Tactical Unit Pre-Combat Inspections

It has often been said that, 'The men do best what the commander checks." While this trite statement seems to indicate an unduly pessimistic view of subordinate professionalism, it does have real merit in that it highlights the commander's responsibility to inspect his unit. This responsibility is most commonly manifested in the unit pre-combat inspection. The phrase 'pre-combat inspection" conjures up images of polished vehicles, dress-right dress, in the motor pool, with troops spitshined at parade rest in front of their immaculate war machines while the battalion or brigade commander troops the l i e to check for valve stem caps, correct tire pressure, Code-of-Conduct cards, and other important "stuff.' This image of the pre-combat inspection persists because many units still conduct these all-day witch hunts in the name of readiness. It is my firm opinion that such inspections discover little of 'value, exact a toll on morale that is unwarranted, and bear no resemblance to what will actually take place in combat operations. I absolutely agree that commanders (and other leaders) inspect their areas of responsibilities. I just think that what is checked and how it's checked will be quite a bit different from the motor pool show-and-tell. A pre-combat inspection (PCI) is an inspection conducted by a unit commander or leader to determine the force's readiness to execute its assigned tactical missions. These inspections may be formal or informal and may be announced or unannounced. Formal inspections are always announced. All leaders and commanders make some type of PCI of their units. Formal PCIs are the commander's meticulous inspection of all areas within the unit. Formal inspections consume an extraordinary amount of time and preclude "working inspections" because troops are standing down waiting to be inspected after all combat preparations are complete. Units in combat will rarely have the luxury of time required for a formal pre-combat inspection. Moreover, such an inspection is seldom warranted when subordinates are competent, diligent, and profes-. sional. Most soldiers and their NCOs will take positive action to maintain their equipment and prepare to fight. During these preparations, tank commanders, squad leaders, platoon leaders, and platoon sergeants will routinely make the same exacting rigorous inspections of their men and equipment that the commander would repeat. Therefore, formal PCIs are almost never conducted during combat operations, including during assembly area occupation when preparation for combat takes place. Informal PCIs are the commander's inspection of particular areas, activities, or units of special interest or concern to him. The in-ARMOR - formal PCI resembles a series of deliberate spot checks of key items. The areas inspected and the method and depth of the inspection may vary from unit to unit, or even from vehicle to vehicle, at the commander's discretion. The commander's experience, indepth knowledge of his unit and its equipment, and his estimation of the current status of the sub-elements under his command will dictate the particular details of the inspection. For example, the commander may spend more time and look in greater depth at units newly task organized with his command or those units in which officer replacements are new to combat. Units that experience habitual shortcomings will deserve more of the commander's time. He may designate one or more staff members or the executive officer to check certain items. At company level, the commander may use the XO, first sergeant, or master gunner for this purpose. do when the unit is in combat and dispersed over a wide area. Personal leadership here means "showing the flag," talking with soldiers, demonstrating a sincere and lasting concern for the welfare of the men under his command, and infusing his confidence and spirit into the unit. Last, in the informal PCI, the commander and his staff or other subordinates are physically at the assembly area while activities take place - a "working inspection." This allows them to take positive action to expedite actions, f i i problems, and set standards as the need arises, not after the fact.. To be most efficient and effective, PCIs must be planned. Planning the PCI does not imply formal inspections or rigid adherence to schedules. PCI planning is the summation of the commander's estimate and decision concerning what will be checked, who will check it, when it will be checked, and in what sequence it will be checked. The informal PCI serves several purposes. First, and obviously, it allows the commander to personally, or through his subordinates, check to ensure that actions are taken in accordance with his decisions and applicable SOPS or standards. Also, it allows the commander the opportunity physically to determine the readiness of the unit from a subjective viewpoint. The commander's knowledge of and experience with soldiers allows him to accurately assess the intangible elements of combat power, such as cohesion, morale, and esprit, that are not reflected in formatted reports and briefings.. This process of checking also enables the commander to exercise personal leadership - something which he cannot easily or normally Generally, those points that mean the difference between mission success or failure, and those points that serve as indicators of maintenance, readiness, or morale trends within the units, will be checked. Ideally, given enough time, everything in the unit would be checked. However, with the general scarcity of time in combat and the other competing demands on leaders' time during combat preparation, the commander must prioritize what to check. The number and competence of subordinate leaders or staff members available to assist the commander in his inspections also influence what will be checked. Obviously, with more individuals to do the checking, more can be checked. With lack of time, and without the same level of expertise in certain technical matters as subordinates or staff members, the commander will habitually delegate some checks to his subordinates. Such delegation ensures adequate coverage of key items, aligns the experts with their specialties, and frees the commander to devote his own time to inspect vital areas, spend more time with soldiers, become more