Rehearsals: A Key to Success
by CPT Gary M. Brito, Doctrine Division, Fort Benning, GA
Recent observations from Observer Controllers (OCs) at the National Training Center (NTC) detail widespread weaknesses at all echelons in the conduct of rehearsals. While leaders accept the logic that rehearsing for a combat operation should improve the chances for successful mission execution, previously noted improvements in the employment and conduct of rehearsals have disappeared.
In 1988 the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL), as part of a Direct Fire Study, collected data at the NTC about rehearsals. The CALL study looked at how often units conducted rehearsals; what types they used; how effective were they? CALL wanted to find out if rehearsals were related to mission success.
The study results were startling, and the findings are just as relevant today as they were in 1988. OCs found, after collecting data for almost one year, that over one half of the Task Forces DID NOT rehearse (51.5%). Of the remaining Task Forces that did rehearse, the OCs rated 45.5% of their rehearsals as ineffective. The net result: Approximately one fourth of the force conducted effective rehearsals!
CALL then looked at battles where Task Forces had successfully rehearsed and found that, without exception, the results were better than those battles where there was no rehearsal.
Another way to look at the value of rehearsal while putting training into perspective: ask yourself this question - Have you ever been in a parade that wasn't rehearsed? Now ask yourself how many "combat" operations, either real world or training, that were not rehearsed?
CALL publicized the rehearsal findings, which put numbers against what many leaders knew intuitively. The scope of the problem led to emphasis throughout the force, and the use and effectiveness of rehearsal increased at the Combat Training Centers. More importantly, rehearsal paid off in real-world operations.
During Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama and then Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM in Southwest Asia, U.S. forces effectively used rehearsals at all echelons to structure units for the successes that followed.
Now, however, it seems the lessons of the value of rehearsing need to be learned again.
A senior OC at the NTC, during an after-action review following a disastrous mission, told the Task Force Commander, "My OCs told me you rehearsed for this operation."
The crestfallen commander replied, "Yes, sir, we did."
"My OCs also told me your rehearsals were conducted very poorly." And the senior OC continued, "Let me ask you a question. Have you ever rehearsed how to rehearse?"
The Task Force commander paused, looked up and replied, "No. No, sir, we haven't."
His well-intentioned efforts resulted in the unit conducting what OCs term "check the block" rehearsals. Effective rehearsals and the techniques to conduct them need to be trained at home station well before any CTC rotation, and hopefully before a real-world operation.
Definition: A rehearsal is the act or process of practicing an action in preparation for the actual performance of that action. (FM 71-123).
Rehearsals allow soldiers and leaders to "visualize" the operation before the actual execution. Participants are literally learning by doing, which helps greatly to synchronize an operation. By repeating critical combat tasks during a rehearsal, the participants drill the sequence and the conduct of events until they become reflexive.
- Categories
of rehearsals:
- There are three categories or types of rehearsals:
1) Backbrief 2) Reduced force 3) Full force
- Rehearsal techniques:
- There are five basic rehearsal techniques:
- 1)
map
- 2) radio/telephone
- 3) sand-table/terrain model
- 4) rock/stick drill
- 5) tactical exercise without troops (TEWT)
- 2) radio/telephone
- There are three categories or types of rehearsals:
Home-station
rehearsal training techniques:
The
first key to successful rehearsals is knowing which category to use - at what
echelon - using what technique.
Each
mission can be broken down into planning, preparation, and execution phases.
Rehearsals fall under preparation. Time
is
the variable that drives rehearsal decisions. The task force battle staff and
company/team commanders must know, based
on practice and experience at Home Station,
the
best mix of rehearsal category and technique given "X" amount of planning and
preparation time for a mission.
Backbrief
Backbriefs, by themselves, equate to the minimal worthwhile rehearsal when time is extremely limited. In 1988 backbriefs accounted for 38 percent of all the rehearsals conducted, even though in 80 percent of the cases, time for more thorough rehearsals existed. While briefbacks are always a good technique, even when time for more rehearsal is available, units today are over-relying on them at the expense of more thorough types.
