You are the Company Commander of A Company, 2-14 Infantry Battalion of 2nd IBCT, 10th Mountain Division. Your unit is deployed to Southern Afghanistan. For the last three months you’ve been partnered with the Afghan National Army and conducting offensive operations in Zharay District of Kandahar Province. In the last month, Taliban forces have establish a complex defensive belt along the primary north to south running main supply route (MSR) in your area of operations (AO). This is disrupting the movement of military logistical supplies to the Afghan National Police and, more importantly, is limiting the local populous’ access to the primary water supply during the rainy season – the Arghandab River. Your company is tasked with conducting a clearance operation along RTE Hope.
Task Org
You are an MTOE Infantry Rifle Company with 2x full PLTs and 1x PLT currently short a squad due to factors ranging from injuries to mid-tour leave. You have 4x MRAPs and 3x MATVs (1 of which has a mine-roller) per PLT. Each platoon has access to anti-mine and anti-IED capabilities. Your company has 2x Military Working Dog teams attached for you to task organize as you see fit. One is a USAF team and the other is a USMC team, each with a 1:1 hours work-rest ratio.
2-14 IN “Golden Dragons” are deployed to Afghanistan in support of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission. They are primarily in an advise and assist role, but make no mistake, these Soldiers are still patrolling and securing. For that reason, TDGs like this one help to keep their minds sharp and alert.
You have your 60mm mortar team to task organize as your see fit. Each platoon has 1x APOBs, but due to concerns with local governance and infrastructure the BN HQ requires a tentative plan for its use prior to SP. BN HQ will pre-approve. You can adjust the plan to meet the reality on the ground in real time. No M58 MICLICs are available to your company for this mission.
You have priority support from BN 120mm mortars from the BN TAA approximately 2 km north of your line of departure. You also have your company internal RQ-11 RAVEN, priority RQ-7 Shadow feed to the BN TOC of your AO, 1 hour of priority support from CCA. Brigade Headquarters is withholding larger artillery and CAS due to concerns for civilian infrastructure and collateral damage.
Situation
2-14 Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Keith Benedict, out on patrol with his Afghan partners.
Your AO is marked by largely flat land with intermittent open fields for wheat and poppies broken up by grape rows that resemble the World War II hedgerows of France. Dense terrain limits U.S. Coalition vehicle movement to the roads and off-shoot alleys. Enemy motorcycles and Toyota SUVs can traverse the more narrow areas between houses and fields give them greater mobility and maneuverability/ freedom of maneuver than U.S. Forces.
Over the last month, foreign fighters and other Taliban forces moved in from Kandahar, Panjwai, and south of the Arghandab River to reinforce the area. They increased their populous control tactics and have locked down the main north-south running MSR (RTE Hope) in your AO. The enemy has created a defense in depth along the MSR and is believed to use hit & run tactics to attrit U.S. Coalition Forces should they attempt to clear the route. Their disengagement criteria is to destroy 1x U.S. MAXPRO or MATV and 1x U.S. Squad to force an air MEDEVAC and then destroy 1x U.S. UH-60.
The enemy your Company is facing has the following composition:
The BN S2 believes the enemy is arrayed in your company AO as follows:
Mission
The company mission is as follows: A Company, 2-14 IN attacks to clear AO Dragons along MSR Hope NLT H-HOUR IOT open lines of communication, provide FOM for U.S. Coalition Forces, and restore local security and governance within the AO.
Output Required
You have 25 minutes. Get with your CO HQs and Platoon Leadership to devise a plan. Using the graphic provided below, draw your concept of the operation. You can accompany this with a separate “whiteboard” concept sketch. Prepare a FRAGORD for your company. Include your analysis of enemy disposition, re-stated mission statement, a concept statement, and the rationale for your plan.
HINT: You have a myriad of resources on this mission, specifically in ISR capabilities and fires. But, you have to consider damage to civilian infrastructure and CIVCAS. You also have multiple platoons to maneuver. Ensure you are using phase lines, triggers, and other fire control and movement control measures to synchronize assets and mass effects.
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