Page:Fm100-2-3 - The Soviet Army, Troops, Organization, and Equipment.pdf/6

 the combat support areas to deal with specific ground forces problems. These directorates act as a ground forces administrative echelon for the superior MOD directorates.

As ground elements of the combined arms field forces, engineer troops serve only as combat engineers. The Chief of Engineer Troops of the MOD manages them. These engineers are not part of the engineer-technical service, which comprises the logistic units of the various arms and services. Other Soviet troop branches perform civil engineering, sanitation, and mapping functions; they ate comparable to organizations like the US Corps of Engineers. Engineer troops found in units at division level or higher are simply called engineers. Those at a lower level, in closer contact with the enemy, are called sappers.

Signal troops are organic to all levels using signal equipment that requires special training for operation and maintenance. The Chief of Signal Troops of the MOD administers them because they perform tasks that are common to more than one component of the armed forces. They include radio technical troops that serve mainly in the units whose missions require radar reconnaissance and electronic warfare. They also perform missions such as electronic deception and radioelectronic reconnaissance, which include electronic intelligence (ELINT) or signals intelligence (SIGINT).

Chemical troops are organic to all tactical regiments and divisions. They are allocated to armies and fronts. Similar to engineer and signal troops, they are directly subordinate to the MOD. The Chief of Chemical Troops administers them at that level.

The Chief of the Central Military Transportation Directorate (VOSO), under the Chief of the Rear in the MOD, may administer motor transport troops. The VOSO is primarily responsible for management and planning of defense transportation. It controls the training of all transport officers at and beyond the military college level. The actual operation of the various modes of transport is the duty of the force components, which in this case are the ground forces. At lower levels, the deputy commander for the rear controls these troops.

Railroad troops support the field forces by operating the railway links between the front and the central logistical base. They are responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of railroads in a theater of operations. Since March 1989, these troops are no longer considered part of the armed forces.

Road troops maintain military roads. They are often called road building troops or road service troops. The troops consist of separate traffic control, road construction, and bridge construction units. Operationally controlled by the chief of the tear at various levels, their administrative subordination has been obscure since World War IT. They may be a component of VOSO.

The Soviet concept of services includes all troops, installations, and duty positions which perform rear area support for the combat arms branches and special troops. Such services are not specific to the ground forces, but support the other armed forces components as well; therefore, various agencies in the MOD administer them. These services differ from the special troops because they apparently have no intermediate administrative directorates at Ground Forces Headquarters.

These units and personnel are organic to all levels of command down through company level. The Central Military Medical Directorate under the Chief of the Rear supervises their activities at the MOD level. The divisional and regimental surgeons supervise personnel at their respective levels.

The Veterinary Service falls under the control of the Chief of the Rear. It inspects the meat used by the armed forces, supervises animal slaughter, and deals with prevention and control of contagious diseases among animals used for meat.

The Central Military Topographic Directorate of the General Staff of the MOD administers and controls the Military Topographic Service. The General Staff also probably disseminates the products of this service.

The Finance Service is locally supervised. However, it has a direct technical channel running