The most important thing any Army Leader will ever do is lead their soldiers into war. It is the ultimate reason we exist. It can also be one of the most costly things one can do as a human being. Preparation is vital and lessons should be learned and shared widely. This is part one in a series of posts covering the hard lessons I’ve learned in combat.
I grew as a soldier from serving in some very good units early in my career and taking part in numerous deployments. I learned tough lessons about combat from watching very skilled soldiers and Leaders. These servants of our nation learned through many repetitions what works and what doesn’t. Recently, I was asked to record some of the things that I took away from these experiences so maybe they wouldn’t have to be relearned.
Leadership Matters
War is not the time for leaders who are second guessed by the people around them. It’s time to pick-up, sometimes literally, and move people into positions of advantage so a unit in contact can gain the initiative. Training prepared you to know what to do. But even in training there were good leaders – hard-nosed NCOs – who took charge and directed teams and squads into position.
Anyone who thinks they can do this without exposing themselves to a little bit of risk is removed from the front. Units move at the team and squad-level. It takes active leadership to make that happen when people fear for their lives. I greatly respect the fine sergeants who I’ve seen do this repeatedly, under great personal danger.
Gain the Upper Hand
Seizing advantageous terrain is an absolute necessity, and you should not be fighting onto it. Identify it, seize it, and hold it before the enemy does.
This might take moving very, very early in the morning before an attack. It might mean bearing the brunt of bad weather as you move towards this position days before the enemy. If necessary, consider deploying elements to dominate terrain early, and resupply to them necessary. Seek dominant terrain and a stay a step ahead of the enemy’s next decision.
Own the Night and Take Tough Routes
Our Army sometimes doesn’t do enough to exploit our technological advantages and physical training. We take great pride in these capability overmatches, but pride is not enough. Operating at night and moving through the toughest terrain allows units to seize positions of advantage undetected before a fight begins.
Establish Firepower Dominance
The most hardened enemy fighters probably have a death wish. The others are savvy or scarred enough to not want to be killed. Thus, if you establish fire superiority you can keep their heads down (just like you might want to do) in order to pin them down and maneuver on them, or force them to retreat. Either end-state helps your cause in a firefight. Additionally, become an expert marksman so you can hit what you’re shooting at. This is also a good way to end a firefight.
Rogers Knows
Robert Rogers’ 19 Standing Orders stand the test of time. They have continued to prove relevant, even for modern combat.
Fire Support (Indirect, Rotary Wing, Fixed Wing)
Fires will save you. Learn how to employ them. Learn and know the capabilities of the delivery systems, the language and lexicon of fires, and the effects (and dangers to friendly troops) various munitions will achieve. Also know that rotary wing aircraft, fixed wing aircraft, and munitions tend to wake up the enemy when you’re moving toward them in the middle of the night. Employ them with this in mind and properly integrate them into you plan. They need to be tightly controlled and synchronized throughout.
Spend time with the artillery, aviation, and Air Force (if possible) personnel who will support you. Invest time researching some of the effects videos on YouTube. Training opportunities to build the right level of understanding of fires are few and far between. The high monetary cost of these munitions and systems make them rare in training. Make the most of every round and every opportunity – to include the virtual, gaming, and constructive training opportunities.
Never Give Up
Continue to fight, even when everything seems to be going wrong. Fight to win, fight to survive, fight to live another day. Never, never give up. All that discussion about task and purpose, completing the mission, and never quitting matters. Bad things will inevitably happen, and these events tend to become focal points. Leaders must learn to compartmentalize those moments and not lose sight of the bigger picture.
In the face of difficult circumstance, hardships, and even casualties, you have to maintain control. Establish and maintain security, consider the enemy’s next actions, and know what happens if you don’t continue the fight. There is value in maintaining contact with the enemy once you’ve found each other. This applies to both turning the tide of your current situation and that of the next day’s as well. Maintain contact with the enemy so you can defeat them, or learn how to defeat them, the next day.
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The greatest lesson of all is that we have some amazing soldiers and leaders in our Army who know how to get through the most challenging circumstances a human can go through on this earth. Be thankful for them.
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