FM 3-34 ENGINEER OPERATIONS (August 2011) - page 2

 

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FM 3-34 ENGINEER OPERATIONS (August 2011) - page 2

 

 

Foundations of Engineer Support to Operations
„ Over-the-shore facilities.
„ Ports.
„ Railroad facilities.
„ Airfield facilities.
„ Pipelines and tank farms.
„ Standard and nonstandard fixed bridges.
z
Providing engineer construction support.
z
Supplying mobile electric power.
z
Providing facilities engineering support, including—
„ Utilities and waste management.
„ Real estate acquisition, management, remediation, and disposition.
„ Firefighting.
„ Base and installation design, construction, management, and maintenance.
3-35. These typically general engineering focused tasks.
z
May be performed by modular units or through the use of commercial contract construction
management assets such as USACE; NAVFAC; the Air Force Center for Engineering and the
Environment; or multinational, HN, and other agencies.
z
May also be performed by a combination of joint engineer units, civilian contractors, and HN
forces or multinational engineer capabilities.
z
Incorporate FFE to leverage all capabilities throughout the Engineer Regiment. This includes the
linkages that facilitate engineer reachback.
z
Require various types of reconnaissance and assessments to be performed before, or early on in,
a particular mission (see FM 3-34.170).
z
Include disaster preparedness planning, response, and support to consequence management.
z
Include the acquisition, management, remediation, and disposal of real estate and real property.
z
Include those survivability planning and construction tasks that are not considered under combat
engineering.
z
May include the performance of environmental support engineering missions.
z
May include base or area denial missions.
z
May require large amounts of construction materials, which must be planned and provided for in
a timely manner.
z
May include the production of construction materials.
z
Require the integration of environmental considerations (see FM 3-34.5).
DEVELOP INFRASTRUCTURE
3-36. Engineers combine capabilities from across all three disciplines to support the improvement of civil
conditions, which are vital to stability and civil support operations. This line consists primarily of building,
repairing, and maintaining various infrastructure facilities, providing essential services, and more
importantly, improving HN capabilities to perform such tasks. Linkages to stability and civil support tasks
are predominant in this line; particularly restore essential services and support to economic and
infrastructure development (see FM 3-07).
3-37. This line of support consists primarily, but not exclusively, of general engineering tasks. Many of the
tasks that support this line are the general engineering tasks listed previously in the enable logistics line of
support. However, the key difference from the enable logistics line of support is the purpose and desired
effect. The primary purpose of the tasks in the develop infrastructure line of support is to support the
commander in improving the conditions of the HN population and influencing them to achieve military
objectives, not the sustaining support to our forces. Mobility tasks also support this line and geospatial
engineering tasks are key enablers.
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Chapter 3
3-38. The different purposes of develop infrastructure and enable logistics will in most cases significantly
change the manner in which the task is executed. For example, building a road could be a task for either the
enable logistics or the develop infrastructure line of support. While the completed road may be the same
for either line, the conditions and requirements to build it may be very different due to its intended purpose.
If the road is being built to improve the local economic conditions, using local labor in order to increase
employment may be more important than just completing the work in the quickest manner possible.
Additionally, a road for the local populace may require coordination with many different local agencies,
organizations, and ministries in order to support the local government and assist them in establishing
legitimacy. Engineers may be required to provide technical training to HN managers and engineers in
planning, designing, and constructing the road. The interaction with the population in the process of
building the road may likely take priority over the quality and speed of completion of the road itself.
3-39. Included in the develop infrastructure line of support is the engineer’s role in capacity building (see
FM 3-07). Tasks to improve HN infrastructure will require coordination with local or national-level
government agencies or ministries that maintain or control infrastructure. These tasks may emphasize
development of local technical and engineering capacity. Engineers may be required to train and develop
local leaders, engineers, and organizations in the process of executing a task in this line of support. For
example, an engineer unit that is assisting the local populace in improving drinking water systems will also
have to train the local public works to operate and maintain the system.
3-40. While engineers at all echelons may have some support to capacity building requirements, USACE
field force engineering units have additional expertise to support host nation capacity building and spur
long-term development. Engineers supporting BCT support may capacity development in training
individuals and local organization to provide essential services.
ENGINEER RECONNAISSANCE
3-41. Engineer reconnaissance provides data that contributes to answering the commander's critical
information requirements and is necessary in all lines of engineer support. Engineers must fight for
information to answer these requirements in order to accomplish all four lines of engineer support.
Reconnaissance is inherent in all three disciplines; however, the information they must fight for may be
different and be tactical or technical in nature. The engineer disciplines provide a menu of reconnaissance
capabilities varying in linkages to warfighting functions and varying in type and degree of tactical or
technical expertise and effort applied to the assigned mission and tasks. The capabilities are generated from
and organized by combat and general engineer units with overarching support from geospatial means.
These units do not have organized and dedicated reconnaissance elements within their structure, except for
the HBCT combat engineer company. Based on METT-TC factors, combat and general engineers are
task-organized as required by the situation and may be teamed separately or with other elements from
across the engineer disciplines or warfighting functions.
3-42. The majority of tactical engineer reconnaissance capabilities enable the collection of technical
information in support of the combat engineer discipline. Reconnaissance in support of mobility,
countermobility, and survivability (M/CM/S) operations is conducted primarily by engineer reconnaissance
teams (ERTs) comprised of combat engineers and focused on the collection of tactical and technical
information to support the BCT’s freedom of maneuver and survivability of friendly forces and facilities.
FM 3-34.170 provides a detailed discussion of reconnaissance support of the five functional areas of
mobility operations, support of obstacle integration, turnover in countermobility operations, support to
fighting and other protective positions, and support to other tactical operations in the BCT.
3-43. General engineering capabilities are employed in support of combat ERTs as required based on the
factors of METT-TC, providing additional technical capabilities for the mission. Additionally, general
engineer capabilities are teamed with ERTs, other BCT units, or stand-alone organizations to conduct
tactical reconnaissance tasks that enable missions linked to BCT sustainment.
3-44. General engineers provide a range of technical reconnaissance capabilities. These capabilities are
similar in focus to the reconnaissance tasks that enable missions linked to BCT sustainment. Technical
capabilities are distinguished from the support provided to combat engineer missions and from tactical
sustainment missions by the level at which the requirements are identified and addressed. At the tactical
3-8
FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Foundations of Engineer Support to Operations
level, the BCT may have a general engineer element in direct support (DS) and working to maintain or
upgrade a specified MSR in the BCT AO. General engineers working at the operational level will conduct
reconnaissance to identify requirements for construction along a ground LOC. Technical reconnaissance
capabilities are typically conducted by general engineer assessment or survey teams.
3-45. Technical capabilities include robust support from joint Service, multiagency, contractor, HN,
multinational, and reachback elements. FFE provides a broad range of primarily generating force activities
linked through the general engineering element on the ground to apply a higher degree of technical
expertise to the assessment or survey mission. FFE, as it relates to reconnaissance, is discussed in greater
detail in FM 3-34.170.
ENGINEER SUPPORT TO WARFIGHTING FUNCTIONS
3-46. Full spectrum operations require the continuous generation and application of combat power, often
for protracted periods. Combat power is the total means of destructive, constructive, and information
capabilities that a military unit/formation can apply at a given time. Army forces generate combat power by
converting potential into effective action (FM 3-0). There are eight elements of combat power: leadership,
information, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, mission command, and protection.
Leadership and information are applied through and multiply the effects of the other six elements of
combat power. These six—movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, mission command,
and protection—are collectively described as the warfighting functions. In full spectrum operations, Army
forces combine the elements of combat power to defeat the enemy and master each situation.
3-47. Engineer support contributes significant combat power, both lethal and nonlethal in nature, to all the
elements of full spectrum operations. To effectively support the combined arms team, engineer capabilities
are organized by the engineer disciplines and synchronized in their application through the warfighting
functions. This section will describe selected engineer activities directed through and primarily supporting
warfighting functions. These warfighting functions also provide the framework for engineering tasks in the
Army universal task list.
3-48. Every unit, regardless of type, generates combat power and contributes to the operation. A variety of
engineer capabilities and unit types are available to contribute to combat power. Engineer disciplines are
each generally aligned in support of specific warfighting functions although they have impact in and across
the others (for example, survivability support may be provided with linkages to the fires warfighting
function). Combat engineering is aligned primarily with the movement and maneuver and the protection
warfighting functions; general engineering aligns to focus its support on the sustainment and protection
warfighting functions, as well as reinforcement of combat engineering outside of close combat; geospatial
engineering is primarily aligned with the mission command and intelligence warfighting functions.
3-49. Combined arms is the synchronized and simultaneous application of the elements of combat power—
to achieve an effect greater than if each element of combat power was used separately or sequentially (FM
3-0). The warfighting functions provide engineers a common framework within which to link the required
engineer capabilities to the synchronized application of combined arms (see figure 3-2, page 3-10). (See
FM 5-0 for information on how these disciplines and warfighting functions are discussed and arrayed
within the operations process and orders formats.)
MISSION COMMAND
3-50. Mission command is unique among the warfighting functions in that it integrates the activities of the
other warfighting functions. Given the nature of operations, effective mission command is characterized by
the ability to—
z
Forecast or identify changes in the situation and react to them.
z
Provide continuous reciprocal interaction and influence among the commander, staff, and forces.
z
Reduce chaos, lessen uncertainty, and operate effectively despite the remaining uncertainty.
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Chapter 3
Figure 3-2. Engineer application of combat power
3-51. Whether a subordinate or supporting unit, engineer unit commanders and their staffs must understand
and exercise the art and science of mission command as described in FM 3-0 (see also FM 5-0 and
FM 6-0). Organic units operating within their assigned BCT operate within that structure as a matter of
routine. However, augmenting units face challenges in quickly recognizing and integrating into the distinct
character of their “new unit.” Similarly, as modular units and headquarters elements are tailored and
allocated to division, corps, and theater army headquarters, those unit commanders and staff must recognize
and integrate within the respective mission command structure. The engineer headquarters elements
provide mission command for the conduct of engineer support, but also add depth to the engineer staff
capabilities within the supported or gaining headquarters. Similarly, task organized units face challenges in
quickly recognizing and integrating into the distinct character of their “new unit.” Thorough understanding
of and practice with the mission command function and the operations process that it drives enable the
flexibility necessary for modular engineer forces to plug into supported units. In unique cases where an
engineer headquarters serves as the base around which a task force or JTF is formed, as in a disaster relief
operation, it becomes even more critical that the mission command function and the operations process it
drives adheres closely to the ideal described in Army doctrine (and applicable joint doctrine when operating
as a JTF).
3-52. Finding ways to accomplish the mission with an appropriate mix of lethal and nonlethal actions is a
paramount consideration for every Army commander. Through synchronization, commanders mass the
lethal and nonlethal effects of combat power at the decisive place and time to overwhelm an enemy or
dominate the situation. Engineer leaders and staff planners at each echelon play a pivotal role in ensuring
the synchronization of the variety of engineer capabilities that are available to conduct or support full
spectrum operations. Engineer leaders and staff synchronize the application of engineer disciplines through
the warfighting function framework by integrating into the operations process. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss
mission command considerations and the operations process in more detail.
MOVEMENT AND MANEUVER
3-53. The movement and maneuver warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that move forces
to achieve a position of advantage in relation to the enemy. Direct fire is inherent in maneuver, as is close
combat (the definition was shortened, and the complete definition is printed in the glossary) (FM 3-0).
Engineers support the movement and maneuver warfighting function by performing tasks associated with
geospatial engineering operations, engineer reconnaissance, mobility operations, countermobility
operations, and other tasks. (See the sections above for more details about those tasks.) All three engineer
disciplines support the movement and maneuver warfighting function. Combat engineer support applied
through the movement and maneuver warfighting function is focused on support to close combat in
mobility operations (see FM 3-90.4) and countermobility operations (see FM 90-7).
3-54. General engineer support to movement and maneuver accomplishes tasks exceeding the capability of
the combat engineer force, as well as more extensive upgrades or new construction of LOCs and
intermediate staging bases (see FM 3-34.400). Although general engineer support is typically applied
through the sustainment warfighting function, it may include many of the following tasks that also cross
over to support movement and maneuver:
z
Construct and repair combat roads and trails exceeding the capability of combat engineer assets.
3-10
FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Foundations of Engineer Support to Operations
z
Provide forward aviation combat engineering exceeding the capabilities of combat engineer
assets, to include repairing paved, asphalt, and concrete runways and airfields; conducting
airfield surveys; providing firefighting and aircraft rescue services; and marking airfield landing
and parking surfaces.
z
Construct bridging.
z
Ensure theater access through the construction and upgrade of ports, airfields, and RSOI
facilities.
