The criticality of command and control as a warfighting function cannot be overstated. Without the ability to communicate, units cannot conduct synchronized operations. Without proper systems that enable control, synchronization of activities across the formation becomes nearly impossible. Yet, formations habitually dedicate less time to training how to effectively communicate at echelon than many other tasks. The lack of training and associated routine operator level maintenance results in improperly maintained or non-mission capable equipment, automatically degrading the combat power of the larger combined arms team. Remember, if you can’t talk, you can’t fight.
Observations
Maintenance
Lack of Signal Representation – S6s need representatives to integrate with BDE/BN maintenance workflows and attend the daily LOG Sync.
GCSS-A Access –S6s need view access for GCSS-A to ensure maintenance is happening for signal systems.
PCCs/PCIs – Signal Soldiers significantly improve communications by conducting PCCs/PCIs to standard by the end of rotations; however units need to follow up with paperwork (5988-Es).
Signal Equipment Readiness – Units that have large amounts of signal equipment that is NMC greatly benefit by conducting a maintenance stand-down/rodeo driven by 5988-E/ESRs.
RETRANs
Mission Preparations – Codify signal mission briefs and validation in unit SOPs and constantly rehearse to avoid atrophy.
Mobility of RETRANs/CPs – Displace unit CPs and RTX sites with enhanced configuration/field expedient methods to increase the ease of transition.
Integration of S6s in CUOPs – S6s should leverage the assistant S6 to integrate into CUOPs which greatly enhances situational awareness of unit RETRANs locations and status.
Shared Understanding
Battle Tracking – S6s need to be more in tune with the fight, Commander’s Intent, and building near/short term projections and COAs.
Digital COP – BDE S6s generally have no digital COP from which BN S6s can gain a shared understanding across the battlefield to prevent duplication of efforts and track outages.
Cross WFF synchronization – S6s should leverage meetings and gatherings already in place to get face time and share plans, lessons learned, and solutions. S6s need to attend CARs, Daily BDE Maintenance Meetings, and strictly enforce S6 Sync.
Signal Synchronization – S6 synch meetings tend to lack attendance and a consistent agenda.
Planning – BDE/BN S6s must recommend TOC locations and leadership must enforce those locations to ensure ability to communicate adjacent and higher.
Other Observations
HF Usage – Units that have the most effective use of HF across the BDE have an ALE plan that covers Brigade and Battalion specific HF nets.
TOCNET – Leverage TOCNET to bridge the gap between Upper and Lower TI through the EMCSU. This saves RETRANs assets and better enables the TOC to quickly communicate with subordinate units.
Cyber Network Defense – Units that detect the Cyber OPFOR at the perimeter neutralize threat activity before an enemy foothold can be developed.
COMSEC – Well rehearsed and smoothly conducted COMSEC changeover synchronized with the Division and enablers prevents a drop in JCR numbers from which units generally never recover.
HCLOS – Units are not using HCLOS. This causes units to place TOCs out of line of sight with the BDE TOC, causing secondary issues with FM. HCLOS leverages high throughput while also providing a means to counter satellite jamming.
Best Practices
Upper TI utilization – Develop skillsets required to produce and disseminate shared understanding through COPs on Upper T/I hosted platforms.
S6 Battle Rhythm – Establish and enforce S6 Sync meeting as a battle rhythm event.
Maintenance – Begin deliberate integration with the maintenance community and workflows beginning with PMCS.
COMMEX/VALEX – Leadership needs to provide focus and insistence on the use of combined long range, RETRANS integrated, FM digital nets with associated systems during COMMEX and VALEX and enforce a CHOPS run Mission Command Validation Exercise.
Unit P.A.C.E Plans & RETRANS Training at Home Station
Observations
FM is the P in the P.A.C.E. (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency) plan for most units coming through the National Training Center. Commanders love the push to talk capabilities of the FM network. The Army been using FM for so long that it has become relatively easy and there is an FM radio in almost every vehicle in our formations. If the FM radio goes down in a command vehicle the commander can easily switch vehicles and be on a different FM radio.
