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The brigade commander has just authorized his infantry battalion task force to cross the line of departure (LD). Approximately 30 minutes after LD, the lead infantry company reports contact and is receiving heavy fire. The task force commander instructs the lead infantry company to occupy a support-by-fire position, ordering the follow-on armor company to bound along the infantry company’s eastern flank and counterattack into the enemy’s flank. As the armor company moves into the attack position, all the tank commanders report that they are red on fuel and water. At the same time, the infantry company reports black on ammunition.
An analysis would surely reveal multiple leadership and management failures, from the infantry and armor company leadership to the brigade S4 and the forward support battalion (FSB) support operations officer, caused the critical supply shortages noted above. Because the FSB supply company commander is directly responsible for everything the company does or fails to do, what might the company commander have done to prevent such catastrophic supply shortfalls? What follows are doctrinally grounded recommendations for success in supply operations focusing on the areas of synchronization, SOPs, force protection, terrain management, commander's critical information requirements (CCIR), situational awareness, and the NTC preparation for combat fundamentals (colloquially known as the “Big 7”). While the focus is the divisional FSB supply company, the recommendations apply to direct support (DS) and general support (GS) supply companies all along the length and breadth of the battlefield.
Synchronization: Synchronization is probably the single most important enabler for smooth supply operations and also the area that the supply company commander has the least amount of control over. To forestall conflicts in the areas of logistical status (LOGSTAT) timelines, main support battalion (MSB)/corps support battalion (CSB) re-supply convoy windows, supported unit logistics package (LOGPAC) issue windows, and internal company operations, the company commander must play a role in support concept development, serving as the link between the support operations officer and the company operating elements.
SOP: The company TACSOP standardizes re-occurring events, delineating details that tell leaders and soldiers what is required of them for a particular event. Clear task and purpose are the cornerstones of both internal and external SOPs, which are particularly important to the supply company due to the plethora of augmentees they receive from the supporting MSB or CSB. Augmentee integration is a process that must begin as early as possible once the task organization is set.
Force protection: Units should have clearly defined priorities of work in the TACSOP, striking a balance between mission support and defensive preparation tasks. Soldiers should be equipped with the proper tools to successfully man listening post (LP)/observation posts (OPs), such as a map, sector sketch, binoculars, and night vision devices with sufficient batteries. Fighting positions must be constructed to graphic training aid (GTA) standards and proofed by leaders to ensure they are safe. Weapon systems need to be properly staked and annotated on a sector sketch with accurate azimuths so leaders can ensure adjacent friendly units are not in the surface danger zone of that weapon system. Nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) detection equipment needs to be placed immediately upwind at proper distances and tested. Pre-deployment NBC training must enable soldiers to recognize symptoms in addition to verbal commands or alarms. Soldiers need to be able to properly react and achieve proper mission oriented protective posture (MOPP) level, treat for injuries, properly detect and report to higher, and conduct unmasking. Properly erected triple strand wire slows the advance of a Level 1 threat, the supply company’s most likely adversary. In addition to the wire, camouflage screening helps disguise and protect critical high pay-off targets (such as fuel tankers).
Terrain management: The commander or executive officer (XO) must work closely with the battalion S3 on resourcing the proper amount of ground within the brigade support area (BSA) for LOGPAC and re-supply operations. The company layout should follow a logical sequence so that the maneuver task force support platoons can quickly and efficiently drop their trash and residue and upload the required classes of supply. Poor traffic flow delays the critical supplies from making their destination in time to positively affect the fight. The supply company needs a large open area that supports the flow of large trucks and the movement of material handling equipment (MHE). The supply company commander and the FSB S3 should determine the best location for the LOGPAC gate as near to the key logistics nodes as possible. Each tenant unit should have a diagram of the supply company area to aid in LOGPAC operations.
Commander’s Critical Information Requirements (CCIR): The company commander should use the battalion CCIR as a guide in formulating logical and specific CCIR for his own subordinate elements. What must the commander know in order to accomplish the mission and save lives?
Situational awareness: Poor situational awareness costs lives and assets. Company command post personnel must be proficient at radio procedures and record keeping. The XO must ensure that current graphics are obtained, posted, and updated. The 1SG must ensure that internal and external communications are established early in the priority of work and maintained well. Command post personnel must give a pre-departure brief on NBC hazards, minefields, obstacles, and enemy activity to all soldiers before they embark on missions.
Preparation for combat (the NTC “Big 7”): The following are excellent mechanisms for ensuring that the company chain of command properly plans, resources, and supervises the soldiers.
Operations Order (OPORD): An OPORD must follow the standard five-paragraph format. The OPORD needs to include specific task and purpose to subordinates with clear commander's intent. It must be detailed enough to enable platoon and squad leaders to successfully execute IAW a specified timeline. At a minimum, issue a verbal five-paragraph order to keep subordinates informed.
Time management: Provide your subordinate leaders the maximum amount of time to accomplish the mission. Follow the 1/3 – 2/3 rule.
Pre-Combat Checks/ Pre-Combat Inspections (PCC/PCI): Develop check lists for routine operations as well as specific jobs. These checklists should be as thorough as possible and included in the TACSOP. Checklists can be developed for convoy operations, LP/OP operations, reconnaissance patrols, team leaders, squad leaders, section sergeants, platoon sergeants, and platoon leaders. The key to success for PCC/PCI checklists is first line leader follow-up.
Rehearsals: Time available and tactical situation determine the type of rehearsal conducted. Some type of rehearsal should be done for every operation. The more battle drills you can establish, train your soldiers on, and incorporate in the TACSOP, the more routine they will become for your soldiers.
Boresight: Giving your soldiers confidence in their weapons and ensuring that their weapons will properly function at the critical time on the battlefield are extremely important to battlefield success. Leaders need to ensure that they properly resource the soldiers to fire and maintain their weapons. Soldiers should zero their weapons, execute coordinated test fires, and continually conduct primary marksmanship instruction (PMI).
Graphics: The most important task for a command post (CP) is to maintain situational awareness. Good battle tracking allows the leadership to monitor the battle as it develops and anticipate logistical requirements. In order to properly track the fight, a CP needs to have a map board posted with graphic overlays. These overlays include the operational graphics, enemy situation template (SITEMP), obstacles, combat service support (CSS) graphics, and set of friendly forces. The CSS graphics at a minimum should include main supply routes (MSRs), combat trains command post (CTCP), field trains battalion aid stations (BAS), ambulance transfer points (AXPs), all classes of supply locations, unit maintenance collection points (UMCPs), the BSA, and save-plan locations.
Risk management: Risk management starts at the squad leader level. No one knows better the day-to-day hazards associated with their section job than the first line leaders, who must articulate them (along with recommended risk mitigation measures) to the chain of command. This risk management must be approved at the appropriate level and briefed to all leaders. The risks should be re-validated daily and new risks added or elevated to the top for a change in any mission. Leaders should enforce the standards and ensure compliance. Bottom line – risk management should be fed from the bottom up.
Attention to the areas of synchronization, SOPs, force protection, terrain management, CCIR, situational awareness, and the NTC preparation for combat fundamentals (known as the “Big 7”) will significantly enhance the chances of mission success and soldier survival on the 21st Century battlefield.
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