diff --git a/docs/reference/UDS Core/functional-layers.md b/docs/reference/UDS Core/functional-layers.md
index ef5fa878d6..30f013723c 100644
--- a/docs/reference/UDS Core/functional-layers.md	
+++ b/docs/reference/UDS Core/functional-layers.md	
@@ -46,3 +46,44 @@ packages:
     repository: ghcr.io/defenseunicorns/packages/uds/core-backup-restore
     ref: 0.29.0-upstream
 ```
+
+## Layer Selection
+
+Layer selection will always be deployment-specific but below are guidelines for what layers to consider for your deployment.  The layers marked with a cross (†) are those needed to follow the [Big Bang Conformant Stack](https://repo1.dso.mil/big-bang/product/bbtoc/-/blob/master/policy/conformance.md?ref_type=heads) though if you are not bound by that document, UDS Core Base is the only *technical* layer required to install most UDS Packages.
+
+| UDS Core Layers | Selection Criteria |
+|----------------|--------------------|
+| Runtime Security†*         | Provides more advanced security with runtime inspection <br/> *(install if resources allow and more advanced security is desired)* |
+| Monitoring†*                | Provides frontend log / metrics monitoring and alerting <br/> *(install if resources allow and more advanced debugging is desired)* |
+| Backup and Restore         | Allows volumes and k8s objects to be backed up and restored <br/> *(install if deployment provides critical data or must maintain state)* |
+| Identity and Authorization† | Provides authentication and authorization functionality <br/>*(install if deployment requires an auth mechanism (i.e. direct user login))*  |
+| Logging†                   | Provides backend log storage and log shipping capabilities <br/> *(install if the deployment requires log aggregation and shipping)* |
+| Metrics Server†**          | Provides metrics collection capabilities (req of UDS Runtime) <br/> *(install if the cluster does not provide its own metrics server)* |
+| Base†                      | Provides the base for all other functional layers <br/> *(required for all "UDS" deployments and all other functional layers)* |
+
+:::note
+*The Monitoring and Runtime Security layers provide user login and therefore require the Identity and Authorization layer.
+:::
+
+:::note
+**The Metrics Server layer provides a metrics server if your cluster does not deploy metrics server itself.  If your cluster does provide its own metrics server deployment ensure that you do NOT enable this layer.
+:::
+
+| UDS Add-ons* | Selection Criteria |
+|------------|--------------------|
+| UDS UI           | Provides a common operating picture for a Kubernetes cluster and UDS deployments <br/> *(install if you would like to have an easy-to-use window into your cluster/deployments)* |
+| UDS Registry     | Provides a storage location for UDS components and mission applications <br/> *(install if you would like to be able to easily store and view the software available in your environment)* |
+| UDS Remote Agent | Allows for more advanced remote cluster management / deployment <br/> *(install if you would like to manage UDS deployments from more advanced clients than UDS CLI)* |
+
+:::note
+*UDS Add-ons are not part of the open-source platform but are also not required to maintain / operate a UDS deployment.  They provide additional functionality to streamline the deployment, monitoring, and management of the deployment for the given organization.
+:::
+
+| UDS Core Pre-Requisites* | Selection Criteria |
+|--------------------------|--------------------|
+| UDS Package Minio Operator | Provides storage for the Logging and Backup and Restore layers <br/> *(install after core base but before logging/backup and restore if selected)* |
+| UDS Package MetalLB        | Provides a simple LoadBalancer implementation <br/> *(install after Zarf init and before UDS Core Base)* |
+
+:::note
+*You may need to deploy pre-requisite packages that are not a part of UDS Core's layers if you are on prem or in an edge scenario - usually cloud deployments will have their own offerings to provide these services which we recommend to use instead.
+:::