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LESSON 4

ORGANIZATION FOR COMBAT

OVERVIEW

LESSON DESCRIPTION: In this lesson you will learn the elements organic to a division base and task organization for combat.

Terminal Learning Objective:

INTRODUCTION

Fighting and winning battles and engagements remains the division's primary purpose. Divisions are organized to destroy the enemy. To do this, the division has a variety of weapon systems--tanks, antitank weapons, riflemen, field and air defense artillery, and sometimes, attack helicopters. Close air support is provided by the US Air Force. In order to destroy the enemy, the division must move. In order to move in the face of weapons in the hands of a capable enemy, the division must suppress the enemy's direct and indirect fire weapons, his target acquisition, and his EW systems. In order to move, suppress, and destroy the enemy, the arms and services of the division must work together. Jamming must complement the operation. The G3 is responsible for integrating EA with maneuver. The C-E officer (who is the signal battalion commander), G3, and G2 work together to avoid or minimize interference with friendly emitters. Jamming can only be effective for short periods of time, for the enemy will take evasive action or use countermeasures. The best way to suppress an enemy emitter interfering with friendly operations is to destroy it by fire, and so the division does not operate by employing separate units. If it were to do so, it could only bring to bear a fraction of its potential combat power against the enemy because the weakness of one weapon system would not be offset by the strength of another. This is why tanks, for example, are not normally used without infantry.

PART A: TASK ORGANIZATION FOR COMBAT

The difference between armored and mechanized divisions is in the mix of tank and mechanized battalions in each. An armored division has more tanks than mechanized battalions; while in a mechanized division, the opposite is the case. The differences are slight; however, both divisions have large amounts of mobile, armor-protected firepower. For this reason they are called heavy divisions. Tank and mechanized battalions are grouped by the division commander to fight under a brigade headquarters. A brigade may be tank heavy, mechanized heavy, or balanced, depending on the mission, enemy, terrain, and forces available. The brigade commander organizes for combat by grouping tanks and mechanized companies under a tank or mechanized battalion headquarters. This organization is called a battalion task force (BTF).

The BTF temporarily combines, tanks, mechanized infantry, tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire command sections, and support units. Led by the commander of either a tank or mechanized infantry headquarters, its combination of forces meets the brigade commander's concept of operation. The task force generally takes its name from the command and control element; for example, if the headquarters of the 1-77 Infantry Battalion (mechanized) is the command element, the task force is called Task Force 1-77. Other names are also possible such as the commander's name or other relevant term. In the organization of Army divisions, one feature is common to all divisions--each has a relatively fixed base called the division base (Figure 4-1). The division base consists of fixed command and control, combat, combat support, and CSS elements.

Figure 4-1. Division Base.

The command and control elements are the division headquarters and headquarters company. There is one brigade headquarters and headquarters companies in each of the three brigades, division artillery headquarters and headquarters battery, division support command HHC, and (in the air assault division only) the HHC of the aviation group. The division headquarters provides command and control for the division's organic, attached, or supporting units.

The headquarters company provides logistics support and personnel for the division headquarters and staff sections. The division combat support elements are the DIVARTY, an air defense artillery battalion, an engineer battalion, a signal battalion, a combat EW intelligence battalion, a nuclear, biological, chemical defense company, a military police company, and aviation element (an aviation battalion in the infantry, armored, mechanized, and airborne divisions, and an aviation group in the air assault division). The CSS element is the support command. The support command of the infantry, mechanized, and armored divisions includes a headquarters and headquarters company, a medical battalion, a maintenance battalion, a supply and transport battalion, an adjutant general company, and a finance company. The airborne and air assault division support commands are organized similarly, except that the airborne division support command has a supply company, and a quartermaster air equipment support company, instead of a supply and transport battalion. The air assault division support command has a supply battalion, and a transportation aircraft maintenance and supply battalion, instead of a supply and transport battalion.

When a division is first organized, it is tailored to the exact needs of the particular mission which it is intended. The number and types of the combat maneuver battalions assigned to a division, excluding the airborne and air assault divisions, are not fixed by TOE. The determination of the number, types, and proportion of maneuver battalions of a particular division is called tailoring. Making this determination before the deployment of a division to a particular AO is called strategic tailoring, and is accomplished by Department of the Army. Transferring units from one division to another by a higher field commander, such as a corps commander, or augmenting one division from non-divisional sources to meet a specific need is called tactical tailoring.

