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TREND 48
SUBJECT: Task Force Rehearsals: Fire Support

OBSERVATION (Armor): Task forces seldom conduct fire support rehearsals.

DISCUSSION: Problems observed during mission execution that are often corrected if rehearsed during preparation include:

1. Primary and alternate observers are unable to observe targets or triggers.

2. There is no reassignment of target responsibility when capabilities of primary observers become degraded.

3. Fire support teams (FISTs) have incorrect target lists.

4. Firing units are positioned within the minimum range requirements to targets in the scheme of fires.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. The fire support element (FSE) and fire support officer (FSO) should conduct a task force fire support rehearsal prior to every battle to ensure responsibilities are understood and execution is synchronized.

2. The type of rehearsal conducted will be based on time available. Rehearsal techniques from most time available to least time available include:

3. The FSO should conduct the fire support rehearsal as early as possible after company/team FISTs have had the opportunity to rehearse their company/team plans, and before the task force combined arms rehearsal.

4. Another good technique is to conduct the fire support rehearsal as part of the task force rehearsal with commanders briefing fires. The FSO should work with the task force XO/S3 to ensure the fire support rehearsal is included in the task force timeline.

5. If time does not permit a rehearsal, at a minimum the task force FSO must receive a confirmation backbrief from all company/team FSOs to ensure they understand their task and purpose.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 49
SUBJECT: Troop Leading and Discipline: Fire Support Team (FIST) Pre-Combat Checks and Pre-Combat Inspections (PCCs/PCIs)

OBSERVATION (Armor): Fire support teams seldom conduct PCCs/PCIs to standard.

DISCUSSION: Fire support teams are plagued with discovering problems with its equipment and capabilities during execution. For example, ground or vehicular laser locator designators (G/VLLDs) and targeting station control displays (TSCDs) are often unusable due to a lack of power cables or charged batteries.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. When FIST leaders conduct proper PCCs and PCIs, they become aware of many potential problems and have the time to react and correct many deficiencies.

2. Task forces should develop a standard set of PCC/PCI checklists for the FISTs.

3. Once specific PCC/PCI checklists are identified for each particular operation, leaders must ensure the checks and inspections are conducted and conducted to standard (supervision).

4. Leaders must ensure proper actions are taken when problems are identified. Leader actions may include adjustment of the plan or cross-leveling of equipment and personnel to ensure the primary observers are the most capable.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 50
SUBJECT: Task Force Rehearsals

OBSERVATION (Mech): Rehearsals often lack the depth necessary to effectively synchronize operations.

DISCUSSION:

1. Commanders often use backbriefs as rehearsals when the time is available to conduct more in-depth rehearsals.

2. When maps or terrain models are used, the commander often leads the rehearsal rather than prompting his subordinates and using the "push to talk" method.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Well-conducted rehearsals usually precede successful operations and poor rehearsals do nothing to enhance the combat effectiveness of the unit. Refer to CALL Newsletter No. 98-5, Rehearsals.

2.Construct complete rehearsal kits. Have junior members of the team practice setting up rehearsal sites at Home Station. Do not simply hand the CO's driver a roll of engineer tape and tell him to set up a terrain model.

3. By prompting subordinates to ask questions and participate in the rehearsal, the commander can be assured that his subordinates understand the plan.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 51
SUBJECT: Rehearsals: CSS

OBSERVATION (Mech): Combat service support (CSS) rehearsals are not conducted to standard and do not synchronize all available CSS assets to support the TF mission.

DISCUSSION:

1. Most TF logisticians are unprepared and untrained to conduct proper CSS rehearsals. A general lack of knowledge of the types, techniques and procedures for conducting rehearsals prevents the leaders of all of the TF's CSS assets from synchronizing their efforts to support the maneuver plan in the best manner possible.

2. When CSS rehearsals are conducted, they do not follow an established agenda or sequence, and the participants are not prepared to explain or rehearse their actions during execution of the upcoming fight.

3. Most CSS rehearsals observed are similar to backbriefs and conducted as another agenda item during the daily logistics release points (LRP) meeting.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES: All TF logistics leaders should refer to CALL Newsletter No. 98-5, Rehearsals. Distribute this document to all CSS staff officers and NCOs, all 1SGs, and the headquarters company leadership. This document provides valuable tactics, techniques and procedures for training, conducting, and evaluating all rehearsals in the battalion.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 52
SUBJECT: Task Force (TF) Rehearsals

OBSERVATION (Mech): TF rehearsals continue to be inadequate.

DISCUSSION:

1. The TF rehearsal is often no more than a terrain walk.

2. Commanders and staffs are frequently not prepared to discuss their portion of the plan during the rehearsal.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Task forces must make time to rehearse the plan. The TF rehearsal enables the unit to visualize the upcoming battle, understand the scheme of maneuver, and anticipate the enemy's actions. The TF rehearsal ensures that subordinate unit plans are synchronized and will achieve the higher commander's intent.

2. Refer to CALL Newsletter No. 98-5, Rehearsals.

3. Conduct rehearsal training exercises at Home Station.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 53
SUBJECT: Rehearsals: Actions in the Engagement Area

OBSERVATION (Avn): Battalion and company commanders and S3s do not conduct adequate rehearsals of actions in the engagement area.

