The United States Military Salvage Teams (USMST)

[HorseSoldier]

Looking at the organizational plan one thing that jumps out is that maintenance and related field warrant officers should be all over the organization. That's seriously their cup of tea and areas of expertise.

Besides salvaging US equipment, I'd have them heavily involved in site surveys and recovery operations when their parent unit is in cantonment. When on the offense they could be doing T2K style SSE also looking at anything of value that could be hauled off with the unit as it passes through. Lot of civil affairs/CIMIC overtones for what they'd be doing. They'd be a natural place to find Polish or German civilian (or military deserters) serving as translators and fixers too.

I definitely like it for a PC group -- interesting way to put very valuable skills in a PC group and provides more interesting background than the usualCAG/Delta assault cell that's inexplicably embedded in 5th I'D or whatever. Nice way to work in non Army personnel, also -- good place for USAF security forces as well as mechanics and maintainers from the AF and USN.

[Abbott Shaull]

Looking at the organizational plan one thing that jumps out is that maintenance and related field warrant officers should be all over the organization. That's seriously their cup of tea and areas of expertise.

Besides salvaging US equipment, I'd have them heavily involved in site surveys and recovery operations when their parent unit is in cantonment. When on the offense they could be doing T2K style SSE also looking at anything of value that could be hauled off with the unit as it passes through. Lot of civil affairs/CIMIC overtones for what they'd be doing. They'd be a natural place to find Polish or German civilian (or military deserters) serving as translators and fixers too.

I definitely like it for a PC group -- interesting way to put very valuable skills in a PC group and provides more interesting background than the usualCAG/Delta assault cell that's inexplicably embedded in 5th I'D or whatever. Nice way to work in non Army personnel, also -- good place for USAF security forces as well as mechanics and maintainers from the AF and USN.

One of the things too by 2000, each Division and even smaller units like the ACRs, 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and so would have something similar to Civilian Affairs type unit that this type of unit would be working with. This would depend on largely on the personnel that the Divisional/Regimental/Brigade Commanders had to work with. Could be as small as undersized Company to Battalion strength.

One of the things I have been mulling over is introducing something along the lines of the Enhance Maneuver Brigade assigned at Division and Corps level. This type of team and placement of security personnel and other specialized MOS while not entirely taking who groups of personnel and retrain them entirely as Infantry, Cavalry, Armor, or Artillery. These troops would secure the Divisional and Corp rear area. Along with Civilian Affair Battalion for the Corps or Division assigned to the Enhanced Maneuver Brigade. Assign new provisional Infantry and Artillery Battalion to give the Brigade muscle.

Just some thoughts.

[HorseSoldier]

One of the things too by 2000, each Division and even smaller units like the ACRs, 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group and so would have something similar to Civilian Affairs type unit that this type of unit would be working with.

I think a unit like this would fall under a Civil Affairs cell/unit/whatever since they'd be able to double hat and work recovery/CA sort of missions as well as worrying about battlefield recovery of stuff. Honestly, by 2000, divisions are doing less fighting and more just trying to survive and control their AO for the most part. These guys would have a role in cantonment area operations sufficient to warrant them being full time guys and not just stood up when there's major fighting in the wind.

One of the things I have been mulling over is introducing something along the lines of the Enhance Maneuver Brigade assigned at Division and Corps level. This type of team and placement of security personnel and other specialized MOS while not entirely taking who groups of personnel and retrain them entirely as Infantry, Cavalry, Armor, or Artillery.

I don't think trying to spin off another brigade HQ from a division in '98-on would be real successful. Better use of existing resources would be pick a battalion from the existing OOB and scrap its prewar mission (could be from the DISCOM or Aviation, or could be freed up by consolidating manpower and resources in remaining line battalions or artillery battalions). Anyway, make that HQ the controlling parent unit for maybe eight infantry companies (or rear area security companies, or MP companies, or whatever name people want to slap on them). The usual 3-4 subordinate span of control issue isn't going to matter so much since a lot of that will be static security missions and a lot of it will be units opconned to other brigade/battalion HQs.

