ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
Page 151 of 440
Preparing 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 135 PRECOMBAT INSPECTIONS 3-65. A unit commander or leader conducts a PCI to determine the force's readiness to execute its assigned tactical missions. These inspections may be formal or informal and may be announced or unannounced. All leaders and commanders conduct some type of PCI of their unit. Formal PCIs are meticulous inspections by the commander of all areas within the unit. Formal inspections consume an extraordinary amount of time and preclude working inspections because troops are standing down waiting to be inspected. Units in combat rarely have the luxury of time required for a formal PCI. During these preparations, subordinate commanders and unit leaders routinely make the same exacting, rigorous inspections of their personnel and equipment that would be repeated by the unit commander. Therefore, unit leaders seldom conduct formal PCIs during combat operations, including during assembly area occupation. 3-66. Informal PCIs are the commander’s inspection of particular areas, activities, units of special interest, or concern. The informal PCI resembles a series of deliberate spot checks of key items. At the commander’s discretion, the areas inspected and the method and depth of the inspection may vary from unit to unit or even from one vehicle to another. A commander’s experience, in-depth knowledge of the unit and its equipment, and estimation of the status of subordinate elements dictate the particular details of the inspection. The commander may spend more time and look in greater depth at units newly task-organized into the command or units whose officer replacements are new to combat. Units that experience habitual shortcomings deserve more of the commander’s time. The commander may designate one or more staff members or the XO to check certain items. 3-67. The informal PCI serves several purposes. First, it allows the commander to ensure, personally or through subordinates, that actions taken are in accordance with the commander’s intent and applicable SOPs or standards. It also physically allows the commander to determine the readiness of the unit from a subjective viewpoint. The commander’s personal knowledge and experience with Soldiers allows the commander to assess the intangible elements of combat power such as cohesion, morale, and esprit not reflected in formatted reports and briefings. This process of checking also enables the commander to exercise personal leadership, something not easily done when the unit is in combat and dispersed over a wide area. 3-68. In the informal PCI, the commander, staff, or other subordinates are physically at the site where assembly area activities are taking place—it is a working inspection. This allows them to take positive action to expedite actions, fix problems, and set standards as the need arises. Planned PCIs are most efficient and effective. Planning the PCI does not imply formal inspections or rigid adherence to schedules. Leaders planning the PCI determine what to check, who will check it, when it will be checked, and in what sequence it will be checked. Then, as quickly as possible, leaders notify subordinates to ensure everyone understands the expectations and purpose of the inspection. 3-69. Generally, the PCI covers those points that could mean the difference between mission success or failure and those points that serve as indicators of maintenance, readiness, or morale trends within the unit. Ideally, given enough time, the commander would check everything in the unit. However, with the general scarcity of time in combat and other competing demands on leaders’ time during combat preparation, the commander must prioritize what to check. The number and competence of subordinate leaders or staff members available to assist the commander in inspections also influence what to check. Lacking sufficient time and without the same level of expertise in certain technical matters as subordinates or staff members, the commander habitually delegates some checks to subordinate leaders. 3-70. The PCI also frees the commander to devote time to inspecting vital areas, to spend more time with Soldiers, to become more fully involved in planning, or to conduct personal reconnaissance and coordination. The delegation and execution of PCI tasks must not interfere with troop-leading procedures by removing too many subordinate leaders and staff members from tactical planning. Commanders should avoid allowing subordinate leaders to trail behind them in ever-growing numbers during the inspection. 3-71. In prioritizing what to inspect, commanders focus on units, not equipment. The commander may assign staff inspections of units or activities within the staff’s respective areas of expertise. In selecting units for inspection, the commander’s judgment, experience, time available, and knowledge of the subordinate units serve as the commander’s guide. The commander may invest more time and effort in those units whose combat performance is key to the upcoming operation or constitutes the main effort.