Combat service support
{{Short description|Logistical aspect of war}}
{{About|the generic use of the term|the use of the term specific to the United States|combat service support (United States)}}
{{Expert needed|Military History|talk=|reason=Properly detailing the evolution of service support organizations and their current status in the context of history as well as accurately describing current policies|date=October 2016}}
The term combat service support (or CSS) is utilized by numerous military organizations throughout the world to describe entities that provide direct and indirect sustainment services to the groups that engage (or are potentially to be engaged) in combat.
United Kingdom
File:The_British_Army_in_the_Normandy_Campaign_1944_B5803.jpg: Members of the Royal Army Medical Corps carry a wounded soldier out an operating tent on 20 June 1944.]]
Former Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has described the United Kingdom's armed forces as having "teeth", units that are trained and equipped for actual fighting, that cannot function without an able, innovative "tail", units providing assistance such as logistical and transport capabilities.{{cite news|title=British Army forced to rely on foreigners and contractors|newspaper=The Telegraph|first=James|last=Kirkup|date=7 June 2012|access-date=24 October 2016|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9315166/British-Army-forced-to-rely-on-foreigners-and-contractors.html}} Specific groups involved in the U.K. armed forces include the Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Logistic Corps.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/093-2012-army-2020-defining-the-future-of-the-british-army|date=5 July 2012|title=Army 2020: Defining the Future of the British Army|publisher=Gov.uk|access-date=24 October 2016}}
United States
{{main | Combat service support (United States)}}
In the United States, the term combat service support has been phased-out in favor of the term "sustainment."{{cite book |author=Headquarters, Department of the Army |authorlink=United States Department of the Army#Headquarters, Department of the Army |title=FM 3–0, Operations |date=27 February 2008 |place=Washington, DC |publisher=GPO |isbn=9781437901290 |oclc=780900309 |url=http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/repository/materials/FM3-0(FEB%202008).pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=31 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202210635/http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/Repository/Materials/FM3-0(FEB%202008).pdf |archive-date=2 December 2012 |url-status=dead }} but the mission remains the same; to manage the logistics supply chain and provide all materiel, maintenance, transportation, health services, personnel services and other services required by the warfighting units to permit those units to accomplish their missions in combat. The US Army accomplishes this mission through the use of Sustainment Brigades at division and Echelon-Above-Division. The traditional combat service support branches in the US Army include Acquisition Corps, the Adjutant General's Corps, the Finance Corps, the Logistics Corps, the Ordnance Corps, the Quartermaster Corps, and the Transportation Corps.
Australia
Within the Australian Army, combat service support is provided to combat elements at various levels: first line (organic to battalion or regimental level), second line (at brigade level), and third line (at formation or higher). Thus, for example an infantry unit such as the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment will include a logistics company which fills supply, transportation and maintenance functions, while a combat brigade, such as the 7th Brigade, will be supported by a combat service support battalion such as the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion. At formation level, a CSS brigade – the 17th Sustainment Brigade – will provide health, signals, catering, transport, and other service support requirements.{{cite web |url=http://army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/7th-Brigade |title=7th Brigade |work=Our people |publisher=Australian Army |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150801215014/https://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/7th-Brigade |archive-date= 2015-08-01}}{{cite web |url=http://army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/7th-Brigade/7th-Combat-Service-Support-Battalion |title=7th Combat Service Support Battalion |work=Our people |publisher=Australian Army |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151017235131/https://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/7th-Brigade/7th-Combat-Service-Support-Battalion |archive-date= 2015-10-17}}{{cite web |url=http://army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/17th-Combat-Service-Support-Brigade |title=17th Combat Service Support Brigade |work=Our people |publisher=Australian Army |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150528061701/http://army.gov.au/Our-people/Units/Forces-Command/17th-Combat-Service-Support-Brigade |archive-date= 2015-05-28}}