text: Chapter 5
  capabilities. Considerations should be given to weigh this priority with additional repair part capabilities to
  include authorized stockage list items, shop stock lists, line and shop replaceable units, and combat spares.
  BRIGADE SUPPORT MEDICAL COMPANY (CHARLIE)
  5-184. The BSMC provides Role 2 medical care to supported maneuver battalions with organic medical
  platoons. The BSMC provides Role 1 and Role 2 medical treatment on an area basis to those units without
  organic medical assets operating in the BSA. The medical company may execute Class VIII distribution to a
  maneuver brigade through the SSA in accordance with the support plan.
  5-185. Medical support associated with defensive operations anticipates significant casualties just as in the
  offense. Integrated planning would include casualty evacuation use of planned evacuation routes, identified
  points in the ambulance shuttle system (such as ambulance exchange points), and should include the
  augmentation of medical devices and medical providers for the provision of en route care when available.
  The BSMC is organized to provide triage and management of mass casualty, tactical combat casualty care,
  initial resuscitation and stabilization, care for patients with disease and nonbattle injury, and battle wounded
  and injured Soldiers. The BSMC also provides operational public health, intervention for combat and
  operational stress reaction, and preparation of patients for further medical evacuation.
  5-186. During the defense, medical evacuation from the forward security or striking force area poses
  significant challenges due to distance, limited situational awareness, and rapid changes in the tactical
  situation. In a mobile defense, considerations must be given to the fixing force, which will likely suffer higher
  casualty rates than the striking force as it absorbs the enemy's main attack. Defensive forces may be
  conducting noncontiguous combat operations with a high probability that movement routes are interdicted.
  This makes it imperative that the COP is available to ground and air ambulances and is accurate and updated
  frequently.
  FORWARD SUPPORT COMPANY
  5-187. The FSC provides support to a maneuver battalion during defensive operations. The FSC provides
  field-level maintenance and distribution support to the supported battalion. FSCs provide the BSB
  commander the ability to prioritize the logistics effort in support of defensive operations. They coordinate
  with the BSB commander and SPO to determine proper location of the field and combat trains. FSCs become
  the vital link from the BSB to the supported battalions and provide the brigade, battalion, and BSB
  commanders the greatest flexibility while supporting defensive operations.
  5-188. FSC support occurs through disciplined LOGSTAT reporting and the use of command and control
  and sustainment systems to gain situational understanding, develop a COP of current and future operations,
  and plan for the supported maneuver battalion. This is imperative to synchronize the concept of operations
  with priorities of support to ensure continuity and responsiveness.
  5-189. Commanders and sustainers plan for ongoing routine resupply while in the defense. Resupply during
  the defense should not be viewed as emergency resupply, but rather as planned and deliberately executed
  events to sustain operations. In addition to planned resupply, both commanders and sustainers need to be
  alert to lulls in the fight which provide unplanned opportunities to resupply units in the defense. FSC
  commanders and S-4s must plan to synchronize consumption rates and execute planned resupply and be
  prepared to execute emergency resupply as required in support of the maneuver battalion. All commanders
  designate priorities of support to subordinate units against the operational plan. Priority of support should not
  be determined by who has the least amount of supplies, but rather by which unit is currently the main effort
  or will become the main effort for the next phase of the operation.
  5-190. The FSC positions maintenance assets as far forward as the tactical situation permits to return
  inoperable and damaged equipment to the operation as quickly as possible. For the armored brigade, the FSC
  is the sole source of maintenance support for the M1, M2/3, and M109A6 weapon systems. For the Stryker
  brigade, the FSC is the sole source of maintenance support for the Stryker systems. Commanders may utilize
  multiple maintenance collection points and array their mechanics on the battlefield. Commanders may further
  authorize battle damage assessment and repair, controlled exchange, or overrides in order to preserve combat
  power. Brigade commanders must weight the main defensive effort by cross-leveling FSC maintenance
  assets.