ATP-4-90 Brigade Support Battalion Download
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Chapter 4 4-2 ATP 4-90 18 June 2020 ESTABLISHMENT AND OCCUPATION The establishment and occupation of a BSA is deliberately planned and executed. During initial planning, the BCT staff and the BSB staff perform a map reconnaissance of the proposed BCT AO. During this reconnaissance, the staffs identify the area for the initial BSA, planned base location(s) in the BSA, and unit occupation of the base(s). All units that will occupy the BSA, to plan initial establishment and occupation of the BSA, use this information. Similar actions occur for BCT movement and subsequent BSA establishment and occupation. Upon arrival at the BCT AO, the BSB uses quartering party operations for initial occupation. The quartering party is key to the initial establishment of the BSA. The purpose of the quartering party is to verify the site selection of the BSA and make limited preparations for receiving units that occupy the BSA. It consists of representatives from the BSB’s S-3, S-2, and SPO sections. The quartering party is typically a small portion of each unit empowered by its commander to establish locations for personnel and equipment. Depending on units to be located in the BSA, the quartering party may also contain elements of the BCT CP, each maneuver battalion’s field trains, and attached units located in the BSA. If a single base is used to contain all units in the BSA, the quartering party locates that base position. If a base cluster is used, the quartering party locates each base position. The arrival of the quartering party is the first opportunity to see the terrain and make adjustments to the BSA layout and defenses as necessary. On arrival at the BSA site, the quartering party begins its priorities of work. Priority of work is a set method of determining the precedence of tasks when establishing a new location and conducting a defense of a location such as—the BSA. A unit’s SOP will dictate the exact steps in that specific BSB’s priorities of work. The commander may change priorities based on the situation and mission variables. Although listed in sequence, the BSB may perform several tasks in their priorities of work at the same time. An example priority of work sequence is— Establish local security. Check for CBRN contamination and unexploded ordnance. Position vehicles, crew served weapons, and Soldiers; assign sectors of fire. Establish communications. Position other assets, for example CPs. Designate final protective fires. Clear fields of fire and prepare range cards and sector sketches. Prepare fighting positions. Emplace obstacles. Identify artillery target and direct fire control measures (day/night). Improve primary fighting positions with overhead cover. Prepare alternate and supplementary positions. Establish observation posts and listening posts. Adjust positions and control measures as required. Assess ammunition, food, and water stockage levels. Reconnoiter surrounding area. Prepare commodity supply points as necessary. Establish a sleep and rest plan. Continue to improve positions. The quartering party establishes initial communications to begin the transfer of C2 from a tactical assembly area, intermediate staging base, or previous BSA to the new BSA location. The quartering party establishes a tactical CP. A tactical command post is a facility containing a tailored portion of a unit headquarters designed to control portions of an operation for a limited time (FM 6-0). Commanders employ the tactical CP as an extension of the main CP. The functions of a tactical CP typically include the following— Controlling the overall unit’s operations for a limited time when the main CP is displacing or otherwise not available.