Force Protection in Large Unit Operations

Abstract

Abstract : This research project provides a draft force-protection chapter for use in a future Army field manual addressing large unit operations. The theater-strategic and operational level force protection tasks found in CJCSM 3500.04B, Universal Joint Task List, provide the basic structure of this draft chapter. Large unit operations are operations undertaken by units and organizations operating at the operational and theater strategic levels. The Army echelons that normally conduct large unit operations are corps or numbered army headquarters operating as the Army Force (ARFOR), joint force land component command (JFLCC), or joint task force headquarters. The Army service component command assigned to each commander of a combatant command also operates at the operational and theater strategic levels. If at some time in the future a peer competitor emerges, the U.S. Army could chose to resource one or more army group headquarters as part of a substantial reconstitution effort. In this unlikely event, the Army group headquarters will conduct operations at the operational and theater strategic level and its subordinate corps and numbered armies will conduct tactical operations. This research project takes as a given the theater level command and control structure documented in joint publications and the current draft FM 3-93 (100-7), The Army in Theater Operations, since it is only one chapter of a much longer field manual.