“To win in a complex world as part of joint, interorganizational and multinational effort, Army forces must have the capability and capacity to accomplish assigned missions while confronting increasingly dangerous threats in complex operational environments”. The way we fight must “evolve based upon assigned missions, the operational environment, emerging technologies and changes in enemy capabilities, objectives, and will”. In order to fight and win at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), the Warrior Brigade calibrated our approach and assessment of the enemy to a near-peer threat in a Direct Action Training Environment (DATE). Our analysis of the enemy threat, capability and will indicated that our Mission Command nodes were a high priority target and that a concentrated MAIN CP inevitably becomes a Target Reference Point (TRP) for an enemy force fighting with home field advantage. In order to Mission Command the BDE in direct action fight against a near-peer threat, our MAIN CP configuration had to evolve. Doctrinally, a command post’s configuration boils down to two opposing forces: Survivability versus Efficiency. A command post’s survivability is vital to mission success; however, command posts often gain survivability at the price of effectiveness. When concentrated, the enemy can easily acquire and target most command posts. …show more content…
Acknowledging that survival was a nonnegotiable, we challenged the notion that a terrain based MAIN CP configuration would cost our staff effectiveness and synchronization. The Warrior Brigade devised a three phase approach to evolve our staff from our current state to our desired endstate. In Phase one, we planned to tear down our current conceptions of a staff, in phase two we would rebuild a staff team and in our final phase we would build a Team of Teams capable of operating in terrain based MAIN CP configuration as a coordinated
On July 30, 2008, a bloody battle involving Coalition forces took place in the mountainous eastern Afghan province of Nuristan. This was the Battle of Wanat and the devastating amount of Coalition casualties began a vigorous investigation by the United States Army. The village of Wanat, defended by Second Platoon, Chosen Company, Second Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team would fall victim to numerous bad decision made by higher command. Although the men of Chosen Company fought hard, they ended up surrounded, vastly outnumbered, and without any Battalion assets. This paper will argue the reasons for the disastrous outcome of the Battle of Wanat; examining the effective company leadership exploiting effective
Operation Anaconda: Analytical Paper of Principles of Mission Command According to APD 6-0: Mission Command (2019), the definition of mission command is “The Army’s approach to command and control that empowers subordinate decision making and decentralized execution appropriate to the situation.” (p.Glossary 3) This approach by the Army is used on a daily basis at various times during countless operations and missions. One of the operations where mission command was used was Operation Anaconda.
Therefore, he dispatched his 2nd Brigade Commander, Colonel Anderson, to gather as much information as possible, assess the situation, then report back describing the conditions in order for Major General Petraeus to lead, and direct his units in Mosul. This paper explores the aspects he used to lead, direct, and assess the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul. Moreover, how General Petraeus was able to utilize artful
The CJCS also outlines and writes the National Military Strategy provided to Combatant Commanders as military context and translation of the National Defense
The United States Army adjusted its larger Division-based institute to a more agile modular based concept, the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) in 2003. Divided into three unique missions or combined to form a larger combat force, the Heavy, Infantry, and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams are the Army’s combat power building blocks.1 The Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) affords the Joint Force Commanders when combined with airlift operations a rapid deployment capability anywhere in the world within a matter of days. Other capabilities include Stryker vehicles and digital information systems (INFOSYS), and enhanced situational awareness down to the vehicle/Soldier level. The SBCT also has a dismount strength for close combat in urban and complex
Operation Anaconda, conducted in March 2002, was a major military campaign aimed at destroying Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in the Shahikot Valley of Afghanistan. The operation presented a complex and challenging environment for the U.S. and coalition forces, requiring the application of the principles of mission command. This essay will analyze and evaluate the significant points of Operation Anaconda Case Study, focusing on the principles of mission command and how they were utilized to achieve the operation's objectives (Kugler, 2007). The success of Operation Anaconda can be attributed to the practical application of mission command principles, which allowed for adaptability, coordination, and communication between ground and air forces,
One of the main extracurricular activity that is very helpful to me is NJROTC. It teaches cadets about the real world and the military world. The Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC), is put in place to teach you more about the military, and also to teach students to become great leaders. Everyone in this program learn to be well disciplined. Without discipline there would be total chaos.
Cancelled Army systems such as the Future Combat System cost over one billion dollars and did not result in the breakthrough technologies sought. However, the advantages of successful innovation, including increased combat effectives and reduced casualties, far exceed the risks. The danger of cheap, easily acquired, advanced technologies captures the operational risk and future challenges
The Operations Process (ADP 5-0). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN18126-ADP_5-0-000-WEB-3.pdf Grant, R. (2005, February 7). Operation Anaconda: An Airpower Perspective. https://www.defense.gov/. Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://media.defense.gov/2014/Sep/17/2001329845/-1/-1/0/anaconda%2n.d.A495248.pdf Kugler, R., & Kugler, R. L. (2007). Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan: a case study of adaptation in battle.
By definition, “mission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations,” according to ADRP 5-0. Mission command is about knowing when to change the task to fit the purpose. This paper is intended to analyze the mission command of one side of the battle, focusing on the commander’s role in the operations process. The Battle of Bunker Hill was the most important battle of the American Revolution because of Colonel Prescott’s superior command and control.
The Echo of Battle is a must read for all professional Army officers to better contemplate the overarching doctrinal development of the United States Army. The book is in itself a history of the Army, the development of the Army’s tactical doctrine and how the doctrine of the Army has changed over time. The main argument of the book is that the central concepts of the Army were not formed in war but in the long periods of peace in between actual combat. Brian Linn, the author, further argues that the military intellectual elite have over the years created the ‘American Way of War’ instead of the great leaders of the military such as Patton or Eisenhower.
This paper will give you a brief synopsis on the Expert Action Badge. It will go into detail on the implementation of the Expert Action Badge. The paper also describes some of the Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills associated with the Expert Action Badge, as well as some of the additional criteria required competing for the Expert Action Badge. Details describing on how to implement and train to the standard of Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills, but also the five mission essential tasks that the Brigade Commander has to choose to be tested on as well, that will ensure his unit readiness will be explained. Expert Action Badge In today's time, Warrior Task and Battle Drills are vital to the everyday Army.
Joint Planning for Operation Anaconda SFC Spurlock, Matthew MLC Class 005-18 Joint Planning for Operation Anaconda Since the beginning of the Global War on Terrorism, there have been numerous battles. One of the most important battles that shaped future joint planning of operations was Operation Anaconda. The outcome of this operation was ultimately successful, however, the original intent from the commanders were not met due to errors in the joint planning process. Joint planning during Operation Anaconda proved ineffective because of inaccurate intelligence about the terrain and weather, the exemption of Air Force and Navy during the initial planning phase, and false assumptions about the enemy. Intelligence Intelligence Preparation
Returning to the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) to assume command as the brigade commander brings me much joy to be reunited with great Non-Commission Officers and Officers that I have previously served with. Unfortunately, this brigade is no longer the brigade I remember when I commanded a battalion within the 4th ABCT not so long ago. In the last 30 days, I have had the opportunity to observe the ABCT and review a multitude of historical documents to assess the state of the brigade. During my observation, I believe the critical leadership problem in the 4th ABCT’s is the lack of vision for the brigade. Therefore, this critical problem has led to other challenging issues within the brigade.
All levels of war should be taken with the utmost seriousness and same level of concern. Therefore, the operational level and also strategic level of warfare are both equally important. Per JP 3-0, the strategic environment is characterized by uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change, which requires persistent engagement.1 The operational level of war along with the tactical is almost always affected by the strategic level. We have seen it in the past during the great Raid of Cabanatuan during World War II.