Operational planning focuses
on ensuring successful Tactical planning is a continuous process.
mission execution. Planners, using the commander's intent, recommend
priorities for support, allocation of force structure and other
resources.
Strategic and operational
estimates determine whether different courses of action can be
sustained and the force's ability to regenerate combat potential.
Planners also examine measures that can reduce the enemy's operational
tempo.
Planners integrate NBC defense,
nuclear weapons use, non-lethal, and smoke at theater, strategic
and operational level as combat multipliers in support of mission
accomplishment. For example, NBC defense unit availability increases
the force's ability to sustain operations or to regenerate force
capability under NBC conditions. The allocation of critical resources,
such as large area smoke generation, supports the commander's
intent to influence the battle in a given area which improves
our force's combat power at a decisive point.
Tactical planning is a continuous
process. Commanders and staffs incessantly assess how new information
impacts current and future operations. Although unit planning
is a continuous process linking current and future actions, this
chapter discusses planning as a sequential process beginning with
receipt of a mission order. Nonetheless, planning cannot be considered
as a rigid process; each Commander and staff must adapt it to
their needs.
A staff supports the commander
with the resources needed to command and control his organization
in battle. Together, they integrate the unit's capabilities into
a single effort to defeat the enemy.
Each maneuver force echelon
from corps down to company level has a chemical officer or noncommissioned
officer (NCO) to integrate NBC operations (NBC defense, obscurant,
and flame operations) into the combined arms fight. In most cases
the chemical officer or NCO serves as a special staff officer.
He is an integral part of the battle staff and plays a key role
in development of tactical and operational plans.
The chemical officer or NCO
works with all members of the battle staff. He has an especially
close relationship with the G2/S2, G3/S3, FSCOORD, and engineer
staff officer to effectively incorporate NBC defense, smoke, flame,
and non-lethal use considerations.
NBC planning focuses on the
chemical officer in two roles: as a member of a combined arms
commander's battle staff and as a commander of a supporting chemical
unit. Each role requires development of an estimate. During the
combined arms estimate process a chemical staff officer integrates
NBC operations into the planning process. During the chemical
unit estimate the commander develops his plan to support his assigned
mission.
The commander's staff develops
a plan using the five-part estimate process. The chemical staff
participates fully with the rest of the staff in its development.
FM 101-5 covers staff functions in detail; the following discussion
covers the chemical battle staff's specific role in planning and
his interaction with other staff members.
Mission
Planning for a particular
operation begins with receipt of a warning order, OPORD, or OPLAN
from higher headquarters. From it the commander and staff conduct
a mission analysis. During this process the chemical staff integrates
NBC operations into the OPORD/OPLAN. He conducts a vulnerability
analysis and also assesses the force's readiness to operate under
NBC conditions. When there is a specific NBC task (such as NBC
recon of a main supply route or screening mission), he works with
the G3/S3 to integrate it into the overall concept of operation.
The chemical staff assists
other members of the staff in conducting a thorough situation
analysis. They concentrate on those aspects of the weather, terrain,
enemy, and friendly forces that are significant horn the standpoint
of NBC defense, smoke, non-lethal, and flame operations.
The chemical staff coordinates
with the G2/S2 to template enemy chemical targets in the area
of operations. These templated chemical targets can be plotted
either on a terrain or situation template. The G2/S2 analyzes
weather, terrain, and enemy as part of IPB. The chemical staff
uses the G2/S2s climatic data and weather forecast to identify
factors critical to NBC use. They analyze terrain based upon how
it impacts enemy nuclear or chemical weapons or obscurant use.
They identify areas where deficiencies in natural cover and concealment
maybe augmented by smoke. They locate water sources for decon
sites and the road network requiring NBC recon. The G2/S2 provides
the chemical staff with an estimate of the enemy's NBC delivery
capability. Using this information the chemical staff conducts
a vulnerability analysis. The G2/S2 also provides an estimate
of the enemy's obscurant and flame capability. The staff works
with the G2/S2 to develop the intelligence collection plan and
recommends PIRs to confirm his estimate of the enemy NBC activity
at key locations and times.
The chemical staff continues
their situation analysis by reviewing the friendly situation including
forces and resources available for the mission. The chemical staff
also coordinates with the G1/S1 and the G4/S4 to assess whether
various courses of action are supportable. When NBC operations
will impact civilians, coordination with the G5 is necessary.
The chemical staff concludes
its estimate of the situation with an analysis of the chemical
units available to conduct decon, NBC recon, or smoke operations.
The staff determines the status of units, their current operations,
and completion times for ongoing activities.
The chemical staff provides
the G3/S3 with a list of assumptions used in making the situation
estimate. This action ensures that all staff estimates are based
on the same parameters.
The G3/S3 has the lead in
developing courses of action. The chemical staff develops a plan
to support each course of action. For each one he identifies tasks
and general priorities based on the commander's guidance.
Analysis of Courses of
Action
The G3/S3 has the lead in
the analysis of each course of action. The chemical staff, along
with the rest of the battle staff, assists the G3/S3 in wargaming
each course of action against the anticipated enemy action or
reaction. The chemical staff analyzes each course of action. They
determine the NBC resources required for each course of action
and recommend the best application of NBC defense, smoke, non-lethal,
and flame operations. They identify advantages and disadvantages
for each.
