ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download

Executing 07 December 2020 ATP 5-0.2-1 143  Trained responses to enemy actions or leaders' orders. 4-26. Rehearsals are key to the success of CP battle drills. Each drill should be practiced until CP personnel can execute to standard. Rehearsing the CP battle drills ensures—  All CP personnel understand and demonstrate the capability to execute the battle drill.  Improper execution of battle drills is discovered and corrected.  All assets within the CP and any planned potential support from other elements in the area of operations (AO) are fully integrated.  CP personnel have confidence in their abilities and are fully prepared to execute command post battle drills. Table 4-4 details a command post battle drill method. Table 4-4. Command post battle drill method Step CP Battle Drill Method Step 1. Identify the initiating trigger. Every CP battle drill has a key event or events that start the drill. Trainers identify and clearly define the event or events based on their mission analysis of the operational environment. Based on the echelon of the HQ executing the CP battle drill, the initiating event may have qualifying criteria such as a specific number of individuals or organizational size (for example, 500 demonstrators, four tanks, a battalion, and three aircraft). Those elements of the initiating event must be included in the CP battle drill format. Step 2. Identify the ending trigger. Just as every CP battle drill has an initiating trigger, it also has an ending trigger. The ending trigger is best described as a set of clearly defined conditions that, once achieved, trigger a decision to end the drill and resume steady state operations. Continue the drill until a new set of conditions or effects are achieved (must be defined by drill leader if not part of the established battle drill), or hand off any remaining tasks to a specified organization or agency. Step 3. Establish an alert procedure. Alerting the organization that a CP battle drill initiating event has occurred may be standardized for all CP battle drills such as “attention in the CP” or, a unique alert for each drill. Regardless of the method chosen, the battle drill should include in its published format the method for alerting all participating members. Step 4. Establish a method that provides current common situational awareness. There must be a defined technique for ensuring the “who, what, when, where, and why” (5 W’s) of the initiating event is known by all. This is in order to cross level all existing information and provide a cognitive foundation for participating drill members to receive guidance and other relevant information and data. The more standardized this procedure is the more foundational it becomes. For example, key CP cell members report to the current operations integrating cell once the alert is given. Step 5. Identify key information requirements, necessary decisions, and the decision authority to achieve the ending trigger for the CP battle drill. This is the most important element of the CP battle drill. The first step for identifying tasks is to identify key actions, information, and necessary decisions as well as who reserves, is delegated, or needs to have decision authority. The outcome of these tasks identifies the decision makers that choose the actions, decisions, and information required. Step 6. Assign responsibilities and decision authority. Responsibilities for who does what during each drill must be defined. Consider establishing responsibilities for who leads the drill, who records the drill, and who has the authority to determine when the appropriate actions have been taken to achieve the ending trigger conditions. Step 7. Establish a CP battle drill process. The CP battle drill process is unique to every organization. The specific process should be an SOP recorded item and must be rehearsed along with the individual battle drills to be of any value. An example of a battle drill process follows— Develop a CP battle drill template (a standard format for the SOP). Develop reporting and recording tools. Develop an AAR procedure for executing and rehearsing CP battle drills. Develop a process for capturing information and extrapolating decisions.