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.

Publication: Army Logistician

Publication Date: 01-SEP-05

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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...

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