rear echelon
noun
(in a military operation) the troops, officers, etc., removed from the combat zone and responsible for administration, matériel, etc.
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Nearby words
reappraise, rear, rear adm., rear admiral, rear deck, rear echelon, rear end, rear its ugly head, rear light, rear projection, rear sight
Compare forward echelon.
Origin of rear echelon
First recorded in 1930–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019