text: Sustainment Operations During Competition Below Armed Conflict
  DIVISION
  3-132. Division headquarters are often tasked to be the primary interface for the Army with various unified
  action partners during competition. When regionally aligned, a division with a tailored package of its
  subordinate brigades and other enablers from both Active and Reserve Components is allocated to a CCDR
  to help execute that CCDR’s theater campaign plan.
  3-133. Divisions provide trained and ready forces and echelons of command and control in support of
  exercises or training events with the intent to shape the security environment, improve mutual understanding,
  and improve interoperability with treaty partners or potential coalition partners. Due to the limited scale and
  short duration of violence, a division usually serves as a tactical headquarters, joint force or multinational
  force land component command, and, if required, as a JTF headquarters or ARFOR. While most U.S. military
  engagement and security cooperation typically takes place in the echelons below brigade, there are multiple
  exercises where a division is used to assist in command and control or sustainment activities. These exercises
  support military engagement and security cooperation efforts in critical theaters.
  3-134. During competition activities, the DSB synchronizes and integrates sustainment operations for the
  division which include security cooperation activities and exercises. The DSB participates in multinational
  exercises and supports readiness of division units at home station. DSBs may be aligned to a specific country
  for partnership. If so, DSBs are task organized based on the sustainment command’s deliberate analysis of
  requirements to support the CCDR’s mission. Regionally assigned and aligned sustainment forces train and
  work together with partner nations in an effort to better understand each other’s capabilities and operating
  procedures. These relationships are critical to establishing agreements and contacts that will mutually benefit
  both countries.
  CONSOLIDATION OF GAINS DURING COMPETITION
  3-135. Army forces continuously consolidate gains to maintain an OE that is advantageous to U.S. strategic
  interests. Examples of consolidating gains during competition range from transportation system
  improvements (including ports, airfields, and rail lines of communications), increasing theater supply stocks,
  intelligence cooperation, and providing Army medical personnel to support CCMD humanitarian and civic
  assistance activities. Army forces contributing to foreign humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts
  with allies and partners help cement existing international relationships or set conditions for new ones in
  other places.
  3-136. Army sustainment forces play a key role in consolidating gains during competition. Sustainment
  forces often times are key contributors to the examples listed in in the preceding paragraph. Sustainment
  forces that maintain presence or support relationships reinforce confidence between allies and partner nations.
  Providing security, food, water, shelter, and medical treatment to the population are stability tasks that enable
  consolidation of gains and help ambassadors, country teams, and JFCs maintain influence and cooperation
  with allies and partners as they pursue mutually beneficial objectives.
  TRANSITION TO CRISIS AND ARMED CONFLICT
  3-137. A transition from competition to crisis and armed conflict can occur rapidly with little notice or
  forewarning. Transitions are complex and unpredictable and responses to a transition may lead to differing
  perceptions of what has taken place. Decisions made before and during the initial stages of a crisis or armed
  conflict have significant impact on the decisions made by adversaries and the ultimate outcome of a particular
  situation. Sustainment forces and their leaders must be prepared to anticipate and respond to crisis and
  conflicts in the OE.