Costes de explotación del servicio: costes fijos (cont.)

Immediately after the SFOD’s arrival at the ISOFAC, the staff of the recovering operational base begins the debriefing process. The purpose of this quick and systematic debriefing is to capture as much accurate information as is available from the SFOD in the shortest time possible. For example, PIR may be mission- specific information on the operational capability of an enemy unit. However, if the SFOD noticed large movements of noncombatants during certain hours, re- porting this information may help to identify enemy population control opera- tions being undertaken. This extra information could play a key role in the timing of future infiltrations. The returning SFOD is also questioned about map correc- tions during all debriefing sessions. This key information aids in both planned and emergency exfiltrations or reinforcement operations.

Debriefing Staff

The AOB and/or FOB debriefing staff conducts debriefings. Appendix D con- tains information on debriefing formats. Priority in debriefing the SFOD goes to the SIO and his staff. Debriefings are tape recorded and or videotaped, and the SIO maintains these tapes on file for long-term use. The debriefing staff is made up of the following:

OPCEN director or base deputy commander (committee chairperson). OPCEN operations officer (S3).

AST for the recovered SFOD. SPTCEN personnel officer (S1). SPTCEN logistics officer (S4). CA staff officer.

PSYOP staff officer.

Signal center (SIGCEN) director or senior signal officer. Medical operations officer.

Judge advocate.

Staff weather officer (SWO). Chaplain.

Unit historian.

Others as directed by the OPCEN director. Procedures

As soon as the SFOD is recovered, and before its members are allowed to attend to personal hygiene and other personal matters, members undergo a rapid de- briefing as a group. The debriefing procedures described below address the basic steps to be followed as part of the debriefing process.

Collective Intelligence Debriefing. The intelligence staff conducts this debriefing, but other staff elements may also be present. The purpose of this debriefing is to answer PIR and/or SIR, elicit indications, and provide warning.

Format. This debriefing is quick and to the point. The format and line of question-

ing varies from mission to mission but is determined by the OPCEN director in accordance with the unit SOP. See FMs 34-36 and 31-20 for examples of the types of information for which the SFOD can be queried. For use of specific debriefing guides from the United States Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) concept of operations (CONOPS), and Special Operations De- briefing and Retrieval System (SODARS), refer to USSOCOM’s SOCRATES. The Battalion S2 has access to this system. Appendix D has an example of a debriefing guide. The intelligence staff immediate y exploits time-sensitive information critical to decision making by the commander or higher headquar- ters. For example, a priority maybe the location of insurgent safe houses that are targets for DA teams.

Technique. Normally, the principal debriefer uses a technique known as “map-

tracking.” The primary debriefing aid used is a map of the SFOD’s AO. The de- briefer starts at the point of infiltration or embarkation and follows the route travelled by the unit. He proctors the flow of information to ensure all events, sightings, and activities conducted to the point of exfiltration or debarkation are covered. After getting the initial information, the debriefer then segments return route information. He asks specific questions with emphasis on operating sys- tems (intelligence, communications, engineering, weaponry, and medical as- pects) that affected the SFOD’s mission. Throughout the debriefing, the debriefer maintains a relaxed and nonhostile atmosphere in which the unit recounts its ac- tivities. A qualfied debriefer such as a member of the battalion counterintelli- gence (CI) team, an interrogator, or an order of battle technician conducts the

debriefing. If such a person is not available, a detached but knowledgeable proc- tor and prompter collect and record the information concerning the SFOD’s ob- servations during its mission.

Review of SFOD Documents and Other Materiel. After the collective intelligence de- briefing, the intelligence staff gathers all maps, notebooks, papers, exposed film, video tapes, photographs, recovered equipment, and other materiel. It then re- leases the SFOD to attend to personal hygiene, rest, and recuperate. If necessary, all rucksacks, map cases, and uniform pockets are inventoried to ensure all items of intelligence interest are collected. The intelligence staff thoroughly reviews all of the collected items for data and formulates more detailed questions for the next stage of debriefing.

Individual Debriefing. As soon as the intelligence staff is ready, and in any case not later than three hours after the SFOD has recovered to the operational base, the intelligence staff calls SFOD members in individually for detailed debriefing. At this stage in debriefing, the intelligence staff focuses first on the commander’s PIR and SIR and then on IR. The intelligence staff also collects information on the adequacy of preinfiltration intelligence support. As an individual is released by the intelligence staff, other staff elements may conduct similar individual de- briefings. However, no other staff element should talk with an SFOD member until the intelligence staff has had its turn.

General Collective Debriefing and After-Action Review. After individual debriefings, and not later than 6 hours after the SFOD has recovered to the operational base, the base debriefing staff assembles the SFOD and the staff as a group for a general collective debriefing and after-action review. The base commander may also be present. At this debriefing, the SFOD leader gives a quick summary of the opera- tion, focusing on the SFOD’s stated and implied missions. He also briefs unantici- pated SFOD’s or members’ activities (for example, to exploit a high-value source of information). After the SFOD leader gives his summary, each staff section, in turn, questions the SFOD members and augmenters. At the conclusion of this stage of the debriefing, the commander or OPCEN director provides any necessary further guidance. The SFOD is then released to prepare its after-action review and report of lessons learned. Odinarily, this debriefing includes—

Name, rank, and position of each SFOD member. Mission.

Time, location, and insertion and extraction methods. Routes.

Terrain (vegetation, height of canopy if in forest, trails, water sources and direction of flow, LZs and BLZs), local population, including distance and direction to the nearest terrain feature, and natural and man-made obstacles to movement in the area.

SFOD’s uniforms and equipment.

Hostile forces (strength, activity, location, uniform, time, equipment, weap- ons, and morale).

Results of hostile contact (friendly and enemy killed in action [KIA] and wounded in action [WIA], disposition of KIA, PWs, descriptions and se- rial numbers of captured weapons, and descriptions of captured docu- ments and equipment).

Weapons, demolitions, and ammunition used and results. Map corrections.

Communications equipment used and results.

Friendly contacts, including descriptions, locations, circumstances, and results. Miscellaneous information such as incorporation of surveillance plan, secu- rity procedures, surveillance techniques used, and surveillance site type, construction, and occupation.

Condition of the SFOD, including time needed to prepare for the next mission. Conclusions and recommendations.

Electronic Information Retrieval. Upon completion of a debriefing, the battalion S2 places the information into the most appropriate format in accordance with USSOCOM’s CONOPS and SODARS to ensure it can be retrieved and cross-referenced within the chain of command and the SOCRATES. The battalion S2 has access to these formats and systems. He forwards debriefing reports via secure STU III data modem or by mail or courier on 5.25-inch floppy disks through operational channels to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (DCSINT), United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), for final review and electronic submission via SOCRATES to USSOCOM.

Security Manager Duties. Once a debriefing is completed, the unit security manager reviews all resulting reports to ensure they are properly classified. He further reviews each report for any unclassified but sensitive information. He ensures that each report is marked with the appropriate classification markings.