text: Sustainment
  SECTION III – CONSIDERATIONS
  7-50. Reconnaissance, security, and stability operations present significant challenges to sustainment
  organizations. Units conducting reconnaissance and security operations should consider increased days of
  supply on all vehicles, the location of trains, resupplying forward of the LD and line of contact, increased
  class V priority on indirect fires systems and class III (B), medical evacuation over greater distances and
  dispersed areas, and FLEs. Wide and deep reconnaissance and security operations have the potential to
  contact mass quantities of dislocated civilians and detainees as well as captured enemy ammunition and
  equipment, all of which require sustainment operational planning.
  SUSTAINMENT OF RECONNAISSANCE OPERATIONS
  7-51. Maintaining momentum is the overriding consideration when supporting reconnaissance and security
  operations. Specific considerations guide planning and preparation. Emphasis, priorities, and requirements
  may shift as the operation is underway. The availability of adequate supplies and transportation to sustain the
  operation becomes critical as the operation progresses. As reconnaissance elements advance, MSRs lengthen
  and communications are strained. Units conducting reconnaissance and security operations suspend most
  field service functions except for the increased distribution of ready-to-eat meals. Sustainment units are often
  at risk of compromising the stealth of the reconnaissance operation due to their footprint; therefore,
  reconnaissance plans must consider resupply methods that emphasize cover and concealment and the
  reduction in the frequency of resupply. Reconnaissance operations plan for the disposition of captured enemy
  supplies and equipment, particularly ammunition and vehicles.
  7-52. Units conducting reconnaissance and security operations may receive support from additional CBRN
  platoons task organized to provide additional reconnaissance or decontamination support. Sustainment
  considerations for CBRN units supporting include coordinating push packages for unique equipment repair
  parts and consumables.
  AREA AND ZONE RECONNAISSANCE
  7-53. Units conducting area and zone reconnaissance should consider the echeloning of sustainment. Units
  should plan for the increased consumption of ammunition, petroleum, oils, and lubricants when
  pre-positioning trains. Planning consideration for refuel on the move, maintenance requirements, and push
  packages of preplanned and preconfigured essential logistics items should be part of the considerations in
  sustainment planning. Area and zone reconnaissance plans should account for an increase in vehicular
  maintenance, especially when operating over rough terrain, and mitigate risk through the positioning of
  maintenance support teams well forward. Unit distribution should occur at forward locations. Units should
  plan for aerial resupply. Area and zone reconnaissance plans include dispersed patient collection points and
  multiple ambulance exchange points. Units should coordinate increased class VIII consumption and
  augmentation of medical treatment elements. Sustainment units conducting resupply operations for units
  conducting reconnaissance must plan for and utilize all available resources for cover and concealment to
  mitigate the risk of enemy compromise.
  ROUTE RECONNAISSANCE
  7-54. Sustainment for units conducting route reconnaissance consists of the same factors as area
  reconnaissance. Additionally, units plan for rapidly increasing distances and longer turn-around times for
  MSR operations. Units should consider recovering damaged vehicles only to the MSR for further recovery
  by higher headquarters’ assets.
  RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE
  7-55. Units conducting reconnaissance in force should plan for increased consumption of classes III, V, and
  VIII, as well as forward located recovery and maintenance support. Direct and indirect fire contact is much
  more likely, given the nature of reconnaissance in force, which means units must be postured for rapid
  resupply and maintenance to continue the reconnaissance effort. During reconnaissance in force, unit
  commanders must also plan for the retrograde or reinforcement of the force, or the exploitation of success