Combat service support

The term combat service support (or CSS) is utilized by numerous military organizations throughout the world to describe entities that provide direct and indirect sustainment services to the groups that engage (or are potentially to be engaged) in combat.

Former Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has described the United Kingdom's armed forces as having "teeth", units that are trained and equipped for actual fighting, that cannot function without an able, innovative "tail", units providing assistance such as logistical and transport capabilities.

"[3] but the mission remains the same; to manage the logistics supply chain and provide all materiel, maintenance, transportation, health services, personnel services and other services required by the warfighting units to permit those units to accomplish their missions in combat.

The US Army accomplishes this mission through the use of Sustainment Brigades at division and Echelon-Above-Division.

Thus, for example an infantry unit such as the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment will include a logistics company which fills supply, transportation and maintenance functions, while a combat brigade, such as the 7th Brigade, will be supported by a combat service support battalion such as the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion.