Military

D-1. There exists an infinite amount of detail concerning events on the battlefield. Improving battlefield C⁴I capability enables ADA CPs to gather more and more of it. Combat information is that information which can affect the unit mission. It can be very tangible (e.g. the location of a specific enemy unit) or intangible (the effectiveness of enemy doctrine and training). It can be very perishable or can be a constant of the ongoing campaign. Failure to detect, process, and present combat information for a decision is equivalent to bypassing a large enemy unit. Battle staffs must rehearse, train, and war game operations to identify potential combat information requirements and means to process them rapidly.

D-2. The commander identifies his information requirements during the planning process. These include priority intelligence requirements (PIRs), commander's critical information requirements (CCIRs), and essential elements of friendly information (EEFI). There are three types of information which contribute to the overall situation awareness in the ADA CP. The type of combat information affects how it is refined and processed by the ADA brigade staff.

D-3. Routine information is the standard, repetitive information essential for daily unit operations. It is used in the development of staff estimates and is useful in identifying trends and potential problems. It is not time sensitive and is normally passed through staff channels on a recurring basis as prescribed in the unit SOP. Routine information must be relevant to the mission; otherwise, it is not combat information. The battle staff must closely review all routine information requirements against this standard to ensure that subordinate units are not being burdened with nonessential reporting requirements.

D-4. This information directly affects current operations and is thus time sensitive. It is situational dependent but largely predictable based on established branches and sequels. The commander articulates what information he must know in terms of CCIRs. These may be published in the OPORD and are applicable only to the commander who establishes them. CCIRs are used by the staff to develop recommended PIRs, which affect how the commander sees the enemy. They also affect development of EEFI, which identify priority combat information items concerning friendly operations that must be denied to the enemy. The specification of critical information focuses the staff on its information management tasks and the commander on his critical decisions.

D-5. Exceptional information is specific, immediate, and vital information that directly affects the success of the current operation. It is usually tied to an unforeseen event, which either presents an opportunity for success or poses a grave threat to the operation. It is automatically a CCIR and must be handled first by the commander before operations can continue. This information must get to the commander as soon as possible by any means available. By definition, it cannot be anticipated; therefore, a key training task for battle staffs is identifying and processing exceptional combat information.

D-6. The commander has four basic questions concerning combat information. The ADA brigade DCO is responsible as the chief of staff to supervise the staff effort in answering these questions.

D-7. The answer to this question initiates the decision process. To the extent that the information is triggered by a predictable event, the AMD plan should identify it as a decision point. The AMD decision support matrix described in Appendix B thus becomes an essential tool in managing combat information. Combat information is not always tied to a discrete battlefield event; however, it can often become apparent as a trend. Reporting requirements, combat AARs, and operations summaries are crucial to capturing these trends so that they may be acted on.

D-8. Raw data does not become useful as combat information until its impact on the operation is assessed. Sometimes this impact is obvious to the commander; other times, the impact only becomes apparent with staff analysis.

D-9. This is the course of action development and analysis process. Sometimes it is accomplished in minutes by the commander himself; other times, it requires detailed staff analysis.

D-10. The staff processes combat information and presents it to the commander for decision. This requires information to be reported to the CP, distributed to all elements that it may affect, prioritized for analysis, and maintained as a combat information product. Procedures for this must be detailed in unit SOPs and battle staff training programs.

D-11. The ADA brigade SOP must specify the format and elements of information to be reported. Reporting requirements must be based on a close analysis of the combat information requirements of the brigade so as not to overburden subordinate CPs.

D-12. Both the brigade reporting requirements and the CP internal SOP must establish priorities for acting on information. These should tie the types of information outlined above to specific reporting timelines.

D-13. Decentralized execution relies on decentralized combat information. The ADA brigade establishes standard distribution schemes for each item of potential combat information. The staff must apply the "who else should know" standard to all information. It is acceptable for the battle staff to over inform on all but the most sensitive information. The advanced automation support of the ADA brigade and battalion CPs will significantly improve this capability.

D-14. Processed combat information must be packaged for decision. Routine information can be disseminated to affected headquarters and stored for future use. CCIR products should be continually and immediately available to the commander and should preferably be displayed in the CP. Exceptional information is not normally processed, but given straight to the commander.

D-15. Specific procedures for management of combat information will depend on the desires of the commander and the situation of the unit. These procedures must be planned in advance and trained in command post exercises and staff drills. COMSEC regulations describe the procedures for originating and using codes.

D-16. The combat information plan drives the staff activity in the ADA brigade CP. Information received must be processed and promptly acted upon.

