In today’s operating tempo (OPTEMPO), stacks of requirements are often bestowed on a brigade combat team (BCT). This article intends to explain a way of tackling these myriads of requirements. To set the stage, imagine a BCT that is deployed to Europe and is slated to execute modernization, a U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) ground readiness evaluation assessment and training (GREAT) inspection, division red cycle, and a National Training Center (NTC) train-up, all occurring in the next fiscal year (FY). Where do you start and what systems should you put in place to manage the chaos? To do this, a BCT needs six things: a plan to plan (P2P), brigade red-amber-green (RAG) cycle, an enabling battle rhythm, command training guidance (CTG), fighting products, and project officer management.
First, a P2P is essential to ensuring a BCT stays on glide path and gets ahead of friction for future events. For this article, a P2P is a timeline of all the planning meetings and briefings that are required (see Figure 1). The plan to plan must be managed by the S-3. The planner inputs the data, but the S-3 needs to dictate the events that are put on the P2P. A great technique is to define when an operation order (OPORD) needs to be published to subordinate units and then work the planning timeline backwards. The P2P gives freedom to the brigade because it prioritizes the staff’s efforts on generating and sustaining options, receiving decisions from the commander, and operationalizing those decisions for subordinate units. A recommendation is to utilize the military decision-making process (MDMP). The process is known by all the staff, and it trains them to be sharper on all the intricacies of MDMP. Additionally, a BCT needs to define the planning horizons for the brigade. One technique is for a BCT to publish orders no later than 16 weeks from execution and battalions publish nine weeks out. These recommended horizons give company commanders the time needed to execute the eight-step training model (T+6 company OPORD published, range recon, etc.). Overall, the P2P is the system that helps the staff iterate with the commander on all future events and receive decisions on mitigating future risks.
Second, one of the best ways to prioritize efforts and give predictability to a unit is with a brigade RAG cycle. This cycle starts at the beginning of the FY. Most of the time, installations and divisions have a higher-level RAG that encompasses all the required installation tasks as well as other requirements (i.e., community events, retirement ceremonies, etc.). So, how do units create and set up a RAG cycle that takes on their higher headquarters’ (HQ) enormous requirements, balances modernization efforts, and enables an NTC train-up? First, I will define the levels of the RAG:
1) Green battalion should never be tasked or have any restrictions on training;
2) Amber-2 battalion is on call and has no restrictions on training;
3) Amber-1 battalion is limited to individual training with the caveat of training being cancelled and is third in priority for tasking (i.e., operational support battalion, etc.);
4) Red-2 battalion is second in priority for tasking; and
5) Red-1 battalion is assigned all the predictable installation taskings and is the first in priority to be tasked.
Next, based off outputs from the P2P for training, begin prioritizing what battalions need to be green by month. After figuring out which battalions need to be green, begin prioritizing the battalions by month to determine which are reds and which are ambers. Lastly, create a training conference that gets all the battalions to provide bottom-up refinement and concurrence of the RAG cycle. Keep in mind that the RAG will not make any battalion happy, but it will spread the burden of taskings equally across the brigade and provide predictability that protects battalion training. Based off the scenario of this article, the RAG cycle is one of the best systems to manage modernization, NTC train-up, and a division red cycle. The brigade RAG cycle is a great way to reduce the load of the current fight on the brigade and helps the BCT staff focus efforts on the future fight.
Third, a BCT needs to have an enabling battle rhythm to maintain tempo and ensure compliance on all orders. The BCT battle rhythm is usually managed by the BCT executive officer (XO), but its creation should be staffed and created based off future events to support BCT operations. The normal training meetings, command and staff meetings, etc., are all the foundations of the battle rhythm, but a staff needs to identify the specific meetings that will synchronize the BCT based off the environment. The current environment will always dictate the addition of certain meetings. A best practice is to conduct a daily 0845 synchronization meeting with battalion representatives. This daily synch, although met with a lot of annoyance, ensured that a BCT was consistently synchronized in all efforts. The vast amount of change that occurs daily can be massive. This synchronization meeting, which is 15 minutes maximum in length, will ensure modernization tasks are not dropped and that battalions know what the priorities are for the brigade. The other lesson learned that can help with the example case is to ensure designated time for P2P events. At least three days dedicated to P2P staff events and one day for commander briefs and decisions ensures that the BCT is looking deep into future operations.
