Do Stryker Brigade Combat Teams Need Forward Support ...

Critical Stryker repair parts and tires are loaded for a combat logistics patrol using a load handling
system and palletized load system trailer.
combat service support automation management office
(CSSAMO) sections and in contracting capability.
Additional mortuary affairs personnel. The 2d
SCR’s current MTOE authorizes one MOS 92M, mortuary
affairs specialist, who is the sole proponent in
the brigade for all actions involving the processing of
remains and personal effects. The mortuary affairs
noncommissioned officer provides technical advice on
mortuary affairs issues, including establishing a hasty
collection point. In the mature theater of Iraq, that
process averages 16 hours from the time of the incident
to the time the remains depart the theater. When multiple
losses occur, the time is cumulatively longer. This
significant shortfall could be addressed with an MTOE
change, specifically by increasing the grade of the mortuary
affairs noncommissioned officer from sergeant to
staff sergeant and by adding another sergeant.
Organic CSSAMO capability. The SBCT is peculiar
in that it is an organization on the cutting edge of
technology, yet it lacks organic CSSAMO capability.
The SBCT maintains many STAMISs that provide the
situational understanding needed to make sustainment
support decisions. Currently, units pay millions of
dollars for this ability in the form of contracted support.
Those funds could be better spent by establishing
organic CSSAMO capability.
Contracting. The last recommendation for change
in the HHC is to reinstate the contracting officer positions
in the SPO section. The original TOE called
for a contracting officer at the rank of major, but the
requirement was dropped in fiscal year 2004. Over the
last few years, it was determined that the contracting
officer team requirement is valid.
The SBCT has a requirement to manage over 70 contractors
who deploy with the brigade, but the capability
to do so is either absent or dispersed throughout the
organization. To address the problem, the Army has
created contingency contracting teams (CCTs). Doctrine
calls for each deployed BCT to have a CCT, but
these new formations have yet to be fielded to prove
their effectiveness. SBCTs must maintain a contracting
team on their MTOEs.
ARMY LOGISTICIAN PROFESSIONAL BULLETIN OF UNITED STATES ARMY LOGISTICS
Heavy Recovery Capability
When the SBCT was in its infancy, it was widely
understood that many SBCT concepts were based on
technology that had not yet been developed. Keeping
the Nation’s Army the most powerful in the world
requires this type of visionary force structure development.
However, early plans for advanced equipment
cannot be used to excuse current shortfalls. The
Army’s inventory now has systems available to cover
shortfalls in the BSB’s recovery capability. The BSB
needs two M88 recovery vehicles and five heavy
equipment transporters. With the vehicles’ associated
crews and trailers, this equipment meets the recovery
requirements of an SBCT in OIF. Equipment capability
deficiencies were addressed with theater-provided
equipment, and Soldiers received additional driver and
recovery training to operate the equipment; the same
could be accomplished in future MTOE changes.
Product managers have mentioned the importance
of developing and fielding a vehicle that can recover a
Stryker that has been catastrophically damaged or has
rolled over. While waiting on the fielding of a new system,
the lack of recovery capability is no more acceptable
than choosing to leave a Stryker on the battlefield.
Doctrinally, the SBCT is supposed to be able to deploy
within 96 hours. This is unrealistic when you consider
the requirement for organizational heavy recovery assets
on the battlefield mentioned above. Adding Stryker
recovery assets will make the SBCT heavier than it was
designed to be, but this capability is needed now.
Medical Capability
Because of the shortfall of the Stryker medical
evacuation vehicle (MEV), the SBCTs’ brigade support
medical companies were fielded the M997 field litter
ambulance (FLA) to be used as a MEV. Initially, the
FLA was acceptable to meet deployment timelines and
medical evacuation standards, which were based on the
linear battlefield. But the current medical company
requires an armored ground evacuation platform to meet
the demands of the current operating environment. This
operational need was approved at the Department of the
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