3-55. Engineer units may be called on to provide assets to contribute to maneuver support operations when
assigned to an MEB. Missions assigned to engineers in the conduct of maneuver support operations will
enable one or more key tasks related to the MEB primary missions. (See FM 3-90.31 for more information
on the MEB missions.) Although listed here under movement and maneuver, engineers also support the
protection aspects of maneuver support operations.
INTELLIGENCE
3-56. The intelligence warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that facilitate understanding of
the operational environment, enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations
(FM 3-0). Engineer
capabilities can be employed during key activities in the operations process to add to the commander’s SU.
Engineers play a major role in the IPB process by anticipating and providing terrain analysis products of
likely contingency areas. Geospatial engineering operations improve understanding of the physical
environment and are an essential component of the intelligence warfighting function. Engineer
reconnaissance can provide data that contributes to answering the commander's critical information
requirements. (See the sections above for more information about geospatial engineering operations and
engineer reconnaissance.)
FIRES
3-57. Engineer capabilities significantly contribute to this warfighting function when they are used to
emplace obstacles that enhance the effect of fires, construct survivability positions for fires units, support
their mobility during displacements, and other such tasks.
SUSTAINMENT
3-58. The sustainment warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that provide support and
services to ensure freedom of action, extend operational reach, and prolong endurance (the definition was
shortened, and the complete definition is printed in the glossary)
(FM 3-0). Engineers support the
sustainment warfighting function by performing tasks associated with mobility operations and tasks such as
those described in the section beginning with paragraph 3-31.
3-59. General engineer applications are primarily linked through and provide a major category of tasks
under providing logistic support in the sustainment warfighting function. As already discussed, general
engineer capabilities can also be applied in support of combat engineer applications and will have links
across both the movement and maneuver and the protection warfighting functions.
3-60. In stability or civil support operations, sustainment support may shift to the establishment of services
that support civilian agencies, in addition to the normal support of U.S. forces. Stability operations tend to
be of a long duration compared to the other elements in full spectrum operations. As such, the general
engineering level of effort, including FFE support from USACE, is very high at the onset and gradually
decreases as the theater matures. As the AO matures, the general engineering effort may transfer to theater
or external support contracts, such as the logistics civil augmentation program (LOGCAP), the Air Force
contract augmentation program , or the Navy’s global contingency construction contract.
PROTECTION
3-61. The protection warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that preserve the force so the
commander can apply maximum combat power (FM 3-0). Engineers have unique equipment and personnel
capabilities that can be used to support survivability and related protection efforts. Combat engineers,
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Chapter 3
supported by general engineer capabilities when required, provide selected survivability operations through
the protection warfighting function (see FM 5-103). Survivability operations also include CCD support to
tactical ground maneuver forces. Combat engineers typically provide the basic hardening and CCD support,
while general engineering support is focused on longer term survivability efforts. General engineer support
is also applied through the protection warfighting function to control pollution and hazardous materials as
well as to harden facilities. Survivability operations include the following engineering tasks:
z
Protect against enemy hazards within the AO. This task includes—
„ Constructing vehicle fighting positions, crew-served weapon fighting positions, or
individual fighting positions.
„ Constructing protective earth walls, berms, and revetments; or constructing vehicle,
information systems, equipment, and material protective positions.
„ Employing protective equipment such as vehicle crash barriers and security fences.
„ Installing bridge protective devices for an existing float bridge or river-crossing site to
protect against waterborne demolition teams, floating mines, or floating debris.
„ Installing or removing protective obstacles.
z
Conduct actions to control pollution and hazardous materials (see FM 3-34.5).
z
Conduct CCD tasks.
z
Conduct tactical fire fighting (see FM 3-37 and FM 5-415).
3-62. When conducting stability operations or civil support operations, survivability remains a key
concern. Though the likelihood of combat operations is reduced, key resources and personnel remain
vulnerable to other types of hostile action or attack. Commanders must consider protecting vital resources
such as fuel sites, sustainment convoys, forward operating bases, and logistic support areas since the entire
AO has an equal potential for enemy attack. Therefore, priority of work for construction assets will be
much more focused on protecting these types of resources than constructing fighting positions for combat
vehicles or crew served weapons. Vital resources requiring survivability may also include facilities critical
to the civilian infrastructure such as key industrial sites, pipelines, water treatment plants, and government
buildings. Engineers also employ protective obstacles as a key tool in protecting these important assets and
locations. Protective obstacles range from tetrahedrons and concrete barriers to networked munitions.
Physical barriers provide relatively inexpensive, though relatively inflexible, survivability capability.
Networked munitions, with their built-in sensor capabilities and central control, provide a flexible intrusion
detection and denial system.
ENGINEERS IN CLOSE COMBAT
3-63. As discussed in chapter 2, all engineer units must be prepared to conduct their mission while in close
combat. This is referred to as fighting as engineers and is inherent to the primary mission of engineer units.
Engineer units, particularly combat engineer units, also have the secondary mission to be prepared to fight
as infantry. This section discusses both cases of engineers in close combat.
FIGHTING AS ENGINEERS
3-64. Combat engineers are well forward because they fight alongside maneuver units with a focus on
close combat. When conducting combat operations, they must be prepared to fight and employ their combat
skills, using fire and maneuver to accomplish their engineer mission. On today's battlefield, the enemy can
detect and engage engineers quickly, regardless of their location. Consequently, all combat engineers are
organized, trained, and equipped to fight and destroy the enemy in addition to their primary responsibilities
within combat engineering. This section addresses aspects of engineers in close combat organized to fight
as engineers. The next section addresses aspects of engineers organized to fight as infantry.
3-65. Combat engineers are organized, trained, and equipped to fight and destroy the enemy, in addition to
their primary responsibilities within combat engineering. Combat engineers engage in close combat to
accomplish their engineer missions and to—
z
Support a movement to contact or attack as a part of a maneuver formation in the movement to
accomplish the formation's mission.
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FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Foundations of Engineer Support to Operations
z
Fight as the breach force during BCT combined arms breaching operations.
z
Assist the supported organization to defeat an unexpected attack.
z
Protect a critical demolition target that must remain passable until friendly forces are able to
withdraw.
z
Maintain security at a work site.
z
Protect themselves in an assembly area or on the march.
3-66. General and geospatial engineer units are armed primarily with small arms and have only a limited
number of crew-served weapons. They are not organized to move within combined arms formations or
apply fire and maneuver. They are capable of engaging in close combat with fire and movement primarily
in a defensive role.
3-67. During combat operations, combat engineer units are task-organized with maneuver units and are
integrated into the combined arms formation. The engineer unit is designed to provide demolition, terrain
reinforcement, breaching, and hasty gap crossing capabilities to the combined arms team. The engineer unit
can also employ direct-fire weapon systems to aid in employing demolitions and breaching assets.
Regardless of the mission, armored engineer vehicles are combat vehicles and provide a significant
contribution to the combat power of the entire formation. To accomplish the mission, engineers will fire
and move under the direction of the formation commander, as necessary, using demolition, breaching, and
gap crossing skills when appropriate. Fire and movement techniques are based on rifle, automatic rifle, and
grenadier covering fire, allowing the placement of demolition charges within striking range.
3-68. When involved in an assault, engineers will fight dismounted on the objective. However, they will
focus on breaching the close-in protective obstacles and performing demolition tasks against positions and
dug-in vehicles. Demolition charges produce significant shock and concussion effects on defenders and
destroy critical positions, munitions, and combat vehicles.
3-69. Combat engineers employed on reserve demolition targets in the defense mainly execute the
technical procedures necessary to ensure target destruction. However, the engineer demolition party
responds to enemy contact. It assists the demolition guard in securing the target by holding it open or
gaining time to ensure that it is destroyed. The engineer force may assist in target defense by installing AT
and self-destructing antipersonnel mines to support the defensive scheme.
3-70. Combat engineers must be prepared to operate or fight the networked munitions they emplace in
support of defensive and offensive operations. These weapons systems provide rapidly emplaced, highly
lethal capabilities to the combined arms team, but require trained operators to engage the enemy at the
appropriate time and place during the enemy attack. Therefore, when engineers are required to emplace
networked munitions and then stay and fight these systems, these engineers must integrate their units into
the scheme of maneuver and scheme of fires and fight as part of the combined arms team. They should also
participate fully in the combined arms rehearsals to achieve the maximum effectiveness from these
weapons systems.
3-71. Combat engineer units engaged in emplacing obstacle systems provide their own local security.
Within their capability, they will employ close-combat techniques against attackers to ensure that the
obstacle system is completed. General and geospatial engineer organizations also provide their own local
security but may require support from combat units depending on where they are employed in the AO.
They participate in base cluster defense as required. They install local protective obstacles and fight from
perimeter defensive positions. They also form reaction forces that can repel or destroy the enemy forces
that penetrate a base cluster.
FIGHTING AS INFANTRY
3-72. Throughout history, engineer organizations have been required to fight as infantry as a secondary
mission. A combat engineer organization is capable of executing infantry tasks or task-organizing to fight
as infantry with other combat units. However, engineers have organizational deficiencies that include a lack
of organic fire control personnel, communications equipment, and medical personnel. Additionally, no
general engineer unit is designed with squad-size elements that mirror an infantry organization. If an
engineer battalion has been designated to fight as infantry (a maneuver unit), then it requires the same
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Chapter 3
support and potentially the integration of other maneuver elements (such as armor and fire support) into its
task organization to accomplish the mission. It may also require significant reorganization. Any
commander who commands combat engineers has the authority to employ them as infantry, unless
otherwise reserved. However, a commander must carefully weigh the gain in infantry strength against the
loss of engineer support. Engineers provide far more combat power in their primary mission than when
configured as infantry. Stopping the engineer work may reduce the combat power of a commander's entire
force.
3-73. Reorganizing engineer units as infantry requires careful consideration and should normally be
reserved to the operational-level command. Reorganizing involves extensive equipment and training
specific to the reorganization and must be coordinated with the headquarters to which the unit is assigned.
Employing engineers merely implies that the gaining commander will be using the engineers for a short
period of time. On the other hand, reorganization requires resources, time, and training.
3-74. An emergency or immediate requirement for infantry may not require reorganization as engineers are
simply committed to the fight, to fight as engineers, and understanding their limitations. Reorganization
occurs when time allows, moving unneeded engineer elements and equipment from the battlefield and
augmenting the engineer structure with additional capabilities. A commander normally considers
reorganizing when forecasting a shortage of infantry before a future operation or phase of an operation. The
commander makes a decision after weighing the factors of METT-TC; determining an acceptable risk
level; and considering the resources, time, and training required to reorganize engineer units as infantry.
3-14
FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Chapter 4
Mission Command Considerations
As shown in the previous chapters, the Engineer Regiment, with its three
interdependent engineer disciplines, is focused on supporting the Army and its
mission. Engineer units perform engineer tasks along four lines of engineer support.
This chapter describes force tailoring, task-organizing, and mission command of
engineer forces. Most of the tasks associated with the discussion of mission
command are aligned with the mission command warfighting function.
OVERVIEW
4-1. The Engineer Regiment has a wide variety of engineer units, focused on three interdependent
engineer disciplines. Employing the right unit, with the right capabilities, to perform the right tasks along
the right line of engineer support is a significant challenge. Engineer force tailoring, mission command of
engineer forces, and the use of the operations process all help commanders and their staffs to meet that
challenge.
ENGINEER FORCE TAILORING
4-2. Within the modular Army, the organization of forces is dynamic at all levels. Army forces are
organized and reorganized continuously to meet mission requirements. Actual requirements for forces are
seldom identical to planning figures. As a consequence, the theater army commander recommends the
appropriate mix of forces and the deployment sequence for forces to meet the GCC’s actual requirements.
This is force tailoring (selecting forces based on a mission and recommending their deployment sequence)
and may include both operating force and generating force elements.
4-3. Tailoring the engineer force requires an altogether different mindset—one that thinks in terms
completely divested from how the force is organized in garrison. It requires a leader to think beyond
garrison structures and embrace combinations of modular engineer capabilities and scalable mission
command to provide each echelon of the force with the right support. While the Engineer Regiment is
organized and equipped to support full spectrum operations, engineers can expect serious challenges in the
OE when trying to execute the broad range of potential tasks. Careful prioritization must occur for the
limited engineer resources typical in the OE. To accomplish all identified tasks in the desired timeframes,
commanders must consider augmentation requirements and recognize which mission requirements can be
supported through reachback rather than enlarging the engineer footprint in the AO. Within the modular
structure, engineer units are more narrowly designed to accomplish specific types of tasks. Therefore, it is
imperative that when tailoring the engineer force, the broad range of capabilities need to be allocated from
the engineer force pool.
4-4. Engineer force packages must contain the right mix of capabilities to assure timely and relevant
engineer support to the JFC. This mix will often need to change drastically during transitions, and the joint
force engineer must anticipate and plan for these changes. For example, combat engineers often make up
the majority of engineer forces in-theater during sustained combat operations, but they must be reinforced
during transition to stability operations as they typically do not have the right capabilities to accomplish all
of the general engineering tasks required. Also, since EOD support requirements during transition
operations are often significantly higher than during combat operations, more EOD capabilities will be
required.
