INTEGRATED FORWARD MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
Battlefield maintenance support integrates unit- and DS-level maintenance. This integration occurs at the UMCP and is accomplished using MSTs assigned to the forward support maintenance company. The forward support maintenance company's mission is to provide dedicated DSM to a maneuver brigade. The maintenance company TOE provides mobile SSTs that are authorized on the basis of one per maneuver battalion. The authorization is based on supporting a pure battalion (armor or infantry). As the battalions task organize, the maintenance company commander task organizes his SST assets into an MST capable of supporting a task force. This MST is sent forward to the UMCP. The team remains with the UMCP, is integrated into the UMCP defense plan, and receives routine administrative logistics support from the supported units. Team elements may be sent forward to the breakdown site, and while the team is able to perform more extensive repairs than the company maintenance team, they adhere to repair-time limitations. Figure 7-2 shows how SST assets can be task organiz-ed into MSTs to support task force operations.
RECOVERY AND EVACUATION
Another aspect of forward support maintenance is battlefield recovery and evacuation. Recovery or evacuation moves inoperable equipment to the maintenance activity best suited for the repair or to balance the work of forward elements so they can meet new requirements. Battlefield recovery is the first step in reclaiming and reissuing military equipment. The using unit is primarily responsible for recovering damaged equipment. Recovery by tactical units is usually to UMCPs along MSRs. Sometimes the tactical units will be forced to leave damaged equipment in place in the offense, and with coordination, supporting maintenance units may be required to recover this equipment.
Evacuating damaged equipment begins where recovery operations stop at the UMCP. Evacuation is a coordinated effort among maintenance, supply, and transportation elements. The equipment is transported on HETs rearward to another DSM repair facility.
The MMC provides automatic evacuation instructions to DSM units. These instructions identify the specific DSM units or GSM units that will provide reinforcing maintenance support to other DSM units. Automatic evacuation instructions are intended to simplify and streamline the evacuation of unserviceable equipment. This is accomplished by eliminating the need for DSM units to contact the MMC each time an unserviceable piece of equipment requires evacuation. These instructions allow the DSM units and their backups to work together, and when possible, the backup DSM unit can send MSTs forward to repair the unserviceable equipment onsite.
CANNIBALIZATION AND CONTROLLED EXCHANGE
Cannibalization and controlled exchange may be used when parts are not available from the supply system and an item of equipment can be repaired using parts from other unserviceable equipment. The appropriate commander decides to cannibalize or effect controlled exchange on unserviceable equipment. Higher HQ establishes the guidelines on which he will base his decisions. Cannibalization is the authorized removal, under specific conditions, of serviceable and unserviceable parts, components, and assemblies from materiel authorized for disposal. Controlled exchange is removing serviceable parts, components, and assemblies from unserv-iceable, economically repairable equipment and immediately reusing them in restoring like items of equipment to a combat-operable or serviceable condition. Controlled exchange decisions should be made as close to the site of damaged equipment as possible, preferably by using unit personnel in coordination with MST personnel. In controlled exchange, the unserviceable part is exchanged with the replacement, which ensures the end item remains complete, if not serviceable. The needed repair part is then ordered.
REPAIR-TIME LIMITATIONS
a. General. Repair-time limitations will concentrate the entire maintenance effort on making quick repairs forward to ensure the maximum number of combat weapon systems are available to commanders. Figure 7-1 provides guidelines for repair-time limitations. The COSCOM will establish repair-time criteria.
b. Guidelines. The first step in determining what level of maintenance is required to repair a piece of equipment is to identify the deficiency. The deficiency is compared with the maintenance allocation chart (MAC) to determine if the repair can be accomplished at the unit, DSM, GSM, or depot level of maintenance. If the repair requires GSM or depot-level maintenance, the piece of equipment is evacuated to EAC for repair and then returned to the supply system. If DSM is required for the repair, an estimate is made of the number of hours it will take for repair. This estimate should include all activities that must be completed to return the piece of equipment to the user.
Generally, if the estimate is less than 36 hours, the normal assigned DSM unit will repair the equipment. If the estimate is between 36 and 96 hours, the backup DSM unit will make the repair. If the estimate is greater than 96 hours, the equipment is a candidate for evacuation to EAC.
These repair-time limitations are provided for planning purposes only and can be changed by division and corps-level commanders to support a specific mission or situation. The appropriate-level command will publish the changes to the repair-time limitations in its CSS annex or FRAGO. In a static type of defense, the repair-time limitations may be extended to reduce the amount of evacuation required to higher-level or backup DSM units. In a pursuit type of offensive operation, the repair-time limitations may be reduced to allow higher-level or reinforcing DSM units to move forward and repair the equipment in MCPs.
CONTROL PROCEDURES
Maintenance repair-time guidelines assist CSS leaders in deciding where to repair equipment. This prevents equipment from accumulating in the forward area and aids in distributing the work load. Times are based on
command policy and the factors of METT-T. The guidelines are flexible and nonrestrictive, and the commander who imposed the guidelines may change them. The time begins with the operator and crew's diagnosis and ends when the equipment is returned to battle (released to the user).
MACs authorize certain repairs to be made at each level. When used in conjunction with the time guidelines, they help determine who performs a given repair and how long it will take to complete the action. Repairs not authorized at a specific level or that will exceed the time allowed are usually evacuated to the next level of maintenance.