Leader Handbook Looks at First 100 Days in Combat

By Center for Army Lessons LearnedAugust 6, 2007

Leaders' Handbook
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FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (Army News Service, Aug. 6, 2007) - A new handbook published by the Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., gives leaders a glimpse into the first 100 days of combat.

"CALL Leader's Handbook No. 07-27, The First 100 Days" looks at the first days of combat when leaders and Soldiers are adjusting to the tactical environment, the enemy and each other.

"There's no doubt that the early period of the deployment, when people are gaining an understanding of the environment, is the most dangerous," said Col. Steven Mains, CALL director.

The information for the handbook came from more than 1,700 Soldiers and company-level leaders with battlefield experience. Most felt leaders should display tactical competence, confidence, decisiveness and the will to fight in ways that does not put Soldiers at unnecessary risk.

The handbook, designed to fit in the cargo pocket of the Army combat uniform, is the second in a series of three. The first handbook, "CALL Soldiers' Handbook No.07-15, The First 100 Days," published in March and focused on Soldier-level skills. The final book, which will be for staff officers, is expected to be published later this year.

Established by the Army in 1985, CALL has the mission to collect, analyze, disseminate, integrate and archive the Army's lessons learned. Although it is an Army organization, CALL customers include joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational organizations.

CALL has full-time analysts in the Training and Doctrine Command schools and centers, combat training centers and operational units in Iraq, Afghanistan and the U.S. Their purpose is to enhance rapid information sharing and facilitate the integration of best practices and issue resolution across the Army.

The leader's handbook is available at <a href="http://call.army.mil"target=_blank> http://call.army.mil</a>.