4-5. Tailoring the engineer force should not be confused with task-organizing. Tactical and operational
commanders organize groups of units for specific missions. They reorganize for subsequent missions when
necessary. This process of allocating available assets to subordinate commanders and establishing their
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Chapter 4
command and support relationships is called task-organizing. Considerations for task-organizing engineer
units are discussed in chapter 2, ATTP 3-34.23, and FM 3-34.22.
MODULAR FORCE ORGANIZATION
4-6. In addition to the organic engineer capabilities of the BCT, the JFC is able to draw from a force pool
of modular engineer units available to be integrated into joint forces at various echelons. The modular force
structure, described in the following paragraphs, enables expeditionary action and flexible tailoring of
forces to meet changing situations.
4-7. As shown in figure 4-1, mission command across the lines of engineer support is primarily provided
by the engineer battalion, the engineer brigade, and the TEC. Multifunctional units at both battalion and
brigade echelons, such as the BSTB or the MEB, may also provide mission command for engineer forces in
cases where engineer support is integral to the multifunctional mission. Analysis of operational variables
establishes the suitable tailoring of functional and multifunctional headquarters while mission variables are
analyzed to determine task organization.
Figure 4-1. Mission command for engineer units
4-8. Engineer and multifunctional mission command headquarters include the following:
z
BSTB. Within the HBCT and IBCT, the BSTB is a multifunctional battalion that provides the
BCT with organic military intelligence support and communications, engineer, military police,
and CBRN reconnaissance capabilities. The BSTB of the IBCT and HBCT each have an organic
engineer company, although the composition of the company is varied. Engineer units
augmenting the BCT may also be placed under the mission command of the BSTB. The BSTB
has very few engineers in its staff. See FM 3-90.61 for additional information on the BSTB.
z
Engineer Battalion. The engineer Battalion can provide mission command for up five mission
tailored engineer companies from the combat and general engineer disciplines and operate across
all lines of Engineer Support. See Chapter 2 for a full description of the Engineer Battalion.
z
MEB. The MEB is a headquarters with a robust multifunctional brigade staff that is optimized
to conduct maneuver support operations. The MEB contains no organic units other than its
headquarters and headquarters company, network support company, and brigade support
battalion
(BSB), but typically includes a mix of several types of battalions and separate
companies which may include CA, CBRN, engineer, EOD, and military police units. The MEB
does have an engineer cell as part of its staff, but not to the extent of an engineer brigade
headquarters. See FM 3-90.31 for additional information on the MEB.
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FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Mission Command Considerations
z
Engineer Brigade. This functional brigade can provide mission command for up five mission
tailored engineer battalions from any of the three engineer disciplines as well as non-engineer
units. See Chapter 2 for a full description of the Engineer Brigade.
z
TEC. The TEC is designed to provide mission command for engineer capabilities for the theater
army.
Force Tailoring For Different Echelons
4-9. Command headquarters consist of the BCT, divisions, corps, and theater army headquarters. All
three headquarters above the BCT have engineer staffs that support the mission command of engineer units.
Brigade Combat Team
4-10. The BCTs have limited engineer capability, one organic company, and will likely require additional
engineer units based on mission variables. Higher commanders augment BCTs for a specific mission with
capabilities not organic to the BCT structure. This augmentation will most likely be accomplished through
task organizing but in some cases may be tailored prior to deployment. The task organization is
accomplished using force pool engineer units that are force tailored to higher headquarters (division, corps,
and theater army). See mission command section below for a detailed discussion of BCT task organization
considerations.
Division
4-11. The tailored engineer force supporting a division is not set by rules of allocation. Rather, the force
will be tailored to meet anticipated requirements based on an analysis of the situation. The divisional
engineer force may be organized under a multifunctional headquarters, such as the MEB, or may be
organized under a functional engineer headquarters. In some situations, the division may require a
combination of engineer forces organized under both functional and multifunctional headquarters. While
either battalion or brigade echelons of engineer or multifunctional headquarters may be allocated as the
divisional engineer headquarters, a brigade echelon headquarters is more typical for most operations.
Figure 4-2, page 4-4, provides a notional organization for both an engineer brigade headquarters and an
MEB supporting a division.
4-12. The division construct normally starts with an MEB and then adds a functional engineer brigade
when the type (technical requirement), size (magnitude of subordinate engineer elements) of the engineer
mission, or the requirement to integrate engineer capabilities across the force becomes too large for the
MEB. (The same dynamic applies within the BCT, but the functional engineer headquarters in that case
would be the engineer battalion.)
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Chapter 4
Figure 4-2. Notional division engineer force
Corps
4-13. Like the division, the tailored engineer force supporting a corps is not set by rules of allocation.
Rather, the force will be tailored to meet anticipated requirements based on an analysis of the situation. The
corps force is likely to include joint engineer elements or a joint engineer headquarters. In some situations,
the corps may require a combination of engineer forces organized both functionally and multifunctionally.
Typically, an engineer brigade headquarters will be allocated to a corps for most operations.
4-14. In some instances, an MEB may also be required at the corps level; for example, to provide mission
command of a SPOD or an APOD (both missions are terrain-focused) during early-entry operations or to
support a movement corridor within a corps area of operations. The MEB provides multifunctional
capability with a smaller footprint and has the ability to control terrain for these types of operations. See
FM 3-90.31 for additional information on the MEB.
Theater Army
4-15. The theater army normally receives one TEC (see figure 4-3). The TEC is a modular organization
that can be tailored based on mission requirements. Within the TEC, there are two deployable CPs that
provide flexibility for multiple missions or rotational capability in support of a single mission. Each TEC
can deploy its main CP and two DCPs. The DCP can be augmented with FFE assets from USACE. Typical
capabilities that may be included with this augmentation might be contracting, real estate support, and
interagency coordination. The TEC is able to leverage reachback capabilities to capitalize on
CONUS-based assets.
4-16. The TEC provides mission command and an organizational framework for the operational-level
engineer effort within the AOR. The TEC focuses on reinforcing and augmenting tactical-level engineer
efforts and developing the theater sustainment base. This focus involves planning, ensuring operational
mobility, and coordinating all operational engineering assets. It also supervises the direction of geospatial
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4 August 2011
Mission Command Considerations
engineering operations, construction, real-property maintenance activities, LOC sustainment, engineer
logistics management, and base development. The TEC has primary responsibility for theater infrastructure
development.
Figure 4-3. Notional theater engineer command
4-17. The TEC develops plans, procedures, and programs for engineer support for the theater army,
including operational mobility and countermobility, general engineering, power generation, area damage
control, military construction, geospatial engineering, engineering design, construction materiel, and real
property maintenance activities. Engineer units are responsible for infrastructure planning, development,
construction, and maintenance. The TEC commander receives policy guidance from the theater army based
on the guidance of the GCC’s joint force engineer. The TEC headquarters element provides staff
supervision over operational-level engineer support to operations in the AOR and reinforces engineer
support to all theater army forces. The TEC may also support joint and multinational commands and other
elements according to lead Service responsibilities as directed by the supported JFC. It provides policy and
technical guidance to all Army engineer units in the AO. This headquarters maintains a planning
relationship with the theater army and joint force staff engineers to help establish engineer policy for the
AOR. It maintains required coordination links with other Service and multinational command engineering
staffs. In some theaters, a tailored engineer brigade may provide theater-level engineer support. The
engineer brigade provides expertise and capability that is similar to the TEC, but at a reduced level.
ARMY FORCE GENERATION
4-18. Execution and adherence to the Army Force Generation model is problematic for engineer units.
There is a limited amount of engineer force structure compared to the Army BCT structure and potential
BCT mission requirements, a minimal number of engineers that are organic to BCT organizations, and a
high percentage of engineer forces that are resident in the Reserve Components. The implications of Army
Force Generation on the engineer force are similar to other support branches within the Army where a
majority of their forces are not organic to a BCT structure. Activating an engineer unit early in the Army
Force Generation process will have secondary and tertiary effects for operational, sustainment, and
personnel planners and reduces even further the availability of units later in the cycle. A surge of engineer
units can be accomplished for short periods, but not indefinitely without looking at increasing engineer
units in the inventory or through the use of HN or contract engineers. See FM 1-01 for additional
information regarding Army Force Generation.
MISSION COMMAND OF ENGINEER FORCES
4-19. All engineer units must execute mission command and the operations process activities for their own
unit, and many engineer units will interact with the mission command activities of the unit being supported.
The interaction may be primarily through an engineer staff assigned to the supported unit or through staff
counterparts. In some cases, a supported unit may not have assigned engineer staff and the supporting unit
will provide this support as well. This relationship and degree of interaction is determined by many factors
including the type of unit and echelon being supported and the command or support relationship
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FM 3-34
4-5
Chapter 4
established. This manual addresses mission command of engineer forces separately from engineer staff
participation in the supported commander’s mission command.
4-20. There are typically not enough engineering capabilities available to accomplish all the desired
engineer tasks. Careful prioritization must occur. Even more challenging is that once in the AO,
force-tailored engineer units must be able to rapidly transition among elements of operations. Because the
available force-tailored engineer units are designed for more specific types of tasks, engineer capabilities
must be shifted within the AO to match the requirements with the capabilities of the modular engineer
units. Transitions will occur at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels, and flexibility in the task
organization at all levels will be required to permit the shifting of engineer capabilities. For engineer units,
consideration must also be given to administration and support, including control of resources and
equipment, personnel management, unit logistics, individual and unit training, readiness, mobilization,
demobilization, discipline, and other matters not included in the operational missions but inherent in
administrative control (ADCON) responsibilities.
CONSIDERATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM
4-21. Each of the three types of BCTs is organized with organic engineer company-level units (see
appendix B). These engineer companies support the BCT or its subordinate organizations by providing
engineer support within the BCT as an element of the BSTB (as in the HBCT and the IBCT) or directly
under the BCT headquarters (as in the SBCT). The engineer companies organic to the BCT may be further
task-organized to maneuver TFs or the reconnaissance squadron, or even to a subordinate company or
troop. These unit commanders and leaders are fully integrated participants in the mission command
structure and activities of the BCT or its subordinate elements which they routinely support.
4-22. Integrating additional engineer support in any of the BCTs is challenging due to the limited structure
within the BCT for mission command of engineer forces. The organic engineer company employs troop
leading procedures rather than the military decisionmaking process
(MDMP) and has very limited
capability to integrate augmenting engineer elements. The BSTB and the BCT headquarters have more
robust mission command capability, but are multifunctional in nature with limited engineer staff capability.
In many situations the augmentation of a BCT by a task-organized engineer battalion headquarters will
provide the necessary additional mission command to orchestrate engineer support. Similarly, a
task-organized engineer battalion may be required in situations requiring engineer support to one of the
various support brigades.
4-23. Additional engineer units augmenting the BCT
(or a support or functional brigade) are
task-organized to the BCT in either a command or a support relationship as summarized in FM 5-0, tables
F-1 and F-2. Command relationships are used when the most responsive employment of the augmenting
engineer units is required, with engineer units either attached or placed in operational control (OPCON) to
the gaining BCT. Attachment (although temporary) is often relatively long-term compared to being placed
in OPCON, normally for a given mission (lasting perhaps just a few days). In both attached and OPCON
relationships, the augmenting engineer unit is tasked and provided priorities by the gaining unit. A
significant consideration in the OPCON relationship is that sustainment support and other ADCON
responsibilities remain with the parent engineer unit unless coordinated with the gaining BCT for certain
classes of supply. In both cases, the gaining BCT retains responsibility to furnish construction and barrier
materials required to support their missions.
4-24. Commanders establish support relationships when subordination of one unit to another is
inappropriate. Support relationships are graduated from an exclusive supported and supporting relationship
between two units—as in DS—to a broad level of support extended to all units under the control of the
higher headquarters—as in general support (GS). Support relationships do not normally alter ADCON. A
DS relationship is typically used to provide the supported unit with dedicated engineer support that is more
responsive to that unit. In a GS relationship, the engineer unit supports the maneuver element as a whole.
Such a relationship is appropriate when central control and flexibility in employing limited engineer forces
is required. A GS relationship may be used when a BCT’s higher headquarters desires to maintain control
over an engineer mission within the BCT AO. In that case, the requirement must be coordinated with the
impacted BCT and any missions must be executed through close coordination with the BCT.
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Mission Command Considerations
JOINT CONSIDERATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
4-25. Army engineers frequently operate in a joint environment and must understand joint command and
support authorities and relationships (described in JP 1), which are similar but not identical to Army
command and support relationships. They must understand how these are applied in joint engineer
operations, as described in JP 3-34. Particularly pertinent to engineer operations are—
z
The directive authority for logistics that CCDRs have and their authority to delegate directive
authority for common support capabilities, which includes engineering support.
z
The authority to employ mines, which originates with the President. See JP 3-15 for more
information.