fully involved in troop leading procedures, or conduct personal reconnaissance and coordination. The delegation and execution of PCI tasks must not interfere with troop leading procedures by removing too many subordinate leaders and staff members from tactical planning. Brigade and battalion commanders should avoid allowing subordinate leaders to trail behind them in ever-growing numbers during the inspection, as is common in peacetime. When, and what specific items will be checked is keyed to both what is being checked and who is checking it. The sequence and duration of assembly area activities is typically known to the command. Ideally, subordinate units should be inspected when they are relatively inactive or stationary. For example, an inspection of Company "B," which coincides with the company's Level I11 rehearsal, may not yield the sort of results the battalion commander desires. On the other hand, some inspections are oriented on activities, not units. For example, if the battalion S4 wants to ensure that the battalion maintenance platoon is providing adequate support to the mechanized infantry company, he must obviously arrive for his spot check while the maintenance platoon is working with the unit. However, when time is truly short, leaders and staff members must inspect as the opportunity presents itself, even if it is not the best time to do so. The execution of combat preparations must never be delayed or artificially sequenced to "fit" the PCI time planning. The surest way to avoid this is to make all PCIs unannounced. Brigade Pre-Combat Inspections The brigade commander is limited in his ability to inspect the brigade due to lack of time and lack of detailed technical knowledge concerning all units and activities within the brigade. Time is probably the most limiting aspect of these restrictions. The physical dispersion of the units within the brigade magnifies the criticality of time because movement between units consumes much of what little time is available to the commander. The brigade commander must account for these limitations by prioritizing his inspections and making full use of his staff. In prioritizing what to inspect, the brigade commander focuses on units, not equipment. The brigade staff may be assigned inspection of units or activities within their respective areas of expertise. The brigade XO, as 2IC, may assist the commander inspecting units, but he will probably be required to devote his entire efforts to staff coordination and planning - especially when time is scarce. In selecting units for his own inspection, the brigade commander is guided by his knowledge of the brigade's units, judgment, experience, and. time available. He may invest more time and effort in those units whose combat performance is key to the upcoming operation or those which will constitute the brigade's main effort. Although the brigade commander can and will inspect anything in the brigade that he wants, the most illuminating inspections are probably the battalion TOCs of inspected units. At the TOC, the brigade commander can observe the battalion's staff planning and coordination and speak with staff members. His impression of the efficiency, cohesion, and competence of the staff is probably indicative of the battalion as a whole. This is because the planning and preparation for tactical operations is a clear predictor of battlefield success. Moreover, a visit to the TOC allows the brigade commander to determine whether or not his instructions, intent, and priorities are being carried out. TO and from the battalion TOC, the commander should make a sincere effort to meet and talk with soldiers. This, too, is an inspection, which together with his impression of the TOC, allows the commander to assess the battalion's intangible elements of combat power. Battalion Pre-Combat Inspections Like the brigade commander, the battalion commander is restricted in what he can inspect. However, the battalion commander has less travel between units and has fewer different types of units and equipment with which to contend. The battalion commander has a distinct advantage in that most of the companies in the battalion are usually those assigned to his battalion. The constant relationship between the battalion commander and the companies and platoons under his command allows him to make more rapid assessments of unit strengths and weaknesses. This more detailed knowledge, coupled with his constant personal contact with officers and men, permits the battalion commander to determine quickly what to inspect. Like the brigade com. mander, he will frequently delegate inspection tasks to staff, XO, or ser. geant major. The battalion commander's inspection is a balance between units, equipment, and men. He inspects the companies and platoons under his command by inspecting equipment and personnel and observing assembly area activities, including rehearsals. The battalion commander physically spot checks selected equipment and vehicles in the battalion. Because men are directly connected to these pieces of equipment and vehicles, any such inspection is also a personnel inspection. Like the brigade commander, he concentrates on those units and officers who warrant the time and effort invested. The battalion commander should attempt to inspect each company and special platoon in the battalion, including attachments. The battalion commander must also inspect his own combat vehicle with the level of detail equal to any other vehicle commander in the battalion. The battalion commander should make a special effort to inspect, visit with, and rehearse with the company he will maneuver with in combat. Company Pre-Combat Inspections Ideally, the company commander inspects every vehicle, major weapons system, and soldier in his unit, including attachments and CS assets that will maneuver with the company. His inspection is as thorough and painstaking as time allows. Lack of time may force the commander to inspect fewer items than he would like. The XO, first sergeant, and master gunner may assist the commander in checking those items that he does not have the time to adequately inspect himself. Subordinate leaders will also inspect their areas of responsibility. However, no matter what other inspections take place, or who conducts them, the commander will still 16 ARMOR - Januaty-February 1991