What enables the Army to survive, move and fight?
Sustainment! It’s the business of maintaining a force by enhancing its capability and resilience, including logistics, equipment support, medical provision, policing and administration. Combat Service Support is the organisation that provides that sustainment to our deployed forces - essentially, it’s the sustainment of them.
Operations and Exercises
There are always units within the Brigade deployed on Operations and Exercises, providing crucial Combat Service Support across the British Army.
The Brigade are constantly seeking to innovate, and the series of Iron Viper exercises are the opportunity to test ourselves so that we are continuously adapting to ensure we provide agility, flexibility and ultimately combat power to 3rd (UK) Division. Ex Iron Viper 19 saw the majority of 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade deployed into urban environments across the UK to refine how we operate in a contemporary environment.
Recent activity in 2020 has seen 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade units deployed on Operation Rescript, supporting the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our People are adaptable and ready to use their specialist skills wherever they are needed.
Location
HQ 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade
St Omer Barracks, Aldershot
Our Role
101 Operational Sustainment Brigade provides command and control to the Combat Service Support units in 3rd (UK) Division, as well as staff to augment the divisional headquarters. Our soldiers and officers from the Royal Logistic Corps and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, are always ready to use their specialist skills to enable 21st Century Warfighting.
To keep the Division running we need a host of support services including medical, policing, equipment support, food, water and fuel. Integration is key for our units, working to sustain the fighting formations.
Once the people and equipment are in theatre they move into the divisional support area, the sustainment of the force is the responsibility of 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade. This involves complex logistic processes and requires a detailed plan for ammunition, fuel, transport, humanitarian assistance, rear area security and medical operations.
