[1] The brigade's primary mission is to provide logistical and maintenance support to sustain the United States Army that is deployed in the Central Command's area of responsibility, this includes the management and overseeing of supplies, maintenance, the distribution of equipment, as well as coordinating transportation and other logistical functions.

While the unit created Army propositioned stock sets in Qatar, and Kuwait, it underwent a series of name and organisational changes.

The battalions in Kuwait and Qatar transferred to the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade in 2010 to allow the 401st to focus on operations in Afghanistan.

The battalion has a unique organisational structure in that it is composed of a team of soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, and a contractor support base for a total workforce of more than 2,000 individuals.

The original Headquarters was established at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, with five Army Sustainment Command soldiers mobilised as a combination of Active Duty, Army Reservists, and National Guardsmen assumed mission command of both Logistic Support Elements in Kuwait and Iraq, tasked with providing material and maintenance support to maximising mission readiness.