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All of these are important, and the oft repeated basic 3 "shoot, move, communicate" are elemental. I would argue "plan" is pretty important too. They build on each-other and complement, but I would argue they layer, and one is the base. If you had to pick only one as the most important for you or a fellow Service Member to be capable of, which would it be?
The images are intended to represent each to some degree.
The images are intended to represent each to some degree.
Shooting (Sport)
Professionalism
Fitness
Communications
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 155
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“The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears.” -Gen James Mattis, USMC.
The ability to think trumps all the others because it is that ability that ALLOWS for the others.
The ability to think trumps all the others because it is that ability that ALLOWS for the others.
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SFC (Join to see)
Well trained small unit teams could be thinking, each person knows to the letter what they must do! With that most can perform the operation of another member should something not go just right. In medium/large unit operations you will have major problems with out C'd communication! Pop the wrong color and its all over!
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SFC Edward Hall
Each member of a small unit/team has got be told what and how to do it. This is communications.
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Capt Richard I P.
For those arguing "situational awareness/think/decide" I have a fun new topic:
http://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-ooda-the-best-description-of-decision-cycling
http://www.rallypoint.com/answers/is-ooda-the-best-description-of-decision-cycling
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Capt Jeff S.
A mediocre plan well executed is better than a perfect plan that gets botched because one or more of the key players misunderstood the order and did something that threw a wrench in things. Timing is key, and communication is key to achieving that timing.
In almost every exercise I've ever been in, communication was key. I"m not just talking about radios, but keeping things simple and wording the communications such that the plan is understood in its entirety, not running on assumptions that the other guy knows what you were thinking but not saying, etc. And communication in the sense that what is being reported as Intel is understood and acted upon.
Case example: Battle Griffin: We had reports that a Dutch platoon was setting up an ambush at a bridge that the Ops O needed to cross to make his great plan work. [On paper, the Ops O's plan was a work of art. It had all kinds of perfectly timed moving parts and units linking up, etc. And at that time Recon fell under Ops.] So I reported to him what his guys were reporting. Fair enough. Problem was, he didn't like that information, because it threw a wrench in his beautiful plan. So he grilled me. How did you know they were Dutch? Where were they seen last? How did they get there overnight from so far away? Did you ever study terrain appreciation? Do you know how to read elevation lines? Do they teach you time distance analysis at Intel School? You know how difficult it is to move through that terrain? It's clear you don't know anything...
[So I took my verbal lashing because in Intel you're just the spank boy for the Ops O. When the plan works, it was his great planning and when it fails, it's due to bad Comms and/or bad Intel. Some of you know the drill. And at least in the USMC the Ops Officer outranks the Intel Officer and I think you can tell where this is going... My Capt bars were no match for his eagle. Pride comes before a fall.]
So I simply said, "I'm reporting what YOUR guys reported! They have recognition books and more than likely they matched up the uniforms..." As to how the Dutch got there, I don't know; I simply know that your guys reported them there. If you go over that bridge you're more than likely going to get ambushed and I recommend a different course of action."
Well I shot holes in his beautiful but complex plan which had a lot of moving parts and that bridge was a show stopper. Everything hinged on him getting across, so rather than look for alternatives, he decided to ignore my advice and stick with the plan.
The next day, he got ambushed at the bridge (Mannerheim flanking attack). The Dutch disabled the lead vehicle at the choke point and the convoy couldn't turn around due to the mountains on each side. The casualties were so bad that the controllers had to stop the exercise and mediate. Woops. We spent the rest of the exercise getting schwacked. The convoy that was taken out was supposed to secure a landing site for the helos which tried to land in a hot LZ and got shot down. And when the amphibious assault took place, the Brits were waiting on the beach and they had all their equipment arrayed like they were getting ready to go to a parade.
Did I mention their messages were intercepted because they didn't bother to encrypt their communications and the OPFOR had their game plan? But apparently the problem wasn't lack of planning, it was bad comms and bad Intel. They told me, "You should have convinced the OpsO harder." After the berating I took, I was like, "Have at it. Good luck!" It was just an exercise, not the real thing. Thank God!!!