Fourth, the cornerstone of every BCT is training, and the ultimate way to provide shared understanding across the brigade is through effective command training guidance. Every commander has a different way of writing CTG. Field Manual (FM) 7-0, Training, recommends it be written in an OPORD format. For this article, an OPORD format will be the basis for all examples, and I highly recommend its use. The BCT must create the training guidance one year out from the next calendar year. There are two additions that must be included in the CTG: the RAG cycle and prioritized efforts. First, the base document needs to have the approved RAG in it. The RAG cycle is officially published in the CTG. Last, the base document must have prioritized efforts in the form of main efforts (MEs) and shaping efforts (SEs). Having MEs and SEs complements the RAG cycle. It helps the BCT understand the “glass balls” when juggling multiple tasks. The best technique is to have MEs and SEs in the quarterly training guidance, which are approved by the commander prior to publishing. This ensures that the BCT considers the changing conditions that often occur throughout the FY. All the outputs from the staff’s previous work must be captured in the CTG. The training guidance, especially the quarterly updates, ensures battalions know what the priorities are for the brigade.
Fifth, fighting products are the glue that keep operations together. A common problem that BCTs face is the misinterpretation of an OPORD by subordinate units. Fighting products often mitigate the risks of misinterpreting orders. The planning phase of an operation produces the fighting products for current operations. The recommended fighting products a BCT needs to produce include a synchronization matrix and manning document. Every battle rhythm event should synchronize a published fighting product. The training meeting synchronizes the training calendar, command and staff synchronizes respective readiness trackers, and operational synchronization meetings update the synchronization matrix. As previously mentioned, a synchronization matrix for the entire year is the best way to create shared understanding of the orders that were published. It is the product that turns the complex into a simple timeline that any Soldier should be able to execute. The other recommended product is the manning document, which is a detailed troops-to-task report that forces subordinate formations to look at which individuals are allocated for all tasks. Battalion commanders, based off the case study, saw the execution manning document as a good practice because it was a forcing function for company commanders to manage their personnel effectively. Maintaining fighting products occurs in respective battle rhythm meetings. It’s not easy to consistently synchronize these products, but the battle rhythm will ensure compliance from project officers.
Finally, project officers are key to ensuring that BCT field grade officers do not lose focus on the deep fight. Field grades should fight the urge to act as a project officer due to immediate satisfaction. In the lens of being the BCT S-3, utilize all the officers in your respective sections (i.e., current operations, future operations, training, etc.). Every officer should have a second job no matter what section they belong to. A best practice is to utilize warrant officers and NCOs (if you do not use them, you lose them). If everyone in the S-3 shop is over capacity in projects, coordinate with the BCT XO to begin using other staff members. Never shy away from maximizing the talent and personnel in the entire staff. In the end, field grades will be able to look deep for the commander only if they are not decisively engaged with multiple requirements in the close fight.
To conclude, managing the chaos of a BCT requires a P2P, brigade RAG cycle, enabling battle rhythm, training guidance, fighting products, and project officer management. The case study of this article is centered on a BCT that is deployed overseas and is redeploying into executing modernization, a FORSCOM GREAT inspection, division red cycle, and an NTC train-up, all occurring in the next fiscal year. To manage these overlapping requirements, first, ensure the BCT has a solid P2P that creates a cycle of generating and sustaining options, receiving decisions from the commander, and operationalizing those decisions. Second, the P2P should identify the friction and decisions that will ultimately be mitigated through a brigade RAG cycle. The RAG cycle is the highlighted best practice that provides subordinate units with predictability and a shared understanding of which unit is the priority per month. Third, to ensure compliance and a good tempo, a BCT must have an enabling battle rhythm. The battle rhythm must be tailored to the environment the BCT will be operating in. Things like a daily synchronization meeting will produce shared understanding and compliance from subordinates for orders. Fourth, all outputs from the P2P, brigade RAG, and battle rhythm will be officially published in command training guidance. One of the best ways to establish ruthless priorities is through quarterly command training guidance, which establishes the main effort and shaping efforts for the BCT (i.e., modernization, individual training, etc.). Fifth, fighting products mitigate the risks of misinterpretation by subordinate units. Recommended products include a synchronization matrix for all operations in the BCT and a manning document. Finally, the utilization of project officers is key. Project officers ensure field grades continue to look at the deep fight and manage the overall systems of the BCT. All staffs should identify all personnel as potential project officers. The recommended technique is to ensure that every subordinate officer and NCO is poised to take on a second job.
In the end, all these recommended techniques should help a BCT manage the entropy of future and daily operations. The figures provided are examples of some fighting products and systems that can help field grades provide predictability and enable Soldiers to do their jobs. In the end, the individual Soldier suffers for our inability to manage the chaos.
MAJ John David Tydingco currently serves as the G35 coordinator for NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Türkiye in Istanbul, Turkey. His previous assignments include serving as the G35 for the 1st Cavalry Division; battalion S-3 for 1st Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), 1st Cavalry Division; and brigade S-3 for 2nd ABCT, 1st Cavalry Division.
This article appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Infantry. Read more articles from the professional bulletin of the U.S. Army Infantry at https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/Magazine/ or https://www.lineofdeparture.army.mil/Journals/Infantry/.
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