DISCUSSION:

1. Rehearsals at battalion level are not sufficient to ensure that the attack company's direct fire plans are synchronized and that they support the commander's intent.

2. Company commanders inadequately rehearse the direct fire plan.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Commanders at all levels must set the standard for rehearsals. They must properly allocate time and closely guard this time to ensure that rehearsals are not by-passed.

2. Commanders must have a clear vision of the endstate for the rehearsal and rehearse until all members of the team understand the plan.

3. A standardized terrain model kit is a useful tool and cuts down on set-up time.

4. Companies and battalions should routinely conduct rehearsals at Home Station to allow subordinates to see the standard to which rehearsals should be conducted.

5. Work out the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) that best facilitate every member of the team in understanding the mission. Once the unit has established and validated their TTPs for rehearsals, the TTPs should be incorporated into the unit SOP.

6. Refer to CALL Newsletter No. 98-5, Rehearsals.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 54
SUBJECT: Operations Order (OPORD): Assignment of Task and Purpose

OBSERVATION (Mech): Tactical tasks and purposes are not adequately assigned in medical platoons.

DISCUSSION: Medical platoons often do not understand the purpose of their mission or the specific task they need to accomplish.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Assign the task and purpose for all subordinate units, ensuring they are nested with the task force's main effort. The main effort has the same purpose as the task force.

2. Assign the purpose first. Determine why you need this force, then assign the appropriate task. Ensure that the tactical task is specific enough to tell the subordinate leader exactly what you want him to do.

3. Each subordinate unit should have a unique task and purpose within the context of the scheme of maneuver.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 55
SUBJECT: Graphic Control Measures

OBSERVATION (Mech and Engr): Units lack a formal effective system for the dissemination of graphic control measures.

DISCUSSION:

1. Graphic control measures are not being disseminated in a usable form to the lowest level.

2. Technology has not yet advanced to the point that command and control documents can be electronically distributed in a usable form. In the interim, the Army continues to disseminate graphics using paper maps and acetate overlays.

3. Current unit SOPs do not meet the needs of the user at the lowest level.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Units should use the same scale maps at all levels for the dissemination of graphics.

2. Establish a workable map size for the lowest-level user to handle in his work area; 24" x 18" has been shown to be a good size. Make mapboards from plexiglass or other suitable transparent material, and establish standardized reference points ("bolt holes" or "tic marks") so the maps may be placed on these mapboards in the same place, every time.

3. The engineer battalion TOC should evaluate the terrain of the operational area and pre-register all likely map subsections.

4. Prepare overlays from the higher headquarters' graphics to cover each map subsection. Sections should overlap, so that a leader need not refer to two separate overlays more than necessary.

5. Conduct training on graphical control measures until all involved leaders and soldiers are fully prepared to use them.

6. Take great care in the reproduction of graphics.

7.Unit troop-leading procedures (TLPs) should include a pre-combat inspection (PCI) by the unit commander to ensure subordinates' graphics are correct. Graphics can be the difference between life and death or success and failure on the modern battlefield.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 56
SUBJECT: Engineer Company and Task Force Breach Rehearsals

OBSERVATION (Engr): Engineer company and task force rehearsal plans for breach operations are inadequate.

DISCUSSION:

1. Task force and engineer company warning orders (WARNOs) for future offensive missions often lack a realistic rehearsal timeline with a clear task and purpose stated for each subordinate-level rehearsal required prior to the task force rehearsal. This deficiency results in a great amount of time wasted during the preparation phase.

2. Task force fragmentary orders (FRAGOs) for a mounted task force breach rehearsal rarely contain the necessary information required for all participants to understand exactly what they must acccomplish in the rehearsal.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Fragmentary orders (FRAGOs) for a mounted task force breach rehearsal should include an overlay, clear task, conditions, and standards, the rehearsal technique, the rehearsal level, and an after-action review (AAR).

2. Task force and engineer company leaders should read and implement Appendix D of FM 3-34.2, Combined Arms Breaching Operations.

3. Refer to CALL Newsletter No. 98-5, Rehearsals.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 57
SUBJECT: Integration of Engineer Class IV/V Operations in the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Plan

OBSERVATION (Engr): The Class IV/V support plan for the defense is not being integrated into the BCT plan as a combined arms effort.

DISCUSSION:

1. While most engineer battalions understand the need for a combined arms approach to logistical support of the brigade's defense, they rarely execute an integrated Class IV/V plan. Combined arms responsibilities for packaging and moving Class IV/V barrier materials and for operating Class IV/V supply points are usually outlined in the Engineer Battalion tactical SOP (TACSOP), but are rarely addressed in the brigade's orders.

2. Most engineer battalions end up being the sole executors of the planning, preparation, and execution phases of Class IV/V logistical operations. This lack of participation by other members of the BCT in the execution of Class IV/V operations detracts from the engineer battalion's primary missions of countermobility and survivability during the brigade's defense.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Engineer planners at all levels should campaign for the active support of other members of the combined arms team in support of Class IV/V operations.

