Command and Control of the Divisional Aircraft Maintenance Company: Was It Broken? Should We Have Fixed It?

This monograph discusses and analyzes command and control relationships for the divisional aircraft maintenance company to determine which relationship provides the most responsive support. First, a historical review and analysis is provided of Army divisional aviation support maintenance organizations and their command and control leading up to the Army of Excellence structure. This analysis explains the evolutionary and cyclical nature of the division's aviation support maintenance command and control structure to provide a perspective for determining the best structure for today. Next, the doctrinal mission and responsibilities of the aviation maintenance company are investigated along with AirLand Battle sustainment requirements to show the critical importance of responsive aircraft support maintenance. Experiences of aviation commanders and operators are reviewed and analyzed. Opinion surveys taken in 1967 and 1973 demonstrate the continuing controversy of the aviation maintenance company command and control issue. Finally, advantages and disadvantages of the current and alternative command and control structure within the division are identified and analyzed to recommend a structure that provides the most responsive support from the aviation maintenance company. This monograph concludes that the most responsive support is achieved with the command and control of the aviation maintenance company not under the division support command, but rather under its only customer--the combat aviation brigade. This recommended force structure improvement can be made at no cost in personnel spaces or equipment. The aviation maintenance company should be reassigned to the combat aviation brigade as soon as possible to regain the historically proven benefits of this most responsive support structure.