1966 US Army Vietnam War ARMOR ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COM(3) Functioning as the ammunition officer. guidance. This guidance provides the(4) Organizing the internal security of necessary direction for concurrentthe field trains.planning by the staff and a frameworkfor making studies and estimates.It should include an analysis(6) Maintaining communication with the of the mission, any special aspects ofhigher headquarters logistical controlthe situation, any courses of actionfacility.the commander desires the staff to(7) Coordinating employment and loca- consider in their estimates, restrictionsof the mess teams.tions placed on the operation, and anindication as to allocations of means68. Command and Staff (combat power). Planning guidancea. General. The command and staff sequence from the commander is essential andpresented in this section is included as a train-eliminates needless exploratory working vehicle for development training of theby the staff. The planning guidancecommander and his staff. Becoming thoroughlymay be brief or exceedingly detailed,familiar with the steps in the command anddepending upon the relations of thestaff sequence develops the ability to use abbre-commander with his staff and theviated estimates discussed in appendix VII. Inlength of the time they have funchighlymobile, fast-moving situations, the se-tioned as an entity.quence described in b below will be compressed (2) The staff, having received the comorcurtailed frequently due to time limitations. mander's planning guidance, beginTrained and experienced commanders and staffstheir individual staff estimates. Forcontinuallykeep abreast of the situation andmulation of the operation estimate reconstantlymake or revise estimates. The com-quires certain detailed informationmander makes rapid decisions and, for thefrom other staff officers. The S2 furmostpart, issues oral and fragmentary orders.nishes the S3 the results of his analy-Once an operation begins, subordinate com-sis of the weather, terrain, enemy sitmanderswill seldom be called to the rear touation, and enemy capabilities. Thereceive an order. The techniques of applicationS1 and S4 furnish the S3 details perofthe command and staff sequence will varytaining to their respective fields. Thewith the personalities of the commander and S3 then determines the possiblestaff, the time available, and the professionalcourses of action that will accomplishabilities of the commander and his staff.the mission and announces them tothe other staff officers. The S2 evalub.Command and Staff Sequence. ates his own estimate in the light of(1) Upon receipt of a mission from the courses of action to determine ifhigher headquarters, the commanderand his staff study the mission to inadditionaldetailed intelligence is re-quired. The SI and S4 evaluate theirsure that they thoroughly understandits implications regarding specifiedestimates, from their respective view-points, to determine what limitationsand implied missions and tasks. Thecommander assembles his staff andexist as to their support and whichcourse is favored. During the prepareceivesthe latest information fromration or revision of staff estimates,their respective fields of activity.planning for the employment of sup-Based on this information, his knowl-porting fires, including nuclear weapedgeof the situation (including aons, is accomplished by the fire supstudyof the map), knowledge of theport coordinator.next higher commander's future plans (3) Each unit staff officer completes hisand intentions, and his professionalestimate, arriving at recommendaexperienceand judgment, he formu-tions to be made to the commander.lates and disseminates his planningA meeting is then conducted during42