Sustainment Brigade / DISCOM

[kalos72]

Anyone have any ORBATS or such for a unit like this? I am trying to get a feel for what they do in some detail. Or even some more details on Support units....

Thanks...

[kalos72]

Don't know why I keep forgetting to do this...

The reason I ask is I am trying to figure out the support troops for a division and how they correspond to civilian counterparts that might be found in any major city.

Once I understand how a support battalion/brigade/DISCOM is broken down I can better see where the civilian equivalent would best fit.

Suggestions on civilian skills would be great too...

[kalos72]

Found this...looks like some good information.

http://www.dbsp-online.com/css_hand/...anizations.doc

[Raellus]

Do you mean pre or post TDM? Reason I ask is that, as the war progressed, more and more rear echelon troops would be transfered to combat units.

Increasingly, logistics roles would be performed by local civilian "volunteers" and, quite possibly, soldier invalids.

[kalos72]

Pre first I guess to get an idea of what they used to do...but if anyone has anything post as well that would be great.

I have gone through the modules to glimpse some options there but was wondering if anyone else has already put something down about their own campaigns.

[Abbott Shaull]

Well as the Divisions operated in 1984 there was Maintenance Battalion, Medical Battalion, Supply and Transport Battalion and the other battalion slips my mind. Sometime around the time of there after Desert Storm they change the 4 Battalions so there were 3 Forward Support Battalions and 1 Main Support Battalion with a FSB in direct support of Combat Brigade. Much like the Artillery Battalions were suppose to be. It wasn't until after 2003 with the reorganization again that these battalions and other units were formally assigned to the Combat Brigade that were assigned to Divisions.

Now to keep in mind for the Armor Cavalry Regiments and Separated Brigades had a Forward Support Battalion under various names and various Companies that are now Special Support Battalions. In many of these Regiments and Brigade the Support Battalion was allocated in Main Support Company and 3 Forward Companies that would be attached to the combat battalions.

As I remember Engineers, Military Police, Signal, and Military Intelligence units regardless were farmed out as need until the creation of special troop battalions. Some Division had larger size units than was authorized for various reasons. At one time the Heavy Divisions had an Engineer Brigade that had 3 Battalions which in theory one would be in Direct Support of one of the combat brigades (part of the reason why separate heavy brigade had Engineer Battalion assigned), while other still only had one Battalion of Engineer for the Heavy Brigade. In Light units the Engineer was only Battalion size, and usually one company to Brigade. Now with the other units the MP was Company size for the Division and other two were Battalions, but it could vary. The 24th Mechanized and then later the 3rd Mechanized Division had MP Battalion in which other MP Companies at Fort Stewart were put into Battalion to streamline the command of Companies to the Post Commander who happen to be Division Commander.

What is interesting were the Aviation Brigade and Artillery Brigade of each Division. The Aviation Brigade had Divisional Cavalry Squadron which with the rest of the Brigade was Divisional Commander asset, he could place individual Troops under the control of the Brigade Commander, but considering there were 2 ground troops and 2 air troop there wasn't enough to go around to everyone. This change after 2003 when each Brigade got a RSTA Cavalry Squadron with some Aviation Brigade also retaining their old Division Cavalry Squadron. The Artillery Brigade had one Battalion in direct support of each Brigade and assets that were Divisional assets. Again after 2003 the Direct Support Battalions were assigned to Brigades and now the Division will receive a Fire Brigade from higher HQ if it is felt that they need more fire power.

It was further complicated by the fact that several Division had Round-Out Brigades and the there were 2 Forward Deployed Brigades from two Divisions of the III Corps were treated as Separate Brigades too. So the Support units were attached to these brigade and were translated in actually strength of the DISCOM and other independent support unit of the Division. These Brigades and the ACR Support organizations are worth looking into and don't forget the 173rd Airborne Brigade organization of 2003 before it was converted to unit of action.

[Adm.Lee]

Originally Posted by Abbott Shaull

Well as the Divisions operated in 1984 there was Maintenance Battalion, Medical Battalion, Supply and Transport Battalion and the other battalion slips my mind.

Signals?