Sustainment Planning for Leaders

A plan that ends after the first contact isn’t a plan — it’s a forecast for failure. Sustainment is how a unit keeps fighting after the initial assault, the first casualties, and the first resupply. Planning for logistics is not reactive — it’s proactive, and it starts before the operation begins.

This guide outlines how SPECTRE leaders incorporate logistics into every stage of their planning cycle.

Why Logistics Belongs in the Plan

Ammunition and medical supplies run out
Vehicles break, casualties occur, teams get separated
Operations often last longer than expected
Plans that ignore sustainment break down under pressure

A good tactical plan is irrelevant if it cannot be executed beyond the first phase.

Key Planning Elements

1. Ammo and Equipment

Estimate how much ammo will be used per phase
Plan for resupply or redistribution points
Ensure critical assets (AT, demo, medical) are distributed, not clustered
Include sustainment in the briefing format

2. Medical and CASEVAC

Identify who is carrying medical supplies
Designate rally points that double as CCPs
Plan for CASEVAC triggers and procedures
Include recovery options for casualties in both near and far contact

3. Phased Resupply

Treat every phase line as a checkpoint for resupply
Use rally points for pre-staged crates or redistribution
Pre-assign fireteams or vehicles to logistics tasks if required
Use convoys or caches to deliver resupply during extended operations

4. Loadout Strategy

Coordinate team loadouts to avoid redundant or over-specialized kits
Assign one or two per fireteam to carry spares for the element (AT, smoke, batteries, extra mags)
Rehearse resupply redistribution methods in training

Leadership Integration

Platoon and section leads should build sustainment into the OPORD, not after
Use mission duration estimates and expected contact intensity to define logistics pacing
Assign a 2IC or logistics contact to monitor supply reports
Build logistics into your OODA loop — reassess and adapt between phases

Contingencies for Logistics Failure

Identify a fallback supply location
Pre-brief “soft abort” conditions if critical assets are lost
Include recovery plans for disabled vehicles or lost equipment
Train teams to redistribute internally when resupply fails

Final Reminder

A well-supplied unit can adapt. A depleted one can only endure. Logistics is not just a support function — it is a combat multiplier. Leaders who plan to sustain are leaders who plan to win.

Fire superiority fades. Planning doesn’t.