FM-3-81 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Download
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Chapter 1 1-6 FM 3-81 09 November 2021 the MEB recommends priorities, provides task organization, and provides directed support, refining specific details through collaboration with BCTs and other support brigades to accomplish missions. 1-22. MEBs can support BCT operations in a variety of ways. In general, the division may task-organize parts of the MEB to BCTs for a specific mission, or the MEB may complement or reinforce the BCT with forces under MEB control that are performing selected missions or tasks within the BCT AO. Examples include— Assisting in BCT initial detainee collection point construction. Assisting in defensive-position construction. Building a bridge over a gap. Performing decontamination at a site within a BCT AO. Performing other tasks that are temporary and specific in nature. 1-23. Elements out of the MEB may also provide specific CBRN or engineer reconnaissance capability to a BCT. Military police may secure a sensitive site within a BCT AO. CBRN, engineer, EOD, and military police forces may provide a wide range of support to the BCT or to other brigades within a division AO. However, specific missions does not imply long-term. If the MEB becomes a force provider for an enduring period of time, it could become ineffective in its ability to conduct support area operations. 1-24. The MEB may also support reorganization or reconstruction operations where a BCT rests, reorganizes, and receives large quantities of supplies. This may occur when the MEB is assigned an AO within which the reorganization or reconstruction operations occur or when it is assigned an AO within which the MEB provides mobility support. EMPLOYMENT 1-25. Figure 1-3 is an example of a division task organization that contains a single MEB. This particular example does not provide the division with any functional brigades. Units that might be found in functional CBRN, engineer, military police, or other brigades would likely be task-organized to the MEB. Support that might be drawn from a functional brigade would likely come from the MEB if the necessary assets have been task-organized to the MEB. Legend: CA civil affairs SUST sustainment Figure 1-3. Example division organization 1-26. The effectiveness and success of the MEB depend on the synergy that is leveraged from integrating and synchronizing subordinate and supporting units. Depending on the METT-TC factors, MEBs can task- organize assigned units into combined arms task forces and company teams. These combined arms elements can then perform multifunctional tasks more effectively and efficiently. The military intelligence unit would be task-organized to the MEB when the METT-TC factors associated with a particular AO require this augmentation of the MEB, similar to the organic military intelligence companies that are found in all BCTs. The TCF shown in figure 1-1, page 1-2, could be made up of a variety of maneuver forces, and its actual size and composition would be based on the Level III threat that it would be focused against.