Mobilization Training Comparisons Security Force Brigade Combat Teams Versus Full-Spectrum Operations Brigade Combat Teams

Since becoming a mobilization training center, the 177th Armored Brigade and Camp Shelby have served as First Army’s Center of Excellence — training both full-spectrum operations brigades and security force brigades. Full-spectrum operations are simultaneous offensive, defensive, and stability or civil support operations conducted in an era of persistent conflict. Security force operations include executing security operations focused at specific base security and convoy security missions, and providing security forces in a particular area of operations. Given the changes in today’s Army, it is important that all leaders, officer and enlisted alike, are knowledgeable about these two types of operations. It is equally important to understand the differences between the two when developing mobilization collective training plans; the significant differences cover two major areas — theater mission set and organizational structure. Theater Mission Set The theater mission set for a full-spectrum operations brigade includes controlling a 3-dimensional area of operation and the responsibility for all activities within assigned areas. The full-spectrum operations brigade is the “landowner.” Security force brigades typically do not own the ground on which they operate — they coordinate and leverage the landowner’s assets to operate effectively. Assets critical to a security force unit’s mission, which are typically leveraged, include intelligence, air support, artillery fires, and medical evacuation. Organizational Structure Organizational structure is the other major difference between full-spectrum operations brigades and security force brigades. Traditional full-spectrum operations brigades consist of a brigade headquarters and five to seven subordinate battalions. Two, sometimes three, of the battalions are combined arms battalions tasked organized with both indirect fires and support assets. With the advent of the current application of the “status of forces agreement” in Iraq, traditional field artillery battalions generally deploy in a secondary role as a security force or even a landowner unit, rather than an “indirect fires” battalion. The brigade support battalion provides logistics, maintenance, and medical assets to the brigade, and finally, a brigade troops battalion, which functions as a battalion-level headquarters for the military intelligence company, signal company, and military police platoons. Security force brigades are generally convoy security centric with a basic building block centered on a 131-man convoy security company. Brigade and battalion headquarters generally function as a rear area operations center (RAOC) or mayor’s cell, actually commanding and controlling very few of their pre-mobilization organic battalions. Typical security force — 37 brigades are organized with two battalions to provide command and control for companies in theater. Several of the companies will detach on arrival to theater to provide convoy security operations to other diverse organizations throughout the area of operations. A security force brigade’s organizational structure is driven by mission equipment lists and deployment manning documents that support the security force structure. However, convoy security companies are branch/military occupational specialty (MOS) immaterial. Detailed, mission-oriented, collective training prepares mobilizing units to deploy, fight, and win as a team. Developing training models for both of these organizations requires a basic level of competence in the art and science of operations and battle command. The development of training models must account for the differences in both mission set and organizational structure. Development of training models for security force units is built around mission sets, which generally include convoy security and RAOC operations based on the unit’s equipment and manning. Therefore, the training model includes counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) training, gun truck crew skills training, mounted combat patrolling, urban operations, and base defense operations. Within each of these models, each unit will execute warrior battle drills, which include, but are not limited to, react to ambush, react to contact, react to indirect fire, react to roadblock, react to IED, and vehicle rollover drills. U. S. Army Field Manual (FM) 7.0, Training for Full Spectrum Operations, requires brigade level and higher organizations to train core mission essential tasks list (CMETL) until provided a directed mission essential tasks list (DMETL).1 Below the brigade level, units will conduct a mission analysis using the brigade’s CMETL to develop their METL. Critical to developing a METL is ensuring METL tasks are nested with the higher unit’s METL. For example, a company METL could include deploy the force; execute convoy security operations; execute force protection operations; execute counter-IED operations; execute escalation of force operations; and sustain the force. Developing a training model for full-spectrum operations includes application of the principles of training. Unit commanders decide which tasks are most important when developing training plans. The battle command model of understanding the operational environment, visualizing the requirements, deciding the tasks to be trained, and directing the training plan is a process that enables commanders to conduct critical task training to either achieve a core capability or develop proficiency in a specific unit mission. For example, the commander, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT), which trained at the National Training Center (NTC), directed urban operations as the basic building block of his mobilization training plan. All collective training models integrated combat operations in an urban environment as the centerpiece training condition. Under his guidance, from squad to platoon, urban operations live fires and collective Bradley tables XI and XII incorporated urban operations tasks in their scenarios. The 30th HBCT’s mobilization training model included:  3 days of urban operations (platoon – company collective).  3 days of urban operations live fire (4-man stacks, squad, and platoon).  2 days of Bradley Table XI and XII live fire with dismounted platoons clearing buildings.  8 days of platoon and company situational training exercise (STX), integrating urban operations tasks (cordon and search, raid, and presence patrols in villages).  7-day mission rehearsal exercise (battalion – platoon level). Unlike security force brigades, full-spectrum operations brigades’ mobilization plans include a mission rehearsal exercise (MRE), which is executed at one of the Army’s combat training centers (CTC) — either the Joint Readiness Training Center or National Training Center. Security force brigades execute an MRE at their mobilization training center where conditions closely mirror the intensity and duration of a CTC MRE. Following the principle “train as we fight,” the 177th Armored Brigade trains soldiers and units daily in individual and collective tasks under challenging, realistic conditions. Training models are enhanced by the use of training enhancements, which include, but are not limited to, mock IED devices, which replicate specific current theater enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures; the latest intelligence and logistics systems; and through use of civilians as battlefield role players. Since early FY09, the 177th Armored Brigade has trained the 56th Stryker Bri- “Developing a training model for full-spectrum operations includes application of the principles of training. Unit commanders decide which tasks are most important when developing training plans. The battle command model of understanding the operational environment, visualizing the requirements, deciding the tasks to be trained, and directing the training plan is a process that enables commanders to conduct critical task training to either achieve a core capability or develop proficiency in a specific unit mission.” Figure 1. Example training model for security force brigade.