D-17. A key event within the CP for synchronizing the information flow is the update briefing to the commander. This briefing is not an administrative staff meeting, but a highly structured battle staff drill. Its purpose is to update the commander on the status of his CCIR, PIR, and EEFI, and to answer his five questions regarding them.

D-18. Refinement of routine information is an ongoing staff process. Critical and exceptional information requires streamlined and rehearsed staff procedures to provide the commander with his decision options. Standardized and rehearsed staff drills ensure this. In many cases, these procedures will be abbreviated staff estimates. Within each battle staff section, however, there must also be standardized actions so that information does not languish. Figure D-1 outlines a sample of a staff drill for the brigade S4.

D-19. Shift changes in the CP are information "battle hand-offs". They must be accomplished quickly, completely, and with a minimum of confusion. If necessary, shift change times should be staggered within staff sections so that CP operations are not interrupted. Shift change briefings must be structured to cover all CCIRs, the current situation, and any changes to the plan or commanders intent.

D-20. The purpose of information displays in the CP is to keep the commander continuously aware of the status of his information requirements and to focus the staff effort in providing this information. The layout of CP displays and the format of each display should be organized in close coordination with the commander to ensure that his information requirements are met. Information should be directly based on PIRs, CCIRs, mission guidance, and the status of mission accomplishment. Routine information should only be displayed by exception. Information should be readable from where the commander sits. Wherever possible, CP displays should show combat information products, rather than raw information. For example, unit status should be displayed in terms of combat effectiveness ratings (RED, AMBER, GREEN, BLACK) based on predetermined criteria rather than raw data such as missiles on hand or POL gallons on hand.

D-21. Command is normally effected from the S2/S3 cell within the ADA brigade CP. All information affecting the current operation must be available in the S2/S3 cell, though many items may be tracked in more detail in the S1/S4 cell or the FDC. S2/S3 cell displays should include CCIRs related to the unit mission, the current battlefield geometry, the status of mission execution, and the status of force protection/ survivability.

D-22. Mission displays should show the unit essential tasks and the intent of the brigade commander and higher headquarters one and two levels up. For general reference, the designation of the orders in effect should be listed, particularly when the higher headquarters publishes numerous fragmentary orders. Orders displays include the order number of the current brigade and higher headquarters OPORD, FRAGO, ACO, and SAM tactical order (as applicable). DST generated by higher headquarters, adjacent headquarters, and the brigade itself are key execution documents and should be displayed. A DST graphically portrays how unit or battlefield activities are connected and where decisions are required.

D-23. These displays should show the commander spatial relationships which affect how he fights the brigade. First among these should be a terrain map. Command and control graphics should be displayed as necessary, including ground control measures, FSCL, boundaries, and objectives. ADA brigade units should be displayed on the map to the level at which they are tracked in the CP. These are usually the HIMAD fire unit and SHORAD platoon. The enemy situation should be displayed on the operations map wherever possible. Command posts and adjacent units that affect ADA brigade operations should be displayed on the operations map.

D-24. These displays show the progress of current operations and should include unit operational status, mission changes, decisions made or pending, adjacent/higher unit information, significant activities, and actions working. The DST developed by the brigade planners becomes a key execution tool for the S2/S3 cell. The S2/S3 cell may display an execution matrix to show how the DST is being executed as planned or modified. The execution matrix can serve not only as an updated DST, but also as a record of significant events. In the example below, key execution events are portrayed visually over a 24-hour period, including when units moved, arrived, became operational, and had significant AMD engagements or air battles. Figure D-2 depicts an execution matrix.

D-25. Force protection displays should show the status of units, capabilities, and events that affect the survivability status or force protection posture of the ADA brigade. Examples include the MOPP status, rear battle threat level, and NBC events.

D-26. Sustainment is the focus of the S1/S4 cell. As in the S2/S3 cell, information displays in the S1/S4 cell are tied to the primary effort of weapons system sustainment, unit sustainment, and soldier sustainment.

D-27. These displays track the sustainment status of weapon systems, critical items, and units. Sustainment status displays should focus on the six logistics functions of FUEL-ARM-FIX-MAN-MOVE and soldier sustainment. Specific information (e.g., numbers of missiles on hand) should be displayed by exception. Movement coordination, including air movement and airlift, involves significant coordination with many support agencies. Movement status displays should track the progress of this coordination. Personnel status displays should orient on the bottom line personnel status by unit. KIA/WIA events and priority shortages may also be displayed. Significant recent CSS events should be displayed.

D-28. The S1/S4 cell should have a tactical map that shows spatial relationships affecting transportation and resupply operations. Critical CSS nodes, routes, and facilities may be displayed.