Division slice

Article summary

A division slice is a calculation of the number of service personnel required to keep an army division operational. This includes combat units, combat support, troops on the lines of communication and also those on the home front either as replacements or in training. It is a useful measure for general staffs to compare different operational units within their command. It is less useful when comparing between different armed forces due to structural differences in support arrangements. During the Cold War the division slice was used by some commentators to criticise the US Army for "extravagances" in resourcing compared to Soviet forces. However, once structural differences were factored, there was less difference between the two armies.

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