Mounted Combat Patrolling 3 days days Base Defense

Training & Crew Devices 3 days 4 days 38 — gade Combat Team, Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the 30th HBCT, North Carolina Army National Guard how to conduct full-spectrum operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Currently, the 177th is planning mobilization training for security force battalions from the 48th BCT, Georgia Army National Guard, which will deploy to Afghanistan and the 155th BCT, Mississippi Army National Guard, which will deploy to Iraq. As these forces transition, the 177th Armored Brigade and Camp Shelby Joint Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) James D. Kennedy currently serves as the deputy brigade operations officer, 177th Armored Brigade, Camp Shelby, MS. He received a B. S. from Delta State University. His military education includes the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College. He has served in various command and staff positions, to include S3, 177th Armored Brigade, Camp Shelby; G3, U. S. Army Central Command, Saudi Arabia; U. S. Army Exchange Officer, Australia; XO, 2d Battalion, 29th Infantry, Fort Benning, GA; commander, Bradley New Equipment Training Company, Fort Benning; and commander, B Company, 3d Battalion, 7th Infantry, Fort Stewart, GA. “All collective training models integrated combat operations in an urban environment as the centerpiece training condition. Under the brigade commander’s guidance, from squad to platoon, urban operations live fires and collective Bradley tables XI and XII incorporated urban operations tasks in their scenarios.” Forces Training Center will continue to develop training models that recognize the difference between security force and full-spectrum operations. Concurrently, we will train units to sustain offensive and defensive skills while they simultaneously adapt to changes in the operational environment. Notes 1Headquarters, Department of the Army, U. S. Army Field Manual (FM) 7.0, Training for Full Spectrum Operations, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 12 December 2008. — 39 The Army Training Network (ATN), serves as the newest web-based tool to provide unit training best practices, a database of training solutions and collaborative tools. ATN features linkage to Training Management How-To (TMHT) and Army Training Doctrine, plus other great links such as Virtual Battle Space 2 (VBS-2 — TCM Gaming), TCM Virtual, CATS/DTMS, and 40 other new products. Coming soon: three training meeting videos to show “how to conduct” company and battalion training meetings, linkage to Army Training Help Desk (ATHD), coordinated search features with Warrior Knowledge Bases, plus Captain Career Course (CCC) and Intermediate Level Education (ILE) participation. ATN is quickly becoming THE place to go for Army trainers. We NEED YOU to make ATN the best tool for Army Training “How To!” Log on today @ https://atn.army.mil and see what ATN is all about! Your Entry Point to Army Training Information https://atn.army.mil United States Army Combined Arms Center