TOE differences

Every unit in the Army is allotted equipment and personnel based on a "Table of Organization and Equipment" (TOE). It specifies what kind of equipment you're supposed to get, the number of people you're supposed to have, and what kinds of job they do.

At least on paper.

According to our TOE, my company is supposed to be a "line haul" company with M1088s. In other words, we're supposed to be hauling stuff from point A to point B, then from point B to C, and so on. However, that's not the case.

In reality, we mostly have M1235 MRAPs and PLSs. The MRAPs provide security escort while the PLSs haul containers and break-bulk. Depending on the mission, we'll roll with either one, the other, or a combination of the two.

So while my platoon is entirely comprised of 88M Motor Transport Operators, we do more than just drive cargo trucks -- my guys can also man the heavy machine guns in the gun turrets. It's not exactly what they're specialized in, but we've trained for this role well enough to do a fine job regardless.

We run into problems because of personnel shortages in other areas. Our maintenance platoon numbers, for example, are based on the maintenance needs of the M1088s. Fixing PLSs, however, is a more complex issue -- while M1088s are essentially engines and fifth wheels, PLSs have container pick-up hooks and built-in cranes, too. That's more stuff to maintain with what was already a short staff.

It's nothing new for us. Even when we were in garrison, we had to "baby-sit" a fleet of 60 M967 tankers. Only a handful ever went out on mission, but the weekly maintenance requirement meant a drain on our resources.

This kind of thing happens all the time throughout the Army, based on operational needs. I've met tankers without tanks (an rather bawdy acronym there) and artillery guys who do dismounted patrols. Likewise, their MTOEs call for vastly different equipment than what they've actually got.

It's a big mess, but the only army that's ever perfectly suited for its mission is one that's sitting in a garrison, thinking about the last war they fought.

And that is definitely not us.