THE ENGINEER STAFF OFFICER
4-26. The staff assigned to BCT, division, corps, theater Army, GCC, and other joint organizations
includes a number of engineers in various sections and cells. One of these engineers, typically the senior
engineer officer on staff, is designated as the engineer staff officer to advise the commander and assist him
in exercising control over engineer forces in the AO. The engineer staff officer is responsible for
coordinating engineer assets and operations for the command. Although there may be more than one
engineer officer on a staff, only one is designated as the engineer staff officer for the command. Each
echelon down to the BCT level has an organic engineer planner and staff element to integrate engineers
into the combined arms fight. The TF and company levels may have a designated engineer planner, but
their engineer is not typically organic at these echelons. The engineer is a special staff member of the staff
responsible for understanding the full array of engineer capabilities (combat, general, and geospatial
engineering) available to the force and for synchronizing them to best meet the needs of the maneuver
commander.
4-27. Previous editions of this manual recommended “dual hatting” the senior engineer unit commander as
both the engineer force commander and the senior engineer staff advisor to the supported commander.
Because of the transformation to a modular force and based on recent experience in projecting the tailored
engineer force, dual hatting is no longer the preferred option for providing mission command for engineer
forces and meeting the supporting commander’s requirement for engineer staff advice. Ultimately, the
decision on whether the senior engineer unit commander will serve both roles will be made by each
supported force commander and be situationally dependent. Some specific considerations for determining
the relationship of the senior engineer staff officer and the engineer unit commander include—
z
What staff assets are available to support the engineer staff advisor versus the engineer unit
commander? Are these elements from the same unit or are separate units resourced for each
role?
z
What experience level is needed for the engineer staff advisor? Should this role be resourced
with a current or former commander?
z
What duration of time will the augmenting engineer element, commanded by the senior engineer
unit commander, be working for or with the force? Is there enough time for this engineer
commander to acclimate and effectively advise the force commander?
z
What working relationship is established between an existing engineer staff advisor and the
force commander? Similarly, is there an existing working relationship between the engineer unit
commander and this force commander? It is critical that the engineer staff officer for the
supported unit maintains close coordination with the supporting engineer unit commander and
staff to ensure synchronization of effort.
4-28. The engineer staff will include key members on many of the working groups, boards, or cells
established by commanders to coordinate functional or multifunctional activities. The engineer staff officer
may chair construction-related groups.
4-29. The specific roles, responsibilities, and consideration for the engineer staff officer are similar but not
identical at each echelon. FM
3-34.22 addresses these for the BCT engineer staff officer, while
ATTP 3-34.23 addresses them for the engineer staff officer at echelons above the BCT.
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Chapter 4
CONTROL MECHANISMS
4-30. The control mechanisms established in FM 3-0, FM 5-0, and FM 6-0 are essential tools to help
engineers accomplish the mission in accordance with the commander’s intent. One such control mechanism
is the engineer work line (EWL), which is a graphic or functional control measure used at EAB to designate
areas of work responsibility for subordinate engineer organizations. An engineer work line is a
coordinated boundary or phase line used to compartmentalize an area of operations to indicate
where specific engineer units have primary responsibility for the engineer effort. It may be used at
division level to discriminate between an AO supported by division engineer assets and an AO
supported by direct support or general support corps engineer units. See FM 3-34.400 for more
information on General Engineering Operations.
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Chapter 5
Integrating Engineer Support
Full spectrum operations follow a cycle of planning, preparation, execution, and
continuous assessment. These cyclic activities may be sequential or simultaneous.
They are usually not discrete; they overlap and recur as circumstances demand. As a
whole, they make up the operations process. Integrating engineer support includes
multiple interactions with the mission command function and the operations process
it drives. Whether a subordinate or supporting unit, engineer unit commanders and
their staffs must understand and exercise the art and science of mission command,
including the cyclical activities of the operations process. Engineer planners and staff
members in combined arms or other nonengineer headquarters must understand and
become integral members during the operations process activities at that
headquarters. This chapter discusses the operations process as the context for
integration of engineer support to operations. It enters the operations process by
discussing various planning activities required for effective engineer support. It
describes planning responsibilities, integration, and processes for engineer units and
for engineer planners in nonengineer units. Finally, it discusses preparation,
execution, and continuous assessment of the entire spectrum of engineer support.
SECTION I - INTEGRATED PLANNING
5-1. Commanders use their staffs and integrate input from subordinate commanders into their planning
processes. Engineer leaders must understand and be integral participants in the planning processes
impacting engineer activities at their echelon of employment. Supporting engineer unit commanders and
leaders conduct parallel planning which provides both effective outcomes for the engineer units employed
and appropriate input to the higher commander’s process. Geospatial support elements and engineer staff
planners integrate directly within the planning staff at each echelon to participate in the planning process.
5-2. Engineer support is complex, resource intensive (requires much time, manpower, equipment, and
materials), and requires extensive and proactive coordination. Additionally, a successful engineering effort
requires an understanding of all engineer requirements (combat, general, and geospatial) and their roles in
the concept of operations. Engineer support must be directed and synchronized through planning as one of
the critical activities in the operations process, but many engineer activities also require the critical
reasoning skills and problem solving techniques which form the base logic for the planning processes (see
FM 5-0). Engineer support will involve the use of some functionally unique analytic tools to solve
construction, design, facilities, and other engineer-specific problems.
PLANNING AT EACH LEVEL OF WAR
5-3. Engineers conduct planning at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. It is important to
understand planning within the context of the levels of war (see figure 5-1, page 5-2). Scope, complexity,
and length of planning horizons differ between operational and tactical planning, yet as echelons of
responsibilities have blurred, essentially any engineer headquarters may find itself supporting a maneuver
unit at any level of war. For example, an engineer battalion may deploy to support a JTF or an Army corps
at the operational level, or a division or BCT at the tactical level.
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5-1
Chapter 5
Figure 5-1. Engineer planning at each level of war
5-4. The CCDR or senior Army commander’s engineer planning concepts focus on the relationship of
geography and force projection infrastructure to the concept of operations. Engineer planners must
determine the basic, yet broad, mobilization, deployment, employment, and sustainment requirements of
the CCDR’s concept of operations. At all levels of planning, the senior engineer commander or the
engineer staff officer at each echelon must support the development of the supported commander’s OPLAN
or OPORD as well as an internal OPLAN or OPORD for the engineer organization. As previously
discussed, the engineer staff officer is the special staff officer responsible for coordinating engineer assets
and operations for the command, including engineer planning. The engineer staff officer is usually the
senior engineer officer on the staff, but may be a senior engineer commander supporting the force.
5-5. In planning at every level, the engineer planner should consider a number of general considerations,
including speed, economy, flexibility, decentralization of authority, and establishment of priorities:
z
Speed. Engineering tasks are resource intensive in terms of time, materials, manpower, and
equipment. Practices that support speed include use of existing facilities, standardization,
simplicity of design and construction, base-base construction, and construction in phases.
z
Economy. Engineering demands efficient use of personnel, equipment, and materials. Practices
that support economy include the conservation of manpower, equipment, and materials and the
application of environmental consideration early in the process.
z
Flexibility. Standard plans that allow for adjustment, expansion, and contraction will be used
whenever possible. For example, forward airfields should be designed and located so that they
can be expanded into more robust facilities.
z
Decentralization of authority. Dispersion of forces requires that engineer authority be
decentralized as much as possible. The engineer commander at a particular location must have
authority consistent with responsibilities.
z
Establishment of priorities. Establish priorities and resource allocation to determine how much
engineer effort must be devoted to a single task. All levels of command, beginning with the joint
force commander, will issue directives establishing broad priorities. Resources are initially
assigned to the highest priority tasks while low priority tasks may be left undone while
recognizing and mitigating the risk.
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Integrating Engineer Support
CONSIDERATIONS FOR FULL SPECTRUM OPERATIONS
5-6. During combat operations, engineer units will tend to have command relationships to maneuver
commanders. Especially at higher echelons, engineer units are more likely to be attached than placed
OPCON for a given offensive mission because it lets the gaining unit task-organize and direct the engineer
forces. Although the forms of offensive maneuver have different intentions, the planning phase must
always begin with predicting the enemy’s intent through a thorough understanding of the threat, its
engineer capabilities, and how the terrain will effect operations. Geospatial products and information
become the foundation and common reference for planning. Of all the forms of maneuver, knowledge of
the threat’s disposition is especially critical and required for an infiltration or penetration due to the
requirements for stealth and surprise. Engineer planning tends to focus on mobility support including a
robust reconnaissance effort. See FM
3-34.170 for a full discussion of engineer reconnaissance
capabilities. A greater degree of planning is required for a penetration from the breach to the ultimate
control of the decisive objective.
5-7. Planning for defensive operations is inextricably linked to offensive operations and, for planning
purposes, must consider the transition from offensive operations, as well as the follow-on offensive
operations. During defensive operations engineers use terrain products to best position the units within the
defense. Engineers then work with intelligence staff to describe the threat functions to predict where the
threat is likely to attack friendly forces. Engineers work in conjunction with intelligence personnel to
determine which sensor capabilities to leverage and best predict and prevent the threat from maneuvering
freely into the defended area. Construction planning includes security and survivability considerations. The
consideration of counterattack planning or support for the mobile strike force is the same as the typical
mobility planning for offensive operations. The engineer staff officer works with the other staff members to
ensure that the counterattack force can mass its effects on the enemy for decisive operations. The type of
defensive operation will define the amount and focus of engineer effort required. An area defense will
typically require a greater amount of effort due to the increased survivability requirements. A mobile
defense’s effort will be to a lesser degree (although mobility requirements may increase) because it has
greater flexibility and takes advantage of the terrain in depth.
5-8. Stability and civil support operations emphasize nonlethal, constructive actions by Soldiers working
among noncombatants. In planning for stability operations, engineers consider requirements necessary for
the support of the primary stability tasks. Engineers are typically critical enablers and may lead in the
restoration of essential services. The planner considers capabilities needed to establish or restore the most
basic services for the provision of food and water, emergency shelter, and basic sanitation (sewage and
garbage disposal). An engineer assessment of the OE focuses on different aspects of the terrain as well as
friendly and threat capabilities. Terrain products continue to have a great deal of importance, but political
and cultural considerations may be more important. Terrain analysts will work with the intelligence staff to
develop usable products for the commander to reflect this information if it is available. When analyzing the
troops available, the engineer staff officer considers HN, third party NGOs, or other multinational forces
involved with engineering capabilities. Interaction with these other parties requires engineers to address
interoperability, common standards, and mutual agreements. CA forces have a major role in this
interaction, working with and through HN agencies and other civilian organizations to enhance the HN
government’s legitimacy.
5-9. Planning for civil support operations is significantly different from offense, defense, or stability
operations because of the unique nature of the threat, although the basic missions may be very similar to
those of stability operations. The threat will likely be a natural or man-made disaster with unpredictable
consequences. Additionally, planners must be aware of the number of statutes and regulations that restrict
the Army’s interaction with other government agencies and civilians during civil support operations. The
local and state response normally leads the effort with a federal response providing support as required.
Interagency response during civil support operations is governed by the national response framework which
delegates responsibility to various federal agencies for emergency support function. The USACE and other
engineering capabilities of the generating force will have a prominent role in civil support operations. See
FM 3-28 for more information about civil support operations and proponency for the various emergency
support functions.
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FM 3-34
5-3
Chapter 5
5-10. Army commanders will assume a support role to one or more designated agencies. Engineers can
expect to be involved in planning for support of relief operations with geospatial products and analysis of
potential areas to establish life-support areas. Engineers may be called on to provide manpower support or
general engineering support from units with unique capabilities such as water purification, temporary
shelter, power generation, and firefighting. Engineer commanders and staff will work with the proponent
planners to identify requirements and plan engineer applications. See ATTP 3-34.23 for a more detailed
discussion of planning for engineer applications in civil support operations.
PARALLEL PLANNING
5-11. Engineer commanders and the engineer staff officer must ensure that parallel planning occurs
between the supported unit and their task-organized engineer units. Although the senior engineer
commander may, in selected cases, be dual hatted as commander and engineer staff officer at lower
echelons, this is no longer the preferred engineer staff relationship (see discussion in chapter 4). At the
brigade level and above, the engineer staff officer should not be a supporting engineer unit commander.
This parallel process feeds into the force commander’s MDMP and provides input for an engineer unit
OPLAN or OPORD or annex to be published nearly simultaneously, maximizing the time available for
execution.
