a. Minimum Evaluators. The SFODB commander conducts this exercise. One full-time evaluator is recommended, preferably a major or above with experience in SFODB and FOB operations during FID missions. Additional part-time evaluators should be used to evaluate
the technical correctness of such activities as intelligence, communications, and logistics. If using OPFOR, also use evaluators or controllers.
b. Support Personnel. Use language-qualified personnel to act as key HN personnel and insurgents when possible. Although not a requirement, all available language-qualified personnel should be used. These personnel should be used to role play the HN personnel with whom the SFODB must deal. Depending on the exercise scenario, the trainer will determine the number of support per- sonnel required and their notional identities. (See paragraph 3b, Training Enhancers, for an ex- planation of role players acting as augmentees to the SFODB.)
c. Training Area. The requirements for the AOB training site should be based on the condi- tions existing in the SFODB’s area of operations. Depending on these requirements, the training site may be in a garrison-type area or a totally primitive area. The site, however, must be sufficiently large enough to permit the required stockpiling of supplies, to allow for the quartering of the SFODB (and attachments), and to have enough working space for C³I functions. If the SFODB must also execute air operations as part of FID mission support, the training area must also allow for the establishment of drop zones (DZs) and fixed or ro- tary winged aircraft landing zones (LZs).
d. Consolidated Support Requirements.
(1) Tentage, cots, tables, chairs, dunnage for storage of supplies, sand bags, concertina wire and other nonorganic supplies and equipment sufficient for the establishment of the AOB facilities. These supplies and equipment should be provided IAW the plans and preparations made by the SFODB in STX 1.
(2) Administrative supplies are required and should be provided IAW the plans and prepa- rations made by the SFODB in STX 1.
(3) Ammunition and weapons will be required based on the exercise scenario, unit SOP for basic loads, and unit MTOE.
(4) MILES equipment will be required based on the types of individual weapons used and the potential for force-on-force engagements as dictated by the scenario.
(5) Vehicles and aircraft are required based on the exercise scenario. Transportation may also be helpful in moving small OPFOR, providing them necessary flexibility to simu- late a realistic threat.
(6) Field or Class-A rations must be supplied at the rate of three per man per day for all exercise participants.
(7) Organic SFODB communications equipment is used to provide STX scenario-based communications requirements. Nonorganic communications equipment is needed based on STX administrative communications requirements such as evaluator-to-evaluator, evaluator-to-OPFOR controller, and exercise HQ-to-exercise elements.
(8) Provisions must be made for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) based on the training area location and the organic medical support available.
6. Suggested T&EO Sequence.
Sequence Task Title and Number Page
1 Establish an Advanced Operational Base, 31-2-0103 5-15 2 Operate an Advanced Operational Base, 31-2-0104 5-18
4-6. Safety. During any training exercise, soldiers and leaders must make safety a high priority. An effort to attain maximum realism may cause hazardous conditions and situations to arise. Trainers and evaluators make sure the training takes place safely to avoid accidents and injuries. Before exercises begin, leaders must brief all personnel on specific safety measures to observe during that particular training exercise.
4-7. Evaluations. The evaluation process is continuous. Therefore, the commander must plan evaluations for all training events and consider them as a way life in the unit. Training evaluation is integral to training management. Leaders at every level conduct evaluations.
a. Evaluation of training measures the demonstrated ability of soldiers, leaders, and units to perform a task against the established standards. It is a snapshot, at a given time, on whether or not the task was con- ducted to standard under prescribed conditions.
b. Leaders evaluate each training event during training execution. Planning for training must include re- sources (such as leader time, prerequisite training, evaluators, and equipment) to facilitate evaluation. These resources can have a strong positive or negative effect on the command climate in the unit.
c. Leaders use evaluations to—
(1) Provide feedback on training proficiency to those participating in the training event (using AARs). (2) Assess METL task proficiency.
(3) Develop lessons learned for distribution throughout the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), and the United States Army Special Forces Command (USASFC).
(4) Shape future training plans. (5) Enhance leader development.
d. Leaders can use formal, informal, internal, or external evaluations.
(1) Informal evaluations are most commonly used at battalion level and below. They are— (a) Conducted by all leaders in the chain of command.
(b) Performed continually.
(c) Used to provide immediate feedback on training proficiency.
(2) Formal evaluations are usually scheduled on the long- and short-range training calendars. These in- clude CTC rotations, ARTEP evaluations, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, and Expert Field Medical Badges. They are—
(a) Sometimes unannounced, such as an emergency deployment readiness exercise. (b) Normally highlighted during quarterly training briefings and yearly training briefs. (c) Resourced with dedicated evaluators or OCs.
(3) Internal evaluations are planned, resourced, and conducted by the unit undergoing the evaluation. (4) External evaluations are also planned and resourced. HQ two levels above the unit being evaluated
normally conduct these evaluations. For example, USASOC evaluates SF groups, USASFC evaluates SF battalions, SF groups evaluate SFODBs, and SF battalions evaluate SFODAs.
(5) These evaluations can be combined to meet the particular needs of the units or soldiers being evalu- ated. Figure 4-4 (page 4-14) describes the use of the different types of evaluations.
e. Evaluators must also be tactically and technically proficient. They cannot evaluate all actions that occur during an exercise by following the T&EO checklist alone. Evaluators must use professional judgment in interpreting and applying T&EO standards to a given situation while considering the factors in the decision-making process and mission, enemy, terrain, troops, time available, and civilians (METT-TC).
Internal External
A function of unit leadership Conducted by leaders visiting whenever training is conducted— for training of subordinate units— for
example, SFODA commanders example, CSM spot checks
check SFODA members rehearsing SFODA weapons training. POIs for FID training.
Internal External
Best suited for company-sized Best suited for evaluation of elements and below— for example, SFOB-, FOB-, and AOB-level company commander evaluates his tasks— for example, USASFC SFODAs’ collective tasks, using or CTC OCs evaluate FOBs. MTP T&EOs.
Figure 4-4. Use of types of evaluations. I N F O R M A L