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

WWW.SURVIVALEBOOKS.COMFM 100-5some commitments will be once put into motion;knowing the consequences of the act ofdeciding; anticipating the outcomes that canbe expected from the implementation of a decision.• Leadership is taking responsibility for decisions;being loyal to subordinates; inspiringand directing assigned forces and resourcestoward a purposeful end; establishing a teamworkclimate that engenders success; demonstratingmoral and physical courage in the faceof adversity; providing the vision that both focusesand anticipates the future course ofevents.As such, command is more an art than a science.In battle, it is often guided by intuition and feel gainedfrom years of practice and study.Command occurs from the location of the commander,whether he is at a command post, infiltratingat night with his forward light infantry elements, or ina main battle tank moving with the main effort. Thebattle command system must permit tactical leadersto position themselves wherever they can best commandwithout depriving them of the ability to respondto opportunities and changing circumstances. For example,a division commander operating forward witha lead brigade must be able to visualize the battlefieldand, if he so decides, be able to shift his main effort tocapitalize on the unexpected success of a supportingattack without sacrificing the momentum of the divisioneffort.The need for flexibility in command is greatestfor the committed maneuver unit commander. He canneither cope with constant direction from above norcan he constantly provide detailed direction to his staffand subordinate commanders. He and his organizationmust know the intent of the commander two levelsabove, understand the concept of operation andintent of the immediate commander, and know the responsibilitiesof flanking and supporting units. Then,the unit commander can fight his unit confidently. Hecan anticipate events and act freely and boldly to accomplishhis mission with minimal guidance, particularlywhen he cannot communicate with his commander.Control is inherent in battle command. Controlmonitors the status of organizational effectiveness andidentifies deviations from set standards and correctsthem. Commanders acquire and apply means to accomplishtheir intent. Ultimately, commanders providea means to measure, report, and correct performance.Control serves its purpose if it allows the commanderfreedom to operate, delegate authority, leadfrom any critical point on the battlefield, and synchronizeactions across his entire AO. Moreover, the battlecommand system must support the ability of the commanderto adjust plans for future operations, even whilefocusing on the current fight. Skilled staffs work withincommand intent to direct and control units and resourceallocations to support the desired end. They also arealert to spotting enemy or friendly situations that requirecommand change and see to it that the commanderis so advised. The related tools for implementingcommand decisions include communications,computers, and intelligence.Space-based systems provide commanders reconnaissance,surveillance, navigation, and positioningthat greatly facilitate battle command. These systemssignificantly upgrade the speed and accuracy of informationthat commanders exchange with subordinates.Reliable communications are central both to battlecommand and to control. General Omar Bradley oncesaid, Congress can make a general, but only communicationscan make him a commander. Effective battlecommand requires reliable signal support systems toenable the com-mander to conduct operations at varyingoperational tempos. Signal planning increases thecommander’s options by providing the requisite signalsupport systems to pass critical information at decisivetimes, thus leveraging and exploiting tacticalsuccess and facilitating future operations. Nonetheless,battle command style is dictated by the commander,not by his supporting communication system.Communication and technology may assist command,and accurate and timely intelligence may adviseit. But at its core, in land combat, when distanceto the enemy can be measured from meters to hundredsof kilometers, command remains an expressionof human will the will embodied in the commandercharged to accomplish the mission. The followinghistorical example from the Battle of Gettysburg illustratesthe leadership component of battle command.JOINT CAPABILITIES AND MISSIONSThe Army does not fight alone. It integrates itsefforts within the theater commander’s unified2-15