade S4, who coordinates the request with the FSB SPO and the BCT’s DAO representative. Using SAAS-MOD, the DAO representative will automate the request and send it to the DAO. The DAO will then validate the request and submit it to the IASP.
Use the IASP as a corps ASP and instead of sending a maneuver battalion’s support platoons directly to IASP, use the main support battalion or a corps support battalion’s transportation assets to replicate a corps through-put mission by picking up the BCT’s ammunition from the IASP. Deploy a forward logistics element (FLE) from the supporting FSB, which includes the FSB’s ATP section. Have the ATP section establish an ATP and exercise the transload process (to include the DAO representative) from corps transportation assets to the maneuver battalion’s support platoon transportation assets. By executing ammunition requesting and distribution processes during home station training, BCTs will be capable to deploy to NTC or real world missions better trained to successfully execute ammunition resupply operations.
Conclusion
As stated, the key to proper ammunition resupply operations is timeliness and accuracy in requesting ammunition. Failure to identify requirements early, coupled with a lack of tracking on-hand quantity, results in an undue strain on the logistics system. Knowing how to request ammunition and how the distribution system works are only part of correcting this challenge. Units must incorporate proper ammunition resupply and leverage emerging automation systems such as SAAS-MOD in home station training. Training as we fight is the key to addressing the ammunition challenge.
References:
- FM 9-6, Munitions Support in Theater of Operations
- FM 63-2, Division Support Command, Armored, Infantry, and Mechanized Infantry Divisions
- FM 63-20, Forward Support Battalion
- FM 71-3, The Armored and Mechanized Infantry Brigade
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