Military

MDMP encourages thoroughness, clarity, judgement, logic, and professional knowledge to reach a decision. If done properly, the result is a coordinated, integrated, and synchronized operation. The MDMP minimizes the risk of overlooking critical aspects of an operation.

Let's examine how signal integrates with a maneuver unit's MDMP by discussing some common pitfalls in signal planning. Remember, RETRANS planning is a sub-component of signal planning.

The commander's guidance lacks detail (Step 15 of Mission Analysis).

After the staff completes its mission analysis brief, the commander provides the staff with enough additional guidance (preliminary decisions) to focus staff activities in planning the operation. By doctrine, the commander's guidance identifies decisive points, addresses courses of action to consider or not consider, and contains both initial Commander's Critical Information Requirements (CCIR) and reconnaissance guidance. Most commander's guidance is fairly detailed. In-depth commander's guidance allows the staff to complete the plan more quickly and efficiently. However, commander's guidance often lacks detail in the area of command and signal.

If the commander does not like to issue command post (CP) positioning guidance or address the position of the commander during his commander's guidance, the S6 should request this information. At a minimum, the S6 will need to understand the commander's intent on CP location, function, capabilities, and succession of command. In many maneuver units the S6 writes Paragraph 5 (Command and Signal) of the operations order, and he will need this basic information to write that paragraph. Without it, he will be unable to support course of action (COA) development, and will probably end up trying to hastily integrate command and control (C2) and RETRANS into the operation just prior to orders production.

Often during the commander's guidance (following the mission analysis briefing) the commander will say, "SIGO, make sure we deploy the RETRANS." While this is doctrinally correct, determining retransmission requirements should normally be a product of COA development. Most maneuver commanders do not provide commander's guidance in sufficient detail to address integration of retransmission assets, and are not familiar enough with signal capabilities and limitations to employ RETRANS assets.

Signal COA development not integrated into maneuver COA development (Step 3 and 4 of COA development).

After receiving the commander's guidance, the staff develops COAs for analysis and comparison. Doctrinally, there are six steps in COA development: Analyze relative combat power; Generate options; Array initial forces; Develop scheme of maneuver; Assign headquarters, and Prepare COA statements and sketches. The scheme of maneuver provides depth to the battle and governs the design of supporting plans or annexes. Signal COA development should be integrated into maneuver COA development. Want to know why?

• The MDMP is a juggernaut. If you do not conduct signal COA development during maneuver COA development, the process will be too far along to catch up later.

• COA development is fatal. Why do we say "fatal?" Because once all of the COA statements and COA sketches are completed, your unit will fight one of those COAs. Doctrine states that a COA can be discarded during wargaming, but reality states that the S6 does not have the horsepower to discard a COA during wargaming. If a given COA is not feasible for command and signal, it must be identified during COA development. After that you may be stuck with it.

• Allocation of space and resources are often implied during maneuver COA development. The earlier you reserve assets, the better.

CP locations and RETRANS sites do not appear on the COA sketch (Step 6 of COA development).

COA statements and COA sketches are the final products of COA development. The COA statement must clearly portray how the unit will accomplish the mission and explain the scheme of maneuver. The sketch provides a picture of the maneuver aspects of the COA. Together the statement and sketch cover who (generic task organization), what (tasks), when, where, how (method), and why (purpose) for each subordinate unit. They also highlight any significant risks and where they occur. The COA sketch should include location of command posts (required by doctrine) and RETRANS sites (see FM 101-5-1, Operational Terms and Graphics, Chapter 4, page 4-22, for a RETRANS station's graphic symbol). If RETRANS sites are not on the COA sketch, then RETRANS operations will probably be overlooked or insufficiently examined during COA analysis (wargaming).

This section will address considerations that influence the RETRANS plan. In developing the RETRANS COA, the S6 should consider each of the following areas.

Be the Enemy

The position of your RETRANS should be unpredictable. If you try to put your RETRANS team in the optimal location, you will probably encounter the maximum number of enemy. The enemy analyzes the battlefield and researches where they believe your command and control (C2) nodes will be positioned. There is some risk in using an electronically marginal location, but the benefit is that the enemy is less likely to template that location as a RETRANS/C2 site. Somewhat degraded C2 is better than no C2.