Shortfalls in chemical resources
become apparent during the wargaming process. The chemical staff
adjusts its plan to handle these. For every course of action the
NBC defense and smoke plan must meet the commander's requirements.
When appropriate, the FSCOORD also develops nuclear fire plans
to meet these requirements with input and/or recommendations from
the chemical staff.
Comparison of Courses of
Action
The chemical staff compares
the courses of action and selects the best one from their particular
perspective. The staff provides that information to the G3/S3
for incorporation into the decision matrix.
Recommendation
The chemical staff provides
assessments and recommendations to the commander during the decision
briefing. The type and the amount of detail the chemical staff
briefs depend upon the needs and preferences of the individual
commander. In general, the briefing covers the following:
- Concept of chemical support.
- Chemical unit mission priorities.
- Critical NBC and smoke events/actions.
- Task organization and command/support
relationships.
- NBC and smoke overlay (including
smoke, NBC recon, and decon use, and concept for use).
- MOPP levels and where MOPP
gear will be stored or carried.
- Critical tasks for subordinate
units.
- Vulnerability analysis (including
probable targets and agents).
Where appropriate the vulnerability
analysis will also address the state of training and the ability
of the soldier and unit to meet the shock and stress of an NBC
attack. In World War I, chemical warfare resulted in many soldiers
becoming nonbattle casualties because of battlefield shock and
stress.
Other members of the battle
staff also brief NBC information provided them by the chemical
staff during the estimate process. This information can include,
but is not limited to, NBC threat considerations, the commander's
PIR, rules of engagement, or smoke in the deception plan.
Format
The chemical estimate follows
the general format of other staff estimates (see FM 101-5 and
FM 3-101). Because of time constraints in combat, it is seldom
written below corps level, but this format should be followed
at all echelons. The chemical staff develops an estimate that
is as detailed as time permits. At battalion task force level,
planning and executing an operation normally occur within a few
hours. In contrast, corps-level planning typically occurs three
to five days in advance. The estimate format provides the best
assurance that the chemical staff has considered all essential
information needed for a viable plan.
The chemical unit estimate
follows the same format as the one done by the chemical staff
on a commander's staff. However, the chemical unit commander and
his staff develop a plan to accomplish the mission assigned by
the supported force or a higher chemical unit headquarters.
The commander of a chemical
unit that supports another force commander coordinates
closely with the chemical staff on that force's battle staff.
The commander provides input for the development of the chemical
estimate at that level and concurrently develops his own estimate
for his own unit.
Mission
The chemical unit commander
determines a restated mission for his unit based upon the
assigned specific and implied tasks that his unit must do. All
estimates, whether driven by the staff or the commander, are driven
by mission.
Situation and Courses of
Action
Much of the situation analysis
done by the chemical battle staff applies to the supporting chemical
unit. The chemical unit commander develops courses of action for
those elements of his unit still under his control. These courses
of action support the course of action chosen by the force commander.
His ope rational plans do not include subordinate units that are
supporting other forces. However, he must still plan logistics
support for elements placed OPCON to another unit.
Commanders of chemical units
operating under the control of a higher chemical unit headquarters,
instead of another force headquarters, develop and coordinate
their own situation analysis with the controlling unit. They incorporate
information from the staff of any appropriate headquarters within
their area of operations into their estimate.
Analysis of Courses of
Action
The chemical unit commander
identifies significant factors, wargames his courses of action,
and lists the advantages and disadvantages for each of his courses
of action.
Comparison of Courses of
Action
The chemical unit commander
develops a decision matrix to choose the course of action that
best accomplishes his unit's mission.
Decision
The chemical unit commander
chooses the best course of action that will accomplish the mission.
Once the commander makes his
decision on the course of action to follow, the estimate provides
most of the information needed to write the OPORD or OPLAN. The
order or plan conveys the decision to subordinate elements of
the force in a clear and concise manner. The chemical staff assists
the rest of the staff to produce the order or plan. His primary
concerns are--
- Task organization. The
heading of the order or a separate annex includes the task organization.
The chemical staff lists the chemical units under the proper control
headquarters and with the correct command or support relationships.
- Intelligence. The
chemical staff coordinates with the G2/S2 to ensure that the PIR
address the threat of enemy NBC weapons, smoke, non-lethal, and
flame weapons. He also ensures that an adequate assessment is
made of the enemy's intent and capability to conduct NBC operations.
- Chemical concept. Paragraph
3, Execution, has a "Concept" subparagraph that describes
the commander's visualization of the operation from start to finish.
This usually includes a brief concept for the use of chemical
units.
- Chemical unit subparagraph.
Paragraph 3 of the
order includes taskings to subordinate units. The chemical unit
subparagraph assigns NBC defense and smoke tasks identified throughout
the estimate process.
- Service support. This
paragraph includes required materiel services to support the chemical
units and their missions. At division level and above it often
appears in a separate annex.
- Coordinating instructions. This paragraph includes needed information, such as MOPP level, and operational exposure guidance.
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