FM-3-81 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Download
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Support Area Operations 09 November 2021 FM 3-81 3-9 forces, irregular forces, and hybrid threats. In addition, signal procedures should include electromagnetic spectrum terrain masking and directional antenna use. 3-22. The MEB is also responsible for stability operations within the support area. Commanders use civil- military operations to enable these stability operations. The planning and coordination of these operations, from corps to brigade, are the responsibility of the assistant chief of staff, CA operations (G-9)/S-9. See FM 3-57 for more information on G-9/S-9 responsibilities. 3-23. The MEB designated with AO responsibilities may not be designed as a maneuver headquarters, but some of its subunits must be capable of maneuver and enabled with capabilities to enhance freedom of movement when required. The MEB should be assigned a maneuver unit as a TCF (designed to combat Level III threats, ideally at least a battalion headquarters to provide effective command and control) or may potentially form a response force short of a TCF from other attached or OPCON units such as military police. The MEB would control the maneuver of the TCF or response force as they employ maneuver and fires to defeat threats throughout the support area. The MEB will initially fight any size threat operating in the support area and must plan to employ all fire support assets, to include indirect fires, Army aviation, and close air support. The MEB commander is responsible for and plans where to locate and use attached, OPCON, or TACON radars to actively acquire enemy indirect-fire and engage with the best available fire support asset. 3-24. The MEB headquarters must tailor their operations process to the mission and operational environment. Staff planning requires details that are unique to the support area mission and size of the operational area, to include terrain management and airspace considerations. PREPARE 3-25. During initial entry, the MEB commander directs designated base camp commanders to prepare their individual base camps according to standards directed by its higher headquarters. If the support area is established in an initially secure area, contractors alone or assisted by military units may construct the base camps. A technique may be to have the designated support area land owner or functional units construct base camps within their AO that are readily available for use. These camps would be planned, designed, sited, constructed, and able to secure against Level II or III threats as required. There may be situations in which the MEB commander takes control of support area base camps and facilities that are not constructed to acceptable standards and must be upgraded. 3-26. The MEB can conduct tasks to support the support area defensive plan and prepare for area damage control. This includes mobility, countermobility, and survivability; obstacles; structures; and AT. The MEB commander will direct reconnaissance and surveillance assets to conduct initial reconnaissance of their AO throughout the support area to verify and refine IPB. The proper location selection, design, establishment, construction, and manning of base camps and base clusters can help to reduce the need for a TCF. 3-27. The MEB commander will establish standing operating procedures throughout the support area to ensure protection, security, defense, and the ability to perform area damage control. The MEB commander will ensure that base camp security and defense forces are trained, rehearsed, and ready. Important rehearsals include commitment of base camp response forces, commitment of cluster response forces, commitment of the support area TCF, battle handover, and fire plan rehearsals. EXECUTE 3-28. The MEB commander conducts support area operations within the assigned support AO. The MEB staff will ensure close, continuous coordination with higher headquarters staff, AO tenants, and transient units to ensure security, protection, movement, continuous support, and defense. The MEB will execute detection, early warning, and rapid response to threats and coordinate responsive area damage control to minimize effects.