2. This support must be addressed in the maneuver order. Class IV/V operations are so critical to the defense that these responsibilities should be addressed in the scheme of manuever and sub-unit mission subparagraphs, and not simply relegated to the Engineer Annex.

3. In addition to the engineer battalion TACSOP, the task force and BCT TACSOPs must also delineate responsibilities for Class IV/V operations.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 58
SUBJECT: Medical Unit Rehearsals

OBSERVATION (CSS): Rehearsals are rarely conducted at the forward support battalion (FSB) medical company or ambulance and treatment platoon level.

DISCUSSION:

1. Combat health support (CHS) leaders become overwhelmed during the planning and preparation phases due to poor time management, and rehearsals are rarely conducted.

2. Pre-combat checks/pre-combat inspections (PCC/PCIs) are not conducted to standard. Platoon SOPs rarely discuss who, what, when, where, and how PCC/PCIs are conducted.

3. There is seldom a published company mass casualty (MASCAL) SOP.

4. The medical company is unprepared to handle a MASCAL situation due to untrained litter bearers or insufficient quantities and unprepared drivers of non-standard evacuation vehicles.

5. MASCAL procedures, such as additional litter bearers, non-standard evacuation, landing zone and aircraft safety, and traffic flow within the BSA, are not rehearsed.

6. Ambulance crews often drive routes for the first time under fire and have a poor understanding of the CHS plan. Ambulance crews go into the fight with no functioning radios and maps with no graphics.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Follow the basic troop-leading procedures (TLP).

2. Develop a daily company and subsequent platoon timeline and adhere to it. Maximize use of parallel planning and warning orders (WARNOs).

3. Conduct a BSA MASCAL rehearsal including all litter bearers and non-standard evacuation vehicle drivers (day and night).

4. Incorporate all non-standard vehicle drivers into the ambulance platoon PCC/PCIs.

5. Develop and publish PCC/PCI checklists and timelines and incorporate them into the company and platoon SOPs.

6. Incorporate all litter bearers and aircraft personnel into the treatment platoon rehearsals.

7. Conduct route reconnnaissance and mounted rehearsals prior to a defense mission, when the brigade owns the terrain. Incorporate aircraft into these rehearsals.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 59
SUBJECT: Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Combat Service Support (CSS) Rehearsals

OBSERVATION (CSS): BCTs routinely conduct CSS rehearsals separately from their combined arms rehearsals.

DISCUSSION:

1. BCT combined arms rehearsals do not emphasize the CSS Battlefield Operating System (BOS), resulting in poor synchronization between CSS and combat health support (CHS) plans and BCT and task force (TF) maneuver plans.

2. Maneuver commanders are rarely present during BCT CSS rehearsals. As a result, maneuver commanders do not understand the supporting CSS plan and, conversely, the CSS commanders/executors do not fully understand the maneuver plan.

3. TF XOs, TF S4s, and medical platoon leaders attend the CSS rehearsal on a sporadic rather than consistent basis, and are unable to establish a common picture of the CSS battlefield.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Increase the emphasis on the CSS BOS at the combined arms rehearsal and haav CSS commanders, the BCT S4, FSB SPO, TF XOs, TF S4s, aviation LNOs, and all medical platoon leaders in attendance. Discuss in detail critical CSS and CHS events and how they are tied to the maneuver plan so that all leaders clearly understand the CSS and CHS concept of support across the depth and breadth of the battlefield. Major CSS issues should be resolved during the combined arms rehearsal.

2. Conduct a modified CSS rehearsal after the combined arms rehearsal with CSS representatives to further synchronize the CSS and CHS plans and resolve minor CSS issues brought up during the combined arms rehearsal.

(TA.4.4.1.1 Develop and Complete Plans or Orders)

TREND 60
SUBJECT: Role of the Engineer Battalion HHC Commander in the Brigade Rear Area

OBSERVATION (Engr): Engineer battalion HHC commanders tend to neglect their role as the brigade rear area engineer.

DISCUSSION: Too many engineer battalion HHC commanders locate away from the forward support battalion (FSB) tactical operations center (TOC) and the brigade S4 cell and are not filling their role as the FSB engineer.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. The HHC commander must assume the role of FSB engineer, much in the same way that a line company commander does with a TF. The commander, as the rear area engineer, should:

2. The key to success is to establish a close training relationship between the HHC commander and the FSB staff prior to deployment.

(TA.4.4.3 Provide Command Presence)

TREND 61
SUBJECT: Unit Discipline

OBSERVATION (Mech and Engr): Unit leaders do not routinely monitor or emphasize troop discipline on the battlefield.

DISCUSSION:

1. Unit leaders do not emphasize the following critical areas:

2. Clear standards are not identified or enforced.

TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES:

1. The NCO must be the backbone of unit standards.

2. All leaders play a key role in setting and enforcing standards. Senior leaders must assign responsibility for action and hold personnel accountable.

(TA.4.4.4 Maintain Unit Discipline)

TA.4 Command and Control BOS, Part 4

TA.4 Command and Control BOS, Part 6