The
ability of a subordinate commander to brief his commander on the details of
how the subordinate unit will accomplish the mission is very important.TECHNIQUE:
If
possible, it is best for the commander to meet his subordinate commanders all
together, rather than one at a time. Subordinate commanders can identify problems
that require coordination with other commanders. Being together, the coordination
can be most easily worked out during the backbrief session. Be
careful not to let sub-unit coordination over-ride the intent of the backbrief.
When
the commander and his subordinate commanders are comfortable with their respective
parts of the operation, subsequent preparation goes much smoother.
NOTE: Do not confuse backbrief with briefback. Subordinate commanders briefback their part of the OPORD during the orders brief, so everyone leaves the TOC having restated their mission and their part of the concept of the operation. This is sometimes called a confirmation brief to avoid confusion.
Reduced Force
This is sometimes referred to as the key leader rehearsal. In many instances, there will not be the time available to bring every player to a rehearsal, so the commander makes it a leader drill. The subordinate commanders, specialty platoon leaders and supporting element leaders gather to conduct some type of rehearsal.Most
typically, the reduced force rehearsal uses the sand-table/terrain model technique.TECHNIQUE:
When
doing a sand-table or terrain model reduced force rehearsal, observation of
rehearsals at the NTC show that rehearsing an operation by phase line or by
critical events works better than having individual elements cover their mission
from start to finish. When rehearsed by phase line or critical event, the relationship
between elements becomes clearer and potential problems are more readily identified,
and fixed.
When key leaders conducted a reduced-force rehearsal, lower echelon units can concurrently conduct full-force rehearsals, either for the entire operations or for critical tasks.
Full Force
Since full force is the most resource intense and time consuming, it is rare for all task force elements to conduct such a rehearsal. However, at squad, platoon and at times company/team level, full-force rehearsal of critical tasks can greatly enhance the potential for mission execution success.EXAMPLE:
Listed below are critical tasks that can be METT-T-prioritized for rehearsal.OFFENSE DEFENSE
Actions on the objective Positions
Passage of lines Trigger points
Breaching Obstacles
Movement techniques Counterattack plan
Actions at danger areas Engagement areas
Actions on contact Security operations
Resupply Resupply
Medical evacuation Medical evacuation
NBC decontamination NBC decontamination
Fire support plan Fire support plan
Passage of lines Direct fire plan
Repositioning
Mission
analysis will determine which combination of these tasks are critical for any
given mission. Commanders and the battle staff then need to determine the rehearsal
"mix" that will produce the best results in the time available.TECHNIQUE:
Do
not overlook rehearsing resupply and MEDEVAC. Combat Service Support too often
gets overlooked in the preparation phase. RESULT: During a recent NTC live-fire
mission, some elements failed to conduct adequate initial ammunition supply.
They also had not worked out the mission-specific procedures for ammunition
resupply. This resulted in having vehicles in position to destroy the enemy,
but without enough ammunition to do so.
Timely, well thought-out MEDEVAC procedures will prevent the unnecessary loss of life.
At home station, use every available opportunity to rehearse how to rehearse. After the battle staff and subordinate elements are comfortable with each type, or category of rehearsal, and the various rehearsal techniques, it should be much easier for the brigade or task force commander or S3 to designate the right rehearsal type, in the right mix to best structure all units for mission success.
References: 1) FM 71-123, 30 Sep 92, Tactics and Techniques for Combined Arms Heavy Forces: Armored Brigade, Battalion/Task Force, and Company/Team, Section 2-38 through 2-44, contains detailed discussions of rehearsal types, and techniques and procedures for the effective planning, preparation and execution of rehearsals.
2)
CALL
Newsletter No. 91-1,
Apr 91, Rehearsals,
contains some additional techniques and procedures to help train how to rehearse
at home station.
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The Tank Mine-Clearing Blade
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Brigade Perceptions: BCTP Warfighters (WFX) And Seminars
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