c. The Division General Staff. The division general staff handles management
and administrative issues and is organized into units that have specific functions.
(1) The units and their functions are designated by the letter G (for general
staff) plus a number:
(a)
G1 signifies personnel.
(b)
(c)
G3 signifies operations.
(d)
G4 signifies logistics.
(e)
G5 signifies civil-military operations.
(2) In the performance of its administrative duties, the general staff is
involved with various aspects of the preventive medicine program.
(a)
The assistant chief of staff (ACofS), G1 (personnel), not only
provides staff supervision over the division surgeon's office, but also is very much
concerned with manpower losses and disease and injury rates.
(b)
The ACofS, G2 (intelligence), provides information on diseases
among enemy troops and in enemy territory. Also, the G2 staff provides information on
the weather, terrain, and other climatological factors, which can affect the health of
troops.
(c)
The ACofS, G3 (operations), is responsible for training. This
includes training in personal hygiene, malaria and venereal disease control, and the
training of unit field sanitation teams.
(d)
The ACofS, G4 (logistics), coordinates all non-medical supplies
for the preventive medicine program, such as mosquito nets, insect repellents, and
special clothing. The division food service advisor assigned to the G4 section is
concerned with problems in food service facilities.
(5)
The ACofS, G5 (civil-military operations), is concerned with
civilian diseases to which the military can be exposed. The G5 section acts as a point
of contact between the military and the civilian government.
NOTE: In battalion-sized combat units, you will find similar staff personnel. At
battalion level, these staff members will be designated as Sl, S2, S3, and S4. You will
not normally see an S5.
3-5
MD0150