Two levels of maintenance are best described as which of the following?

• A. Field level and Sustainment level
• B. Direct level and Depot level
• C. Operational and Strategic
• D. Field level and Direct level

Answer: (A)

Two levels of maintenance are field level and sustainment level. Field-level maintenance is done where the equipment is used, by unit maintenance personnel, and covers routine tasks like preventive checks, minor repairs, adjustments, lubrication, and quick component replacements to keep gear operational in the field. Sustainment-level maintenance occurs at higher echelons, away from the point of use, and handles more complex work such as major repairs, overhauls, component rebuilds, and diagnostics that require specialized tools and facilities. This setup keeps equipment moving quickly through in-theater maintenance while ensuring deeper, more capable repairs are completed to restore full readiness. Other term pairings don’t describe this two-tier structure of in-field versus higher-echelon repair.