Do Stryker Brigade Combat Teams Need Forward Support ...

The Chief of Staff’s Imperatives and
the Army Field Support Brigade
by Li e u t e n a n t co L o n e L jo rd a n S. ch ro M a n
Army field support brigades like the 405th in Europe help tactical units
sustain, prepare, reset, and transform.
General George W. Casey, Jr., the Chief of Staff
of the Army (CSA), outlined the Army’s path
to success during his speech at the annual
Association of the U.S. Army Eisenhower Luncheon in
October 2007. He stated, “Four imperatives will frame
what we need to do,” and identified those imperatives
as sustain, prepare, reset, and transform.
The CSA’s imperatives form a theme that is echoed
by many of the Army’s leaders. In the “Enhance Logistics
Readiness” portion of the Army Posture Statement
2007, Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody, the Army
G–4 at the time, asserted, “Building and sustaining
combat power is paramount to the Army’s success.”
She went on to say—
While the Global War on Terrorism remains
our top priority, we must also prepare for the
Army’s next challenge . . . Over five years
of combat operations have taken a toll on
Army equipment. The Army Force Generation
(ARFORGEN) process identifies equipment
requirements and permits a complete corporate
view of equipment readiness. The Reset program
enables us to meet those requirements and
quickly restore unit capability.
Lieutenant General Dunwoody recognized the
importance of the strength of the Army’s personnel and
equipment. The Army’s senior leaders carry this message
out to the field, and tactical commanders understand
it and are embracing it fully.
If you had to summarize the roles of the Army Materiel
Command (AMC), the Army Sustainment Command
(ASC), and especially AMC’s “face to the field”
organizations, such as the 405th Army Field Support
Brigade (AFSB) and its subordinate battalions, you
could not come up with a better description than the
CSA’s four imperatives.
The Role of the AFSBs
Field Manual Interim 4–93.41, Army Field Support
Brigade Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures, says that
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AFSBs “serve as the ASC’s bridge between the generating
force and the operational force” and “provide
the first stop for coordinating Army ALT [acquisition,
logistics, and technology] capabilities in support of
Army Forces.” AFSBs also command and control
AMC sustainment maintenance, command and coordinate
Army acquisition and materiel fielding support
from the life-cycle management commands, and manage
ALT-related sustainment, redeployment, retrograde,
and reset operations in theater. AFSBs serve as AMC’s
link to the tactical Army for all relevant logistics and
operational support.
These are incredibly important roles that support our
Army at war. During the past several years of combat
operations, many Army units have been deployed and
have required extensive equipment reset to ensure
that they are returned to a fully mission capable state.
While equipment is being reset or upgraded, new
and improved systems are issued to the unit and new
personnel are assigned. Units receive new equipment
training for newly fielded items so that they are prepared
to operate efficiently.
Executing the CSA’s Imperatives
The 2d Battalion, 405th AFSB, effectively executes
the CSA’s imperatives in the field. The 2d Battalion is
headquartered in Vilseck, Germany, but the majority of
the unit is scattered over about 200 miles of the eastern
portion of Germany. The battalion provides a combination
of direct support and area support to Army and
joint forces operating in the U.S. Army Europe area
of responsibility. The battalion focuses on supporting
units like the 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment; the 12th
Combat Aviation Brigade; the 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry
Division (which has since been reflagged as the 172d
Infantry Brigade [Separate]); the 16th Sustainment
Brigade; and tenant and transient units that occupy the
7th Joint Multinational Training Command areas of
Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels. During the past year, the
2d Battalion, 405th AFSB, has assisted its supported
JULY–AUGUST 2008