Saber FLE in Iraq: the 1st Infantry Division Support Command had to support a cavalry squadron located far from its usual support battalion. The solution was to task-organize a forward logistics element.

When the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized) deployed in Iraq, it faced a logistics challenge: How would it perform supply and maintenance support for a division cavalry squadron located 90 kilometers from the division aviation support battalion (ASB) responsible for that support? What would be the best task organization for efficient use of all of the combat service support (CSS) resources within the division support command (DISCOM) in order to provide support in a cavalry squadron support area? This support would include supply point distribution of classes I (subsistence), II (clothing and individual equipment), III (petroleum, oils, and lubricants), IV (construction and barrier materials), VI (personal demand items), VII (major end items), VIII (medical materiel), and IX (repair parts), direct support (DS) ground and aviation intermediate maintenance, ground and aircraft recovery, showers, laundry, clothing repair, and bulk water. The solution to this challenge was to use a forward logistics element (FLE). What follows is a description of the task organization and operations the 1st Infantry DISCOM used to provide logistics support 90 kilometers from the ASB--the story of the Saber FLE.

Cavalry Squadron Support Challenges

A cavalry squadron is the most diverse and flexible battalion-sized unit in a heavy division. The squadron's 27 M1A1 Abrams tanks, 41 M3A2 Bradley cavalry fighting vehicles, and 16 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters require a substantial amount of external logistics support to sustain continuous operations. A robust logistics capability must be collocated with the squadron to provide responsive logistics support, including DS tracked and wheeled vehicle repair, aviation intermediate maintenance (AVIM), armaments, communications and electronics repair, fire control, generators, welding, vehicle recovery, heavy equipment transport, medical support, bulk water, and supply of classes I, II, III, IV, VII, VIII, and IX.

A division cavalry squadron can operate as a separate maneuver element well forward in the division's battle-space, which increases significantly the distances it must travel to obtain logistics support--far beyond the distance a maneuver brigade must travel to get support from its habitual FSB. In a heavy division, the ASB has a direct support responsibility for the division cavalry squadron. When the squadron falls under the control of the division commander or is attached to another maneuver brigade, the squadron often exceeds the doctrinal support distance of the ASB.

When the cavalry squadron is located far forward, the ASB normally will organize a FLE to provide continuous CSS. The FLE typically comprises elements of the ASB and tailored assets from the DISCOM or corps support command (COSCOM). The squadron S-4 coordinates with the FLE to communicate requirements and schedule resupply. The ASB support operations officer is the single point of contact for all logistics operations. The FLE's forward location reduces travel requirements for the squadron.

Saber FLE

The 1st Infantry Division's Saber FLE provided supplies, DS maintenance, and AVIM logistics support to the division's 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment (1-4 Cavalry), for the entire 12-month deployment. Saber FLE logistics support included the delivery of over 3.3 million gallons of bulk water, 822,000 bottles of water, 1.2 million meals, 2.6 million gallons of fuel, and 171 truckloads of mail on M923 5-ton trucks, as well as the completion of 1,400 work orders for DS ground maintenance, AVIM, and backup aviation unit maintenance (AVUM).