FM-3-81 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Download
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Appendix A A-2 FM 3-81 09 November 2021 A-5. Military operations are inherently complex. Commanders must deliberately plan and integrate the ethical application of military force against an enemy while protecting the force and preserving combat power. Commanders develop protection strategies for each phase or transition of an operation. They integrate and synchronize protection tasks and systems to reduce risk, mitigate identified vulnerabilities, and act on opportunity. PROTECTION TASKS A-6. Army operations and missions are executed through tactical tasks. The support area commander and staff incorporate protection tasks when they understand and visualize available protection capabilities. Protection tasks enable the designated support area land owner to preserve the force, safeguard bases/base camps, and secure routes throughout the support area. When properly integrated and synchronized, the tasks and systems that comprise the protection warfighting function increase the probability of mission success. A-7. The support area commander and their staff must consider all protection tasks and systems and apply them as appropriate. Each task and its associated system are typically associated with a staff or staff proponent that performs specific duties. The protection warfighting function tasks— Conduct survivability operations. Survivability is a quality or capability of military forces which permits them to avoid or withstand hostile actions or environmental conditions while retaining the ability to fulfill their primary mission (ATP 3-37.34). Survivability operations enhance the ability to avoid or withstand hostile actions by altering the physical environment (see ATP 3-37.34 for additional information on survivability). They accomplish this by providing or improving camouflage, cover, and concealment via the following four tasks: Constructing fighting positions. Constructing protective positions. Hardening facilities. Employing camouflage, cover, concealment, and movement. Provide FHP. The Army FHP consists of measures that promote, improve, or conserve the behavioral and physical well-being of Soldiers comprised of preventive and treatment aspects of medical functions that include: combat and operational stress control, dental services, veterinary services, operational public health, and laboratory services. This enables a healthy and fit force, prevents injury and illness, and protects the force from health hazards. Its mission is under the protection warfighting function. Successful FHP measures require deliberate and consistent analysis and communication of health threats to inform commanders and individuals; they also require the implementation and enforcement of unit and individual countermeasures (to include exposure controls, chemoprophylaxis, and immunizations against diseases both endemic and those used as warfare agents) needed to reduce associated health risks. Commanders and unit leaders must remain informed and proactively engaged to ensure the health of the force; reduce health threats, stressors, and risks; and promote all available countermeasures. See FM 4-02 for additional information on FHP. Conduct CBRN operations. CBRN operations include the employment of tactical capabilities that anticipate and counter the entire range of CBRN threats and hazards (see FM 3-11 for additional information). The activities to implement protection include the following: Understand the environment. Conduct CBRN information collection through reconnaissance and surveillance. Conduct CBRN defense. Cooperate with and support partners. Establish CBRN response efforts to minimize the effects of a CBRN incident. Provide EOD and force protection support. EOD is a key asset in the protection of military and civilian personnel, critical assets, infrastructure, and public safety. EOD units provide support through the supporting EOD headquarters across the range of military operations by detecting, locating, identifying, diagnosing, rendering safe, exploiting, and disposing of all explosive ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and weapons of mass destruction. See ATP 4-32.1 and ATP 4-32.3 for additional information on EOD.