FM 5-0, The Operations Process - Federation of American Scientists

Appendix F
support relationships when subordination of one unit to another is inappropriate. They assign a
supportrelationship when—
• The support is more effective if a commander with the requisite technical and tactical expertise
controls the supporting unit rather than the supported commander.
• The echelon of the supporting unit is the same as or higher than that of the supported unit. For
example, the supporting unit may be a brigade, and the supported unit may be a battalion. It
would be inappropriate for the brigade to be subordinated to the battalion; hence, the echelon
uses an Army support relationship.
• The supporting unit supports several units simultaneously. The requirement to set support
priorities to allocate resources to supported units exists. Assigning support relationships is one
aspect of mission command.
Table F-2. Army support relationships
Then inherent responsibilities:
If
relationship
is:
Have
command
relationship
with:
May be
task
organized
by:
Receive
sustainment
from:
Are
assigned
position or
an area of
operations
by:
Provide
liaison to:
Establish/
maintain
communications
with:
Have
priorities
established
by:
Can
impose on
gaining
unit
further
command
or support
relationship
by:
Direct
support 1
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Supported
unit
Supported
unit
Parent unit;
supported
unit
Supported
unit
See note 1
Reinforcing
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Reinforced
unit
Reinforced
unit
Parent unit;
reinforced
unit
Reinforced
unit; then
parent unit
Not
applicable
General
support–
reinforcing
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent unit
Reinforced
unit and as
required by
parent unit
Reinforced
unit and as
required by
parent unit
Parent unit;
then
reinforced
unit
Not
applicable
General
support
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent
unit
Parent unit
As required
by parent
unit
As required
by parent
unit
Parent unit
Not
applicable
Note: 1 Commanders of units in direct support may further assign support relationships between their subordinate units and
elements of the supported unit after coordination with the supported commander.
F-14. Army support relationships allow supporting commanders to employ their units’ capabilities to
achieve results required by supported commanders. Support relationships are graduated from an exclusive
supported and supporting relationship between two units—as in direct support—to a broad level of support
extended to all units under the control of the higher headquarters—as in general support. Support
relationships do not alter administrative control. Commanders specify and change support relationships
through task organization.
TASK ORGANIZATION FORMAT
F-15. Task organization is typically displayed in an outline format in Annex A of the operation plan or
order. Units are listed under the headquarters to which they are allocated or that they support. (See
figure F-1.) This format is recognized and understood by the other Services and multinational forces and
should be used during joint and multinational operations.
F-4 FM 5-0 26 March 2010