ATP-4-90 Brigade Support Battalion Download
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Maintenance Operations 18 June 2020 7-7 stock and bench stock for shop operations. The maintenance control section also performs maintenance management and production control functions for units operating in the BSA. The maintenance control section is best located near the distribution company’s multi-class SSA. The maintenance control section is the manager for all field-level maintenance and recovery mission actions in the BSA. Maintenance management in the BCT requires coordination and collaboration between the SPO section, FSCs, and the maintenance control officer. The field maintenance company’s control officer provides control, coordination, overall management of maintenance assets, and collection for maintenance and readiness data. The SPO maintenance section provides guidance to the maintenance control officer based on BSB and brigade commanders’ guidance. The SPO maintenance section manages field-level maintenance for all equipment assigned to the brigade and provides maintenance oversight of the field maintenance company and FSC’s maintenance sections. The maintenance control section operates automated maintenance systems to support the BCT. It also serves as the main collection point for all maintenance records before sending them to the BSB SPO staff. The field maintenance company or shops’ SOPs outline procedures established by the BCT to provide accountability of equipment in for repair. For more details about the Army maintenance system, refer to DA Pam 750-8, The Army Maintenance Management System. The maintenance control section maintains combat spares and uses controlled component substitution and cannibalized spares obtained from non-repairable vehicles as authorized by the chain of command. The field maintenance company and the recovery section of the maintenance control platoon also provide welding and lift capabilities for the repair shops, recovery of organic equipment, and recovery support to BSB units and brigade elements in the BSA. They also can provide limited assistance to the FSCs for the evacuation of non-mission capable equipment. Units should have detailed recovery policies in the battalion and brigade’s standard operating procedures and mission orders. Additionally, field maintenance companies often assume area support vehicle recovery responsibility for all units operating in the BCT’s area of operations. FORWARD SUPPORT COMPANY The maintenance platoon of the FSC performs field-level maintenance, maintenance management functions, dispatching, and scheduled maintenance operations for their supported maneuver battalion and FSC vehicles and equipment. The platoon consists of the platoon headquarters section, maintenance control section, maintenance section, service and recovery section, and the field maintenance teams. The FSC maintenance platoon coordinates all maintenance requirements with the FSC commander. The supported maneuver battalion’s chain of command determines the FSC maintenance priorities, with recommendations from the FSC commander, maintenance warrant officer, and the maintenance control officer. The maintenance platoon’s first priority is to reinforce the FMT’s mission. Maintenance platoon leaders are responsible for leading the platoon, controlling, and directing the accomplishment of the platoon’s mission. They are responsible to the maintenance control officer for ensuring the completion of maintenance duties and adhering to priority of support as provided. ATP 4-33 provides details of maintenance functions. BDAR procedures are found in ATP 4-31, Recovery and Battle Damage Assessment and Repair. The field maintenance company provides reinforcement to the FSC for low-density items, armament, line replaceable units, and specialty equipment. All specialized mechanics for the M1 Abrams, M2/3 Bradley, M109A6 Paladin, and Stryker vehicles reside solely in the FSCs’ organizations and not in the BSB’s field maintenance company. The FSCs contain a large percentage of the BSB's overall maintenance capability. FSCs are designed to support specific maneuver battalions and resourced with all mechanics and tools necessary to support those battalion’s equipment. In most instances, an FSC will provide dedicated support to a single maneuver battalion and operate independently in this manner. Mission requirements may require consolidation of the FSC maintenance capability to provide the most effective support to the BCTs operation. The FSC is organic to the BSB. Maintaining this command relationship is desirable to enable the BSB commander to task organize and consolidate FSC maintenance capability as required to effectively support the BCT mission. BSB planners must develop a viable course of action for maintenance support that includes ATP 4-90