As our Signal formations have become very capable of Installing, Operating, and Maintaining (IOM) our upper tier communications platforms, units are more often attempting to prioritize High Frequency (HF) radio communications but have come up short due to the amount of on-the-move radios truly needed in a Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) fight. While the Army is getting better at leveraging HF, we are still a ways off from a truly utilizing this method as a part of a viable P.A.C.E. plan.
A general over-reliance on upper T/I has come at a cost that many leaders do not realize until they arrive at the National Training Center. That cost is FM retransmission (RETRANS) capability. Once commanders realize they are not adept at effectively communicating at long distance, their priority quickly changes. This realization pushes RETRANS to the forefront of the Signal Company’s priority of effort. Rightly so, as it draws the most attention when a commander is unable to communicate across a battle space from mobile platforms.
Best Practices
Commanders must understand the risk that is being assumed by neglecting RETRANS at home station. Signaleers must know the commander’s intent and educate command teams. Commanders must ensure that the S6 has a good Signal estimate and the dedicated time to conduct all Signal Assessment Tables. The S6 must speak in plain language and tie everything to the mission statement, intent, and the plan, making the Signal priority of work clear, realistic, and attainable.
In a time constrained environment, leaders must take every opportunity to get the repetitions and rehearsals at every echelon. This though applies to RETRANS teams as well. When FM is the P in the P.A.C.E., FM RETRANS naturally becomes the Commanders priority. In turn, RETRANS becomes the S6’s and Signal Company Commander’s number one priority.
In a tactical formation, Communicators must prioritize trained and validated RETRANS teams. How do we guarantee we are ready when it is our turn? Signal leaders must get reps and sets at home station. Begin with RETRANS drills through proper pre-command checks and pre-command inspections. Ensure everything from the spares to the right antennas are on-hand and fully mission capable. Do not immediately train teams at great distances across training areas. Start with a static display in a common area with dual net RETRANS to make sure everything works and teams can learn from each other. Conduct consolidated crew/team drills side by side to allow Soldiers to learn what other teams look like. Use the PRM-36 on all equipment to ensure that the power amplifier is pushing out 50 watts. Rehearse tear down, jump, and re-establishment. Rehearse under different conditions (at night, MOPP in the heat of the midday, MOPP at night).
Formations must keep equipment, both vehicle and communications, properly maintained. Assess the standard PMCS of vehicles on “Motor Pool Mondays.” Is it acceptable? Are we deploying to the corner of the motor pool, establishing all antennas, turning on all generators, and building out all radio systems with proper COMSEC? How else do we validate that everything works and that we have the right antennas? Are we rehearsing RETRANS of digital FIRES net with actual AFAATDS and proper antennas? We know we cannot successfully do that with a COM-201; the data loss is too high. We must use the OE-254.
Do our Soldiers properly fill out the DA Form 5988-E? Do leaders ensure the form makes it to the G-Army clerk and the clerk takes the time to input the discrepancies into G-Army in order to get the equipment replaced or fixed? Leaders are telling commanders that everything works by not putting the equipment on the ESR. Do we truly know the process?
Figure B-1. Example unit PACE by phase of an operation
Figure B-2. Example unit PACE by Warfighting Function
Figure B-3. Example unit PACE by decisive point in operation (air assault)
References
TC 6-02.1, The United States Army Signal Corps 2019 Training Strategy (Draft), Chapter 3 Training
FM 6-02, Signal Support to Operations (Draft), Chapter 2 (Signal Support by Army Echelon, Core Competencies, Training, and the Army Network
POCs: CPT Todd J. Geszvain, Aviation Signal Trainer, todd.j.geszvain.mil@mail.mil and LTC Rett B. Burroughs, Lizard 30, Senior Signal Trainer, rett.b.burroughs.mil@mail.mil
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