An Analysis of Combat Service Support Doctrine for the Mechanized Infantry Division During Wide Frontage Operations

A comparison of Soviet and U.S. forces in the NATO Center Region has necessitated the development of new tactical doctrine and training techniques to counter the numerical superiority of the Red forces and the wide frontages occupied by U.S. divisions. Experience has shown that logistics doctrine must compliment and support the tactical concepts to successfully accomplish the combat mission. This thesis attempts to determine if the existing doctrine is sufficient for the mechanized infantry division support command commander to establish responsive logistic support during wide frontage defensive operations. The investigation is focused on an analysis of historical data, current published doctrine and an area of operations model. The dimensions used in the model are similar to those used in the scenario oriented recurring evaluation system model of Europe (SCORES). Analysis indicates that a wide frontage operation will excessively strain the capability of the division support command using current doctrine. Existing logistics doctrine designed for conventional defensive tactics must be amended for a wide frontage defense situation.