So, I'm a firm believer in keeping things simple, easy to coordinate and execute. I'd rather have a good plan that people can follow than a great plan that gets "f'd" up because what is transmitted doesn't get received... or gets scrambled.
Well, that's my $.02.
In almost every exercise I've ever been in, communication was key. I"m not just talking about radios, but keeping things simple and wording the communications such that the plan is understood in its entirety, not running on assumptions that the other guy knows what you were thinking but not saying, etc. And communication in the sense that what is being reported as Intel is understood and acted upon.
Case example: Battle Griffin: We had reports that a Dutch platoon was setting up an ambush at a bridge that the Ops O needed to cross to make his great plan work. [On paper, the Ops O's plan was a work of art. It had all kinds of perfectly timed moving parts and units linking up, etc. And at that time Recon fell under Ops.] So I reported to him what his guys were reporting. Fair enough. Problem was, he didn't like that information, because it threw a wrench in his beautiful plan. So he grilled me. How did you know they were Dutch? Where were they seen last? How did they get there overnight from so far away? Did you ever study terrain appreciation? Do you know how to read elevation lines? Do they teach you time distance analysis at Intel School? You know how difficult it is to move through that terrain? It's clear you don't know anything...
[So I took my verbal lashing because in Intel you're just the spank boy for the Ops O. When the plan works, it was his great planning and when it fails, it's due to bad Comms and/or bad Intel. Some of you know the drill. And at least in the USMC the Ops Officer outranks the Intel Officer and I think you can tell where this is going... My Capt bars were no match for his eagle. Pride comes before a fall.]
So I simply said, "I'm reporting what YOUR guys reported! They have recognition books and more than likely they matched up the uniforms..." As to how the Dutch got there, I don't know; I simply know that your guys reported them there. If you go over that bridge you're more than likely going to get ambushed and I recommend a different course of action."
Well I shot holes in his beautiful but complex plan which had a lot of moving parts and that bridge was a show stopper. Everything hinged on him getting across, so rather than look for alternatives, he decided to ignore my advice and stick with the plan.
The next day, he got ambushed at the bridge (Mannerheim flanking attack). The Dutch disabled the lead vehicle at the choke point and the convoy couldn't turn around due to the mountains on each side. The casualties were so bad that the controllers had to stop the exercise and mediate. Woops. We spent the rest of the exercise getting schwacked. The convoy that was taken out was supposed to secure a landing site for the helos which tried to land in a hot LZ and got shot down. And when the amphibious assault took place, the Brits were waiting on the beach and they had all their equipment arrayed like they were getting ready to go to a parade.
Did I mention their messages were intercepted because they didn't bother to encrypt their communications and the OPFOR had their game plan? But apparently the problem wasn't lack of planning, it was bad comms and bad Intel. They told me, "You should have convinced the OpsO harder." After the berating I took, I was like, "Have at it. Good luck!" It was just an exercise, not the real thing. Thank God!!!
So, I'm a firm believer in keeping things simple, easy to coordinate and execute. I'd rather have a good plan that people can follow than a great plan that gets "f'd" up because what is transmitted doesn't get received... or gets scrambled.
Well, that's my $.02.
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CPT Zachary Brooks
SFC James Sczymanski
I think you need to look up the definition of meme. The comic sums up my thoughts on communication entirely, nothing gets done right without good communication.
I think you need to look up the definition of meme. The comic sums up my thoughts on communication entirely, nothing gets done right without good communication.
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"Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics."
- Gen. Robert H. Barrow, USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps) noted in 1980
Logistics is about the "movement" of bodies, equipment, etc.
- Gen. Robert H. Barrow, USMC (Commandant of the Marine Corps) noted in 1980
Logistics is about the "movement" of bodies, equipment, etc.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
MAJ (Join to see) It may very well be, like the famous Reagan quote, however no one can say when or where Gen Bradley said it, or if he ever did. We have positive confirmation that Gen Barrow did.
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Capt Richard I P.
MAJ (Join to see) there's also a Napoleon Quote up there to the same effect.
SSG Kevin Burkholder what are all that communication capability intel analysis and troop arrivals there to support?
SSG Kevin Burkholder what are all that communication capability intel analysis and troop arrivals there to support?
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