5-12. To facilitate effective parallel planning at the engineer unit level, engineer unit commanders and staff
planners must—
z
Understand the commander’s intent and planning guidance of both the parent (engineer) unit and
the supported unit.
z
Analyze the terrain, information on obstacles, and threat capabilities.
z
Know their engineer systems and capabilities to accomplish the identified tasks within the time
allotted. Identify risks where engineer capabilities are limited or time is short, and identify
methods to mitigate the risks ensuring all potential reachback capabilities have been leveraged.
z
Consider the depth of the AO and the transitions that will occur among operational elements.
This includes integration of environmental considerations.
z
Plan for sustainment of engineer activities. Engineers ensure that all logistical requirements are
analyzed and accounted for to the end state of the operation and resourced to accomplish the
mission and facilitate future operations.
STAFF PLANNING
5-13. Except in the smallest echelon of Army units, commanders will rely on assistance from a staff to
conduct the planning processes which lead to the OPLAN or OPORD. FM 6-0 describes the organization
and responsibilities of the engineer staff. Engineer planners provide for the integration of engineer-focused
considerations on the supported commander’s staff at each echelon. Throughout the planning process, the
engineer staff must advise supported commanders and their staffs about engineer capabilities, methods of
employment, and the additional capabilities and depth of the Engineer Regiment. In those units without
organic engineer staff support, including support-type organizations, it may be important for the supporting
engineer organization to provide planning support. Liaison may need to be provided in certain situations to
ensure that proper and complete staff planning is accomplished.
SECTION II - PLANNING PROCESSES
5-14. Full spectrum operations demand a flexible approach to planning that adapts planning methods to
each situation. An effective planning process structures the thinking of commanders and staffs while
supporting their insight, creativity, and initiative. MDMP and troop leading procedures are the two Army
doctrinal planning procedures defined in FM 5-0. Both procedures hinge on the commander’s ability to
visualize and describe the mission or operation. Each is a means to an end, and their value lies in the result,
not the process. Both processes can be performed in detail, if time permits, or in an abbreviated fashion in a
time-constrained environment.
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Integrating Engineer Support
5-15. Although not fully developed planning procedures, engineers use a number of other processes,
activities, and frameworks to facilitate the planning and integration of engineer support. They include—
z
The running estimate (described in FM 5-0).
z
Plans and orders.
z
The framework of assured mobility.
z
The development of essential tasks for M/CM/S.
Note. FM 5-0 describes the rapid decisionmaking and synchronization process (RDSP) for use
when presented opportunities or threats during execution. Because the RDSP is an execution
activity, it is discussed further in section IV of this chapter.
5-16. For information about joint planning see Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff manual (CJCSM)
3122.01A and JP 5-0. The primary joint doctrinal publication for planning engineer operations is JP 3-34.
THE MILITARY DECISIONMAKING PROCESS
5-17. Table 5-1 lists some of the generic engineer planning considerations as they pertain to each step of
the MDMP (defined in detail in FM 5-0), focused primarily at operational-level planning. However, each
mission will present unique characteristics that engineer planners must consider in evaluating the situation.
Figure 5-1. Engineer considerations in the military decisionmaking process
Steps of the
Engineer Considerations
MDMP
Receive higher headquarters plans, orders, and construction directive(s).
Understand the commander’s intent and time constraints.
Receipt of the
Mission
Request geospatial information about the area of operations.
Establish engineer-related boards as appropriate.
Analyze the available information on existing obstacles. Evaluate terrain, climate,
and threat capabilities to determine the potential impact on M/CM/S.
Develop the essential tasks for M/CM/S.
Identify the available information on routes and key facilities. Evaluate lines of
communications, aerial port of debarkation, and seaport of debarkation
requirements.
Determine the availability of construction and other engineering materials.
Review the availability of engineer capabilities to include Army, joint, multinational,
host nation, and contracted support.
Determine the beddown requirements for supported force. Review theater
Mission
construction standards and base camp master planning documentation. Review
Analysis
unified facilities criteria as required.
Review the existing geospatial data on potential sites, conduct site reconnaissance
(if possible), and determine the threat (to include environmental and explosive
hazards).
Obtain the necessary geologic, hydrologic, and climatic data.
Determine the level of interagency cooperation required.
Determine the funding sources as required.
Determine the terrain and mobility restraints, obstacle intelligence, threat engineer
capabilities, and critical infrastructure. Recommend commander’s critical
information requirement.
Integrate the reconnaissance effort.
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Chapter 5
Table 5-1. Engineer considerations in the military decisionmaking process (continued)
Identify the priority engineer requirements, including essential tasks for M/CM/S
developed during mission analysis.
Integrate engineer support into COA development.
Recommend an appropriate level of protection effort for each COA based on the
COA
expected threat.
Development
Produce construction designs that meet the commander’s intent. (Use the Theater
Construction Management System when the project is of sufficient size and scope).
Determine alternate construction location, methods, means, materials, and
timelines to give the commander options.
Determine real property and real estate requirements.
Wargame and refine the engineer plan.
COA Analysis
Use the critical path method to determine length of different COAs and the ability to
crash the project.
Determine the most feasible, acceptable, and suitable methods of completing the
COA
engineering effort.
Comparison
Determine and compare the risks of each engineering COA.
COA Approval
Gain approval of the essential tasks for M/CM/S, construction management plan,
safety plan, security plan, logistics plan, and environmental plan as required.
Produce construction directives as required.
Orders
Provide input to the appropriate plans and orders.
Production
Ensure that all resources are properly allocated.
Coordinate combined arms rehearsals as appropriate.
Conduct construction prebriefings.
Rehearsal
Conduct preinspections and construction meetings.
Synchronize construction plan with local and adjacent units.
Implement protection construction standards including requirements for security
fencing, lighting, barriers, and guard posts.
Execution and
Conduct quality assurance and midproject inspections.
Assessment
Participation in engineer-related boards.
Maintain “As Built” and “Red Line” drawings.
Project turnover activities.
Legend:
COA - course of action
M/CM/S - mobility, countermobility, and survivability
MDMP - military decisionmaking process
ENGINEER STAFF’S RUNNING ESTIMATE
5-18. The engineer staff officer uses the running estimate as a logical thought process and extension of the
MDMP. It is conducted by the engineer staff officer, concurrently with the planning process of the
supported force commander, and is continually refined. This estimate allows for early integration and
synchronization of engineer considerations into combined arms planning processes. In their running
estimates, staff sections continuously consider the effect of new information and update the following:
assumptions, friendly force status, effects of enemy activity, civil considerations, and conclusions and
recommendations. A section’s running estimate assesses the following:
z
Friendly force capabilities with respect to ongoing and planned operations.
z
Enemy capabilities as they affect the section’s area of expertise for both current operations and
future plans.
z
Civil considerations as they affect the section’s area of expertise for both current operations and
future plans.
z
The OE’s effect on current and future operations from the section’s perspective.
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5-19. The development and continuous maintenance of the running estimate drives the coordination
between the staff engineer, supporting engineers, the supported commander, and other staff officers in the
development of plans, orders, and the supporting annexes. Additionally, the allocation of engineer assets
and resources assists in determining command and support relationships that will be used. Table 5-2 shows
the relationship between the MDMP and the engineer staff running estimate.
Table 5-2. The military decisionmaking process and the engineer estimate
Military Decisionmaking Process
Engineer Staff Running Estimate
Mission Analysis:
Mission Analysis:
Analyze the higher headquarters plan or order.
Analyze the higher headquarters orders.
Perform the initial IPB.
ƒ Commander’s intent.
Determine the specified, implied, and essential
ƒ Mission.
tasks.
ƒ Concept of operation.
Review the available assets and identify resource
ƒ Timeline.
shortfalls.
ƒ Area of operations.
Determine the constraints.
Conduct the IPB and develop engineer staff
Identify the critical facts and develop assumptions.
running estimate.
Begin the composite risk assessment.
ƒ Terrain and weather analysis.
Determine the CCIRs and EEFIs.
ƒ Enemy mission and M/CM/S capabilities.
ƒ Friendly mission and M/CM/S capabilities.
Develop the intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance synchronization plan.
Analyze the engineer mission.
Update the plan for the use of available time.
ƒ Specified M/CM/S tasks.
Develop the initial information themes and
ƒ Implied M/CM/S tasks.
messages.
ƒ Assets available.
Develop the proposed mission statement.
ƒ Limitations.
Present the mission-analysis briefing.
ƒ Risk as applied to engineer capabilities.
Develop and issue the initial commander’s intent.
ƒ Time analysis.
Develop and issue the initial planning guidance.
ƒ Identified essential tasks for M/CM/S.
Develop the COA evaluation criteria.
ƒ Restated mission.
Issue the warning order.
Conduct the risk assessment.
ƒ Safety.
ƒ Environment (Conduct EBS/OEHSA).
Determine the terrain and mobility restraints,
obstacle intelligence, threat engineer capabilities,
and critical infrastructure.
Recommend the CCIR.
Integrate the engineer reconnaissance effort.
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Table 5-2. The military decisionmaking process and the engineer estimate (continued)
Military Decisionmaking Process
Engineer Staff Running Estimate
COA Development
Develop the scheme of engineer operations.
ƒ Analyze the relative combat power.
ƒ Refine the essential tasks for M/CM/S.
ƒ Identify the engineer missions and allocation of
forces and assets.
ƒ Determine the engineer priority of effort,
support.
ƒ Refine the commander’s guidance for M/CM/S
operations.
ƒ Apply the engineer employment
considerations.
ƒ Integrate the engineer support into the
maneuver COA.
COA Analysis
Wargame and refine the engineer plan.
COA Comparison
Recommend a COA.
COA Approval
Finalize the engineer plan.
Order Production
Create the input to basic operation order.
ƒ Scheme of engineer operations.
ƒ Essential tasks for M/CM/S.
ƒ Subunit instructions.
ƒ Coordinating instructions.
Create the engineer annex and appendixes.
Legend:
CCIR - commander’s critical information requirement
IPB - intelligence preparation of the battlefield
COA - course of action
M/CM/S - mobility, countermobility, and survivability
EBS - Environmental Baseline Survey
OEHSA - Occupational Environmental Health Site
EEFI - essential elements of friendly information
Assessment
PLANS AND ORDERS
5-20. The staff prepares the order or plan by turning the selected course of action (COA) into a clear,
concise concept of operations and required supporting information. The concept of operations for the
approved COA becomes the concept of operations for the plan. The COA sketch becomes the basis for the
operation overlay. Orders and plans provide all information subordinates need for execution. Mission
orders avoid unnecessary constraints that inhibit subordinate initiative. The staff assists subordinate unit
staffs with their planning and coordination.
5-21. The engineer staff planner provides input for the appropriate paragraphs in the base plan as well as
annexes and appendixes of the plan as found in FM 5-0. CJCSM 3122.03 series is used for joint plans and
orders formats and guidance. In addition to developing input for the functionally specific paragraphs in the
base plan as well as annexes and appendixes of the plan, engineer planners must review other sections as
well. Engineers ensure the integration of geospatial support in appropriate sections and annexes. Engineers
review the task organization to ensure sufficient capability to meet identified requirements. The engineer
planner recommends appropriate command or support relationships. Additionally, planners provide input to
the flow of the engineer force as detailed on the time-phased force and deployment data. Engineers review
operations sections, annexes, and overlays to ensure the inclusion of obstacle effects or other graphics and
assist in conveying engineer support. In the fires sections, engineers work with the fire support officer and
other members of the staff to integrate obstacles with fire. Of particular interest are SCATMINEs and
confirming that all obstacles are covered by fire.
5-22. An engineer annex is the principal means through which the engineer defines engineer support to the
maneuver commander’s intent, essential tasks for M/CM/S, and coordinating instructions to subordinate
commanders. It is not intended to function as the internal order for an engineer organization, where the
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Integrating Engineer Support
engineer commander will articulate intent; concept of operations; and coordinating instructions to
subordinate, supporting, and supported commanders. The preparation of the annex seeks to clarify engineer
support to the OPLAN or OPORD and includes the—
z
Engineer staff officer’s overall description of the scheme of engineer operations, including
approved essential tasks for M/CM/S.
z
Priorities of work to shape the theater or AO (not in a tactical-level engineer annex).
z
Operational project planning, preparation, and execution responsibilities (not in a tactical level
engineer annex).
z
Engineer organization for combat.
z
Essential tasks for M/CM/S for subordinate units.
z
Allocations of Class IV and Class V supplies (barrier materials).
Note. Guidance to maneuver units on obstacle responsibilities should be listed in the body of the
basic order, not in the engineer annex.
5-23. The engineer staff officer may produce an engineer overlay in conjunction with the operations
overlay to highlight obstacle information or breaching operations. A gap crossing operation may require a
separate annex as part of an order.
