The most important relationship in the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) Intelligence War-fighting Function (IWfF) is between the BCT S2 Officer in Charge (OIC) and the Military Intelligence Company Commander (MICO CDR). These two have to own the problems and solve them. They accomplish this through a holistic intelligence enterprise, rather than divided as MICO problems or S2 problems. That mindset discourages collaboration. At times, it is an insurmountable obstacle. But it requires motivated, talented leaders engaged at every echelon from the MICO teams, BN/BCT S2 sections, and BN/BCT CDRs.
“The BCT MI company provides timely, relevant, and accurate intelligence and synchronized information collection support to commanders, staffs, and subordinate units during the planning, preparation, and execution of unified land operations. It provides a clear intelligence picture to assist maneuver commanders in making educated, tactical decisions on the battlefield. The BCT MI company integrates collection assets with maneuver units and the G-2/S-2 and supports the targeting effort. It deploys and provides single-source collection, tactical unmanned aircraft system (TUAS) capabilities, and collected intelligence processing capabilities.” p.2-1; TC 2-19.01 Military Intelligence (MI) Company and Platoon Reference Guide (March 2021)
A mutually supportive relationship between the BCT S2 and MICO commander supports protected training for all 35-series MI Soldiers, timely and relevant intelligence throughout the BCT, maintenance support, and well-informed CDR decision-making. This allows for a successful IWfF in spite of weak or inexperienced BN S2s and/or an unsupportive Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) Headquarters. A contentious or hostile relationship between the BCT S2 OIC and the MICO CDR results in under-trained collectors, MICO Soldiers that resent integration into the BCT Staff, non-mission capable (NMC) equipment, and intelligence failing to drive operations.
BCT MI Company Command and Control Considerations
When it comes to the integration of MI assets and training at echelon, planners have a misconception that requesting and integrating into maneuver is easy. The MICO is unique to the BCT in its responsibility to support commanders at the company, brigade, and division levels. In order to provide support to maneuver, the MICO has a unique training glide path that must plan and execute slightly ahead of the overall BCT training cycle. This creates a challenging problem set when the MICO CDR is answering to multiple leaders: BEB HQ, BCT S2, BCT CDR, and DIV G2. Training and certifying MI assets early will result in frequent integration with maneuver BNs and relationship building.
Training in lock step with the rest of the BCT is possible, but frequently results in either failure to integrate prior to culminating training exercises (i.e. Field Training Exercises, Command Post Exercises, and Company Combined Arms Live Fire Exercises) or in MI training being steamrolled by maneuver training requirements. Earlier training and qualification for MI Soldiers also enables relationship building between the MICO and BN leadership. It is important that those relationships have two sides: indirectly via the BN S2 and directly with the BN S3 and CDR. Both sides are necessary to ensure MICO assets are properly employed in their supported unit’s training and maneuver. If there is a misunderstanding or lack of confidence from the BNs, the BCT S2 can further advocate on behalf of the MICO to instill trust.
“Integration with staff functions is vital to the success of the MI company mission.” p. 2-34; TC 2-19.01 Military Intelligence (MI) Company and Platoon Reference Guide (March 2021)
Early integration of MICO assets pays dividends to both the collectors and the supported unit. It ensures that the receiving BN has a stake in including the assets (e.g. Human and Signal Intelligence Teams) in planning rather than leaving them as an afterthought. Integrating these assets as early as collective platoon training asserts the MICO’s relevance to echelons below BCT and builds relationships between Soldiers and junior leaders across BNs. Asset integration starts with the MICO CDR, platoon leaders, and the warrant officers building positive working relationships with BN S3s.
In turn, this enables MICO Soldiers ability to educate maneuver platoon leaders and platoon sergeants on how to employ them on the battlefield. The BN S2 is generally assumed to receive any MICO asset in their care (and already have a working relationship with the MICO CDR) but it is ultimately the BN S3’s decision as to whether that asset gets used intelligently or not.
