FM-3-81 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Download
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Support Area Responsibilities 09 November 2021 FM 3-81 4-7 CONTROL MOVEMENT 4-23. The MEB controls all movement throughout the support area. Units may not move through ground or air LOCs without clearance from the MEB. The MEB ensures that movement within the support area does not interfere with the corps or division commander’s maneuver or fires execution. 4-24. The echelon that designates the support area must provide clear guidance on the roles and responsibilities for controlling movement. The support area commander designates, maintains, and secures movement along the routes within the AO unless the higher headquarters directs otherwise. When a unit wants to move within the designated support area, it coordinates with the BDOC or base cluster operations center (BCOC). The BDOC or BCOC will coordinate with the MEB commander to obtain movement support throughout the support area: intelligence updates, additional security, fires, and final approval. See ATP 4-16 for additional information on movement control. CLEARANCE OF FIRES 4-25. The MEB commander has the authority to determine surface targets and perform clearance of fires within the support area. The MEB integrates fires with security and defense plans (see appendix C) and rehearses their employment. Within the support area, the MEB commander may employ any direct- or indirect-fire system without further clearance. ADP 3-90 lists three exceptions: munitions effects extend beyond the AO, restricted munitions, and restrictive fire support coordination measures. Detailed coordination is required of fire support planning and measures to apply fire support to and from adjacent division or corps systems according to their targeting and fires priorities. Cross boundary fires should be strictly coordinated and, if time allows, thoroughly rehearsed. 4-26. The MEB must conduct detailed fires planning to allocate resources to be used down to the company level while integrating and coordinating fires within the support area. This includes the integration of fire support planning and targeting. The MEB commander’s staff will coordinate fires with the higher headquarters, base camp, and base cluster staffs. The MEB commander could provide fires if the TCF is task- organized with artillery or mortar systems. Much of the time, the support area designated land owner will receive fire support from a field artillery battalion. The MEB commander must develop targeting and counterfire standing operating procedures (see ATP 3-09.12). SECURITY 4-27. Security is an essential part of support area operations. Security operations are performed by commanders to provide early and accurate warning of enemy operations, to provide the forces being protected time and maneuver space in which to react to the enemy, and to develop the situation to allow commanders to effectively use their protected forces. The ultimate goal of security is to protect the force from surprise and reduce the unknowns. The MEB commander must provide security forces to prevent surprise and provide time for units within the support area to effectively respond. The MEB commander must inform tenants and transients of support area security plans and capabilities. See FM 3-90-2. 4-28. If properly task-organized, the MEB may perform any required security task within the support area. Area security is a security task conducted to protect friendly forces, installations, routes, and actions within a specified area. The support area commander is responsible for the security of all units operating with the support area. Each unit commander retains responsibility for their unit local security. See ADP 3-37 and FM 3-90-2. 4-29. The MEB conducts security tasks and coordinates, synchronizes, and integrates protection capabilities (see annex A) to protect friendly forces, installations, routes, and actions within a specified area. The MEB provides time and maneuver space in which to react to the enemy and develop the situation. Successful security operations depend on properly applying five fundamentals: Provide early and accurate warning. Provide reaction time and maneuver space. Orient on the force, area, or facility. Perform continuous reconnaissance. Maintain enemy contact.