Our AARs largely focus how internal systems and processes respond to the challenges of planning and operating at distance, on difficult terrain, in constrained timelines. This was consistent throughout the nearly 120 after action reviews (AARs) I facilitated at the National Training Center (NTC). Most friction is inflicted by units upon themselves or by the overwhelming size and difficulty of the environment. We mitigate self-induced friction by building cohesive teams, establishing common processes and procedures, and refining them through practice (see Parts I,II, and III). We can mitigate the friction imposed by the environment by replicating those factors during home station training events. This final installment of Training Your Battle Staff in Garrison focuses on a few simple ways to replicate the challenges of the Decisive Action environment in existing home station training events.
Remove the Easy Button for Logistics
Insert your favorite profound adage about logistics vs tactics here. Bottom line, your staff and subordinates need to get comfortable conducting logistics in a tactical environment. Practice Logistics Release Point (LRP) operations during home station training events. This starts in your Training Resource Meeting–referred to as a Battalion LOGSYNC in Part II. Charge your S4, HHC/T/B Commander, and FSC Commander to execute LRP during subordinate unit training.
Plan the location and time for the LRP, and coordinate with Range Control if necessary. Set a time and reporting method for training units to submit daily LOGSTATs to the S4. The S4 will consolidate requests for resupply and send them to the FSC. The FSC HQ (acting as the Field Trains Command Post in garrison) will prepare the Logistics Package (LOGPAC) for the distribution platoon to move to the LRP site. The Distribution Platoon Leader will plan the LOGPAC’s tactical movement to the LRP. Upon arriving, company 1SGs or XOs will then lead the LOGPAC to their units and escort them back to the LRP .
Establish your Combat Trains Command Post (CTCP) during battalion gunnery and PLT/CO certifications. Facilitate logistics at a location separate from your BN’s main command post. Encourage dialogue between your FSC and line company commanders to generate other opportunities to train logistics during company events.
FEEL How Hard it is to Talk
The terrain at NTC challenges all communications systems. Failing to stress the BN’s PACE plan at doctrinal distances during home station leads to relying solely on JCR/JBCP. So how do we stress our PACE–specifically FM–at home station?
It starts at the training meeting (referred to as the BN OPSYNC in Part II). Every field exercise is an opportunity for the S6 to plan and the retrans teams to train. During the OPSYNC, identify opportunities to link company command posts to your CUOPs floor via FM radio. Require the S6 to conduct line of sight analysis to the company’s training site and coordinate with range control or other units to establish your BN retrans. Set-up necessary equipment at your HQ (if not already established for your CUOPs floor). On the day of execution, deploy your retrans team to its site and begin operations.
The end-state is simple: your BN CUOPs floor receives and transmits FM messages to the company command post (CP). Company CPs have a responsibility to fight for comms. Make sure that this implied task becomes an explicit task to subordinate units. Task your S6 NCOIC to help the retrans team and the company CP troubleshoot issues and establish communications. Once established, the retrans team should practice camouflage and passive reconnaissance techniques.
Acclimate to Information Overload
Our success in the Decisive Action environment hinges on clear, concise, and quality reporting. Your RTOs, Battle CPTs, S2, and Fires Cell need to understand how to receive, analyze, and process the volume the information that they will experience in combat. Units often start training their CUOPs floor during PLT or CO certifications. Furthermore, its function is largely limited to providing stimuli to the training unit and receiving information from subordinate companies. With a little creativity and coordination, you can create a training scenario that incorporates the subordinate unit tactical reporting generated during collective training. Where do we start?
Step 1: Get your S2 and FSO involved in the training meeting (are you seeing the theme here?…)
Here is an example: A CO, 1stTank Battalion plans three days of tank platoon situational training exercises in the Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT- virtual combat vehicle battle simulation). Your high speed S2 and FSO, recognizing this an opportunity to train their warfighting cells, coordinate with the CO CDR to integrate the CUOPs team into training. The CDR agrees to a crawl, walk, run approach. You start with PLT maneuver focus on Day 1, incorporate the CO XO and company reporting into the simulation on Day 2, and add the BN CUOPs layer on Day 3.
Step 2: Conduct necessary coordination with the CCTT to confirm the facility and network architecture
Step 3: Enhance the base training scenario
Create a list of scenario events–injects–that will stimulate company and/or BN CUOPs battle drills. Coordinate with the CCTT to incorporate these injects. From the scenario, the S2, AS3, and FSO build the essential fighting products for the CUOPs floor.
Step 4: Execute
The CO CDR remains focused on assessing PLT maneuver and gets a look at how the XO receives and pushes information. The S2, S3, FSO, and XO have an opportunity to coach and refine CUOPs processes utilizing real-time inputs from subordinates. What started as a PLT-level maneuver simulation, now also trains call for fire, company reporting and battle tracking, and BN reporting, analysis, and fire support. See the diagram below for what this might look like in action.
Step 5: Conduct a combined Company-CUOPS AAR
Capture critical lessons learned and make necessary changes in your TACSOPs. Pick one or two things to fix, staff them, and identify dates or events to assess progress on those fixes.
–
The environment of NTC and your next deployment will challenge your battle staff’s ability to advise the commander and support subordinate units. The only place to experience this friction is in the field. Your company, battalion, and BCT exercises are not enough. With a small measure of creativity, coordination, and effort, your staff can leverage subordinate training events to experience and overcome this friction long before a battalion certification. Lastly, these efforts are opportunities to build mutual trust and competency between the staff and companies. The staff must respect the company commander’s training objectives. However, the commander must also acknowledge that it is in his or her interest to help train the staff and battalion enablers. Collaborate upward and downward to make the Battalion better. Your team will be stronger, and you will fight harder.
Subscribe to The Company Leader!