text: Appendix C
  Lines of Communication Considerations
  The forward movement of personnel, equipment, and materiel from the echelon (corps
  and division) support areas is vital to the support of decisive action. The protection of
  ground supply routes, waterways, rail lines, pipelines, and power generation and
  distribution capabilities is used to support operations across the range of military
  operations. LOC security is especially challenging during large-scale combat
  operations and the consolidation of gains. One of the greatest risks to Army operations
  can be threats along MSRs.
  LINES OF COMMUNICATION OVERVIEW
  C-1. The security, maintenance, and movement control of LOCs is critical to military operations. Line of
  communications are a route, either land, water, and/or air, that connects an operating military force with a
  base of operations and along which supplies and military forces move (JP 2-01.3). During large-scale combat
  operations, the support area commander’s primary focus is the security and maintenance of LOC (rail,
  pipeline, highway, waterway[canal or river]) throughout the support area and provides forward movement of
  personnel and the distribution of equipment and materiel from the echelon (corps and division) support areas
  to units forward.
  C-2. LOC security is an operation, not a sustainment function, and Level II and Level III threat conditions
  require a dedicated security force. Most units conducting operations throughout the support area can defend
  against and defeat Level I threats; however, various types of security forces are normally required to patrol
  and respond to incidents on LOCs to defeat Level II and III threats. These security forces include a dedicated
  LOC response force and TCF. A response force (normally military police) is a highly mobile, dedicated
  security force with the capability to defeat Level I and II threats and delay Level III attacking support area
  LOCs.
  C-3. Although all LOCs throughout the support area are important, the capabilities they represent are not
  equal in their contributions to support area operations and overall mission accomplishment. Determining and
  directing protection and maintenance priorities for ground LOCs throughout the support area may involve
  the most important decisions that the commander will make. There are seldom sufficient resources to
  simultaneously provide the same level of protection to all ground LOCs. See ADP 3-37 for establishing
  protection priorities.
  C-4. General engineering assets possess the capabilities to develop infrastructure to support mobility, force
  protection, logistics, base camps, and force beddown facilities. Infrastructure support includes the
  construction, rehabilitation, repair, maintenance, and modifications of landing strips, airfields, check points,
  MSRs, LOCs, supply installations, building structures, and bridges. General engineering units (in support of
  infrastructure development) can also provide capabilities to repair (and limited reconstruction of) railroads
  or water and waste facilities. The basic capabilities of general engineer units can be expanded by augmenting
  them with additional personnel, equipment, and training from specialized engineer units. See ATP 3-34.40
  for additional information on general engineering support.
  C-5. Movement control is a significant component to the control of LOCs, routes, and area security, but it
  is focused on control rather than security of the movement. Movement control is the planning, routing,
  scheduling, and control of personnel and cargo movements over lines of communications (JP 4-01.5).
  Movement control activities also interface with information operations, CA, psychological operations, public
  affairs, crowd sourcing, and tactical deception. Security considerations should always be a part of movement
  control. Mobility considerations are also critical to providing security.