Building Credibility and Trust
Thorough capabilities and limitations briefs are simple yet crucial to the understanding of the BCT and BN leadership with emphasis on the Commanders, Executive Officers, and S2s. This will help shape understanding on how each WfF can mutually support one another during future training and contingency operations. MI Leaders must take the initiative in establishing and maintaining that relationship. This is particularly imperative when the BN in question has weak or absent S2 leaders. MICO CDRs can’t build relationships and integrate if maneuver leaders don’t know them and how their unit supports operations. Quick desk side briefs are most common when addressing Top 5 leaders (i.e. CDR, CSM, XO, S3, OPS SGM).
However, capability briefs and static displays is common practice to company level leaders and below. Once again, leverage the BCT S2 and S3 to implement it into the leader development program. Make it a forcing function to educate the organization and instill confidence in the IWfF. This creates buy-in and supports MICO Soldiers because leaders often do not know how they operate in support of operations. Time is a finite resource and the last thing a unit needs is wasting time and question MI Leaders during the fight when understanding should be established well before the line of departure. At times, a non-integrated MICO does not get questioned, it gets ignored, and the primary consequence of that is BN and BDE CDRs are deprived of information a decisive points.
Once leaders understand how the MICO can support training and operations, property has the blessing of visibility from the BCT S2 and the curse of responsibility for the BEB. The BCT S2’s visibility on maintenance in the MICO can figuratively move mountains in the name of readiness. He/she can leverage relationships with the BCT S4 and Property Book Office (PBO) to facilitate turn-in for obsolete equipment. Or, the BCT S2 can help expedite fielding of newer equipment, influence the BCT S3 to protect MICO training, and interface with the DIV G1/G2/BCT S1 to fill manning shortages.
Unfortunately, the BEB is comparatively much less able to influence these things. Yet, they bear the blame for when these things fail to occur. The fact that the MICO is a BCT asset only compounds the pressure on the BEB to support their MICO. It is a difficult task to balance alongside training and maintenance for their Sappers and Signal Company.
Maintenance
The lowest level must own MI systems maintenance. Platoon leaders and commanders need to build in the time for Soldiers to train their equipment systems in the field. This will allow them to test them in conjunction with other systems (i.e. Command Post of the Future, Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System, One-System Remote Video Terminal, Joint Capabilities Release, and Tactical Airspace Integration System). Admittedly, it will take time away from training at echelon. But, units must do routine and deliberate maintenance and troubleshooting correctly and often. The BCT S2 shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not an MI system is going to work. He or she should be able to trust the MICO to have it fully mission capable (FMC).
A typical line or maneuver company, the forward support company (FSC) can repair these systems. Unfortunately, the FSC is only capable to a certain point. This is due to the extensive need for field service representatives (FSR) support. We don’t communicate the knowledge gap of MI systems maintenance often enough across the force. The BDE doesn’t always see the reality of MICO maintenance. The BEB is often reluctant to put a ton of MI systems on their equipment status report (ESR). This is because their FSC can’t fix it internally due to the MICOs heavy reliance on FSRs and contractor support. This shortfall must be thoroughly discussed at echelon. Leaders must manage expectations and ensure the MI systems are FMC to support the warfighter.
Relationship building for a MICO CDR must start with the BCT S2. He or she has to establish a solid foundation and mutual understanding of the IWfF. This is nonnegotiable. Well-trained MI Soldiers are great. But, depending on your intended audience, you may have a greater impact by orienting your argument toward the BDE CDR. Demonstrate why it’s in his or her interest to have the S2 and MICO CDR in lockstep.
Capt. David A. Beaumont is currently the Commander of Alpha Company, 304th Military Intelligence Battalion, 111th Military Intelligence Brigade at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. His other assignment include: Small group leader (SGL) and instructor at the Military Intelligence Captains Career Course, battalion intelligence officer in 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment (WOLFHOUNDS) and Military Intelligence Company Commander for 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and battalion intelligence officer and platoon leader in 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade.