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It is a generally agreed upon theory within the Chaplain Corps that after the brigade UMT itself, the second most influential unit ministry team (UMT) in a brigade-sized element is the forward support battalion (FSB) UMT. Frequently, however, the FSB deploys without a full UMT or with a chaplain or chaplain assistant loaned from another unit. These temporary personnel have not bonded with the soldiers and the chain of command to the degree necessary for truly effective UMT operations, and the chaplain is likely new to the Army and on his first deployment. In order to mitigate the effects of these challenges and ensure the success of the FSB UMT, chaplains and chains of command can take definite actions during pre-deployment training, reception, staging, onward movement and integration (RSOI), and combat operations. The following TTP will enable UMTs to prepare well for actual deployment, as well as for an NTC rotation.
Pre-deployment Training
Successful deployment begins with home station networking. Good staff integration is virtually impossible on the move. The essential relationships that need to be developed between the chaplain and the command are built on trust over time. If time is short, the UMT must try to overcome lack of time with sheer force of personality. Personal introductions and initial "mind melding" with the battalion commander, CSM, XO, support operations officer, company commanders, and first sergeants need to be completed before deployment. The chaplain can obtain a snapshot of the battalion with proper use of the standard installation/division personnel system (SIDPERS) religious ad-hoc query report and personal participation in the soldier readiness process (SRP). The battalion S1 should become the chaplain's key ally, procuring the SIDPERS printout and establishing a UMT station during the SRP. The last element of basic networking is the initial team building with sister UMT personnel in the brigade. In the brigade support area (BSA), each battalion in the brigade will have tenant members in your area of operations. UMTs must know what is expected in each of these areas of responsibility. The leadership, the soldiers, and your ministry colleagues are vital extensions of pastoral care on the battlefield.
Successful deployment preparation continues during home station field training. The UMT works most closely with medical personnel and casualty care nodes on the battlefield. It is essential that the UMT understand the tactical basics of CASEVAC from point of injury to Level 2 casualty care. UMTs can coordinate with the medical company commander for training possibilities. The chaplain should participate fully in brigade-level chaplain field exercises or construct one himself. This training can focus on basic communication skills, land navigation exercises, and security demands in combat. Practical exercises with medical personnel and ministry colleagues provide arenas for honing the synchronization skills that combat will later demand.
Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration
The FSB UMT normally arrives in the theater of operations with sufficient ecclesiastical supplies for a 90-day operation. In addition to doing the proper PCC to ensure that required stocks are present, the chaplain and chaplain assistant must know relevant national stock numbers and ordering procedures. The tools of battlefield movement and survival are equally as important. Verify early during the RSOI process that supplies have arrived in country, but pay equal attention to the operational status of your vehicle. Have the right maps and know how to use the radio, precision lightweight global positioning system receiver (PLGR), and night vision devices that facilitate safe movement on the battlefield.
The FSB UMT normally arrives in the theater of operations with only cursory understanding of the history of the culture and history of the region. At the NTC, swift and proper introduction to key personnel during the RSOI process in the Republic of Mojavia is essential. This may occur during the scenario-driven host nation dignitary encounter or during localized stability and support operations (SASO) missions to surrounding towns such as El Grazio or Nelson Lake Mining Camp. The chaplain must know civil affairs doctrine and establish links to the brigade S5 and combat civil affairs team. The UMT should obtain and become familiar with the current white, gray, and black lists that denote pro-U.S., neutral, and anti-U.S. civilians.
The UMT annex in brigade and battalion operations orders is usually too generic or completely missing. Chaplains should participate to some degree in the brigade and battalion military decision making process (MDMP) in order to ensure inclusion of vital UMT information in plans and orders and to enable the UMT personnel to understand how their work fits into the larger picture. RSOI week, used wisely and productively, gives the UMT the opportunity to integrate into the brigade battle rhythm before combat operations begin.
Combat Operations
During combat operations, the UMT is expected to interpret and function as effectively as the infantry on the same multidimensional battlefield. UMTs have to be tactically proficient enough to safeguard themselves from battlefield hazards such as minefields and chemically contaminated areas, as well capture. Precision in planning, preparation, and execution of every mission is as essential for the UMT as it is for the infantry company. It is too late to learn common soldier skills in combat. Home station training, from sergeant's time to local field exercises, must be used to learn and hone those skills. The UMT must fully integrate into the battalion training calendar, as well as that of the post chaplain.
Even during deployment, UMTs continue to think of worship in terms of a normal peacetime chronology of Sunday services. Obviously, Sunday services are not always tactically feasible. The tactical environment forces the UMT to think unconventionally in order to provide quality worship opportunities around the unit mission. We tend to forget simple truths, such as the fact that commanders simply cannot allow a whole company to stand down at once for worship, or that congregating a dozen or more soldiers in one area without appropriate tactical dispersion is risking a mass casualty (MASCAL) from an enemy artillery strike. The challenge is to create meaningful ministry opportunities using unconventional methods such as FM prayers and devotionals, periodic UMT visits to squads and platoons, and person-to-person encounters.
UMTs tend to understand casualty ministry very well. They normally place themselves at critical junctures during battle. FSB UMTs are firmly dedicated to the Level 2 care facility. The area that challenges the FSB UMT is management of MASCAL chaos. Even though there is no way to fully prepare for the chaos of a MASCAL situation, clinical pastoral education (CPE) mitigates the effects. CPE focuses on the self-understanding of the clinical practitioner (the chaplain). Knowing our own limitations and strengths enables us to function under extreme stress so as not to become a combat liability. If we understand our limitations and strengths, we can also offer care to the caregivers.
Conclusion
The BCT requires the best effort of the Chaplain Corps. Proper assignment of FSB UMT personnel is essential. Assuming proper assignment of personnel, there are definite steps for successful deployment. Critical home station networking with unit personnel is the foundation. Proper understanding of the upcoming mission and the host country involved enables thorough planning and preparation for ministry contingencies. Our parish is ever changing and challenging in the brigade support area. The 24-hour operational tempo (OPTEMPO) of fix, fuel, and feed, coupled with the large number of casualties seen at Level 2 treatment (an average of 100 real and 340 multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES) casualties during a 14-day Mojavian campaign at the NTC) offer significant challenges to the FSB pastoral team. For the UMT serving God and country, the BSA is a vital area of combat ministry.
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