Articles/doctrine pertaining to breakpoints and the Army? Where is the source?

2018-09-11T07:37:19-04:00

Is anyone familiar with the term breakpoints as it pertains to the Army and can point me to articles/doctrine about the subject?

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Sep 11 at 2018 9:22 AM

2018-09-11T09:22:36-04:00

1LT Nyan Reynolds if we are talking Class I Break points, ATP 4-41 Army Field Feeding and Class I Operations. Couple different thoughts:
- the supporting CSSB breaks class I from bulk to unitized breaks, ideally packing the reefers and containers of dry cargo in the order it should come out. A shortfall in the system is not having enough reefers to have two per BN.
- there is also the resupply of the supported Battalion, by what used to be the support Platoon, now FSC. Usually referred to as a LOGPAC, aka logistics package. You can find more info on that from CALL and numerous articles back to the early 1990s...older is,likely better since there was no FOB log then.
- the packaging of hot prepared UGR-A rations in mermites is done in "breaks" based on headcount and field feeder reports. So you are staging chow breaks for the headcount by feeding location as you do not stop, open up chow, feed, then pack it up for a new location. That is how you give an entire Battalion Task Force a food Bourne illness, aka the Feces FASCAM. No request for a break? No chow.

There is more to this, please ask specific questions if you need more info. You can have break points for any class of supply where you have to take bulk and unitize it. Sometimes the package of supply Class like IV and V at CTCs are run as a break point for the ease of recieve, store, issue, recovery, and billing from the CTC perspective. LTC Private RallyPoint Member may be another source of expertise here.

Response by SPC David S. made Sep 11 at 2018 10:07 AM

2018-09-11T10:07:11-04:00

LT if you are talking about involuntary changes in combat posture this is what I know on the subject.

An enemy combat unit is considered suppressed after suffering 3% personnel casualties or material losses, neutralized by 10% losses, and destroyed upon sustaining 30% losses. The sources and methodology for deriving these figures is unknown - guessing this was derived from the the study by Clark - although these specific terms and numbers have been a part of Army doctrine for decades. Good luck in your research as one of the least studied aspects of combat is battle termination.

Link to the original breakpoint study done in 1954 by Dorothy Clark
http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0059384
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/059384.pdf - link to the actual report appears to be dead

as well good book on the topic as well mentions the Clark study.
https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/potomac/ [login to see] 865/

AD0059384

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 11 at 2018 10:31 AM

2018-09-11T10:31:24-04:00

LT, I noticed you are a FSC PL for a BEB. I'd like to know the context of your thoughts on conducting breakpoint operations and if you have discussed this with the SPO.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Sep 11 at 2018 12:02 PM

2018-09-11T12:02:16-04:00

1LT Nyan Reynolds you should also retag your discussion with a more relevant spread. Like logistics, quartermaster, support operations, support operations officer, 922A.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2018 1:07 PM

2018-09-12T13:07:47-04:00

1LT Nyan Reynolds How do you conduct maintenance mtgs at Bliss and how will you do them at NTC. This is important in a timing aspect. And do you have a FTP NLT time. I'd recommend NLT 0600. I'd sync this with CSSB miovements to the BSA. You may want to visit the SSA and talk with the SSA Warrant about his/her parts process and ask about the COOP list that will be avail at NTC. That should help you in determining parts you will need I'd not on hand.