1963 US Army Vietnam War Armor Operations ... - Survival Books

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMAPPENDIX VIIESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION1. General 1st Platoon, Team A, attacks at 1430 hours toThe purpose of the estimate is to arrive at a seize Hill A and continues the attack to thedecision through a logical and orderly examina- north on ordertion of all factors affecting the accomplishment b. The Situation and Courses of Action (stepof the mission. It involves reason and judgment 2). The purpose of this part of the estimate isand should not be a mechanical process (ex- to think through all significant facts pertainingample below). Estimates made are usually to the situation to examine what influence theymental and may not be written.will have on the employment of the unit. Con-Example. Sequence of the leader's estimate of sidering the factors of METT (mission, enemy,the situation.terrain and weather, troops available) various1. MISSION ways to accomplish the mission are determined.2. THE SITUATION AND COURSES OF These are conceived in general terms and in-ACTIONvolve the employment of the unit as a whole. Alla. Considerations affecting the possible possible ways are considered; those that arefeasible and vary significantly are retained forcourses of action.Coursesofactrionsfurther examination. They are called courses(1) Characteristics of the area of of action. In arriving at a decision the cornoperations.(2) Enemy situation,mander must answer the questions; who, what,when, where, how and, if required, why?. The(3) Own situation. who, what, when, and where, are normally pre-(4) Relative combat power. scribed in the mission. 1st Platoon, Team Ab. Enemy capabilities. (who) will attack (what) at 1430 hours (when)c. Own courses of action. to seize Hill A (where) and continue the attack3. ANALYSIS OF OPPOSING COURSES to the north on order. This leaves the how to beOF ACTIONsolved. The elements of how are the possible(Analysis of effect of each enemy capa- formations of the unit; the firepower that maybility on each of own courses of action.) be employed; and the direction the attack will4. COMPARISON OF OWN COURSES move. The result of this examination will be theOF ACTIONdevelopment of feasible courses of action.(Summary of advantages and disadvan- (1) Terrain. All aspects of the terrain intages of own course of action.)the area of operations are studied to5. DECISION gain familiarity with observation and(Who, what, when, where, how, andfields of fire, cover, and concealment,why.)obstacles, key terrain, and avenues ofapproach.2. Explanation Hills A, B, and C are key terraina. Mission (step 1). The mission is a clear, features because control of these feaconcise,and simple statement of the task to betures will offer me or the enemy aaccomplished and its purpose. The analysis ofmarked advantage in that the hillsthe mission is the beginning of the estimate.offer good observation and fields offire. hills Note. The italicized parts in the following para- i From these his I can control thegraphs are a platoon leader's mental estimate of the surrounding terrain to the limit of mysituation (fig. 55).tank gun range. The wooded low244 AGO S139A