FORT BLISS, Texas -- An Army command post is the nucleus of a military operation. It must function seamlessly and commanders must know what's happening on the battlefield at all times.
In today's evolving combat environment, command posts must evolve too. Leaders from across the Army met at Fort Bliss, Texas, Jan. 18, 2017, to discuss how today's Army will build the command post of the future.
"Lessons from ongoing conflicts around the world tell us it's imperative that we increase the mobility and streamline the footprint of our command posts," said Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, commanding general, U.S. Forces Command. "We have to make our command posts more effective, mobile and survivable. Events like this command post huddle at Fort Bliss keep the Army ready to fight and win our nation's wars in a dynamic environment."
Leaders used examples of training exercises to show what was working and where capabilities need to be improved. Part of the huddle focused on solutions able to be standardized across the Army, creating commonalities in command posts.
They talked size, making scalable and redundant command posts to improve survivability from a brigade-sized element up to a corps. They discussed network capabilities and worked to define terms applicable across the Army.
"We have to continually adjust our thinking and our approach to combat. The rise of near-peer threats, coupled with an increasingly expeditionary mindset, dictate our need for command posts that are capable, yet more mobile and survivable at every echelon," said Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commanding general, III Corps.
Full-scale examples of pared-down tactical operations centers were set up behind the Fort Bliss Mission Training Center and units from 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, III Corps, 3rd Infantry Division, and 1st Armored Division headquarters to show leaders different examples of command post setups.
"We need two command posts. We need to be able to shut one down and move it while the other is still in the fight," said Maj. Gen. Pat White, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss commanding general.
Some of the key discussions centered on how to make tactical operations centers more mobile, able to move rapidly from one location to the next, to what networking capabilities work best for these smaller footprints without losing essential functions.
"(Command post redesign) gives us a redundant capability for our mission command information systems so we can stay in the fight," said Maj. Gen. James "Jim" Rainey, commanding general, 3rd Infantry Division.
Army senior leaders who participated in the command post huddle included Gen. Robert "Abe" Abrams, commanding general, U.S. Forces Command (via teleconference), Lt. Gen. Patrick Donahue II, deputy commanding general, U.S. Forces Command, Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, deputy chief of staff, U.S. Army, Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commanding general, III Corps, Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, commanding general, First Army, Lt. Gen. Stephen Lanza, commanding general, I Corps, and Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, director, Army National Guard. Division commanders and command team members from 1st Armored Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Army Reserve Command, U.S. Army Alaska, 7th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division and 1st Infantry Division provided input.
Leaders spoke about broad issues affecting units on the battlefield and also talked detailed equipment requirements and feasibilities. Discussion and ideas from this command post huddle will serve to address options and establish requirements as the Army develops the next generation of command posts.
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