Maintenance Control Section Operations
by CPT Gavin J. Gardner, Senior Maintenance O/C (Adler 26)
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The forward support battalion maintenance company's maintenance control section (MCS) is one of the critical links within the brigade combat team (BCT)'s maintenance management system. The MCS is responsible for ensuring shop sections are working at or near capacity, managing backlogs, efficiently requisitioning Class IX, and effectively using personnel and equipment to fix forward. Those requirements can be a tall order if the MCS does not have these three solid, field-tested, standard procedures:
- Command and control (C2) plan for maintenance support teams (MSTs).
- Standardized reports from the MSTs.
- Class IX distribution and recovery plan for the MSTs.
An MCS that does not address these three critical procedures is destined for failure because the MCS' personnel will lack situational awareness and, therefore, cannot influence the maintenance fight forward.
C2for Maintenance Support Teams
For the MCS personnel to have situational awareness, they must have an effective C2system for the MSTs. A way for the MCS to command and control the MSTs located forward at the unit maintenance collection points (UMCP) is to use Single-Channel Ground-to-Air Radio System (SINCGARS) FM communication in conjunction with the OE-254 antenna kit.
The maintenance control officer (MCO) must ensure that:
- His MSTs have the correct number of SINCGARS radios and OE-254 kit. This ensures the MST has a dedicated means to transmit from the UMCPs back to the brigade support area (BSA), where the MCS is located. The company leadership must ensure that the MSTs routinely perform preventive maintenance check and services (PMCS) and practice setting up the OE-254, as it will lead to proper execution and serviceability during tactical deployment.
- The MSTs have a dedicated net for communicating with each other and the MCS. The maintenance company's command frequency provides the ideal net for all the direct-support (DS) maintenance traffic. MCS personnel can send and receive all necessary maintenance information (see standardized reporting information) on this net. Likewise, the maintenance company command post can exchange all tactical (enemy and friendly situations) and administrative (sensitive items reports) information with the MSTs.
- The C2plan has a daily timeline to assist in the synchronization of MST reporting to facilitate the company's battle rhythm for DS activities. The timeline will allow the MCS to develop maintenance situational awareness (accurate AHN-006 (shop section summary report)) and assist in forecasting resources and prioritizing DS efforts. All DS work orders and size, activity, location, unit, time, and equipment (SALUTE) reports should be sent as soon as the technical and tactical situation permits.
An example of an MCS timeline is as follows:
| 0800-0900 | Base Shops update MCS |
| 0915-0930 | TF 1-39 AR MST Update |
| 0930-0945 | TF 2-1 IN MST Update |
| 0945-1000 | TF 1-54 AR MST Update |
| 1000-1015 | 1-22 FA MST Update |
| 1030-1045 | Run daily process; send to SAMS-2, print updated AHN 006 print and AHN 22 Production/Backlog Status) print |
| 1200-1300 | BCT Maintenance Meeting |
| 1900-2000 | Base Shops update MCS |
| 2015-2030 | TF 1-39 AR MST Update |
| 2030-2045 | TF 2-1 IN MST Update |
| 2045-2100 | TF 1-54 AR MST Update |
| 2100-2115 | 1-22 FA MST Update |
| 2130-2145 | Run daily process; send to SAMS-2, print updated AHN 006 print and AHN 22 print |
Standardized Reports from the MSTs
The timeline sets the stage for success of the MCS. However, the information being sent by FM communication must be concise and standardized. Standardized reports will ensure all personnel can send the reports and ease of recording the information being passed.
One critical standardized report is the brigade's combat power status. On page 21 is an example of an FM combat power update from an MST that provides the MCS with a thorough maintenance/situational update from maneuver task forces (change for artillery battalion):
| LINE
1. Combat Power Update TF _______________ a. M1 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S b. M2/3 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S c. M9 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S d. M1064 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S e. M1025/26 ________ of ________, with _______ ORG and ______ D/S f. M981 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S g. M113 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S h. M577 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S i. AVLM/AVLB _______ of _______, with ______ ORG and ______ D/S j. MCLIC ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and _______ D/S k. M548 ________ of ________, with ________ ORG and ________ D/S LINE
2. MST Issues: b. Completed Jobs. c. Suspected Jobs/Technical Assistance. d. Class IX. e. MST location and current strength (include attachments (Missile teams, Warrant Officers, Engineer MST soldiers)). Anticipated jump location and time of jump. f. Team Risk Assessment. g. MST vehicle operational status. h. Current situation and any enemy activity (SALUTE format). i. Other Issues. |
The MSTs will also open and close their DS work orders via FM communication with the MCS. Again, only a standardized report will allow for this transfer of information to occur. The MSTs should always call in their work orders as soon as possible. This allows for a quick requisition of Class IX and provides the MCS the ability to forecast workloads (AHN 22 print accuracy). An example of an FM work order request is as follows:
| LINE
1: Job Order Number. LINE 2: Customer UIC. LINE 3: Shop Section Code. LINE 4: Equipment NSN. LINE 5: Organizational Work Order Number. LINE 6: Serial Number. LINE 7: Quantity. LINE 8: Priority Designator Code. LINE 9: Fault. LINE 10: Mileage. LINE 11: Bumper Number. LINE 12: Work Order Status. LINE 13: Quantity and NSN of parts requested. |
Class IX Distribution and Recovery Plan for the MSTs
The last critical procedure for the MCS is the ability of the MCS personnel to influence the Class IX distribution system. This procedure is often over-looked which seriously degrades the MSTs, as most of their work is dependent on receiving Class IX.
The MCS can greatly impact the brigade's combat power by actively pushing Class IX forward from the BSA to the UMCPs.
Technique: Have the multiple pushes from the MCS to the MSTs by tasking the maintenance company's base sections to run a DS Class IX push. This allows the MSTs to concentrate their personnel on fixing vehicles rather than driving back to the BSA to receive and turn in Class IX.
Example: The Supply Support Activity (SSA) receives two Class IX pushes from the Division Support Area (DSA) daily. The Class IX pushes arrive at 0900 and 2100 daily. The MCS has tasked the Automotive and Armament platoon and Ground Support Equipment platoon to each provide one M923 and one M998 for an 1100 and 2300 daily DS Class IX push to the UMCPs. MCS personnel ensure they have materials handling equipment (MHE), the M923s and M998s standing by at the SSA to load the MCS' major assemblies and other 02 priority parts. An MCS representative ensures the 02 priority parts are processed expeditiously at the SSA and loaded onto the M923s and M998s.
The Maintenance Control Section can become the combat multiplier for the brigade combat team by implementing and rehearsing these three critical procedures: C2for the Maintenance Support Teams, standardized reports, and Class IX distribution and recovery plans.
References: FM 4-30.3, Maintenance Operations and Procedures; Ordnance, Fall 2000, "Communication is the Critical Link for Maintenance Control Section;" TC 43-4, Commander's and Shop Officer's Guide for Support Maintenance Management.
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