Border Command. The main headquarters for the Border Troops was Border Command (Kommando Grenztruppen) which was located in the town of Stendal. From there the Command oversaw the operations and logistical support of three, major subordinate commands. These subordinate Grenztruppen Commands, like most military organizations, were assigned specific geographic areas for which they were responsible.

Border Command North. This command was headquartered in Patz and its units patrolled the East/West German border (Landesgrenz). Border Command  North’s area of responsibility ran from the Baltic Sea to central Germany where it faced primarily elements of the British Army across the fence.

Border Command  South. The southern border command maintained its headquarters in Erfurt and its units were also stationed along East/West German border. Border Command South’s area picked up in central Germany and extended to the Czech border facing units of the U.S. Army.  

Border Command Central. While the Landesgrenz was covered by the North and South Commands, the responsibility for patrolling the Berlin Wall belonged to the Central Command. Not only did the command guard the 166 kilometers of wall ringing the city, but also manned the entry points into Berlin. In addition to the normal complement of border troop units, Command Central also commanded artillery and rocket units that would be used in the defense of East Berlin or for offensive operations into West Berlin.

Grenz VR Polen & Grenz CSSR. Often overlooked are the border units that guarded the less publicized borders. On the eastern frontier of East Germany two independent border regiments manned the Polish and Czech borders. Grenz VR Polen patrolled 456 kilometers of the border between Poland and East Germany, while  GrenzCSSR watched over the 430 kilometers of the shared border with Czechoslovakia. Unlike the western Landesgrenz, the border fortifications here were not as formidable and there were fewer restrictions for persons living near the border region. Although Poland and Czechoslovakia were fellow communist countries, a security presence was needed to deter unauthorized travel to both of the countries. Because travel restrictions were more lax there, East Germans would use Poland and Czechoslovakia as a means to slip across the less stringent guarded border between the Czechoslovakian and Austrian/West German borders. 

Coastal Border Brigade. Another little-known border unit was the Coastal Border Brigade (Grenzbrigade KUESTE). Headquartered in Patz, this naval unit was unique in that it was part of the East German Navy (Volksmarine), but fell under the operational control of the  Border Command. The brigade patrolled 310 kilometers of the East Germany's Baltic coastline, as well as providing patrol boats to cruise inland waterways around  Berlin and the Elbe and Seen rivers.  Working with local police, the Grenzbrigade KUESTE closely monitored coastal fishing, swimming, and boating, and were further assisted by laws that greatly reduced coastal activity after dark. In addition to looking for potential escapees at sea, the unit also conducted patrols along the beaches.