Grouping the combat maneuver elements (the combat maneuver battalions) of a division under the three brigade headquarters in the number and types appropriate to the specific mission of each brigade, is called organization for combat. The purpose of tailoring is to give the division and its subordinate units the optimum capability for performing an assigned mission. Tailoring permits flexibility at each command level because the maneuver elements initially assigned may later be detached from one unit and attached to another unit (cross-attachment) to accomplish a specific mission.

The only unit permanently assigned to the brigade is the brigade headquarters and headquarters company. The mission of a brigade HHC is to provide command and control and limited Army aviation support for its attached combat and combat support elements. The brigade headquarters also monitors administrative and logistical operations within the brigade to ensure continuous and logistical operations and continuous and adequate CSS. It is necessary for combat, CS, and CSS units to accomplish the brigade mission and are attached, under operational control (OPCON), or placed in support of the brigade. The brigade normally controls from two to five attached maneuver battalions. It can be employed in autonomous operations when properly organized for combat. As units are added to brigades and the division, the division support command is modified to meet changes in division supply, maintenance, and medical requirements.

Division Cavalry Battalion. The only combat element organic to the division base is the cavalry squadron which functions in a general support role. In the infantry, airborne, and air assault divisions, the squadron is an air cavalry squadron. In the armored and mechanized infantry divisions it is an armored cavalry squadron. The air cavalry squadron performs essentially the same mission as that performed by the armored cavalry squadron but is equipped with aircraft instead of armored vehicles. They perform reconnaissance and security for division operations. This assists the division commander to maneuver his brigades and battalions and attack the enemy at the most critical points. Additional combat elements organic to the airborne and air assault divisions include nine airborne infantry battalions in the airborne division and nine air assault battalions in the air assault division.

Aviation Brigade. The aviation brigade is a maneuver force of organic attack, air assault, reconnaissance, electronic warfare (EW), and general support aviation units. It can be tailored for virtually any combat, CS, and CSS operation. The brigade is most effective when its aerial forces concentrate at critical times or places to destroy units and exploit enemy vulnerabilities. The brigade extends the division capability to simultaneously strike the enemy throughout its depth and from multiple directions.

Figure 4-2. Maneuver Company Teams.

Military Police Company. The division military police company performs four primary roles in support of division operations. The first is battlefield circulation control, which includes route reconnaissance and surveillance. MPs also conduct area security-security of critical assets, special ammunition, personnel, units, and convoys. MPs conduct EPW and internee operations. They also conduct law and order missions, and this includes law enforcement, criminal investigation, and military prisoner confinement.

Division Chemical Company. The division chemical company is found in all divisions except light infantry. They reduce the effects of enemy NBC weapons and counters enemy sensor systems by using smoke and obscurants on division combat operations. Its primary focus is NBC reconnaissance, decontamination, and smoke generation.

Later in this lesson some of these same principles are applied to IEW units. The meaning of the four tactical missions will be explained in detail as they apply to IEW support and task organization. The concept of task organization does not stop at the BTF. The task force commander can form task organized companies called company teams. Usually the task force commander will be allocated from 6 to 12 platoons organized under two-to four-team headquarters. He decides how to allocate these components to the team headquarters during the formulation of his concept of the operation. Analyzing his mission, the enemy he expects to be up against and the terrain he will fight on, he decides the best mix of these components and how they will operate as teams. Consistent with the categorization of task forces, he thinks of using the basic components, as illustrated in Figure 4-2.

Since task organization is mission-dependent, it is not usually found in a static document. It is part of an OPLAN or OPORD, listed just before the first paragraph, or, if extensive, as an annex to the OPLAN/OPORD. Some units do have normal task organization specified by SOP, but even this organization would be specified in the OPLAN/OPORD if it is applicable. The SOP approach is more applicable to a training situation than combat where flexibility and frequent change are required

PART B: TACTICAL MISSIONS AND COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS

An understanding of the following four terms is essential to the concept of organization for combat:

• Organic. Those assets that form an integral part of a military organization. These assets are listed in a TOE and specify the personnel, materiel, and structuring of a unit.
• Assigned. A unit placed in an organization on a relatively permanent basis and controlled and administered for its primary function, or a greater part of its function, by the organization to which it is assigned. Such an organization controls, administers, and provides logistical support to units or personnel for the primary function, or greater portion of the functions, of the unit or personnel.
• Attached. Attachment places a unit under the temporary command and control of another unit. The directive establishing this relationship establishes specific terms of attachment such as the provision of CSS. The commander to whom the unit is attached exercises the same degree of command and control over the attached unit as over those units organic to the command. The responsibility for transfer and promotion of personnel will normally be retained by the parent formation, unit, or organization.
• OPCON. Places one unit under the control of another for its direction and employment. OPCON has about the same intent as attachment, but the controlling unit does not have responsibility for logistical and administrative support. OPCON does not permit the gaining commander to tailor the OPCON unit.

