Combat service support (United States)

Combat service support is a subset of military logistics. Combat service support is more limited in depth than logistics, as it primarily addresses those factors directly influencing combat operations.

United States Army

In the United States Army, the term combat service support was until 2008 defined as the essential capabilities, functions, activities, and tasks necessary to sustain all elements of operating forces in theater at all levels of war. Within the national and theater logistics systems, it includes but is not limited to that support rendered by service forces in ensuring the aspects of materiel and supply chain management, maintenance, transportation, health services, and other services required by aviation and ground combat troops to permit those units to accomplish their missions in combat. Combat service support encompasses those activities at all levels of war that produce sustainment to all operating forces on the battlefield. Within the United States Army, the traditional combat service support branches are the following:

• Acquisition Corps
• Adjutant General's Corps
• Chaplain Corps
• Finance Corps
• Judge Advocate General's Corps
• Medical Corps (of which the United States Army Dental Command is a subordinate command)
• Ordnance Corps
• Quartermaster Corps
• Transportation Corps

Replaced by Sustainment

"Combat service support" as a classification was replaced by "sustainment" with the publication of FM 3–0, Operations in February 2008. Sustainment is one of the six warfighting functions, which also include movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, command and control, and protection.

United States Marine Corps

Further information: Marine Corps Logistics Command and Logistics Combat Element

In the United States Marine Corps, combat service support has a similar definition to that of the United States Army. The Marine Corps Logistics Command (MARCORLOGCOM) is the preferred provider of supply chain management, collaborative maintenance management and strategic prepositioning to the operating forces of the United States Marine Corps and other services and agencies.

The Logistics Combat Element (LCE, formerly Combat Service Support Element OR CSSE) is the portion of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) responsible for providing logistical support. The LCE provides all support functions not organic to the ground combat element (GCE) and aviation combat element (ACE) units of the MAGTF. Functions include: heavy engineer support, motor transport, medical and dental, supply, maintenance, air delivery, and landing support.

Logistics Groups

There are four logistics groups in the United States Marine Corps:

• 1st Marine Logistics Group, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Units of the 1st Marine Logistics Group include:
  • 1st Headquarters and Service Battalion
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 1
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 1
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 5
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 7
    • 7th Engineer Support Battalion
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 15
    • 1st Supply Battalion
    • 1st Maintenance Battalion
    • 1st Medical Battalion
    • Combat Logistics Company 11
    • Combat Logistics Company 16
  • Headquarters Regiment
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 11
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 13
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 15
  • 1st Dental Battalion

• 2nd Marine Logistics Group, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Units of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group include:
  • 2nd Headquarters and Service Battalion
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 2
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 2
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 6
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 8
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 25
    • 2nd Supply Battalion
    • 2nd Medical Battalion
    • 2nd Maintenance Battalion
    • Combat Logistics Company 21
    • Combat Logistics Company 23
  • Headquarters Regiment
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 22
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 24
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 26
  • 2nd Dental Battalion
  • 8th Engineer Support Battalion

• 3rd Marine Logistics Group, based at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan. Units of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group include:
  • 3rd Headquarters and Service Battalion
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 3
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 3
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 4
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 35
    • 3rd Supply Battalion
    • 3rd Maintenance Battalion
    • 3rd Medical Battalion
    • Combat Logistics Company 35
    • Combat Logistics Company 36
  • Headquarters Regiment
    • Combat Logistics Battalion 31
  • 3rd Dental Battalion
  • 9th Engineer Support Battalion

• 4th Marine Logistics Group, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States. Units of the 4th Marine Logistics Group include:
  • 4th Headquarters and Service Battalion
  • Combat Logistics Regiment 46
  • 4th Maintenance Battalion
  • 4th Supply Battalion
  • 6th Engineer Support Battalion
  • 6th Communication Battalion
  • 6th Motor Transport Battalion
  • 4th Medical Battalion
  • 4th Dental Battalion
  • 4th Landing Support Battalion
  • 4th Marine Logistics Group Forward East
  • 4th Marine Logistics Group Forward West

See also

• Combat support
• Combat arms
• List of United States Marine Corps Combat Logistics Companies
• Principles of sustainment

Further reading

• U.S. Army Field Manual 4-0

External links

• Combat Service Support Detachment 21
• Combat Service Support Detachment 23
• Combat Service Support Battalion 10