5-24. The engineer staff officer performs as the staff integrator and advisor to the commander for
environmental considerations. An environmental considerations appendix parallels guidance from the joint
OPLAN, OPORD, or concept plan. See FM 3-34.5 for an example of this appendix. When specific
command procedures dictate, other staff officers include some environmental considerations in logistics
and medical annexes. Unit planning at the regiment or brigade level and below will normally include only
those elements required by the higher headquarters orders or plans that are not already included in a unit
standing operating procedure. If this appendix is not written, appropriate material will be placed in the
coordinating instructions of the basic order.
ASSURED MOBILITY
5-25. Planners employ the fundamentals of assured mobility as a planning process to assure the ability of
the joint force to deploy and maneuver where and when desired, without interruption or delay, to achieve
the mission. This construct is one means of enabling a joint force to achieve the commander’s intent.
Assured mobility emphasizes proactive mobility and countermobility (and supporting survivability) actions
and integrates all of the engineer disciplines in accomplishing this.
5-26. Assured mobility is applied at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war to facilitate the
commander’s freedom to move and maneuver. While engineers are the principal staff integrator for assured
mobility, other staff sections play critical roles in ensuring the effective application of mobility,
countermobility, and associated protection tasks. Ultimately, assured mobility is the commander’s
responsibility. The fundamentals of assured mobility are predict, detect, prevent, avoid, neutralize, and
protect and are described in detail in FM 3-90.12 (and their application in the defeat of improvised
explosive devices [IEDs] is described in FM 3-90.119).
ESSENTIAL TASKS FOR MOBILITY, COUNTERMOBILITY, AND
SURVIVABILITY
5-27. Increased engineer requirements in the OE may limit engineer resources immediately available to
support mobility operations. Combat and general engineering requirements are often in competition for the
same engineer assets. The maneuver commander sets the priorities to allow the force to perform the most
critical tasks. The engineer staff officer and other staff members assist the maneuver commander in his
decision by identifying essential tasks for M/CM/S.
5-28. An essential task for M/CM/S is a specified or implied M/CM/S task that is critical to combined arms
mission success. Like other essential tasks, these tasks are identified from the specified and implied tasks
listed during mission analysis. Although ultimately executed by a combined arms element, the staff
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Chapter 5
(typically elements such as engineer; CBRN; military police; or EOD) identifies and recommends the
essential tasks for M/CM/S to the commander. A fully developed essential task for M/CM/S includes the
task and purpose as explained in the following paragraphs:
z
Task. A task is one or more clearly defined and measurable activities accomplished by
individuals and organizations required to achieve the desired effects (FM 7-0). These are the
most important M/CM/S tasks which must be accomplished. Often the entire operation is
dependent on completing these tasks, and without their successful completion the operation is at
risk.
z
Purpose. The purpose is the desired or intended result of the task stated in terms relating to the
purpose of the supported unit. This portion of the essential task for M/CM/S explains why it
must be accomplished. It also provides intent to the engineer commanders so that they can be
reactive as the situation changes.
5-29. Maneuver commanders use essential tasks for M/CM/S to communicate to subordinate maneuver
units what they want accomplished with available assets to perform M/CM/S tasks. This provides the
maneuver unit with clear priorities and unity of purpose in planning, preparation, and execution. Essential
tasks for M/CM/S also provide CBRN, military police, psychological operations, CA, and other
nonengineer elements’ clearly articulated tasks related to M/CM/S. Example engineer-related essential
tasks for M/CM/S might include—
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #1 (see FM 3-34.170).
„ T: Conduct engineer reconnaissance of MSR Tigers from CP 1 to CP 2.
„ P: Classify route, identify impediments to maneuver, and facilitate planning of route
clearance operations.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #2 (see FM 3-34.170 and FM 3-90.12).
„ T: Conduct engineer reconnaissance of Crossing Area WHITE.
„ P: Collect and confirm crossing site data and locate key BCT river-crossing locations.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #3 (see FM 3-34.170).
„ T: Conduct an infrastructure reconnaissance of the power station at grid ST231546.
„ P: Assess the status of the power station to enhance the SU of critical infrastructure
throughout the AO.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #4 (see FM 3-34.170).
„ T: Conduct engineer reconnaissance of buildings at grid ST234544.
„ P: Determine if buildings are adequate to house BCT headquarters from protection
standpoint.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #5 (see FM 3-34.2).
„ T: Conduct deliberate breach at point of penetration 1 and 2.
„ P: To facilitate the passage of BCT maneuver forces through obstacles and continue the
attack to BCT objectives RED and GREEN.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #6 (see FM 3-34.2).
„ T: Conduct a route clearance of Route Dolphin.
„ P: To clear the route of all obstacles and EHs to facilitate the uninterrupted movement of
critical sustainment elements to allow resupply of BCT elements.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #7 (see FM 5-103).
„ T: Employ sensored, scaleable obstacles as part of base camp security.
„ P: Provide early warning and a combination of nonlethal and lethal means of defeating
intruders.
z
Essential task for M/CM/S #8 (see FM 5-103).
„ T: Support hardening of forward operating base Bears.
„ P: Construct revetments and berms to protect key assets at the forward operating base.
5-30. Essential task for M/CM/S development begins during the mission analysis phase of the MDMP.
During this phase, planners identify specified and implied tasks and associated purpose. From these tasks,
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Integrating Engineer Support
combined with the maneuver commander’s guidance, the engineer staff officer and other staff
representatives recommend essential tasks for M/CM/S to maneuver commanders during the mission
analysis brief. After essential tasks for M/CM/S are approved, the engineer staff officer and other planners
integrate them into COA development.
SECTION III - OTHER PROCESSES
5-31. Engineers also participate in or perform a number of other processes that address specific engineer
functional requirements or support the integration of engineer activities with the overall operation. Force
projection is critical to ensuring that engineer forces are available to execute engineer missions when
needed. Engineers plan for the acquisition, construction, management, and disposal of facilities to support
the force, and they use project management to complete projects that meet expectations for quality,
timeliness, and cost.
FORCE PROJECTION
5-32. Force projection is the ability to project the military instrument of national power from the
continental United States (CONUS) or another theater in response to requirements for military operations.
Force projection operations extend from mobilization and deployment of forces to redeployment to
CONUS or home theater (JP 1-02). The engineer will conduct force projection as part of the overall joint
and, possibly, multinational force operation. Engineer support efforts require close coordination with joint
and coalition military engineer forces and other agencies to meet force projection requirements.
Operational requirements for force projection enablers may require creating or upgrading an intermediate
staging base, a rapid port enhancement, or a similar support. These missions would require extensive use of
engineer support in the earliest stages of force projection.
5-33. Force projection encompasses six processes—mobilization; deployment; joint RSOI; employment;
sustainment; and redeployment—that normally occur in a continuous, overlapping and iterative sequence
for the duration of the mission (see FM 3-35 and JP 3-35).
FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION PLANNING
5-34. Engineers must plan for the acquisition of uncontaminated land and facilities, and their management
and ultimate disposal to support operations, including—
z
Operational facilities (such as CPs, airfields, ports).
z
Logistics facilities
(such as maintenance facilities, supply points, warehouses, ammunition
supply points, waste management areas/facilities, and APOD or SPOD for sustainment).
z
Force beddown facilities (such as dining halls, billeting, religious support facilities, clinics, and
hygiene facilities).
z
Common-use facilities
(such as roads and facilities for joint reception, staging, onward
movement, and integration).
z
Protection facilities
(such as site selection, proximity to potential threat areas, and sniper
screening).
z
Completion of an environmental baseline survey and occupational environmental health site
assessment before site selection or use of facilities to ensure minimal exposure to contaminants
(see FM 3-34.5).
5-35. The commander determines what facilities are needed to satisfy operational requirements. Facilities
are grouped into six broad categories that emphasize the use of existing assets over new construction. To
the maximum extent possible, facilities or real estate requirements should be met from these categories in
the following priority:
z
U.S.-owned, occupied, or leased facilities (including captured facilities).
z
U.S.-owned facility substitutes pre-positioned in theater.
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Chapter 5
z
HN, allied, and coalition support where an agreement exists for the HN, allied, or coalition
nation to provide specific types and quantities of facilities at specified times in designated
locations.
z
Facilities available from commercial sources.
z
U.S.-owned facility substitutes stored in the United States.
z
Construction of facilities that are considered shortfall after an assessment of the availability of
existing assets.
5-36. The engineer staff should plan expeditious construction of facility requirements that are considered
shortfalls (such as those facilities that cannot be sourced from existing assets). In these circumstances, the
appropriate Service, HN, alliance, or coalition should, to the extent possible, perform construction during
peacetime. Contracting support should be used to augment military capabilities. If time constraints risk new
construction not being finished in time to meet mission requirements, the engineer should seek alternative
solutions to new construction. Expedient construction
(such as rapid construction techniques like
prefabricated building sand clamshell structures) should also be considered, as these methods can be
selectively employed with minimum time, cost, and risk.
5-37. Adequate funding
(see JP
3-34, appendix E) must be available to undertake early engineer
reconnaissance and acquisition of facilities to meet requirements, whether by construction or leasing.
Funding constraints are a planning consideration. The commander articulates funding requirements for
construction and leasing of facilities by considering the missions supported and the amount of funds
required. Funding requirements include facility construction, associated contract administration services,
and real estate acquisition and disposal services. Facility construction planning must be routinely and
repetitively accomplished to ensure that mission-essential facilities are identified well in advance of the
need and, wherever possible, on-the-shelf designs are completed to expedite facility construction in time of
need.
5-38. The CCDR, in coordination with Service components and the Services, specifies the construction
standards for facilities in the theater to optimize the engineer effort expended on any given facility while
assuring that the facilities are adequate for health, safety, and mission accomplishment. The beddown and
basing continuum (discussed in FM 3-34.400 and JP 3-34) highlights the need for early master planning
efforts to help facilitate transition to more permanent facilities as an operation develops. While the
timelines provide a standard framework, the situation may warrant deviations from them. In addition to
using these guidelines when establishing initial construction standards, the Joint Facilities Utilization Board
should be used to periodically revalidate construction standards based on current operational issues and
provide recommendations to the commander on potential changes. Ultimately it is the CCDR who
determines exact construction type based on location, materials available, and other factors. Construction
standards are guidelines and the engineer must consider other factors in their planning. (See FM 3-34.400
and JP 3-34 for additional discussion of construction standards.)
5-39. Unified facilities criteria
(UFC) provide facility planning, design, construction, operations, and
maintenance criteria for all DOD components. Individual UFC are developed by a single-disciplined
working group and published after careful coordination. They are jointly developed and managed by the
USACE, the NAVFAC, and the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (AFCESA). Although UFC are
written with long-term standards in mind, planners who are executing under contingency and enduring
standards for general engineering tasks will find them useful. Topics include pavement design, water
supply systems, military airfields, concrete design and repair, plumbing, electrical systems, and many more.
5-40. UFC are living documents and will be periodically reviewed, updated, and made available to users as
part of the Services’ responsibility for providing technical criteria for military construction. UFC are
effective upon issuance and are distributed only in electronic media from the following sources:
z
z
USACE TECHINFO Internet site <http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo>.
z
NAVFAC Engineering Innovation and Criteria Office Internet site
z
Construction Criteria Base System maintained by the National Institute of Building Sciences at
Internet site <http://www.wbdg.org/ccb>.
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Integrating Engineer Support
5-41. General engineer planners must consider any and all construction standards established by CCDRs
and ASCCs for their AOR. Specific examples of these are the United States European Command’s Camp
Facilities Standards for Contingency Operations (commonly known as The Red Book) and the United
States Central Command’s CCR 415-1, Construction and Base Camp Development (commonly known as
The Sand Book). These constantly evolving guidebooks specifically establish base camp standards that
consider regional requirements for troop living conditions and therefore have a major impact on projects
such as base camps and utilities. Because availability of construction materials may vary greatly in various
AORs, standards of construction may differ greatly between them. CCDRs often also establish standards
for construction in OPORDs and fragmentary orders
(FRAGOs) that may take precedence over
guidebooks. Planners must understand the expected life cycle of a general engineering project to apply
these standards. Often the standards will be markedly different, depending on whether the construction is
contingency or is intended to have an enduring presence.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
5-42. Planners use the project management system described in FM 5-412 as a tool for the process of
coordinating the skill and labor of personnel using machines and materials to form the materials into a
desired structure. The project management process (see FM 3-34.400) divides the effort into preliminary
planning, detailed planning, and project execution. Today, when engineer planners are focused on general
engineering tasks, they often rely on the Theater Construction Management System (TCMS) to produce the
products required by the project management system. These products include the design, the activities list,
the logic network, the critical path method or Gantt chart, the bill of materials, and other products. Effective
products produced during the planning phases also greatly assist during the construction phase. In addition
to TCMS, the engineer has various other reachback tools or organizations that can exploit resources,
capabilities, and expertise that is not organic to the unit that requires them. Examples of such tools and
organizations include the USAES; USACE Reachback Operations Center, 412th and 416th TECs; the
AFCESA; and the NAVFAC. See chapter 2 for additional information on how to access reachback support.
