text: Chapter 1
  1-34. Commanders designate close, support, deep, and rear areas as required. They designate a deep area
  and rear area as required. The MEB primarily conducts operations in support of decisive action in the
  commander’s designated support area. Figure 1-4 depicts MEB support to a corps AO (organized into deep,
  close, support, and rear areas) within a theater of operations.
  * The close area is the portion of a commander’s area of operations where the majority of
  subordinate maneuver forces conduct close combat (ADP 3-0).
  * The support area is the portion of the commander’s area of operations that is designated to
  facilitate the positioning, employment, and protection of base sustainment assets required to
  sustain, enable, and control operations (ADP 3-0).
  * A deep area is where the commander sets conditions for future success in close combat
  (ADP 3-0).
  * The rear area is that area within a unit AO that extends forward from its rear boundary to the rear
  boundary of the area assigned to the next lower level of command. It is an area of operations in
  which most forces and assets are located that supports and sustains forces in the close area.
  Legend:
  CA civil affairs
  EOD explosive ordnance disposal
  ESC expeditionary sustainment command
  MP military police
  MI military intelligence
  SUST sustainment
  Figure 1-4. Notional MEB support to a corps
  1-35. There are fundamental principles that are common to all support areas. Support areas may be
  designated by any Army echelon or by operational necessity, but they are usually associated with
  organizations that are capable of synchronizing and integrating continuing activities necessary to control
  terrain. A joint force would designate a JSA. Support area operations are conducted by the assigned area
  owner and tenants to prevent or minimize interference with command and control and SPO and to provide
  unimpeded movement of friendly forces; protection; operations to find, fix, and destroy enemy forces or
  defeat threats; and area damage control. Corps and divisions may have one or multiple support areas, located
  as required to best support the force. These areas may be noncontiguous.