‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience' Podcast: 080 S05 Ep 01 – How to Sustain the Brigade Fight in Large Scale Combat Operations w/Three Senior Sustainers

The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the eightieth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Task Force Senior for the Leader Training Program, LTC Drew Zabriskie on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are two senior sustainers, LTC Bruce Roett & LTC Daniel Belzer. LTC Bruce Roett is the Task Force Senior for TF Sustainment (BSB / CSSB). LTC Daniel Belzer is the Commander of 526^th Light Support Battalion of 2^nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

 

The 526^th Light Support Battalion, formerly known as the 526^th Brigade Support Battalion, is a vital sustainment unit within the 101^st Airborne Division, providing logistical and operational support to ensure combat effectiveness. With a history dating back to its inception in World War II, the battalion has evolved alongside modern military needs, transitioning from traditional support roles to a lighter, more agile sustainment structure. Over decades of service, the 526th has supported operations in conflicts such as World War II, Iraq, and Afghanistan, consistently demonstrating its capability to adapt and provide critical logistical support under diverse and challenging conditions. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Performance” and the brigade’s motto of “Best by Performance.”

 

In this episode we discuss on the logistical challenges and best practices encountered during operations at the JRTC. The focus centers on the experiences of leaders managing sustainment functions in a Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) or Logistics Support Battalion (LSB) and in a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion or Division Sustainment Support Battalion. Key lessons learned include the critical importance of proactive terrain management, the need to decentralize base clusters for survivability, and leveraging innovative practices like additive manufacturing for rapid repair and supply replenishment. The episode highlights the necessity of balancing mobility with operational needs, emphasizing modular approaches to sustainment and security while managing resource constraints.

 

At the company and platoon leadership levels, a recurring theme is the requirement for clear communication, disciplined planning, and adaptive execution. Leaders must ensure small-unit proficiency in tasks like logistics planning, convoy operations, and decentralized sustainment support, particularly under high-stress, resource-limited conditions. The discussions stress the importance of rehearsing operations extensively, building redundancy into communication and logistics plans, and maintaining flexibility to respond to dynamic enemy actions and environmental factors. These insights collectively underscore the complexity and criticality of sustainment operations in large-scale combat scenarios.

 

Part of S05 “Beans, Bullets, Band-Aids, Batteries, Water, & Fuel” series.

 

For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast

 

Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center.

 

Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format.

 

Again, we’d like to thank our guests for participating. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future.

 

“The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.