5-43. The project management process normally begins at the unit level with the construction directive.
This gives who, what, when, where, and why of a particular project and is similar to an OPORD in its
scope and purpose. Critical to the construction directive are plans, specifications, and all items essential for
success of the project. Units may also receive general engineering missions as part of an OPORD, a
FRAGO, a warning order, or verbally. When leaders analyze a construction directive, they may need to
treat it as a FRAGO in that much of the information required for a thorough mission analysis may exist in
an OPORD issued for a specific contingency operation.
SECTION IV - PREPARING, EXECUTING, AND ASSESSING ENGINEER
SUPPORT
5-44. Full spectrum operations conducted overseas simultaneously combine three elements: offensive,
defensive, and stability operations. Within the United States and its territories, operations simultaneously
combine offensive, defensive, and civil support operations. Army forces adapt to the requirements of the
OE and conduct operations within it. Army forces operate through ever-changing combinations of full
spectrum operations using synchronized action, joint interdependent capabilities, and mission command.
They defeat enemies on land using offensive and defensive operations and engage the populace and civil
authorities in the AO using stability or civil support operations. The effort accorded to each component is
proportional to the mission and varies with the situation. Each element of full spectrum operations—
offense, defense, and stability or civil support—is necessary in any campaign or joint operation.
5-45. Synchronized through the warfighting functions, engineer support contributes significant combat
power, both lethal and nonlethal in nature, to all of the elements of full spectrum operations. The operations
process is the context within which engineer capabilities are integrated into combined arms application.
Section I of this chapter entered the operations process by discussing various planning activities required
for effective engineer support. This section continues in that context by discussing preparation, execution,
and continuous assessment of the entire spectrum of engineer support to operations.
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SIMULTANEOUS COMBINATIONS
5-46. Full spectrum operations require simultaneous combinations of four elements—offense, defense,
stability, and civil support. FM 3-0 lists the primary tasks associated with the elements and the purposes of
each element. Each primary task has numerous associated subordinate tasks.
5-47. Engineer capabilities are organized by the engineer disciplines and synchronized in their application
through the warfighting functions. As described in chapter 4, the operations process activities provide the
context in which both the synchronization and the application are integrated into the combined arms
operation.
5-48. The first three sections of this chapter described integration of engineer support through the planning
activities. This section will discuss integration through the preparation, execution, and continuous
assessment activities of the process.
OPERATIONS PROCESS ACTIVITIES
5-49. Preparation consists of activities performed by the unit before execution to improve its ability to
conduct the operation. In many cases, engineer units conduct these preparation activities integrated within
the combined arms task organizations required by the operation. Combined arms rehearsals are critical to
the success of a breaching, clearing, or gap crossing operation. Similarly, ERTs can be employed as
integrated elements in a combined arms reconnaissance formation. In every case, engineer reconnaissance
efforts must be integrated within the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance plan. As required,
engineer forces will conduct additional construction or other technical preparation activities focused on the
specific mission. Construction and technical preparation activities include—
z
Completing and reviewing the design. In a design-build process the design will typically only be
completed at a ten- to thirty-percent resolution before execution.
z
Conducting any necessary preconstruction studies or surveys.
z
Identifying additional technical support required.
z
Completing any detailed planning activities not yet completed from the project management
process; for example, estimates, bill of materials, and schedules.
z
Preparing the construction site as required; for example, staging equipment, stockpiling
materials, and completing temporary construction.
5-50. As with preparation, engineer forces will conduct additional construction or other technically related
activities during execution of the specific mission. Construction and technically related execution activities
include—
z
Implementing and maintaining a construction safety program.
z
Implementing and enforcing quality controls.
z
Periodically reviewing design and construction.
z
Preparing as-built drawings.
z
Responding to construction contingencies.
5-51. Engineer capabilities may be applied to add technical detail to the commander’s assessment.
Engineer assessment and survey teams gather technically focused information on the physical environment,
infrastructure, or other physical aspects of the AO. Relevant information gathered adds to the depth of the
commander’s understanding and can provide a technical basis for measures of performance and measures
of effectiveness.
OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS
5-52. Engineer support to the offense includes simultaneous application of combat, general, and geospatial
engineering capabilities through synchronizing warfighting functions and throughout the depth of the AO.
Combat engineering in close support of maneuver forces is the primary focus in offensive operations;
however, all three disciplines are applied simultaneously to some degree. The primary focus will be support
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Integrating Engineer Support
that enables movement and maneuver. Figure 5-3 shows a notional application of engineer capabilities
supporting offensive operations.
Figure 5-3. Notional engineer support to offensive operations
5-53. Combat engineers use preparation activities to posture engineer assets with their task-organized
gaining or supported headquarters. Engineer units establish early linkups with the maneuver units they will
support. As combat engineer units prepare for offensive operations, they focus on inspections and
combined arms rehearsals. Combined arms breaching and gap crossing forces are organized and conduct
rehearsals for the breach, assault, and support forces. The engineer staff officer at the appropriate echelon
coordinates engineer reconnaissance focused to support the collection of the appropriate information to
create obstacle intelligence. Assault and tactical bridging is moved into staging areas, and crossing site
reconnaissance is conducted when possible. Preparation may include creating combat trails or forward LZs.
If route clearance operations are anticipated, clearance teams are organized and focus on inspections and
combined arms rehearsals. Combat engineer preparation activities occur in close proximity and are closely
aligned and integrated with maneuver force preparations.
5-54. Engineer staff officers at every echelon coordinate the movement and positioning of general engineer
assets task-organized to augment combat engineer capabilities. Although general engineer assets can be
placed in command or support relationships with the maneuver force, a command relationship with the
supported engineer unit is often more effective. General engineer assets will require added time for
movement given the nature of the heavy and wheeled equipment employed. For significant construction,
preparation activities may require a more technical engineer reconnaissance to enable adequate project
planning and design, including the provision of construction materials as required. Specialized engineer
assets may also be necessary to accomplish certain missions. At the operational level, general engineer
activities may not be conducted as part of a combined arms mission but must, nonetheless, be fully
coordinated with the maneuver commander responsible for the AO. Such general engineer support is
primarily applied to enable the sustainment warfighting function, but may also be critical to the preparation
for an offensive operation to include support to operational mobility.
5-55. During offensive operations, fighting and protective position development is minimal for tactical
vehicles and weapons systems. The emphasis lies on mobility of the force. Protective positions for artillery,
air and missile defense, and logistics positions may be required in the offense and defense, although more
so in the defense. Stationary mission command facilities require protection to lessen their vulnerability.
During halts in the advance, while the use of terrain will provide a measure of protection, units should
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develop as many protective positions as possible for key weapons systems, mission command nodes, and
critical supplies based on the threat level and unit vulnerabilities. For example, expedient earth excavations
or parapets are located to make the best use of existing terrain. During the early planning stages, terrain
analysis teams can provide information on soil conditions, vegetative concealment, and terrain masking
along march routes to facilitate survivability for the force. Each position design should consider
camouflage from the start and the development of deception techniques as the situation and time permit.
5-56. When executing offensive operations, the maneuver force uses its COP to link its detection efforts to
maneuver to avoid encountering obstacles along the route of the attack. The maneuver force can actively
avoid by interdicting threat countermobility before emplacement or passively avoid by identifying,
marking, and bypassing. Assessment enables execution as decisions are made to breach or bypass
obstacles. If the friendly force commander is compelled to neutralize obstacles, the force employs the
breach tenets of intelligence, breach fundamentals, breach organization, mass, and synchronization.
Bypasses are preferred whenever possible and may be handed off to follow-on engineer units for
maintenance and improvement. Similarly, assault bridging must be replaced when feasible with appropriate
tactical or LOC bridging to remain postured for future assault bridge missions. As soon as possible, more
technical level assessments are made to determine feasible and suitable improvements to the LOCs.
DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS
5-57. Engineer support to the defense includes simultaneous application of combat, general, and geospatial
engineering capabilities through synchronizing warfighting functions and throughout the depth of the AO.
Combat engineering in close support of maneuver forces is the primary focus in defensive operations;
however, all three disciplines are applied simultaneously to some degree. Figure 5-4 shows a notional
application of engineer capabilities supporting defensive operations.
Figure 5-4. Notional engineer support to defensive operations
5-58. In all three types of defensive operations, area defense, mobile defense, and retrograde, the primary
focus for combat engineers is to enable combined arms obstacle integration (countermobility) and facilitate
mobility for friendly repositioning or counterattacking forces. Defensive missions demand the greatest
survivability effort. Activities in the defense include constructing survivability positions for headquarters,
artillery, air and missile defense, and critical equipment and supplies. They also include preparing
individual and crew-served fighting positions and defilade fighting positions for combat vehicles. The use
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FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Integrating Engineer Support
of engineer work timelines is essential and digging assets are intensively managed. During this period,
countermobility efforts will compete with survivability resources and assets. Because of this, it is critical
that maneuver commanders provide clear guidance on resources and priorities of effort. General engineer
support accomplishes tasks exceeding the capability of the combat engineer force as well as more extensive
support to the mobility of repositioning counterattack forces. Examples of expected missions include—
z
Construction and integration of obstacles and barriers.
z
Preparation of fighting positions and survivability positions in depth.
z
Construction and repair of routes that facilitate the repositioning of forces throughout the AO.
5-59. During preparation, engineer assets are postured with their task-organized gaining or supported
headquarters and initiate the engineer work effort. The equipment work effort is a balance between
countermobility and survivability as determined by the commander. The effort continues throughout
preparation activities until complete or until no longer feasible. Significant coordination is required to
resource the materials required for constructing obstacles and fighting positions and to integrate the
obstacles with friendly fire effects. Designated combat engineers link up and to provide mobility support
for the reserve or mobile strike force. The engineer staff officer at the appropriate echelon coordinates for
reconnaissance and surveillance assets to detect enemy engineer (primarily breaching, gap crossing, and
countermobility assets) capabilities to nominate those in the targeting process and ensure their timely
destruction.
5-60. At the operational level, general engineer support will be continuously conducted to harden and
prepare protective positions for facilities and installations. These activities are primarily applied through
the protection warfighting function. General engineer support to protection and survivability continues
throughout operations as improvements are continuously reassessed and additional effort is made available.
Operational-level barriers and obstacles may also be necessary as part of countermobility support (see
JP 3-15 and the Joint Forward Operating Base Handbook). Other general engineer activities applied to
enable the sustain warfighting function may also be critical to the preparation and conduct of defensive
operation. Enabling mobility throughout the depth of the AO will remain an engineer mission.
STABILITY OPERATIONS
5-61. Stability operations consist of the following five primary tasks: civil security, civil control, restore
essential services, support to governance, and support to economic and infrastructure development. The
primary tasks are discussed in detail in FM 3-07.
5-62. Engineer support for stability operations includes simultaneous application of combat, general, and
geospatial engineering capabilities through synchronizing warfighting functions and throughout the depth
of the AO. General engineer support for restoration of essential services and infrastructure development is
the primary engineer focus in stability operations; however, all three disciplines are applied simultaneously
to some degree. Figure 5-5, page 5-18, shows a notional application of engineer capabilities providing
support to stability operations. The participation of engineer generating force elements such as the USACE
to stability operations will be significant and is typically realized as general or geospatial support. The TEC
includes the capability to provide mission command of the USACE effort. (FM 3-07 discusses in detail
those tasks performed in support of stability operations.)
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FM 3-34
5-17
Chapter 5
Figure 5-5. Notional engineer support to stability operations
5-63. Often, stability operations are required to meet the critical needs of the populace. Engineer forces
may be a critical enabler in the provision of essential services until the HN government or other agencies
can do so. Engineering tasks primarily focus on reconstructing or establishing infrastructure to provide
essential services that support the population. The effort is typically conducted in conjunction with civilian
agencies and in addition to other engineer support of U.S. forces. Support for infrastructure development
may be extended to assist the HN in developing capability and capacity. Essential services for engineer
consideration include food and water, emergency shelter, and basic sanitation (sewage and waste disposal).
Likely engineer missions are similar to those required in civil support, except that they are conducted
overseas; they include—
z
Constructing and repairing rudimentary surface transportation systems, basic sanitation facilities,
and rudimentary public facilities and utilities.
z
Detecting and assessing water sources and drilling water wells.
z
Constructing feeding centers.
z
Providing environmental assessment and technical advice.
z
Disposing of human and hazardous wastes.
z
Providing camp construction and power generation.
z
Conducting infrastructure reconnaissance, technical assistance, and damage assessment.
z
Conducting emergency demolition.
z
Conducting debris or route clearing operations.
5-64. Engineer support to stability operations may include the typical integration with and support for
combined arms forces in their missions. Combat engineer route clearance and other close support
capabilities may be critical tasks applied through the movement and maneuver warfighting function.
