Mission preparation must predate isolation and the deliberate planning process.
During mission preparation, specific mission employment is not required. How-ever, SFODs tasked to conduct a specific type of mission or use a specific THIS E-PRINT (C) CLANDESTINE PRESS 2007 2-19
means of infiltration, continue to support their METL list through scheduled training. Best accomplished at the unit’s home station, mission preparation in-cludes unit training, individual, and mission-specific training.
TRAINING
Mission preparation and training provide the tools for coping with the ambiguous nature of SR. By developing specific METL based on theater-specific requirements, the techniques in the appendixes of this FM, those taught at the USAJFKSWCS, and those contained in related publications (for example, FM 31-26, FM 31-20-1), can be applied to a wide variety of SR requirements.
Special equipment and organization, coupled with the METL-driven training, produce uniquely capable, area-oriented forces, prepared to conduct SR in a specific environment.
Mission-Essential Task List
Once the battalion completes its OPORDs and/or OPLANs and tasked detach-ments complete their detailed planning, all levels of command must revise and refine the draft METLs. The battalion S3 addresses the specified and implied tasks for each mission and at each level in the appropriate METL. METLs should be mutually supporting between levels of command.
Unit Training Plans
The battalion S3 orients unit training plans toward the METL derived from the mission analysis. Each level of command should analyze each task on the METL to determine its supporting, collective, and individual tasks. The MTP is an ex-cellent source for developing such an analysis as are the appropriate soldiers manuals. Care must be taken not to overlook a task because it is not listed in a reference. For SR, many tasks are mission specific (such as operating a nonstan-dard piece of communications equipment) and are developed as tasks, condi-tions, and standards for training.
Evaluations
Evaluations of units (both internal and external) must measure the unit’s capa-bility to meet its mission obligations as defined in its METL. Commanders should not evaluate skills and performance for generic tasks not related to the METL until all METL tasks are completely trained.
Validation and Certification
Title 10 of the U.S. Code specifically requires that United States Commander in Chief, Special Operations Command (USCINCSOC) validate readiness and cer-tify to supported CINCs that SOF based in the continental United States (CONUS) are prepared to complete their assigned missions. The USCINCSOC conducts this program through his components. Certification and validation pro-grams are delineated in unit training regulations, policies, and SOPs. To be effec-tive, these programs must focus on unit METL derived from the supported CINCs’ mission requirements. Units must coordinate their METL with the com-mand element directing and conducting such certification and validation pro-grams. Unit METL must be validated by the supported headquarters just as POEs 2-20 THIS E-PRINT (C) CLANDESTINE PRESS 2007
INTELLIGENCE
are approved by the supported headquarters. For SF performing SR, this head-quarters will normally be a theater SOC. The battalion commander must coordi-nate training requirements that detract from readiness to perform tasked SR with the supported CINC as they impact on the certification of mission readiness.
Schools
School support for required skills is a shared responsibility of the SFOD, com-pany, and battalion. The SFOD submits requirements for schooling identified during mission planning. The S3 at battalion coordinates quotas. The company operations officer maintains requirements, allocated quotas, and unit fill for the company commander. The battalion, company, and SFOD commanders ensure that mission requirements are met or ensure that shortfalls are reported in terms of mission readiness.
Operational Environment
For all forms of SR, the SFOD must know the operational environment. For this reason, the SFOD often seeks opportunities to deploy to the actual operational area, even when the activities in the potential JSOA are not directly related to the SR mission tasks. The opportunity to survey the climatological, geographical, cultural, and other environmental factors must not be lost. Where it is impossible to deploy to the actual area and to conduct offset training, the S3 coordinates with the battalion S2 to identify accessible locations for training that replicate each SFOD’s operational area. SFODs are programmed to exercise their mission plans as realistically as possible while carefully maintaining OPSEC.
The battalion S2 is the primary point of contact for all intelligence-related mat-ters. Due to the nature of SR, the battalion S2 will play a key role in mission success. All mission planners must understand IR and goals.
Target Intelligence Packages
Intelligence is perishable over time. The battalion S2 has primary responsibility for maintaining the intelligence data base current. The S2 section conveys changes to the situation and to TIPs that affect mission accomplishment to the appropriate SFOD. This section must provide the SFODs current situation up-dates, INTSUMs, and answer intelligence-related questions and requests.
Area Studies
At the company and SFOD level, the area study is the primary tool for tracking intelligence over time. The SFOD continuously updates the area study. The battal-ion S2 provides the data base for updating the study using all available sources to include the Special Operations Command Research Analysis and Threat Evalua-tion System (SOCRATES) (see Chapter 4 for more informaEvalua-tion on SOCRATES).
Validity
The S2 must ensure the PIR and IR on which the mission is based have not been nor can be satisfied by other sources. If the S2 identifies other mission-capable THIS E-PRINT (C) CLANDESTINE PRESS 2007
sources, he informs the battalion commander through the S3. The battalion commander then has the option to request relief from the mission tasking. For example, during initial planning of the mission, external sources were not avail-able to obtain the required PIR and IR. This planning may have taken place years in the past. However, after the S2 reviews the assets available, a new satellite is identified that can provide required information. This new satellite coverage over the target eliminates the need to isolate and deploy an SFOD A to a target not requiring on-site human analysis. The SFOD A is saved for targets that meet the SR mission profile.
PERSONNEL
The battalion S1 and CSM assign personnel according to the specific require-ments for individual skills identified during mission analysis and planning. In addition to careful monitoring of the assignment of incoming personnel, some crossleveling of skills within the battalion may be advantageous. The S1 and CSM must weigh the relative contribution of the additional SR-related skill against the advantages that unit cohesion and continuity of personnel bring to SR missions. Personnel turbulence triggers mandatory POE reviews. A good refe-rence for review is the changing of any two of the SFOD leaders or when any four SFOD members who developed the POE rotate out of the SFOD.
LOGISTICS
All levels of command review SR-specific requirements for logistics. The S4 must redistribute the available supplies and equipment within the battalion and make inventory adjustments.
COMMUNICATIONS
SR communications requirements are usually unique. The signal section must re-view density and type of equipment to ensure that all requirements can be met.
Battery inventory is particularly critical. The annual budget must include projec-tions for training requirements. Where nonstandard equipment is used, the signal officer and his staff must identify reliable sources for repair parts and batteries.