#4: Command Relationships & Support Relationships (Part Two):

FM 3-0, B-23: Army support relationships are not a command authority and are more specific than the joint support relationships. Commanders establish support relationships when subordination of one unit to another is inappropriate.

Support relationships do not alter ADCON. Any transfer of ADCON responsibilities should be specified in the order establishing the support relationship.

Types of support relationships:

• Direct support: requires force to support another specific force and authorizing it to answer directly to the supported force’s request for assistance. Example: A field artillery unit in direct support of a maneuver unit is concerned primarily with the fire support needs of only that unit.

• General support is that support given to the supported force as a whole and not to any particular subdivision thereof. Units assigned a general support relationship are positioned and have priorities established by their parent unit.

• Reinforcing is a support relationship requiring a force to support another supporting unit. Only like units (for example, artillery to artillery) can be given a reinforcing mission. A unit assigned a reinforcing support relationship retains its command relationship with its parent unit, but it is positioned by the reinforced unit.

• General support—reinforcing is a support relationship assigned to a unit to support the force as a whole and to reinforce another similar type unit. A unit assigned a general support—reinforcing support relationship is positioned and has its priorities established by its parent unit and secondly by the reinforced unit.