text: Chapter 7
  • For supply point distribution, a cycle is the time it takes for a supported unit to move from the unit
  location to the SSA and back to the unit.
  • For a medical unit, when prepositioning ambulances forward, a cycle is the time it takes for an
  ambulance to move from ambulance exchange point to the MTF and back to the ambulance
  exchange point.
  7-63. Optimal physical placement has a positive effect on the timing of support and ensures support missions
  can be executed to meet requirements. Commanders must physically locate sustainment units in a position
  that is close enough to the supported unit that an execution cycle is not inordinately long or time consuming.
  The time it takes to execute a cycle directly affects the overall time to execute support. Sustainment units
  with general support relationships support multiple units, each of which may be at a different distance. In
  this situation, planners must strike a balance when determining placement of sustainment units.
  7-64. Another consideration for physical placement is the type of support provided by a unit. As an example,
  a composite supply company providing water treatment support to a maneuver brigade may be positioned
  within the maneuver brigade AO to minimize the time required to produce and distribute the treated water to
  the BSB.
  7-65. Commanders at all Army echelons, theater Army to company, must ensure operations planned and
  executed contribute to and support the mission, commander's intent, and concept of operations of the higher
  headquarters. Continuous coordination, cooperation, and collaboration with higher and lower headquarters
  ensures all operations are fully synchronized, integrated, and achieve unity of effort.
  7-66. Theater enabling commands, such as the TSC, are integrated into operations by the theater Army as
  well as multifunctional and functional sustainment brigades, battalions, and companies. Commanders must
  ensure that operations conducted by these commands are synchronized to ensure all contribute to and achieve
  CCDR objectives. The theater Army, in conjunction with the TSC, ensures proper support relationships are
  established between sustainment organizations and theater enabling command organizations.
  7-67. There are various mechanisms available to commanders to enable them to achieve unity of effort.
  Mechanisms can be physical activities or processes commanders must understand in order to use them
  effectively. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of these mechanisms, refer to JP 6-0, ADP 6-0,
  and FM 6-0.