Introduction
Commanders must bear in mind the stressful effects of combat as they plan and conduct operations. The pressures that battlefield chaos and destruction place on Soldiers have always been great. Unit discipline, realistic field training, deliberately fostered unit cohesion, and solid bonding between leaders and subordinates can reduce the effects of this stress in part, but nothing can eliminate it. The commander who understands this and protects his Soldiers through strong, positive, and caring leadership, proper mental, physical and training preparation, and simple decisive plans will win (FM 3-0). The purpose of the Force Provider program is to improve the quality of life for deployed Soldiers by reducing the stressors of combat. Under force health protection (FHP), combat and operational stress control (COSC) training is provided to assist Soldiers in preventing combat and operational stress reactions (COSRs) and other stress related illnesses. The Force Provider system also enables the reduction of stress.
During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Army realized that it could do more to improve the quality of life for the deployed Soldier. Many Soldiers used makeshift and field expedient latrines and showers. The Army recognized the importance of combating stress and sleep deprivation, while offsetting COSR and conserving fighting strength. Its answer was to set up the Force Provider program. The concept of Force Provider was initially tested in the Bosnia area of operations. Doctrine, training, and system requirements were then developed as a result of lessons learned to improve the quality of life for the deployed Soldier. In addition to this FM, ARTEP 42-424-30-MTP has been developed and is available through normal distribution. Training and evaluation outlines (T&EOs) for unit training (Chapter 5, ARTEP 42-424-30-MTP) are also available in the Army Systems Approach to Training (ASAT) program. The Force Provider Product Manager office at Soldier System Command (SSCOM), maintains a homepage for related issues.
Force Provider units are expected to be an essential component of joint, multinational, and expeditionary operations - fully capable of responding to requirements along its entire operational mission continuum: Soldier sustainment, humanitarian and civic assistance, disaster relief, and non-combatant evacuation operations. Future Force Provider operations must provide scalable and modular base camps to support operations such as combat (forward operating bases/FOBs), reception, staging, onward movement, and integration (RSOI), rest and refit, intermediate staging bases (ISB), redeployment, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, homeland defense, and peacekeeping/enforcement.