Military

Assign a liaison to coordinate conflicting priorities. Once the decision is made to position FA platoons and batteries within maneuver base camps, a liaison between that FA platoon/battery HQ and the maneuver HQ in the base camp becomes essential. The senior FA officer, either BC or platoon leader, and senior FA NCO, either 1SG or platoon sergeant, must establish a liaison with the maneuver HQ. The primary function of the FA representative is to establish a working relationship with maneuver that facilitates information flow between the platoon and maneuver HQ.

The information flow from the maneuver HQ to the FA platoon must be the same as if the platoon were a dedicated battery to that maneuver HQ. This does not imply that the FA platoon automatically comes under the operational control of the maneuver HQ. The FA battalion or force field artillery HQ controls movement, firing, and planning fires for the platoon. The platoon must track the maneuver operations within their umbrella of FA coverage. The POC becomes a small HQ which tracks patrols, observation posts (OPs), and convoys within the maneuver element's area of operations. These patrols, OPs, and convoys become the friendly unit locations that are normally tracked in a high intensity conflict.

Just as an air traffic controller has the responsibility to track all aircraft in his sector, the platoon HQ must track all operations occurring within the range of its indirect fires. Only by knowing what is going on can the FA platoon adequately provide support to those units that may need it. The POC tracks all information. But the platoon does not respond to the observer's calls for fire. Calls for fire still go through the FA battalion and are cleared at the higher echelons, then sent back to the platoons as a fire order. As soon as the platoon HQ receives updates on maneuver operations, the POC should update the FA battalion and serve as an additional set of "eyes." This helps the FA battalion's planned coverage for critical brigade events. The platoon should pass information from the maneuver HQ to the FA battalion; it should also pass information from the FA battalion back to the maneuver HQ. This ensures that all elements within the brigade are kept current on theater operations.

Techniques:

The responsibility on the platoon leadership has multiplied to include many functions the BC and 1SG traditionally execute. The POC is the FA platoon's HQ element in that base camp. As such, it inherits many functions the battalion TOC is required to perform. In platoons without the battery commander, the roles of the gunnery sergeant and section chiefs are critical to the success of the field artillery operations. Each level of leadership is effectively moved up an echelon for responsibility purposes. Since the platoon leader and platoon sergeant are the coordination element with the maneuver HQ, the gunnery sergeant must step into the traditional platoon sergeant role. He should assist the platoon sergeant with normal platoon operations. Since the platoon sergeant must perform the 1SG's missions, the gunnery sergeant picks up platoon sergeant missions. The chiefs in the light platoon must be aggressive and not wait to be told what to do. They are the key to safe operations. They should be ready to step up and assist the gunnery sergeant in the day-to-day activities of the platoon.

Peace support operations are no different from any mission the FA platoon has had before. The elements of accurate, predicted fire remain unchanged. What has changed is the command and control of the platoon, now located in a maneuver base camp. The sources which provide information to the platoon leadership are critical. Information flow from the maneuver element is essential for adequate fire support coverage. Everyone's job is important, especially in peace support operations. Junior leaders must step up and assist the battery and platoon leaders in the execution of their duties. The work of junior NCOs and section chiefs will make or break the firing platoons in the base camps. These NCOs will distinguish good units from great ones in peace support operations.

Training and Resourcing the Quick Reaction Force

Return to High Intensity Conflict: Return to Basics