The main emphasis is going to be battle casualty replacements for line units, though, once divisions start really getting eaten up, so I don't see security detachments getting emphasis for manpower, even if units are trying to rerole USAF airmen who've only handled an M16 a half dozen times in their whole career.

Along with Civilian Affair Battalion for the Corps or Division assigned to the Enhanced Maneuver Brigade. Assign new provisional Infantry and Artillery Battalion to give the Brigade muscle.

I don't think the current military Newspeak like Enhanced Manuever Brigade would exist in the T2K lexicon.

[Matt W]

I think Major is a little high for a small Salvage Team CO. He or she should be in the Quartermaster Corps (MOS 92A) and in command of a Company of troops carrying out these duties.

Captain might be a more appropriate rank.

And check out this website referring to a WW2 salvage unit (scroll down to "GI Salvage")

http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/WWII/luzon.htm

[HorseSoldier]

For an MTOE unit, I'd agree. I could see a USAF Major or USN Lt Commander that no one can find any other job for getting handed the salvage mission, though, in T2K extremis.

[raketenjagdpanzer]

I could see attaching DIA agents to such an operation and giving them a pretty big "checkbook" to use to try and barter or bribe to get equipment back (vis-a-vis the "town using dug in M1 as a pillbox" scenario).

[HorseSoldier]

I can't see a national level intelligence agency being that interested in such things. The CIA didn't even embed folks with all the ODAs doing SSE on suspected WMD sites in Iraq.

[Fusilier]

I'd also say that a trained salvage team would be among the more likely groups to desert. When the $h#@ has already hit the fan, and you know that you've got a couple friends who can keep you mobile & supplied, that's about as much incentive as many people would need.

Ahh... one of the first encounters the players in my online game had was with a group just like rcaf_777's here, and they were deserters too.

[Matt W]

AD HOC SALVAGE TEAM


Just a weird collection of vehicles & people. Including some of the "trades" that I find interesting. I put in some NPCs that might round out a PC group

Vehicles

HEMTT M985 trucks with trailer x 2
Ural-43206 x 2
Motorcycles (125 cc "scramble bikes") x 4


note: Team is a lightly-armed platoon and is designed to be capabnle of splitting into 2 sections


Background History:
This unit's HEMTT trucks were the resupply vehicles for a MLRS battery. Since the ammunition ranout long ago, and the M985 has a useful crane, they were assigned to the salvage team [the crane can lift 2.5 tons]
see: http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id...hemtt_m985.php

The Ural trucks are 4x4 ex-sovet army vehicles. Each has a 4-ton payload and are used to transport the team's personnel and some of the more "fragile" salvaged items

The motorcycles are requisitioned civilian machines and have been modified to run on alcohol. They are used for recon and courier duties

Notable Personnel

XO: Lt Diana Andrea Chan - is a USAF Civil Engineer (AFSC: 32EX) which means that she has some Combat Engineer capabilities. Primarily trained for tasks such as the management of static facilities and infrastructure, Chan was also trained as a firefighter. After one term of service, she was seconded to the US Army (most USAF units were broken up to provide reinforcements for ground troops) She is the unit's expert in NBC detection and decontamination

Driver: PFC John Fisher (MOS: 13M). Fisher is a 35-year-old Texan trucker (drafted into the Army after war broke out). He operates one of the HEMMT trucks. In fact, he was operating it when it was part of the MLRS battery. Fisher is a big, irritable individual who only seems relaxed when he's drunk (which is frequent when off-duty). His drinking is tolerated because of his driving skill

Medic: Sgt Kenneth Mackay USAF (4P0X1 - Pharmacy Technician). A studious-loooking individual, he is known to the team as "The Professor". As well as being a combat medic and operating the unit's stills, his duties include examining any medicines that are salvaged. To assist in this, Mackay carries several large textbooks in his backpack (other team member sjoke that these would probably stop bullets)

Wireman: Sgt Brian Kirst USMC (MOS 0613) Kirst is the unit's specialist in salvaging cables and antenna systems. He also comands the unit's Support Weapons section (which has a variety of rocket launchers, usually a couple of RPG-7s, with a few rounds of HEAT ammunition)