Quartermaster Corps (United States Army)

The United States Army Quartermaster Corps is a Sustainment (formerly combat service support (CSS)) branch of the United States Army. It is also one of three U.S. Army logistics branches, the others being the Transportation Corps and the Ordnance Corps.

History

The Quartermaster Corps is the U.S. Army's oldest logistics branch, established 16 June 1775. On that date the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution providing for "one Quartermaster General of the grand army and a deputy, under him, for the separate army." From 1775 to 1912 this organization was known as the Quartermaster Department. In 1912, Congress consolidated the former Subsistence, Pay, and Quartermaster Departments to create the Quartermaster Corps. Quartermaster units and soldiers have served in every U.S. military operation from the Revolutionary War to current operations in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom).

Functions

The function of the Quartermaster Corps is to provide the following support to the Army:

• general supply (except for ammunition and medical supplies)
• Mortuary Affairs (formerly graves registration)
• subsistence (food service)
• petroleum & water
• field services
• aerial delivery (parachute packing, air item maintenance, heavy and light equipment parachute drop, rigging and sling loading.)
• shower, laundry, fabric/light textile repair
• material and distribution management

Former Functions

Former functions and...
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