U.S. Army Sgt. Theodore Buckley, an air and missile defense crewmember assigned to 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, checks his azimuth on the compass during the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Best Squad Competition, Aug. 6, 2024, at Grafenwoehr, Germany. The Best Squad Competition tests soldiers' physical fitness, proficiency in warrior tasks and their ability to work as a cohesive team. This event highlights the exceptional skills and readiness of our soldiers. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scyrrus Corregidor)

FORT LEE, Va. -- The Army’s ability to fight and win in the high-stakes environment of Large-Scale Combat Operations does not rest solely on advanced technology or cutting-edge systems. LSCO demands disciplined execution of foundational skills – what we call ‘Brilliant at the Basics’ – where the margin for error is razor thin and the tempo of battle is unrelenting.

These basics include, but are not limited to, land navigation, weapons proficiency, casualty care, maintenance, communications discipline, and warrior tasks and battle drills form the backbone of lethality and survivability. They are not glamorous, nor are they new. History demonstrates repeatedly that units which master the fundamentals, rehearse them relentlessly, and execute them under stress are the ones that prevail when the battlefield becomes chaotic and unforgiving.

Why Basics Matter in LSCO

LSCO introduces operational conditions that stress every echelon of the Army. From division down to the squad, formations must be able to shoot, move, communicate, survive, and medicate across vast terrain, against a near-peer enemy, and often with degraded or denied technological support.

Technology is an enabler, but it is not infallible. In LSCO, GPS may be jammed. Communications may be intercepted. Digital command systems may go down. Units that depend solely on technology will find themselves blind, deaf, and paralyzed in the fight. Those that rely on training rooted in the basics will adapt, improvise, and continue the mission. Brilliant at the Basics means every Soldier knows how to operate in a denied environment:

  • Navigate with a map and compass
  • Call for fire without a tablet
  • Execute battle drills under pressure
  • Perform buddy aid instinctively
  • Camouflage, dig in, and fight from a position of advantage

When Soldiers and leaders default to their training, they create battlefield momentum, and that momentum becomes decisive in LSCO in Multi-Domain Operations.

MOS Competencies

Being Brilliant at the Basics demands proficiency in each Soldier’s specific military occupational specialty. While foundational skills are universal, the application and depth of expertise vary by MOS. A Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Maintainer must master preventative maintenance checks, battle damage assessment and repair, while a Signal Support Systems specialist must ensure robust and secure communications networks. Regardless of MOS, every Soldier must understand how their individual skills contribute to the unit’s collective lethality and be capable of performing tasks outside their primary specialty when required. This requires continuous training and a commitment to lifelong learning, ensuring our force remains adaptable and resilient in the face of evolving threats.

Leadership Competencies (Strong Sergeants) Forge Strong Units

At the heart of mastering the basics is the sergeant, the backbone of the Army. Strong sergeants are the standard-bearers who instill good order and discipline, are mentally and physically fit, and are tactically and technically proficient in their warrior tasks and battle drills which are essential to warfighting fundamentals. They are the ones who drive the repetitions, enforce the standards, and build confidence in chaos.

When the bullets start flying and comms go down, it is the sergeant who rallies the formation, issues commands, leads movement, and ensures the mission continues. The strength of our sergeants will determine the strength of our squads. In LSCO, strong squads win battles. We do not win wars with machines, we win them with disciplined, trained, and trusted teams, forged by the deliberate, daily efforts of strong, empowered sergeants.

Combined Arms Competencies

Success in LSCO hinges on the seamless integration of all warfighting functions, maneuver, fire support, intelligence, sustainment, protection, and command and control. This requires a shared understanding of each element’s capabilities and limitations, and the ability to synchronize effects across the battlefield. Units must be proficient in conducting combined arms rehearsals, coordinating fires, and employing electronic warfare to disrupt enemy operations. Furthermore, the ability to operate in a joint environment, integrating with Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps assets, is critical. Combined arms proficiency is not simply about coordinating assets; it’s about fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support, maximizing the effectiveness of every element on the battlefield.

Build Warriors

Building a truly ready and capable force isn’t about simply knowing the basics – it’s about doing them, repeatedly. Mastery is forged through consistent, realistic training: think challenging field exercises, demanding tactical road marches, and meticulously rehearsed drills. It is refined through honest after-action reviews and strengthened in combined arms scenarios. Ultimately, true readiness is proven when plans fall apart, and units must rely on ingrained skills to persevere. We must resist the temptation to prioritize convenience over rigor, ensuring leaders consistently emphasize repetitions of fundamental skills, even as we integrate new technologies.

History consistently demonstrates that victory isn’t solely determined by technological superiority, but by the quality of training. From the Red Ball Express in WWII which relied on discipline and coordination, to junior leaders adapting in Iraq and Afghanistan thanks to internalized basics, the most well-trained force prevails. While today’s adversaries possess advanced tools – as do we – the deciding factor will be the individual Soldier’s ability to confidently apply fieldcraft, maneuver effectively, lead decisively, and operate even when technology fails.

Being Brilliant at the Basics is not about resisting modernization; it’s about ensuring our warfighters are never dependent on any one tool to survive and win. It is about building adaptable, lethal, and resilient Soldiers who can thrive in the harshest environments because they were trained that way by the backbone of the Army, the noncommissioned officer.

LSCO will be brutal, complex, and unforgiving. It is in those moments that the basics become brilliant, and it is those basics - applied with discipline, speed, and violence of action - that will carry our formations to victory.