FM 100-5 Operations - Survival Ebooks Military Manuals Survival ...

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMFM 100-5direct, satellite-linked forecasting and observing systemsthat provide advance knowledge of environmentalconditions on the battlefield, can serve as a forcemultiplier.Training, physical conditioning, and discipline atthe small-unit level remains the most effective way tooffset adverse effects of the weather. Training in poorweather conditions builds confidence and teaches soldiersand commanders how to adjust to weather extremes.This training should supplement map andweather analysis. Good training can mitigate the effectsof weather so that the unit’s combat power increasesrelative to the enemy’s. The commander’sprimary tool for analyzing the effects of terrain andweather is the IPB.INFRASTRUCTUREInfrastructure consists of the facilities, equipment,and framework needed for the functioning of a system,city, or region. The area’s infrastructure impactson the commander’s planning for entering and operatingwithin a theater. Commanders consider not onlythe physical structures but also the cultural, religious,and ethnic customs in the region that affect their use.In considering infrastructure, commanders must analyzeits impact upon operations; its impact upon theenemy; how its condition promotes or hinderspostconflict activities; and the extent of indigenouspublic support.At the strategic level, commanders assess the availabilityof seaports, airfields, power networks, road andrail networks, communications networks, and naturalfuel reserves. The availability of warehousing, water,and food sources is crucial to planning.At the operational level, the presence or absenceof an underlying infrastructure framework affects operationaltempo. Local transportation networks, forexample, can contribute greatly to force movement,maneuver, and logistics. If a combat force has longlines of resupply and cannot rely on existing infrastructureswithin a country, robust operations are limited.Regeneration of forces is also more difficult inan area of limited infrastructure. Similar considerationsapply at the tactical level.In Operation Just Cause, the proximity and utilityof key airfields to both friendly and enemy forces influencedplanning for the early hours of fighting. InOperation Desert Shield, the great expanses of terrain,austere landscapes, and limited road nets affected operationaland logistics planning. In Operation RestoreHope, Army units had to build an infrastructure sincelittle was present in the host country. Extending theuninterrupted flow of units and supplies from the welldevelopedseaports influenced the tactical, operational,and strategic levels. As these recent operations demonstrate,consideration of infrastructure is crucial toboth rapid contingency operations and those of longerduration.While the physical environment of combat oftenpresents harsh conditions to soldiers, they cannot onlypersevere but can predominate over the environmentand the enemy. A well-led, force-projection army,prepared to go anywhere in the world on short notice,remains trained and ready at all times to meet whateverconditions present themselves in the environmentof combat.14-5