Support Operations in an ABCT

55 Winter 2025 Support Operations in an ABCT Maintenance and Mobility with the Hercules and LET by MAJ John Paulson A rmored brigade combat teams require constant heavy lift support for sus tainment and recovery op erations. The division sustainment bri gade’s heavy and medium truck com panies are designed to support the movement of 96 tracked vehicles in one series for onward movement in or out of theater. The Support Operations Office must prioritize the truck compa nies’ support for two to three brigades, their deployments, and maintenance requirements. Heavy and medium truck companies cannot support small er ad hoc missions at the battalion lev el. Commercial line haul (CLH) assets are contracted for smaller movements to support movement needs. These contracts can be costly and require two to four weeks of planning, depending on the distance, road system, and pay load. At the brigade level, the forward sup port company and headquarters and headquarters company in each battal ion have organic assets that, if trained and planned properly, readily address support requirements within the bri gade while easing the burden on divi sion assets. In 4-10 CAV, 3rd ABCT, 4 ID, the Cavalry Squadron realized lessons learned during its training cycle and ro tation to Poland in support of Opera tion European Assure, Deter and Rein force 2024. Utilizing its organic M88A3s and Light Equipment Transporter (LET), the squadron com pleted two unique mission sets moving containerized equipment and tracked vehicles without external support. Maintenance planning estimates must retain options and address shortfalls.1 During the squadron’s 24-02 training rotation at the National Training Cen ter (NTC), the squadron was spread across all three corridors simultane ously. The squadron identified risk in its operations outpacing its sustain ment plan, with three of six M88A3s non-mission capable. The Iron Brigade coordinated fourteen Heavy Equip ment Transporter (HET) collection points to keep squadron recovery as sets forward while using brigade-re sourced HETs for larger movements. With several light track deadlines, the squadron still faced a resource short fall in moving the light track fleet from the point of recovery to the unit main tenance collection point. Given the tow capacity and gross weight of the M984, the squadron prioritized wheeled Wrecker support to recover M113 and M1068 variants. This en abled priority of M88A3 support to the M1A2 and M2A3 fleets. A heavy reli ance on the M88A3 continued through NTC and into the United States Figure 1. A U.S. Army Light Equipment Transport Vehicle assigned to 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, pulls a D7R Dozer during Marne Focus at Fort Stewart, Georgia, April 7, 2024. (U.S. Army photo by PFC Santiago Lepper)

Winter 2025 European Command (USEUCOM) de ployment. In March 2024, 4-10 CAV deployed to Logistics Support Area (LSA) South, Po land, with a concrete slab motorpool near the Mielno Range Complex. This motorpool did not provide any over head cover or lift, and the squadron re lied on organic lift assets between for ward repair systems (FRS), M88A3s, and its Heavy Expanded Mobility Tacti cal Trucks (HEMTT) with a crane for light tracks and decks. While this left a major reliance on the M88A3 for ser vices and unscheduled repairs, the maintainers received training opportu nities to improve their competency in using platform-based hoists. In a unique case, the squadron received a short-notice task to support container ized equipment loading onto LETs. The problem set entailed four fully loaded 20-foot containers near LSA South set for transport the next day. Due to the distance and maintenance issues, a 30k forklift was not feasible to com plete the task. The container weights exceeded the 23,283 lbs. limit for the Enhanced Container Handling Unit (E- CHU), but were well within the M88A3’s 64,000lbs ‘pick and carry’ ca pacity (Figure 3). The squadron completed the mission with zero deficiencies through its H9, H8, and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) certified support and recovery team and 88Ms. Proper knowledge of rigging and pre-equipment inspections en sured a safe and controlled mission for personnel and equipment.2 During redeployment from USEUCOM, 4-10 CAV controlled the port node in Bremerhaven, Germany, from October to January. Maintenance was vital to support the fleet, given the unique re deployment schedule over five vessels and the freezing weather. Port author ities denied ‘heavy maintenance’ or re pairs involving petroleum, lubricants, and oil. The squadron procured a main tenance pad at LSA Garlstedt with the assistance of the German Army, 21st Theater Sustainment Command (21 TSC), and 1 CD. The Port of Bremerhav en is 37 minutes or 24 miles from LSA Garlstedt on city roads and the auto bahn. During initial planning, 21 TSC sourced CLH trucks to move eight tracked vehicles. This planning re quired weeks to coordinate with Ger man transportation authorities to con firm routes and deconflict local con struction and traffic. Over the four months at port, more tracked vehicles required evacuation to LSA Garlstedt for heavy maintenance. The squadron could not predict or aggregate all movement requests to synchronize the movement and maintenance plans. The staff and Master Driver found a practical solution to reduce cost and time through the brigade’s organic LETs. An additional six light tracks required transportation to LSA Garlstedt for heavy maintenance. Using brigade or ganic capabilities reduced financial and timing demands on the unit. The staff coordinated monthly March Credits through 21 TSC for an approved Figure 2: Recovery Concept for NTC 24-02 (U.S. Army graphic)

Winter 2025 window for the LET to move vehicles to and from the port. Using organic equipment over CLH provided more control over planned maintenance as well as a cost savings. The squadron used M88A3s to lift and load light tracks onto the LETs, further reducing demands on external assets. Boasting M88A3’s usefulness even more, me chanics sustained the LET movements through M88A3’s fuel transfer tools. When planning maintenance and movements, it is vital to understand the logistical enterprise. Understand ing your unit’s capabilities and compe tencies, the environment, and eche lons above brigade will identify limitations early on. Armored brigade combat teams must accurately address planning estimates to implement a sus tainment plan anticipating resource shortfall. Staff, forward support com panies, and the brigade support battal ion must create a flexible plan to offer the commander options and ensure mission success. From the lessons learned over the past two years, me chanics and sustainers must be prop erly trained on their equipment. Build ing monthly and quarterly training plans focused on advanced operator training will build trust and competen cy in organic capabilities. Emphasizing a Master Driver program that challenges and trains operators to meet the demands of future missions will enhance a unit’s effectiveness. Major John Paulson is an Armor Officer currently serving as an ATGM Threat Analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency/Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC) at Redstone Arsenal, Al abama. MAJ Paulson’s key operational and command assignments include serving as the Squadron Executive Of ficer for 4th Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Com bat Team (ABCT), 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. MAJ Paulson commanded both the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) and Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd ABCT, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and all levels of professional military educa tion for Armor Officers. MAJ Paulson earned a bachelor’s of science in me chanical engineering from the United States Military Academy and a mas ter’s of science in mechanical engineer ing from Purdue University. Notes 1 Department of the Army. (01 Aril 2025). Ground Equipment Battle Damage Assess ment, Repair, and Recovery (ATP 4-31). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_ pubs/DR_a/ARN43423-ATP_4-31-000- WEB-1.pdf. 2 Ibid. Figure 3: M88A3 loading a container onto a trailer. Note the safety guide cables on the lower corners. (Photo by author) Figure 4: A 91H chains an M1068 to a LET. (Photo by author)