Many are well versed in executing tactical applications on the battlefield. However, less are aware of the strategic needs leaders face in all aspects of warfare. This guide will address those strategic needs.
Follow Me!
"Follow Me" is the motto of every leader.
It describes the principle of leadership by example
We do this by: Being, Knowing, Doing.
Authority is the delegated power to:
Judge
Act
Command
This includes: Responsibility, Accountability, Delegation
Responsibility is the duty you have as a leader to: Execute the task/mission given to you.
It affords the authority to direct and take the necessary action to ensure mission success.
Leaders are accountable for their own decisions and for the actions, accomplishments, and failures of their subordinates. Respect and understanding of what makes the unit tick and their needs is what ultimately crafts good leaders.
You can delegate authority but NOT responsibility. That is to say, if you authorize a subordinate to execute an action, you are responsible for the outcome of that task, whether it be good or bad. However, subordinates are held accountable to their leaders for how they use their delegated authority.
Overview of Doctrine
To be an effective leader, one must draw their knowledge from both personal experience and well known tactics. These verified tactics are taken from accepted doctrine. In various applications drawing individuals from a world pool, this can be a challenge. The important fact to take away from this is the need for all the personnel of a group to accept a specific set of doctrine(s).
"Doctrine contains the fundamental principles by which the military forces or elements guide their actions in support of national objectives."
Dilemma versus Problem creation
A Dilemma is: A situation in which two or more bad alternatives are the only plausable course of actions (COA) .
A Problem is: A situation in which the Enemy is presented with only one choice and thus only one COA.
Creative combinations of combined combat power, along with effects of complementary and/or reinforcing effects enable warfighters to create a dilemma for the enemy.
Military leaders should always try to create dilemmas for the enemy, not just problems.
This can be done by using a combination of:
Weapons (small arms)
Weapon systems (crew-served)
Different units (engineer, artillery, close air support, etc)
Tactics (using mortars to fix the Enemy while a force maneuvers to envelope them)
Terrain (using a rock formation as an obstacle to the enemy's ability to maneuver)
Example: If you ambush an Enemy with direct fire only, they face a problem. They might choose to break contact. However, if you are aided with indirect fires, the Enemy now faces a dilemma...stay and get cover from direct fires but get crushed from the indirect fires or break contact to avoid the indirect fires and get hammered by direct fire.
Leaders must combine both complementary and reinforcing effects.
Complementary versus Reinforcing effects
A complementary effect is one that utilizes different types of weapon systems at the same time. Leaders must be knowledgeable in different weapon systems, their capabilities and their limitations, when they arrange elements with different characteristics together.
Example: A leader using indirect fires to augment their direct fire weapons
A reinforcing effect is one that utilizes weapon systems of similar effects.
Example: A team leader adding to the effects of his automatic rifleman with the fires of his other team members
Regardless of which effect is used (complimentary or reinforcing), they can be used in either a
Simultaneousmanner
Sequential manner
Simultaneous employment are those weapons systems that are used at the same time. This causes a shorter but more intense saturation of combat power.
Sequential employment uses each weapon system separately. This will cause a reduced sense of combat power but one that will last longer on the intended target.
It is important that a leader understands different weapons systems and the best way to employ them given the situation.
Actions on Contact
Actions on contact involve a series of combat actions, often conducted simultaneously, taken upon contact with the enemy to develop the situation.
Deploy and Report:
1. Fix the enemy
2. Isolate the enemy
3. Separate the enemy forces from each other by achieving fire superiority
4. Report to higher
5. Begin “fighting” for information—actively pursue and gather it.
Evaluate and Develop the Situation: In order to develop the situation, a leader must try to gain a tactical advantage by maneuvering his force.
During this process, the leader considers the following:
• Mutually supporting enemy positions
• Obstacles
• The size of the enemy force engaging the unit
• A vulnerable flank to the position
• A covered and concealed route to the flank of the position
Choose a COA (Course Of Action):
• COA 1
• COA 2
• COA 3
Execute the COA: Choose and execute the best Course of Action to your situation.
Most combat actions follow the sequence of find, fix, flank, and finish.
Commanders must visualize, describe, direct, and lead operations and training in terms of the warfighting functions.
Decisive, shaping, and sustaining operations combine all the warfighting functions.
At the core of a unit’s ability to fight are three time-tested components of close combat:
(1) Firepower
(2) Mobility
(3) Protection/Security
Master the Basics
A leader must ensure that his subordinates can perform well under fire when the time comes.