During IEW operations, MI assets are assigned standard tactical missions. Standard missions describe in detail the IEW support responsibilities for an MI unit. They also establish an MI unit's relationship to a supported force or another MI unit. Standard tactical missions do not affect the organizational structure or the command relationship that results from that structure. There are inherent responsibilities within each standard mission. The four standard tactical missions are:

• DS.
• GS.
• Reinforcing.
• GS-reinforcing.

An MI element in DS of a specific unit responds to the IEW requirements of that unit. The supported unit will identify its requirements through liaison elements, which will direct them to the MI element for execution. In addition to the primary response to the specified unit requirements, DS elements have a second priority--to respond to the needs of the force as a whole. A unit in DS has no command relationship with the supported unit and remains under the command and control of its MI chain of command.

An MI element in GS will provide support to the force as a whole and not to any particular subordinate unit. It responds to the requirements of the force commander, as tasked by the MI unit TOC. The IEW capabilities of MI units or staff sections are extended by MI units reinforcing other MI units.

An MI element assigned a GS-reinforcing mission is required to respond first to the IEW requirements of the force as a whole and then to reinforce the activities of another specified MI element as a second priority. The GS reinforcing mission gives the force commander the flexibility needed to meet the changing tactical situation.

Reinforcing MI units remain under the command of the MI commander assigning the reinforcing mission, while OPCON is retained by the MI unit or staff sections being reinforced. The reinforcing mission permits increased support to specific maneuver units without giving up complete control of MI assets to the supported elements. The following matrix (Table 3) illustrates these responsibilities as applied to the four standard IEW missions.

MI commanders must assure uninterrupted IEW support by organizing their units in such a way as to ensure the smooth transition from current to future operations. The MI commander does not hold resources in reserve. Immediate responsiveness to the force commander's priorities demands the MI commander organize MI elements with a mix of assets that provide complete support to the maneuver force. Future operations are facilitated by:

• Using on-order missions.
• Providing a comprehensive CSS package.
• Dispersion of units to provide survivability from chemical and nuclear attacks.
• Detailed SOPs that provide flexibility.

Through asset distribution, the MI commander rapidly organizes for combat and readjusts the organization as the tactical situation changes. Shifting assets between command structures creates a mix of MI assets immediately responsive to the force commander's maneuver plan.

Divisional brigades have no organic IEW resources other than the staff sections and the brigade Battlefield Information Coordination Center (BICC). To meet requirements, the brigade commander relies on assigned battalions and support provided by the divisional MI battalion. This support may include an IEW support element from the S3 section headquarters, headquarters, and operations company, a surveillance platoon, an EW platoon, and CI and interrogation teams.

Divisional MI battalion commanders must establish control measures for MI resources deployed in brigade areas but not assigned or attached to the brigades. The degree of control required depends on the number and diversity of the MI resources operating in each area. When sufficient numbers are deployed, IEW company teams are formed to provide the required control. In addition to the operational elements, battalion communication, maintenance, and food service resources deployed and operating in the brigade area are included in its IEW company team.

Figure 4-3. A Type IEW Company Team

NOTE: There is no standard organization for an IEW company team. The formation and organization of each company team is dependent solely upon the resources operating in the brigade area at any given time. The formation of a IEW company team in one brigade area does not mean IEW company teams will be formed in the other brigade areas. Figure 4-3 depicts one method of organizing a IEW company team based on the MI resources operating in the brigade area. If the company team is formed, the only elements normally part of the IEW company team are the company headquarters and the IEW support element. All other elements shown may or may not be present. In addition, all GS resources operating in the IEW company team area will be attached to the IEW company team for command and control. The headquarters element of the EW, I&S, and service support companies can provide the command and control element for the MI IEW company teams.

When the brigade is held in reserve, the EW platoon, the surveillance platoon, the CI team, and the interrogation team that normally support it may be placed in GS of the division, or may be placed OPCON to another brigade. Under these circumstances, it is preferable to deploy the reserve brigade's platoons in the general area where the brigade is expected to be committed. When the brigade is committed, the battalion S3 changes the mission of the platoons to provide for support to the brigade.