• Field Maintenance Definition: Field-level maintenance is comprised of two sub-levels, shop-type work (Intermediate) as well as on-equipment maintenance (Organizational):
  

Intermediate Level

Intermediate maintenance is the maintenance level between the most extensive maintenance — depot, and the least extensive (but usually the most common) — organizational.

Joint Publication 1-02, Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, defines intermediate-level maintenance as that maintenance that is the responsibility of and performed by designated maintenance activities for direct support of using organizations. Its phases normally consist of: calibration, repair, or replacement of damaged or unserviceable parts, components, or assemblies; the emergency manufacture of non-available parts; and providing technical assistance to using organizations.

The Services generally require varying degrees of maintenance capability at different locations. Specifically, maintenance capability at any particular level depends upon mission requirements, force protection, economics of repair, transportation limitations, component reliability, workload agreements, facility requirements, frequency of tasks, and special training required. These requirements exist as Service doctrine that aligns maintenance support structure with the Services' strategic capabilities and objectives.

Organizational Level

Joint Publication 1-02, describes organizational maintenance as that maintenance that is the responsibility of and performed by a using organization on its assigned equipment. Its phases normally consist of inspecting, servicing, lubricating, and adjusting, as well as the replacing of parts, minor assemblies, and subassemblies. Of note is that organizational-level maintenance describes work performed in the field, on the flightline, or at the equipment site, and is not only accomplished by maintenance personnel, but also by equipment operators.

Field-Level Maintenance Workforce*

At the end of FY2009, the four military Services had a field level maintenance workforce of approximately 609,000 personnel − 362,000 Active, 167,000 Guard and Reserve, and 80,000 Civilians.

Major Intermediate Maintenance Activities (Active Component)

• Army
  • 51 aviation maintenance companies
  • 263 ground maintenance companies
  • 1 watercraft maintenance company
• Navy
  • 12 shore-based aircraft intermediate maintenance departments (AIMDs)
    located within 6 fleet readiness centers (FRCs)
  • 6 shore-based overseas AIMDs
  • 21 shipboard AIMDs
  • 8 ship/submarine intermediate maintenance activities (IMAs)
• Air Force
• 60 aircraft, missile, and munitions maintenance groups (MXGs)
• Marine Corps
• 11 marine aviation logistics squadrons (MALSs)
• 3 maintenance battalions
  

Major Intermediate Maintenance Activities (Reserve Components)

• Army National Guard
  • Maintenance companies: 31 aviation, 233 ground
  • Approximately 15,500 civilian maintainers primarily assigned to field maintenance shops, training equipment set sites, and aviation support facilities in each state or territory.
  • 4 aviation classification and repair depots (AVCRADs)
• Army Reserve
  • Maintenance companies: 3 aviation, 39 ground, 1 watercraft
  • Approximately 3,000 civilian maintainers assigned across the four regional support commands, working primarily at dispersed equipment concentration sites (ECSs), or area maintenance support activity (AMSA) locations.
• Navy Reserve
• 4 shore-based AIMDs
• Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve
• 116 aircraft, missile, and munitions MXGs
• Marine Corps Reserve
  • 3 MALSs
• 1 maintenance battalion

*(2011 DoD Maintenance Fact Book)