ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
Page 155 of 440
Executing 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 139 battle tracking and decision making. CP personnel should prioritize and emplace COP displays—both digital and analog—because of their relevancy to facilitating situational awareness for all CP members, especially radio-telephone operators. A common misconception is that COP visibility only pertains to the commander, primary staff members, and the battle captain. 4-11. A common function of all CPs is to build and maintain situational understanding. Conducting knowledge and information activities such as maintaining running estimates, performing focused battle tracking, and managing the COP enables staffs to make recommendations to commanders. These recommendations help commanders build and maintain their situational understanding while exercising command and control. COMMON OPERATIONAL PICTURE MANAGER 4-12. An effective technique for managing the COP is to designate a COP manager. The COP manager is a person selected and designated to serve in this position due to their attention to detail; command and control information systems experience; computer skills; knowledge of ADP 5-0, ADP 1-02, and FM 6-0; intelligence expertise; and experience working in a CP. The COP manager works for the battle captain. The COP manager's duties include— Being responsible for all information displayed as the COP. Updating unit locations and events through the digital component of the COP. Updating unit locations and events on the analog COP. Coordinating with other staff sections for COP manipulation during briefings. Receiving guidance from the command group on specific views or manipulations of the COP for situational understanding purposes. 4-13. During continuous operations, a CP receives large amounts of data and information. In turn, CP staff perform knowledge and information activities to find relevant information from the large amounts of data and information available. Through analysis and running estimates, staffs perform battle tracking and COP management to help commanders understand situations, make and implement decisions, control operations, and assess progress. Units facilitate situational understanding through knowledge and information management when they create, organize, apply, and transfer knowledge to help develop a COP. BATTLE RHYTHM 4-14. A headquarter's battle rhythm consists of a series of meetings (to include working groups and boards), briefings, and other activities synchronized by time and purpose. A battle rhythm is a deliberate daily cycle of command, staff, and unit activities intended to synchronize current and future operations (FM 6-0). The chief of staff (COS) or executive officer (XO) oversees the unit's battle rhythm. The COS or XO ensures activities are logically sequenced to ensure that the output of one activity informs another activity's inputs. Not only is this important internally within the headquarters, the unit's battle rhythm must nest with the higher headquarters. This ensures that the information pertinent to decisions and the recommendations on decisions made in the headquarters are provided in a timely manner to influence the decision making of the higher headquarters, where appropriate. Understanding the purpose and potential decisions of each meeting and activity is equally important. 4-15. Understanding allows the staff and subordinate commanders to provide appropriate input to influence decisions. The COS or XO balances other staff duties and responsibilities with the time required to plan, prepare for, and hold meetings and conduct briefings. The COS or XO also critically examines attendance requirements. Some staff sections and CP cells may lack personnel to attend all events. The COS or XO and staff members constantly look for ways to combine meetings and eliminate unproductive ones. The battle rhythm enables— Establishing a routine for staff interaction and coordination. Facilitating interaction between the commander and staff. Synchronizing activities of the staff in time and purpose. Facilitating planning by the staff and decision making by the commander.