Comments by "Stephen Sipe" (@stephensipe5405) on ""Russia has no strategy to win," Chuck Pfarrer with Jason Smart" video.

  1. I would feel better about the Ukrainian Military if so many legacy Soviet minded Commanders were not in charge of Ukrainian Divisions, Brigades, and Battalions. Armed with NATO equipment, these Ukrainian Military Leaders still use Soviet Unit organization and schemes. As a Military Intelligence Officer of a US Brigade, I know what the Battle Planning Process around a 5 Paragraph OPORD involves. This is a NATO standard. I believe Ukrainians only plan at Corp and Division Levels in a “similar” manner. Most Ukrainian Battalions and all but a few Brigades have no Battle Planning Process. The US teaches The Battle Planning Process at all levels to make sure any promoted Officers are competent enough to fill their new rows. What is The Battle Planning Process around a 5 Paragraph OPORD? 1: Issue Warning Orders to subordinate Commands that a mission is being planned. More specific Warning Orders come out to specific Commands as Higher Level Commands finalize the Battle Plan. 2: Every Command Level uses the time management rule of D-Day minus 2/3RDs for preparation and 1/3RD for Planning your Level. If Division gives its 4 maneuver Brigades 14 Days to D-Day, then a Warning Order goes out to Battalions and then from Battalions to Companies. The Brigade Staffs then have 1/3 of 14 Days, 3 Days, to go through the Battle Planning Process. This means reading the Division 5 Paragraph OPORD, pulling out the parts related to your specific Brigade, and identifying your Objectives for the mission. 3: The the Brigade Staffs start to analyze their AO (Area of Operations), the Enemy forces they expect to encounter, the Friendly forces in their Command and on the Flanks, and then what the Commander’s Intent/Guidance is to complete the mission and achieve the Objective. The Military Intelligence Officer should always present Enemy Most Probable and Most Dangerous COAs (Courses Of Action). The Brigade XO and Tactical Officer should create 2 very different COAs to achieve the Objective. The Commander usually is making sure Battalions are preparing and physically making sure the routes of Battalions to the Start Line on D-Day is clear of obstacles or risk areas, like a bridge crossing. If a passage of Friendly lines needs to occur, coordinating with the MP Commander is always wise. 4: The Commander then returns to lead the Battle Planning Process. This leadership is usually only injected guidance. Multiple war games take place after the initial presentations. Each Friendly COA has to account for Enemy Most Probable/Most Dangerous COAs. NCOs create timelines for each Friendly COA and mark DPs (Commander Decision Points). The timeline and DPs help Commanders to make timely decisions as battles heat up and the TOC (Tactical Operations Center) gets confused. The Commander then has to pick the best COA. NOTE: Almost every Commander under which I served thought they were in a Chinese Restaurant after war gaming. They each took the parts or multiple COAs to create the final COA. This should require a final war game with NCOs making a new timeline and DPs. When this final war gaming was NOT done, there were always gaps in assets available to confirm DPs or the timelines made for Battalion misalignment in the AO. This can give Enemy Units counterattack opportunities. 5: This is where Brigade Staffs go to subordinate Battalions to OBSERVE the next Level down Battle Planning. If comments are made, they should only be to the Battalion Commander. Otherwise it’s micromanaging and create circular thinking. Besides the XO and Tactical Officer usually have to work with the Logistics Officer to finalize a support plan conforming to the Final COA. Most Logistics Officers have an AO sketch plan. However, this has to be edited so support does not become an easy target. 6: During execution of the Battle Plan, Brigade Commanders are usually near the main push. The Tactical Officer is near the secondary push. This gives Brigade Commanders opportunities to FRAGO or edit an OPORD if Enemy actions or terrain is other than expected. This means the XO is plotting and mapping the battlefield situation from the TOC. The Military Intelligence Officer is usually with him in the TOC. The Logistics Officer is also plotting and mapping the battlefield from his main supply point. If the XO has to move forward to replace an injured Commander, he is prepared. The Logistics Officer then moves forward to be in the XOs position. However, the Tactical Operations Officer is the person to replace the XO if they go down. 7: I have stated it takes at least 18 months to train up a Brigade including promoting the best Battalion Staff, training up NCOs at all Levels, creating Battalion Staffs, building out Companies, and taking in Basic Trainees with no experience. The whole process of Battle Planning is not easy. There are many things learned about leaders during war gaming. Using simulators for all Levels and plotting them on a giant electronic map board, can train Division Staff. It definitely can train Brigade and Battalion Staffs prior to Field Exercises. Actually moving around during Field Exercises can greatly enhance a Unit’s radio skills and discipline. There are Coordinating Instructions such as lines being crossed or points reach set by higher Command Level so they can understand situations. Practice is the only true teacher.
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