LESSON 5
HEALTH SERVICE SUPPORT OF THE CORPS
Section I. GENERAL
5-1.
INTRODUCTION
a. The organization of our military forces is not static. We are continually
seeking ways to use our forces and weapons to a greater advantage. The threat of
nuclear warfare makes it apparent that we must disperse our forces on the battlefield; at
the same time, we must have a capability for rapid concentration of combat power at the
time and place of our choosing.
b. In consonance with these possible swiftly changing patterns, the health
service support provided a corps must be fluid enough to adjust to the circumstances.
The corps itself is a flexible organization, in that its composition may vary according to
the size of the force supported and the type of operation the force undertakes.
Consequently, we have no fixed medical organization that routinely supports a corps.
Corps health service support represents the health service support furnished by a corps
to its divisions and supporting troops.
c. In this lesson, we will present the mission and functions of the corps health
service support system. We will also indicate who plans, directs, and supervises this
support and describe the resources available for accomplishment of the mission.
5-2.
THE CORPS
a. The corps may be defined as the largest ground combat force having all the
combat, CS, and CSS required for sustained operations. The corps has tactical,
territorial, and administrative responsibilities. It is a flexible organization having a
headquarters and headquarters company (TOE 52-2) and such additional units as
required, dependent on the mission, terrain, enemy forces, and availability of our own
forces. The corps headquarters can control five divisions, more or less; one or more
separate brigades or armored cavalry regiments; and those CS and CSS units
necessary to sustain the assigned forces.
b. Combat service support units are assigned to a COSCOM (Figure 1-5).
Normally the medical resources will be subordinate elements of the COSCOM.
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5-2