FM 3-34.22 - Army Electronic Publications & Forms - U.S. Army

Chapter 8
Attainability
8-19. Attainability involves generating the minimum-essential supplies and services necessary to begin
operations. Commanders determine the minimum levels of support acceptable to initiate operations.
Engineers, in conjunction with logisticians, complete the logistics estimate and initiate resource
identification based on the supported commander’s requirements and priorities. An operation should not
begin until minimum-essential levels of support are on hand.
8-20. For engineers, attainability is at the very core of decisions. Trade-offs may be necessary to attain a
given goal or quality of product. While attainable, the cost may make other things unattainable. Since
engineer materiel must meet specific technical requirements, engineers work closely with the logistics staff
to help them understand these requirements and obtain acceptable and suitable alternatives when trade-off
decisions are required.
Sustainability
8-21. The engineer commander needs continuous logistics capability to gain and maintain initiative.
Pauses for rebuilding power impede momentum and rob the command of initiative. Engineer planners
synchronize all sustainment assets to ensure that the support operation does not impede the engineer
commander. Continuous operations are critical to success.
8-22. Sustainability ensures the longevity of logistics support to engineers throughout the AO for the
duration of the operation. Sustainability focuses on the engineer commander’s attention for long-term
objectives and the engineer force capabilities. Long-term support is a challenge for the engineer staff,
which must not only attain the minimum-essential materiel levels to initiate operations, but must also
sustain those operations through the end state. The ENCOORD must ensure that logistics requirements are
known and flowing based on available transportation assets.
8-23. Engineers are committed to the current operation or preparing for the next one. The tempo of the
operation requires a constant vigilance by the logistician and engineer commander to ensure a constant
flow of support. Supplies are pushed (unit distribution method) forward when logistically feasible.
Maneuver units rely on lulls in the tempo of an operation to conduct sustainment operations, while
engineers may not. Engineers do not usually have this opportunity since many of their missions occur
during a lull in operations, and this may deny them the opportunity to use the supply point method. This
increases the need for engineers to plan for continuous, routine, and emergency logistics support.
8-24. General engineering involves constructing, repairing, operating, and maintaining infrastructure and
facilities to enhance sustainment provisions and services (see FM 3-34.400). Contracting support obtains
and provides supplies, services, and construction labor and materiel, often providing a responsive option or
enhancement to support the force (see FM 3-100.21, FM 100-10-2, and FMI 4-93.41). General engineers
and, potentially, USACE personnel may be required to provide subject matter expertise for the supervision
of contracted materiel and services.
Survivability
8-25. Survivability is based on being able to protect support functions from destruction or degradation.
Engineers contribute to ensuring that sustainment means are survivable by constructing sustainment bases
and clearing LOCs.
Economy
Note. The logistics principle of survivability is related to, but not exactly the same as, the
discussion of survivability operations in FM 5-103.
8-26. Economy is providing the most efficient support to accomplish the mission. Economy reflects the
reality of resource shortfalls, while recognizing the inevitable friction and uncertainty of military
operations. This requires commanders to set clear priorities in the resource allocation. The priority of effort
is established while balancing the mitigation of risk to the operation. Engineer commanders may have to
improvise to meet the higher intent and mitigate the risks.
8-4 FM 3-34.22 11 February 2009