Per the advice of several Rangers I picked up a copy of the Ranger Handbook (SH 21-76) to study.
One question I have is:
How important is the scheme of fires to the patrolling OPORDs during Ranger School?
I had an awesome Company Commander who taught me a lot about fire support, and how to write and brief a good scheme of fires.
Since no one will know (and maybe not even care) that I was an FSO before I came to Ranger School. Still I would like to help my squad/platoon leadership when it comes to prepping that part of their OPORDs.
Or will I just fuck everyone else up by thinking that I know what I am doing?
OPORDs
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fireforeffect_k
- US Army
- Posts: 8
- Joined: October 25th, 2006, 4:09 am
Fire Support
What kind of support assets will be available on any given mission? I was taught that Ranger BNs have 60s, 81s and 120s organic. Are these kinds of assets normally available? (notionally w/ arty simulators, flares and smoke grenades). Or are any other indirect fire assets available (105s and 155s?).
How detailed is the scheme of fires expected to be, and should the following things be included?
In the offense (Raid and Ambush):
1. Targets planned along the primary and alternate routes of march, and on the objective and on movement away from (I would bet on yes for these)
a. Briefing a TPME for each target (TASK PURPOSE METHOD EFFECT)
b. Target list worksheets for each OPORD
c. Target overlay
2. A complete fire support execution matrix to be forward up to company
3. Refined targets based on leaders reconnaissance
4. Planning quick smoke for obscuration of enemy
5. Echelonment of fires to the objective and realistic triggers
In the defense (Patrol Base Operations):
1. Are Final Protective Fires an integral part of the patrol base defensive plan?
2. Planning quick smoke for screening
At OCS the TACs were happy if you could do a halfway descent CFF without sending up your own grid as the target. So is this stuff pretty much overkill, and secondary to what the focus of patrolling is... leading a maneuver unit?
Thanks for any feedback.
How detailed is the scheme of fires expected to be, and should the following things be included?
In the offense (Raid and Ambush):
1. Targets planned along the primary and alternate routes of march, and on the objective and on movement away from (I would bet on yes for these)
a. Briefing a TPME for each target (TASK PURPOSE METHOD EFFECT)
b. Target list worksheets for each OPORD
c. Target overlay
2. A complete fire support execution matrix to be forward up to company
3. Refined targets based on leaders reconnaissance
4. Planning quick smoke for obscuration of enemy
5. Echelonment of fires to the objective and realistic triggers
In the defense (Patrol Base Operations):
1. Are Final Protective Fires an integral part of the patrol base defensive plan?
2. Planning quick smoke for screening
At OCS the TACs were happy if you could do a halfway descent CFF without sending up your own grid as the target. So is this stuff pretty much overkill, and secondary to what the focus of patrolling is... leading a maneuver unit?
Thanks for any feedback.
