What role does sustainment play in achieving the operational environment?

Sustainment plays a crucial role in achieving the operational environment by enabling readiness and resilience. This aspect of sustainment ensures that military forces maintain the ability to respond effectively to operational demands. Readiness refers to the preparedness of forces to conduct operations at any time, which is facilitated by the provision of adequate supplies, maintenance, personnel, and services. Resilience is the capacity to withstand and recover from the demands placed upon the forces, particularly under challenging circumstances.

When sustainment is effectively integrated into military operations, it allows units to remain operationally effective over time, ensuring that they can execute their missions without degradation of capabilities due to logistical failures. By maintaining a steady flow of resources and support, sustainment bolsters the overall strategic and tactical objectives of military campaigns, ultimately contributing to successful outcomes in the operational environment. This ability to sustain operations is fundamental to ensuring that the forces can achieve both immediate and long-term goals in a dynamic battlefield context.