11
 however, an increasing number of NVA replacements have been introduced into
 VC Main force units.

TABLE 3
 ESTIMATED STRENGTH OF REGULAR COMMUNIST FORCES IN SOUTH VIETNAM
 (As of 1 October 1967)
         Type             Number                Organization
 Regular NVA Forces       54,000   3 Front Headquarters'
                                   7 Division Headquarters b c
                                  26 Regiments (18 divisional and 8 separate)
                                 106 Battalions (76 regimental and 30 separate)
 VC Main and Local Forces 64,000 d 2 Division Headquarters b
                                  11 Regiments (7 divisional and 4 separate)
                                  96 Battalions 934 regimental and 62 separate)
                                 234 Separate Companies
                                  54 Separate Platoons
 TOTAL                   118,000

b A Front is a military organization designed to perform tactical and administrative functions
 and to control a number of units in a specific area. A Front is intentionally flexible, its military
 force composition changes as operational requirements dictate. Vietnamese Communist Fronts
 currently operating against South Vietnam are the B-3 Front, the DMZ Front, and the Northern
 Front or Subregion (now called the Tri-Thien-Hue Military Region). (See map on
 page 17.)

b NAV/VC divisions in South Vietnam are considered as light infantry divisions tailored
 specificallyfor operation in South Vietnam. These divisions are highly foot-mobile and are
 fixible in force structure, organization, and strength. They normally are composed of three
 regiments (of about 1,500-2,000 per regiment) with varying technical and fire support elements.
 They lack wheeled transport and the type of artillery normally associated with NVA conventional
 divisions.

c In addition to the seven NVA divisions in South Vietnam, elements of the 341st division in
 North Vietnam have been committed from time to time to operations south of the DMZ under
 control of the DMZ Front.

d This total includes some NVA replacements; see paragraph 56.

26. Administrative Service Units. There is an extensive system for the administrative
 support of both NVA and VC Regular forces. It operates throughout
 South Vietnam and extends into Laos and Cambodia as well as the area
 immediately north of the DMZ. In South Vietnam it includes the military personnel
 in the staff and service elements (e.g., medics, ordnance, logistics, etc.)
 comprising the central, regional, provincial and district military headquarters,
 and in rear service technical units of all types directly subordinate to these headquarters.
 The need for administrative service forces, and hence their size, varies
 widely from province to province.

27. We cannot be confident of the total size of the administrative service
 forces at any given time. Information on the current strength of the administrative
 services at the various echelons is insufficient to establish a firm estimate.
 This force has almost certainly suffered attrition and has probably been drawn
 down to provide some combat replacements. Moreover, we do not estimate
 
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