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Military

MOBILITY/SURVIVABILITY BOS

Positive Performance

TREND 1: Mine Awareness

SUSTAIN: Units understand and practice the techniques that reduce the chance of becoming casualties to mines.

Techniques:

1. Stay on approved routes.

2. Mark and report identified unexploded ordnance (UXO).

3. Track and update route status.

4. Rehearse "mine strike" battle drills.

(TA.6.1 Provide Mobility)

TREND 2: Engineer assets are routinely integrated into the task force quick reaction forces. Maneuver units routinely integrate engineer assets into the QRF to provide and sustain freedom of movement.

SUSTAIN:

1. Ensure mobility assets are always available.

2. Provide additional manpower to the QRF for missions that do not require engineers to conduct mobility missions.

Technique: Integrate one or more engineer squads with the QRF maneuver platoon.

(TA.6.1 Provide Mobility)

TREND 3: QRF for Base Camp Security

SUSTAIN:

1. Reacted promptly.

2. "Can do" attitude.

3. Effectively dealt with all challenges.

4. Highly motivated.

5. Took QRF duty seriously.

(TA.6.3 Enhance Survivability)

TREND 4: Base Camp Security (Field Trains)

SUSTAIN:

1. HHC commander developed a solid plan for base camp operations.

2. Well-thought-out base camp security plan.

Techniques:

1. Prepare a detailed sketch of the perimeter.

  • Divide the camp into sectors.

  • Indicate all OPs.

2. Position available weapons systems on main avenues of approach during operations.

3. Continue to improve on base security.

  • Check for breaches in perimeter wire at shorter intervals.

  • Alter the intervals at which guards walk the perimeter.

  • Maintain a guard rotation matrix.

(TA.6.3 Enhance Survivability)

TREND 5: Base Camp Security

SUSTAIN: Excellent plan for base camp guard mount.

(TA.6.3.4 Provide Security and Readiness)

Needs Emphasis

TREND 1: Nonmetallic/buried mine detection

PROBLEM: Units frequently fail to use vehicles with mine rollers as the lead vehicles during initial route clearance or deliberate sweep of a route or lodgment/assembly area.

Techniques:

1. Lead with mine roller vehicles when conducting route clearing, route proofing, or lodgment area clearing.

2. Develop SOPs for using MICLICs and probing for breaching nonmetallic/buried minefields.

(TA.6.1.1.1.1 Breach Minefields)

TREND 2: Minefield marking. Standard minefield marking/degraded minefield marking and tracking.

PROBLEMS:

1. Lack of standard mine/UXO marking kits.

2. No acceptable alternate means of marking mines.

3. Units frequently do not re-verify minefields.

RESULTS:

1. When the ground is frozen, pickets cannot be emplaced; mines are not adequately marked.

2. Markings may be moved due to weather, have been removed by factional elements, or shifted in the snow and mud.

Techniques:

1. Have each vehicle in the unit carry materials for a standard marking. EXAMPLE: 15 short u-shaped pickets and one roll of engineer tape.

2. Slug-in the corners of the minefield.

3. Annotate the minefield on both a "dirty battlefield" overlay and a tracking matrix.

(TA.6.2.3 Mark Obstacles)

TREND 3: Route Status Marking

PROBLEMS:

1. Lack of standardized method for tracking route status within the AOR.

2. Routes seldom continuously verified.

Technique: Develop a standard method of tracking route status within the AOR.

EXAMPLE:

  • Routes or segments that have been cleared or verified within the last two hours are GREEN.*

  • Routes or segments that have been cleared or verified within the last two to six hours are AMBER.*

  • Routes or segments that have been cleared or verified within the last six to twelve hours are RED.*

  • Uncleared routes or segments are denoted as BLACK.

*Times of the status are based on METT-T.

(TA.6.2.3 Mark Obstacles)

TREND 4: No SOP for heliborne mine marking and reporting.

PROBLEM: No standard method of marking minefields from the air to aid ground units in locating same.

Technique: Develop a standard method for aircrews to mark minefields from the air.

EXAMPLE: Use weighted, high-visibility streamers thrown from the helicopter. Streamers should be compact for storage under seat or in helmet bag, but at least 10 feet long once deployed.

