The Exercise “Održivost 18“ (“Sustainability“), engaging 850 members of the Guards Armoured Mechanised Brigade, the NBC Defence Battalion, the Support Command, the Engineer Regiment and the Infantry Regiment, aimed at the upgrade of the preparedness of the Brigade logistic units across all combat logistics elements, conducted in the Training Range ”Gašinci“ from 16 – 20 April 2018. A logistic convoy supplying food, water, ammunition and fuel is caught in an ambush … The exchange of fire in the battlefield leves wounded soldiers, who need evacuation and the appropriate medical assistance  – these were some of the situations in the Exercise scenario; the Exercise was conducted by the Guards Armoured Mechanised Brigade of the Croatian Army, to upgrade the capabilities of the Brigade’s logistic units  acrosss all elements of logistics in combat and the capabiltiies of other units using the logistic support. The Exercise was planned through three planning conferences (IPC, MPC and FPC) and is focussed on the functional logistics areas – supply, maintenance, transportation, medical support and chaplaincy. The participants worked on four posts  the exercise passed four points designed so that each soldier can train fast and efficient combat-service support during the brigade’s combat operations in very realistic situations in the field. Initially, the logistic convoy with food, water, ammunition and fuel  approaches the battlefield, but at one point gets ambushed. Enemy side opens fire from the covert area, the vehicles speed up but one is damaged and cannot move on. The fuel tank managed to avoid the ambush and the commander decides that a part of the convoy will drive on. The soldiers are pulled out of the damaged vehicle and return fire from and signal to the command about the fault. The aid arrives shortly, and removes the damaged vehicle.  The rest of the convoy arrives to the company’s supply post; all vehicles take positions, arranged in circles (Post 2). Some of the tanks retreat from combat for refuelling (through  the company combat trains); the tanks receive one material  class at the same time (food and water, ammunition or fuel) and can also rotate personnel.  Having received the replenishment, they move to the next post and receive another class material. The LOGEX Sustainability“  is far more complex than a manoeuvre exercise, with many details to attend to; it was designed to present realistically a cycle of the supply entry into the brigade to the  end users – the soldiers on battlefield combat positions and the reverse, and the provision of medical care and evacuation of the wounded“, said the Commander of the Guards Armoured Mechanised Brigade and Exercise Director Brig. Gen. Denis Tretinjak. ”The importance of the exercise of the kind for the brigade lies in the practice of the logistic functions which are otherwise given less consideration in training. Last year we initiated the practice in logistic functions we deem important. A number of instances throughout history prove that when  commanders ignored logistics they lost wars…The exercises also help soldiers build confidence towards their unit“. The tanks are seizing the positions in the batltefield, supported by an air defence system protecting them from aerial attacks. The infantry follows the suit; the enemy attack is imminent, leaving three wounded soldiers. “The wounded soldiers are first evacuated from the spot to the vehicle to protect them from the enemy. The first triage is performed by the combat life saver, who is able to restore the airway, stop bleeding, administer infusion, open veins and estimate the vital functions and prepare the wounded for transport. While the CLS is providing car to the wounded, the member of the evaluator team is monitoring the performance and keeps notes of the faults. After the vehicle transporting  the wounded drives to safety, the escort arrives and begins land evacuation towards the medical post, where the medical team is waiting, informed beforehand of their  condition“.   The Exercise had one “fatality“, and was a success, giving the  participants the opportunity to practice the conduct in real-life conditions in the battlefield.