Army Classes of Supply refer to categorizing various supplies and materials required to support military operations.
I will briefly cover the different ten classes of supply and give you a little cheat sheet that you can use as an Army leader to help you deal with logistics and supply adequately.
You can’t do your mission without supplies. Everything from the Skillcraft pen you are writing with to the keyboard you are typing on was supplied one way or another by the U.S. government.
Depending on what you need or what the item is, there are going to be several different ways to get a hold of them.
In order to understand these methods, you’re going to have to know what types of items they are and how the government classifies them.
If you’re a small unit leader, whether you’re an NCO or an officer, it’s in your best interest to have a basic fundamental knowledge of the different classes of supply.
Now, let’s go through each one and provide a quick synopsis so you can understand them.
The U.S. government classifies supplies into ten categories, with each category having several subcategories.
The first five categories are set by NATO in an effort to help standardize logistics across alliance forces, while the second five categories are set by the U.S. government.
The Ten Classes of Supply
Class I: Subsistence (Food, Rations, Water)
Class 1 includes all food intended for human consumption. This consists of perishable food meant for dining facilities, as well as combat rations like MREs and group field rations.
Includes:
- MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat)
- UGR rations (Unitized Group Rations)
- Prepackaged meals
- Snacks
- Drinking water
Water is also considered a Class 1 item, but only for planning purposes.
Class II: Clothing, Individual Equipment
Class 2 consists of items used for general operational support. These are everyday items, including office supplies such as pencils, pens, buckets, small tools, and cleaning supplies.
Includes:
- Tents
- Tools
- Unclassified maps
- Uniforms & field gear
- Toolkits & hand tools
- Housekeeping & administrative supplies
Additionally, clothing and equipment like uniforms and field gear fall under this category.
Class III: Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POL)
This class covers two general categories:
- Bulk fuel, which includes fuel obtained from gas pumps or delivered by fuel tankers. It may also include fuel stored in blivets, cans, and barrels.
- Packaged items, such as lubricants, oil, grease, and other petroleum-based materials.
Includes:
- Petroleum & fuels
- Lubricants & hydraulic fluids
- Insulating oils & grease
- Coolants & antifreeze
- Bulk chemicals & transmission fluid
Class IV: Construction Materials and Barrier Materials
Class 4 consists of engineering and construction materials, including wood, nails, and concrete.
It also includes barrier materials such as HESCOs, sandbags, concertina wire, and barbed wire.
Includes:
- Barbed wire
- Lumber & nails
- Plywood & steel culverts
- Metal fence posts
- Sandbags & concrete
Class V: Ammunition
Class 5 includes all forms of ammunition and explosives, such as:
- Bullets, grenades, and rockets
- Bombs & explosives
- Mines & fuses
- Missiles & pyrotechnics
- Detonators & propellants
- CBRNe (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives)
Additionally, some items that support the use of ammunition and explosives fall into this category.
Class VI: Personal Demand Items
Often controlled by AAFES, Class 6 items include personal supplies such as sundry packs and individual-use items.
This does not mean the liquor store, folks!
While alcohol might be the first thing that comes to mind, this category includes much more. Even mail falls under Class 6, although you cannot order a care package under this classification.
Includes:
- Mouthwash & deodorant
- Toothpaste & shampoo
- Wet wipes & toilet paper
- Snack food & cigarettes
- Batteries & cameras
- Alcohol (where authorized)
These are items found at the PX (Post Exchange).
Class VII: Major End Items (e.g., vehicles, weapons)
Class 7 covers large mission-critical supplies such as:
- Humvees & tanks
- Artillery guns & MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System)
- 5-ton trucks
- Bradley Fighting Vehicles & M1 Abrams Tanks
- Major toolkits
These are expensive, mission-critical items that require formal accountability.
These items are formally accounted for on a hand receipt or property book. Losing them can lead to serious consequences, as they are crucial to mission success.
Class VIII: Medical Supplies (equipment and consumables)
This class includes medical materials such as:
- Drugs
- Medical equipment
- Expendable medical materials
- Parts for repairing medical equipment
- Bandages, IVs, & needles
- Tubes, swabs, and surgical supplies
- Medical repair parts
Subcategories:
- Class 8 Alpha – Blood, plasma, and related supplies
- Class 8 Bravo – Specialized medical equipment
Class IX: Repair Parts and Components
Class 9 consists of repair parts that are not related to medical equipment.
For example, a tire or starter for a Humvee would be considered a Class 9 item. Generally, this category includes only repair-related supplies.
- Engines & transmissions
- Oil filters & tires
- Tank tracks & repair parts for vehicles
- Repair parts for weapons & equipment
Class X: Material to Support Nonmilitary Programs
Class 10 serves as a catch-all category for anything that does not fit into the previous classifications.
Includes:
- Materials for non-military programs
- Agriculture & economic development support
- Civil affairs operations
These are rarely used in standard military operations.
This category is mostly used in civil affairs operations, although exceptions exist. It is unlikely that you will come across a situation where a Class 10 item is required.
Important Notes
You may have noticed phrases like “generally” and “often” throughout this explanation. That’s because there are exceptions to every rule.
If you need to determine the class of a specific item, you will need to look it up in FedLog. We will discuss FedLog in another article
Tips for Small Unit Leaders
If I were to give some basic tips, I would advise you to:
- Familiarize yourself with each class of supply.
- Know your supply process – Who do you contact?
- Supply Sergeant?
- S-4?
- Supply Support Activity (SSA)?
- Understand requisitioning procedures – What is the process?
- Ensure you have enough supplies on hand – Avoid shortages!
- Conduct proper inventories – Keep everything accounted for.
This is your cheat sheet for small unit leaders on the 10 Classes of Supply.
Key Takeaways
- There are ten classes of supply.
- The first five are NATO common, while the next five are set by the U.S. government.
- Each class has subcategories of supply.
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