(TA.6.2.3 Mark Obstacles)

TREND 5: Mine/UXO reporting procedures not standardized.

PROBLEM: Units often lack a standardized mine/UXO reporting system.

RESULTS:

1. Impedes task force response.

2. Unit locating the UXO wastes time sending unnecessary information to the TF.

Techniques:

1. Develop a standardized mine/UXO report and marking system for use during stability and support operations.

2. Base the standard report on the 9-line UXO spot report.

(TA.6.2.3 Mark Obstacles)

TREND 6: Mine/UXO initial marking procedures not standardized.

PROBLEMS:

1. The lack of a standardized initial mine marking system.

2. Marking systems frequently deteriorate or become obscured by the elements.

RESULTS:

1. Mines/UXO are marked with everything from piles of rocks to six-inch pieces of engineer tape thrown on the ground.

2. The same mines/UXO are reported several times.

Techniques:

1. Develop and resource a highly-visible and semipermanent marking system.

2. Make sure every vehicle carries sufficient quantities of the materials.

(TA.6.2.3 Mark Obstacles)

TREND 7: EOD elements must be included in the force package.

PROBLEM: Considerable unexploded ordnance throughout the AOR.

RESULT: Significant danger to the soldiers deployed.

Technique: Include EOD elements in the deploying force package.

(TA.6.2.4 Detonate Mines/Explosives)

TREND 8: Position tow cables across the rear of the lead vehicles when engaged in road clearing, route proofing, and lodgment area/assembly area clearing.

PROBLEM: Units often failed to position tow cables across the rear of the lead vehicles when engaged in road clearing, route proofing, and lodgment area/assembly area clearing.

RESULTS:

1. Difficult to extract the lead vehicle if it strikes a mine.

2. Exposes lead vehicle to further damage.

3. Increases possibility of more casualties.

Technique: Position tow cables across the rear of lead vehicles when engaged in road clearing, route proofing, and lodgment area clearing.

(TA.6.3 Enhance Survivability)

TREND 9: Soldiers lack picket pounders and the proper gloves for pounding pickets and handling concertina and barbed wire.

PROBLEMS:

1. Nonengineer units do not normally carry their own picket pounders.

2. Engineer units do not have sufficient numbers for distribution to nonengineer units throughout the task force, brigade, or division sector.

3. Units frequently lack proper gloves for handling concertina and barbed wire.

RESULTS:

1. Longer time to construct obstacles and checkpoints.

2. Hand injuries.

Techniques:

1. Ensure all deployed units to section/platoon level have sufficient "picket pounders."

2. Make sure each soldier deploys with serviceable work and barbed wire gloves (NSN 8415-00-926-1674).

(TA.6.3 Enhance Survivability)

TREND 10: The CTCP/UMCP/aid station did not establish security when deployed.

PROBLEMS:

1. Trains were not tactical.

2. Soldiers were willing to do something, but did not know what.

3. No defensive plan.

4. No defensive positions or camouflage.

5. Poor vehicle dispersion.

6. No one checking personnel entering or leaving the combat trains area.

Techniques:

1. S-1/S-4 should select a site that is functional and defensible.

2. Prepare sector sketches, range cards, and guard rosters.

3. Take advantage of natural terrain for concealment of combat trains.

4. S-1 should take the lead in integrating the CTCP/UMCP/aid station assets into a defensible position.

5. Use NCOs to execute the defensive plan.

(TA.6.3 Enhance Survivability)

TREND 11: Aviation units do not have the manpower to properly conduct base security.

PROBLEM: Aviation companies' TO&E strength has been reduced from 80 enlisted personnel to 13.

RESULT: The 13 enlisted personnel must maintain aircraft, pull security, and perform numerous other tasks.

(TA.6.3.4 Provide Security and Readiness)

TREND 12: Soldiers do not know how to properly pull guard duty.

PROBLEM: Use of civilian security guards at most posts have decreased soldiers' knowledge on how to perform security tasks.

RESULTS:

1. Soldiers do not know how to conduct guard mount.

2. They do not know how to perform security tasks.

3. They do not know the three General Orders.

Technique: Develop and sustain security skills during routine drills at Home Station.

(TA.6.3.4 Provide Security and Readiness)

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