When planning for RETRANS team employment, maintain your focus on the enemy situation. Epic battles have been fought over a single piece of high ground; the fight for a RETRANS site could be harder than the fight for the objective.

To remote site or not to remote site -- that is the question.

Co-locating a RETRANS team with another asset is generally a good idea. Notice that it is generally a good idea. A RETRANS team in a light infantry brigade headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) has two personnel by the modified table of organization and equipment (MTOE). They will have difficulty defending against anything larger than a Level I threat. RETRANS teams should avoid engagements: "Hide with Pride" should be the motto of all RETRANS teams. In many cases, teaming up with another asset is the only way to survive. Co-locating the RETRANS team also eases logistic problems such as casualty evacuation. Have you ever tried to evacuate a casualty single-handedly? A drawback in co-locating a RETRANS team is that you have little control over the assets with them. Consider a friendly asset carefully: it may be an enemy high-payoff target (HPT). The RETRANS team could suffer significant collateral damage. The Q-36 radar will be well defended, but it is also an enemy magnet. Find another neighbor!

Always remember that the conditions that require you to employ RETRANS will probably apply to other units in the combat team. Who else will need to use RETRANS to support this operation? Can you co-locate your RETRANS team with theirs? The daily S6 conference call is a great opportunity to synchronize RETRANS team missions.

How do I get there from here?

While a RETRANS team can "Hide With Pride," it cannot hide during tactical movement. RETRANS teams generally incur increased risk when they are on the move. How do you mitigate this risk? First, remember that any time your RETRANS team leaves an approved route, you are now embarking on a route clearance operation. Most RETRANS teams are not trained for route clearance. You will have to work closely with the S2 and the staff engineer to manage the risk if your team leaves an approved route. Second, even if your team is traveling on an approved route, make sure you know the last time the route was "proofed" (confirmed to be clear). This means knowing the last time that vehicles successfully navigated that route without an ambush or mine strike. Teams are encouraged to map every mine strike that occurred on the route in the last 72 hours (minimum), and track the time those strikes occurred (pattern analysis). An armed escort is mandatory; three cargo HMMWVs (high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle) with two personnel per vehicle and no crew-served weapons is not "armed." Air insertion of RETRANS teams is another proven technique, especially for dismounted teams, but you should carefully explore the signature of the insertion method and all of the logistics requirements.

There's no place like home.

Don't forget recovery of the team after the mission is complete! A remote RETRANS team in an isolated area with no access may enjoy excellent survivability. Ensure that you build recovery of RETRANS assets into your plan. In some situations, the recovery of the teams may be so difficult that it will cause you to change the rest of the plan. The RETRANS plan is not complete until it includes recovery or exfiltration of the team.

Semper gumby

Plan for alternate sites. Mother Nature and the enemy will exercise their right to vote. Notice that we said plan. Simply identifying a second location is not a plan. You have to consider movement, force protection, logistics, and operations security (OPSEC) for the alternate site. All of these considerations may be significantly different at the alternate location. Establish conditions to trigger movement to the alternate site, and ensure that both the team chief and the approving authority understand those conditions.

Slumber party massacre

Soldiers at a remote site will have to sleep. A non-doctrinal technique often used at remote RETRANS sites is to "Sleep Away" from the vehicle. Some units even set up an ambush on their own RETRANS vehicle. Another technique employed at remote RETRANS sites is the "One 31U RETRANS team." It only takes one 31U combat communicator to establish communications at a RETRANS site; some units will fill the remainder of the team with 11Bs (Infantrymen). A benefit of this technique is that if the RETRANS team is compromised and destroyed, you do not lose all of your 31Us, a low-density military occupational specialty (MOS) in an infantry unit.

When is the last time you talked with your RETRANS team? Or do you know your team is dead?

