Quote:
[Post #1]
I think a lot of the positive reception [to "Shifting Fire"] is because it is the first "IO for dummies" paper I've seen, sort of like "28 Articles of Company COIN" is "Company COIN for dummies"
I think you are right, people don't understand I/O and what it really is vs. PAO/PSYOP/CA, which confuses lots of people. So we have an understanding problem.
We all know we need to be better at I/O, but few have seen a user's manual to IO at either the tactical or strategic level.
Post #2
We have a deficency in education of maneuver commanders about I/O - what it is, how to use it, and capabilities. A maneuver commander understands employment of lots of battlefield systems from his training - arty, air, engineers, to name a few. I have never seen I/O broken down for tactical commanders in a practical guide. I think this may be resulting in some of the FA 30 frustration.
I don't have to be a helicopter pilot to understand the principles of employing aviation, and the same understanding is needed for I/O, and I haven't really seen it. I gave [CALL Director] some feedback on his upcoming Division Level I/O handbook, but there is a gap, and I think the FA 30 proponent needs to address it if they want to be "better employed".
The lack of a easy to understand conceptual framework for IO at tactical, operational, and strategic level is hurting us. It needs to be understandable to the maneuver commander what the guiding principles and themes he should follow. The strategic commander also needs a unifying concept and set of principles. FM 3-24 CH 1 and the "28 Articles of Company Coin" are prime examples of what is needed for I/O.