Resourcing Movement Control Battalions During Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09

This investigation attempts to determine whether the Movement Control Battalions (MCB) during Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09 were resourced adequately. Under current U.S. Army doctrine, the MCB is assigned to a Sustainment Brigade (SB), an Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) or a Theater Sustainment Command (TSC). During OIF 07-09, the MCB in Iraq was assigned to the Support Operations Section (SPO), a subordinate staff section within the 316th ESC, both organizations were located in Iraq. Portions of the Iraq based MCB staff augmented the ESC staff, while simultaneously performing their MCB roles and responsibilities. The MCB operating in Kuwait was assigned to 1st TSC with tasking authority and technical oversight provided by the SPO section, collocated in Kuwait. The different operational employment resulted in the primary research question: Were the MCBs in OIF 07-09 resourced adequately to perform their missions? Lessons learned reports and interviews were used to analyze the organizations. Each Battalion's experience was different based on the mission, area of responsibility, chain of command and higher headquarters status in the transformation process. A result of transformation at the ESC and TSC levels, the MCB in Iraq was not resourced with a sufficient number of personnel to perform the multiple missions assigned.