Operation Anaconda Joint Function Sergeant First Class Joel S. Johnson
MLS 004-18
Joint Functions
According to JP 3-0, Joint functions are related capabilities and activities placed into six basic groups of command and control, intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, and sustainment to help the Joint Forces Commander (JFC) synchronize, integrate, and direct joint operations (p.xiii). ADRP 3-0 states that the general term, joint operations, is military actions conducted by joint forces (JF) or by service forces employed under command relationships (p.1-6). Missteps made in the Joint Functions of command and control, intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, and sustainment may have been impossible to
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To have black SOF in the Area of Operation (AO) is normal for most planned operations. However, in this situation the SOF believed that certain theater assets belonged solely to them. The AC-130 aircraft received flight requests from the SOF and conventional forces during normal operations leading up to Operation Anaconda. In the beginning of Operation Anaconda it became clear there were not enough AC-130’s in theater to manage the increase of requests. This created a need for deconfliction in the beginning of the operation. This wasted time when the additional firepower should have been supporting friendly …show more content…
This was especially true for the Afghanistan forces that were participating in the operation. CJTF Mountain did not have enough weapons platforms to fill all of the close air requests received by the Air Support Operations Center (ASOC). As a result the Afghanistan forces did not receive promised close air support. All of the available weapons platforms were committed to supporting the U.S. combat forces. Due to this lack of close air support and a friendly fire incident the Afghanistan forces withdrew to cover to