However, one thing hasn’t changed—the single most important aspect of surviving in combat is constant improvement through realistic training. Train as you fight.

I would like to thank my comrades in arms, both in and out of uniform, whom I have had the pleasure of working with for the past twenty-eight years. Since 9/11, our way of thinking about military tactics has evolved by leaps and bounds, leaving us with a simple, common-sense methodology that will serve us well in future conflicts.

It is my sincere hope that some of the lessons learned in blood and incorporated into this book will help one of my future comrades.

Jeff Kirkham

MSG, US Army Special Forces

PART ONE

Unit Combat Operations

1

The Battlefield

ARMY DOCTRINE

Small-unit leaders must understand the concepts and fundamentals of Army doctrine to effectively lead in combat. The US Army’s current operational doctrine holds warfighting as the Army’s primary mission. It recognizes the ability of Army forces to dominate land warfare across the full spectrum of conflict, from large-scale operations to military operations other than war (MOOTW). Full-spectrum operations include offensive, defensive, stability, and support operations. Army commanders may combine these different types either simultaneously or sequentially to accomplish the missions of war. For each mission, the joint force commander and Army component commander determine the emphasis Army forces place on each type of operation. Offensive and defensive operations normally dominate.

The foundations of full-spectrum operations are fundamentals, battle command, and conduct.

FUNDAMENTALS

The fundamentals of full-spectrum operations are the elements of combat power, the principles of war, the tenets of Army operations, and the operational framework.

The Elements of Combat Power

The elements of combat power are building blocks that underlie the Army’s ability to dominate land warfare. Commanders combine and apply the elements of combat power to produce overwhelming effects.

Maneuver. Maneuver is the employment of forces, through movement combined with fire or fire potential, to achieve a position of advantage with respect to the enemy. It is the means by which commanders concentrate combat power to achieve surprise, shock, momentum, and dominance.

Firepower. Firepower provides the destructive force essential to overcoming the enemy’s ability and will to fight. Firepower and maneuver complement each other. Firepower magnifies the effects of maneuver by destroying enemy forces and restricting their ability to counter friendly actions; maneuver creates the conditions for the effective use of firepower. The threat of one in the presence of the other magnifies the impact of both. One without the other makes neither decisive.

Leadership. Because it deals directly with soldiers, leadership is the most dynamic element of combat power. Confident, audacious, and competent leadership focuses available combat power and creates the conditions for success. Leaders who embody the warrior ethos inspire soldiers to succeed. They provide purpose, direction, and motivation in all operations, especially in small units.

Protection. Protection is the preservation of the fighting capacity of a force so that the commander can apply it at the decisive time and place. It consists of force protection, field discipline, safety, and avoidance of fratricide.

Information. Information enhances leadership and magnifies the effects of maneuver, firepower, and protection. Today, Army leaders use information collected by manned and unmanned systems to increase their understanding of the common operational picture (COP) before engaging the enemy.

The Principles of War

The nine principles of war provide general guidance for conducting war and military operations other than war at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. They do not apply in the same way to every situation. Rather, they summarize the characteristics of successful Army operations.

Objective. Direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable objective. The ultimate military purpose of war is the destruction of the enemy’s armed forces and its will to fight. In operations other than war, the ultimate objective might be more difficult to define, but it must be clear from the beginning.

Offensive. Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. Offensive action is the most effective and decisive way to attain a clearly defined common objective.

Mass. Mass is the act of bringing overwhelming combat power to bear at the decisive place and time. To achieve mass, you must synchronize all the elements of combat power where they will have decisive effect on an enemy force in a short time.

Economy of Force. Economy of force is the judicious employment and distribution of forces in order to achieve mass elsewhere. Allocate minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts.

Maneuver. Place the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the flexible application of combat power. Maneuver is the movement of forces in relation to the enemy to secure or retain positional advantage.

Unity of Command. For every objective, seek unity of effort under one responsible commander. At all levels of war, employment of forces in a manner that masses combat power toward a common objective requires unity of command and unity of effort.

Security. Never permit the enemy to acquire unexpected advantage. Security results from the measures taken by a commander to protect his forces.

Surprise. Strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner for which he is unprepared. The element of surprise can allow forces to achieve success well out of proportion to the effort expended.

Simplicity. Prepare clear, uncomplicated plans and concise orders to ensure thorough understanding. Other factors being equal, the simplest plan is preferable.

The Tenets of Army Operations

The fundamental tenets of Army operations describe characteristics of successful operations, which build on the principles of war. The US Army asserts that the five basic tenets are the keys to victory. In and of themselves, they do not guarantee victory, but their absence makes victory difficult and costly to achieve.

Initiative. Initiative means setting or changing the terms of battle by action. Infantry forces attempt to maintain their freedom of action while limiting the enemy’s. This requires an offensive spirit in all operations. Decentralized operations in which small units aggressively fight through enemy resistance with the immediately available resources support the seizure or retention of the initiative. Individuals act independently within the framework of their commander’s concept. Leaders and soldiers must understand the intent of commanders two echelons above. Commanders use mission-type orders and clear, concise instructions to ensure that subordinates understand the concept and how they fit within it.

Agility. Infantry forces seize or retain the initiative by acting and/or reacting faster than the enemy. This begins with the commander, who must have the mental agility to rapidly analyze tactical situations, think through many possible courses of action and the enemy’s likely reaction to them, and determine the most effective and least costly course. Standing operating procedures (SOPs) and drills enable the unit to rapidly execute assigned missions without long, detailed orders.