Every warfighter must be a master of their basic skills: shoot, move, communicate.
This skill set gives a unit its ability to fight.
When these individual skills are used collectively as part of a larger unit (Squad or Platoon), these skills now become combat power.
Shoot Every warfighter must be trained as a basic rifleman.
Further, each warfighter must be a master of their assigned weapon system (rifle, mortar, machinegun) so that when the different weapon systems are used together the unit's combat power is increased.
Move Movement is comprised of the individual movement techniques (IMT) of:
High Crawl
Low Crawl
3-5 second rush
Unit movement is comprised of:
Formations (staggered, wedge, file, line)
Movement Technique (travelling, travelling overwatch, bounding overwatch)
Maneuvering under fire (fire and movement / fire and maneuver)
Communicate There are three basic aspects of communication:
Having the correct radio (long range versus short range)
Technical means used to communicate (having the right frequency)
Procedures used for reporting and disseminating information (SPOTREP, 9 & 5 liners, close air support requests)
Combined Arms
Once a unit masters their individual skills, their leader uses them together as unit.
The combat power is increased when the unit uses: complementary and reinforcing effects of other weapon systems while using those organic to their own unit.
Example: A unit uses their own ability to have a Support By Fire (SBF) and an Assault force to maneuver on the enemy while employing mortars and close air support to fix them.
Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
Troop-leading procedures (TLP, BAMCIS, SMEAC) provide leaders a framework for decision making during the plan and prepare phases of an operation.
Infantry doctrine is comprised of: tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP).
When military engagements occur, chaos ensues. TTPs allows leaders to counter chaos with their prior planning of actions and counter actions.
U.S. military doctrine defines tactics as:
The employment of units in combat.
The ordered arrangement and maneuver of units in relation to each other or to the enemy to utilize their full potential.
In essence,tactics are how we fight the enemy during combat.
Techniques are the skills that a unit uses to execute their mission(s) with equipment and troops. These must be established and verified for their effectiveness.
Procedures are standard methods that set a standard on how to execute a task.
Example: If your unit has suffered injuries, who will use the procedure to call for medical evacuation and what is the specific format that they will use?
Every Shooter is a Sensor
A leader must be able to have subordinates perform:
Tactical Questioning Interacting with other characters or questioning detainees/prisoners for information
Site Exploitation Combing through the objective or an area for information (documents, weapons, identify factions, maps, cell phones, computers, documents, photos, tablets, etc)
Debriefing and Reporting Once a contact/mission/task is finished a debriefing must occur where personnel share information. If a debriefing cannot occur, personnel must know how to report in a consistent manner (contact/IED/recon report).
Individual Leadership
To accomplish the mission, leaders must give their subordinates the following:
Purpose - the reason to accomplish the mission. What is the goal of the mission?
Direction - the means to accomplish the mission. Do they have the necessary training and equipment?
Motivation - the will to accomplish the mission. How many casualties are "acceptable"?
Leaders must use command and control (C2) to influence their subordinates to accomplish the mission.
Control is the:
Direction and guidance of subordinates to ensure accomplishment of the mission
There are three core principles that underlie the application of tactical leadership:
1) Leadership by example ("Follow Me!")
2) Authority
3) Mission command
Decision Making Matrix
Leaders use two decision making methods:
1) Visualize, Describe and Direct Used during planning and preparation phase(s) in TLPs
Visualize Develop battlefield visualization.
Ask yourself:
Where are we now?
Where do we need to be?
How are we going to get there?
What obstacles will impede us?
Describe Leaders must now describe their visualization. Leaders who communicate effectively:
Display good oral, written, and listening skills
Persuade others
Express thoughts and ideas clearly to individuals and groups
Direct Leaders issue orders to direct subordinates. Examples include:
Combat orders and fire commands
Mission profiles and objectives
Intentions and initiatives
Orders can be oral or written.
2)Assess, Decide and Direct Used by leaders for battlefield decision making during operations and provides the logic underlying the action-on-contact decision making process.
Risk Management
1)Define the enemy action
2)Identify friendly combat power shortfall
3)Identify available combat multipliers, if any, to mitigate risk
4) Consider the risks: acceptable or unacceptable?
5)Make a decision: Go or No-Go?
After Action Reviews (AAR)
AARs are how can you learn and/or improve you performance.
It is not meant to judge success or failure.
• It looks at why and how things happened
• It focuses directly on thetasks and goals that were to be accomplished
• It allows feedback that raises important lessons learned
Most or all personnel should be involved so more information can be recalled and more lessons can be learned and shared.