Geospatial engineer support continues to provide foundational information supporting the COP. General
engineer support may be required for the sustainment and protection requirements of the force. However, in
stability operations a focus of the engineer effort is likely to be the general engineering capabilities applied
to restore essential services and support infrastructure development.
5-65. Many of the technical capabilities only found in the generating force will be essential to providing
appropriate engineer support as those elements of the Engineer Regiment are called upon (through
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FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Integrating Engineer Support
reachback and FFE) for their specialized expertise and capabilities. Stability operations tend to be of a long
duration compared to the other full spectrum operations. As such, the general engineering level of effort is
very high at the onset and gradually decreases as the theater matures although support will be required to
some degree for the duration of the stability operation. Preparation activities include identification of
significant infrastructure and base development construction projects and nomination of those projects for
funding. The highest priority projects may be executed using military general engineer capabilities while
others may compete for contingency funding and execution through a contract capability. As the AO
matures, the general engineering effort in support of sustainment requirements may transfer to theater or
external support contracts such as LOGCAP, Air Force contract augmentation program, or the Navy’s
global contingency construction contract.
5-66. CA operations are activities performed or supported by CA/general purpose personnel that support
the relationship between military forces and civil authorities in areas where military forces are present.
They involve application of CA functional specialty skills in areas that are normally the responsibility of
civil government. These operations involve establishing, maintaining, influencing, or exploiting relations
between military forces and all levels of HN government/nongovernmental agencies. These activities are
fundamental to executing stability tasks. CA personnel, other Army forces, or a combination of the two
perform the following tasks:
z
CA personnel engage in a variety of CA core tasks in support of the commander’s civil military
operations. CA elements assess the needs of civil authorities, act as an interface between civil
authorities and the military supporting agency, and act as a liaison to the civilian populace. They
may implement population and resource control measures and coordinate with international
support agencies.
z
CA personnel are regionally oriented and possess cultural and linguistic knowledge of countries
in each region. Many CA personnel have had extensive experience in other branches before
assignment to CA units. With guidance from the commander, CA personnel have a wide variety
of resources at their disposal to influence the AO. CA is a combat multiplier in this sense.
Additionally, the civilian skills reserve component CA units possess enable them to assess and
coordinate infrastructure activities. (See FM 3-05.40 for more details.)
z
CA operations may be critical to engineer support, which may include the engineer activities of
nonmilitary organizations as well as military forces. Similarly, engineer capabilities may be
applied to provide specific construction and other technical support integrated within the CA
plan. Integration occurs through the operations process activities and is facilitated by
coordination among the engineer staff officer and CA staff at the CMOC.
5-67. Preparing for stability operations may be more difficult than preparing for combat operations because
of the technical nature of requirements and broad range of potential engineer missions associated with
them. An early on-the-ground assessment can be critical to tailor the engineer force with required
specialties and engineer resources. Results of this assessment are passed to planners to ensure that an
adequate engineer force arrives in the AO in a timely manner. This early on-the-ground engineer
reconnaissance and associated assessment or survey identifies the—
z
Status of the infrastructure in the AO, to include airfields, roads, ports, logistics bases, and troop
beddown facilities; real estate acquisition; environmental standards, conditions, and
considerations; construction material supply; construction management; and line-haul
requirements.
z
Theater and situation-specific protection requirements.
z
Existing geospatial product availability and requirements for new terrain visualization products.
z
Specialized engineer requirements such as prime power, well drilling, firefighting support, and
support to other emergency services.
z
Specialized engineer requirements available only in the capabilities of generating force elements
of the Engineer Regiment.
z
Command and control requirements, including headquarters staffing, communications, and
information systems support.
z
Engineer liaison requirements, including linguists and CA personnel.
z
Potential for contract construction or other engineer capabilities.
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5-19
Chapter 5
CIVIL SUPPORT OPERATIONS
5-68. Civil support includes operations that address the consequences of natural or man-made disasters,
accidents, and incidents within the United States and its territories. Army forces conduct civil support
operations when the size and scope of events exceed the capabilities or capacities of domestic civilian
agencies. The ARNG is often the first military force to respond on behalf of state authorities. In stability
operations, multinational operations are typical; in civil support operations, they are the exception. Army
civil support operations include four primary tasks as follows: provide support for domestic disasters;
provide support for domestic chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear and high yield explosives
incidents; provide support for domestic civilian law enforcement agencies; and provide other designated
support. (FM 3-28 discusses these tasks in detail.)
5-69. Engineering in civil support operations may include simultaneous application of combat, general, and
geospatial engineer capabilities through synchronizing warfighting functions and throughout the depth of
the AO. General engineer support for the restoration of essential services is the primary engineer focus in
civil support. Engineer support may also be required for Army forces providing mission command,
protection, and sustainment to government agencies at all levels until they can function normally. Figure
5-6 shows a notional application of engineer capabilities supporting civil support operations. The
generating force elements of the Engineer Regiment such as the USACE will play a critical and significant
role in civil support operations. TECs, under their OPCON relationship with USACE, can provide mission
command support.
Figure 5-6. Notional engineer support to civil support operations
5-70. There are few unique engineer missions performed in civil support that are not performed during
other operations. The difference is the context in which they are performed. U.S. law carefully limits the
actions that military forces, particularly Regular Army units, can conduct within the United States and its
territories. In addition to legal differences, civil support operations are always conducted in support of state
and federal agencies. Army forces cooperate and synchronize their efforts closely with them. These
agencies are trained, resourced, and equipped more extensively than similar agencies involved in stability
operations overseas. Policies issued by the Federal Government govern the essential services Army forces
provide in response to disaster. Within this context, a focus for engineers during civil support operations
will be the restoration of essential services. Essential services of concern for engineers include providing—
z
Urban search and rescue.
z
Food and water.
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FM 3-34
4 August 2011
Integrating Engineer Support
z
Emergency shelter.
z
Basic sanitation (sewage and waste disposal).
z
Minimum essential access to affected areas.
5-71. Both combat and general engineer capabilities may be applied to restore essential services. Engineer
equipment is well suited for removal of rubble and debris associated with rescue and access to affected
areas. Other likely requirements include the construction of temporary shelters and provision of water and
sanitation services. Likely engineer missions are similar to those required in stability operations, except that
they are not conducted overseas; they include—
z
Constructing and repairing rudimentary surface transportation systems, basic sanitation facilities,
and rudimentary public facilities and utilities.
z
Detecting and assessing water sources and drilling water wells.
z
Constructing feeding centers.
z
Providing environmental assessment and technical advice.
z
Disposing of human and hazardous wastes.
z
Providing camp construction and power generation.
z
Conducting infrastructure reconnaissance, technisa assistance, and damage assessment.
z
Conducting emergency demolition.
z
Conducting debris or route clearing operations.
5-72. Engineer support to civil support operations may include the typical integration with and support for
combined arms forces in their missions. Combat engineer route clearance and other close support
capabilities may be critical tasks applied through the movement and maneuver warfighting function.
Geospatial engineer support continues to provide foundational information supporting the COP. General
engineer support may be required for the sustainment and protection requirements of the force and may be
extended to support other agencies. Likely missions include—
z
Base camp construction and power generation.
z
Debris or route clearing operations.
z
Construction and repair of expedient (temporary) roads and trails.
z
Forward aviation combat engineering to include the repair of paved, asphalt and concrete
runways and airfields.
z
Installation of assets that prevent foreign object damage to rotary wing aircraft.
z
Construction of temporary bridging.
z
Construction and upgrade of ports, airfields, and RSOI facilities to ensure access to the region.
5-73. There is usually little time for preparation for civil support operations. Civil support operations may
require an immediate response. Support to civilian law enforcement and community assistance allows
greater leeway to plan and prepare. The USACE maintains significant response capability and will
normally be involved in providing engineering support to civil support operations. The USACE leverages
capabilities and expertise developed through responsibility for military construction and civil works
programs to prepare for assigned and anticipated civil support missions.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
5-74. Army commanders will likely determine that operations in the urban environment will be essential to
mission accomplishment. They need to assess the relevance and impact of one or more urban areas as part
of their mission. They will also need to determine whether full spectrum urban operations may be the
commander’s sole focus or only one of several tasks nested in an even larger operation. Although urban
operations potentially can be conducted as a single battle, engagement, or operation, they will more often
be conducted as a major operation requiring joint resources. FM 3-06 provides a framework—assess,
shape, dominate, and transition—for urban operations. These are not phases or sequential operations but
rather a means to visualize the fight (or potentially the stability or civil support mission).
5-75. Engineers will provide critical support to any urban operation. FM 3-06 and FM 3-06.11 have more
details, but commanders should understand that historically, large numbers of engineer units have been
4 August 2011
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Chapter 5
task-organized for urban operations. Engineers will provide unique geospatial products for the complex
terrain of cities. Three-dimensional terrain visualization products are available and continue to be
developed. Assured mobility will be an important framework for commanders to use as maneuver
commanders think about how to shape and dominate within the urban terrain. General engineering tasks
will be prevalent throughout all operations but will also be the major function during transition to stability
or civil support operations. Engineers will have to work closely with all of the elements that enable
M/CM/S. They must ensure close coordination with EOD in the reduction of EH (improvised explosives
and unexploded explosive ordnance) to minimize collateral damage, military police to enable the
movement of civilians along routes, and with CBRN elements for potential agents along the routes and at
other locations within the AO.
5-76. Full spectrum operations present a broad range of potential tasks to any engineer commander. It may
appear daunting as the mission-essential task list is considered and training plans are established. However,
it is up to the commander to understand these challenges and assess the priority missions that must be
trained for and prepare for those. Projected support relationships will allow discussion with higher
headquarters and those units the engineer unit is likely to support and will assist the commander in
narrowing the list of missions and prioritizing their training. There is no substitute for having a trained and
disciplined unit in its core tasks. When called on to respond to a mission, commanders can expect
assistance from the remainder of the Regiment to facilitate the unit’s preparation. It is up to the commander
to be aware of the potential considerations and understand the right questions to ask and explore to develop
the best training and preparation.
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Chapter 6
Sustainment Considerations for Engineer Support to
Operations
Engineer support to operations carries special sustainment challenges which, if not
overcome, can seriously inhibit or even stop engineer support. Engineers must
anticipate these challenges and work within the sustainment warfighting function to
overcome them. Doing so requires that engineers thoroughly understand the
sustainment warfighting function, including sustainment organizations, the principles
of sustainment, sustainment roles and responsibilities, the sustainment functions, and
the integration of sustainment into operations, as described in FM 4-0. This chapter
focuses on sustainment support for engineer capabilities and highlights the
sustainment considerations that will affect engineer support. For additional
information on sustainment see FM 4-0.
SUSTAINMENT CHALLENGES FOR ENGINEER SUPPORT
6-1. Many sustainment challenges are common to all units, but engineer units face several unique
sustainment challenges. Engineers and staffs that will employ engineer units/capabilities need to thoroughly
understand, anticipate, and work to overcome these challenges.
6-2. Many engineer tasks require the use of engineer equipment that is large and heavy, requiring
low-density haul assets to move more than short distances. Engineer equipment often exceeds size and
weight restrictions, making its movement even more challenging.
6-3. Much engineer equipment is also low-density, which poses challenges to its maintenance and repair.
Obtaining engineer-specific Class IX repair parts often requires extraordinary coordination. Mechanics
capable of maintaining and repairing engineer equipment may also be in short supply, adding to the
difficulty in keeping engineer equipment operating.
6-4. Engineer equipment also consumes large amounts of fuel (higher than most equipment found in an
IBCT or SBCT). Refueling is often complicated by the fact that much engineer equipment cannot easily
travel to refueling points. On the one hand, any time spent travelling between work sites and refueling
points can significantly reduce productivity. On the other hand, bringing fuel trucks to the work sites can be
difficult, especially when the sites are widely scattered over large distances in difficult terrain, and it
increases risk for fuel trucks. It also reduces the availability of fuel trucks for other critical missions.
6-5. Engineer tasks frequently require large amounts of Class IV and V supplies. Survivability and
countermobility operations require fortification and barrier materials along with mines and demolitions,
while mobility operations require demolitions and construction materials. Construction projects often
require significantly large amounts of construction materials. These materials are typically difficult to move
and require a large commitment of transportation and material handling equipment support. They also need
security, protection, and control, which place additional demands on other resources.
6-6. Construction materials often require long lead times and can be difficult to acquire in the required
quantities and specifications. Statutory, regulatory, and command policies may dictate the source of
construction materials, requiring the maximum use of local procurement for example.
6-7. All of the above are further complicated by engineers’ frequent movement within the AO as well as
likely changes to task organization and command and support relationships. Limited engineering assets
often require that they be frequently shifted throughout the AO to meet the mission requirements. These
movements and changes often have a ripple effect in the sustainment system, which may have difficulty
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