Unfortunately, once a RETRANS team deploys from the TOC, they are usually "alone and unafraid" on the battlefield. S6s and communications chiefs do not think through C2 of their team. A proven technique is to ensure that your team deploys with formats for standard reports, a report schedule, and an AN/PRC-119 radio (man-pack SINCGARS). The team submits scheduled reports and SALUTE reports by using the AN/PRC-119 across their own RETRANS equipment. Sure, the team will clog the net for a few seconds while they make their report, but using a format will dramatically reduce the time they are on the net. This technique is especially important if the team is RETRANSing from frequency hop to single channel (you can't hear traffic at the RETRANS in this mode). The additional AN/PRC-119 gives the team a spare radio, and it is a great tool for testing their equipment. The current trend at JRTC is that the S6 only gets a "report" from the RETRANS team when it stops working. The reason for outage: enemy contact is not a good thing.

Don't leave home without it .

A RETRANS team needs a Precision Lightweight Ground Positioning System (GPS) Receiver (PLGR). The team may navigate like Lewis and Clark at Home Station, but they will need a PLGR anywhere else in the world. Actually, Lewis and Clark were lost most of the time. Given the choice, they would have taken a PLGR. Make sure the RETRANS team takes one.

Bring jumper cables. Vehicles are relatively common on the battlefield. Jumper cables are not. Live soldiers with dead vehicles soon end up dead.

Should you bring an automated net control device (ANCD)? Yes, if you want to keep communicating. If you run the RETRANS vehicle's batteries down with the radios running, you will lose your communications security (COMSEC) fills. We recommend that you have one team member carry the ANCD, while a second team member carries the cryptographic ignition key (CIK). Ensure that your team has solid over-the-air-rekey (OTAR) skills and uses the cue and man frequencies.

Deploy your RETRANS team with a "risk kit." A suggestion is a spare OE-254 feed cone, spare co-axial cable, spare RETRANS cable (CX-13298), spare handsets, and other goodies. Remember that any two SINCGARS radio-transmitters (RTs) with a RETRANS cable can function as a RETRANS. Order a RETRANS cable for each dual long-range SINGARS radio system (AN/VRC-92) on your unit's MTOE.

A combat lifesaver (CLS) with a complete -- read inventoried -- CLS bag is mandatory. Pay attention to Class VIII. Packing additional saline bags is a good idea. Ditto for calamine lotion. A team member who is allergic to bee stings must have a bee sting kit or risk derailing the RETRANS operation. He may also die.

Estimate enough Class I for the operation and double it. Never deploy a RETRANS team with less than five days of supply (DOS) of Class I and water.

FM 11-43, The Signal Leader's Guide, has a great checklist for RETRANS employment. Conduct an inspection by Troop Leading Procedures (GTA 7-1-38) and include a backbrief and rehearsal (react to contact, CASEVAC, react to mine strike). Require the RETRANS team to set up their OE-254s and pre-combat check (PCC) equipment in system prior to deploying.

When SINCGARS RETRANS planning is integrated into the MDMP, the chance of successfully accomplishing the RETRANS operation greatly increases. Whether they realize it or not, the other officers on the battle staff will accept RETRANS team employment as a combat operation. This assertion applies to both combat missions and stability and support operations (SASO).

Become familiar with FM 11-32, Combat Net Radio Operations, FM 11-43, The Signal Leader's Guide, and FM 101-5, Staff Organization and Operations. FM 11-43 is especially good because it will help you with site selection (Chapter 5, Section III), tactical movement (Chapter 5, Section II), and signal site security (Chapter 5, Section IV). Your own soldiers will clue you in on TTPs not found in the manuals, such as covering the head of a sledgehammer with empty sand bags so that you do not have metal-to-metal contact while pounding in antenna stakes.

A final disclaimer: This article is intended to be a RETRANS operations primer, not the definitive work on the subject. Intentionally left out was a discussion of some important battle staff members, such as the fire support officer (no fire areas and fire support planning) and air defense artillery officer (enemy air avenues of approach), and the importance of a SINCGARS equipment matrix. Ladies and gentlemen, start your wargaming.

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* The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of the JRTC Signal Team: MAJ Thomas Hood, CPT Roger McDonald, SFC Rafael Gonzalez, SFC Daniel Padilla, and SFC Jaudon White.