If it's more than a quarter of a page in total, it's too long.
A FRAGO should resemble a Tweet...
If it's more than a quarter of a page in total, it's too long.
We are our own enemy
Somewhere from the late 80s to mid 90s we became the Russians.
We went from a commander-centric execution/end-state focused organization to a staff-focused planning centric one.
We even publish it two FM now as oppoed to one.
Orders and the "Orders Process" grew. So staffs grew, so more annexes could be written/published etc.
Brigade level and below should be able to crank-out an robust FRAGO in 2 hours or less. Companies should be able to issue their orders within an hour of getting theirs from higher and it should never be longer then 30 munites. Oral only at company level.
...there may be a better way to say that!Originally Posted by TAH
Infinity Journal "I don't care if this works in practice. I want to see it work in theory!"
- The job of the British Army out here is to kill or capture Communist Terrorists in Malaya.
- If we can double the ratio of kills per contact, we will soon put an end to the shooting in Malaya.
Sir Gerald Templer, foreword to the "Conduct of Anti-Terrorist Operations in Malaya," 1958 Edition
filthy beast......there may be a better way to say that!
Hmm, I read an article in Armor Magazine (or was it infantry?) from the 90's which was about how a U.S. division fought its way through France and Germany iirc almost entirely without written orders.
I do also recall a document about a U.S. Corps wargame from about 82' where the U.S. corps in Germany had invited iirc Balck and v.Mellenthin to participate. The two veterans stressed how decision-making had to be done in a few minutes, and both the two veterans and the American team were able to put together a mobile defence battle plan for the corps in a few minutes. The veteran's plan was more daring and radical, but both chose the same basic approach.
Officers up to army commander level (above corps) had issued 'spoken' orders without written backup regularly in WW2; in Wehrmacht, Waffen SS and Patton.
Now, could someone please tell me why only written orders should be used above Coy level? TAH?
Very simple, Fuchs. CYA.
"On the plains and mountains of the American West, the United States Army had once learned everything there was to learn about hit-and-run tactics and guerrilla warfare."
T.R. Fehrenbach This Kind of War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cover_your_ass ?
So why exactly should a modern officer in a should-be command system have a need to cover his rear like that when officers who served under a murderous, micro-management-obsessed dictator didn't?
Isn't "CYA" an explanation for an interim solution instead of for a really good command system?
edit: Lest I forget; aren't spoken orders not actually preferable for "CYA" because their existence can be denied?
Last edited by Fuchs; 10-14-2010 at 05:42 PM.
It was by Don Vandergriff in ARMOR about a decade ago about MG Wood and 4th Armored Division. I have it in my files somewhere. Will try and find a link.
That's a good question...and one that goes back to my original point. Are we in an age where it is expected to both digest and produce a large amount of info (for CYA and other reasons)? Does that explain the large staff sizes? Is there any turning back? I'm not sure using the excuse that there's too much info will hold water these days.To keep pace with the fight, or the information overload that we have these days? When fax machines began showing up in the field in 1983 I could see that the floodgates were just starting to open up, information-wise.
edited away
Last edited by Fuchs; 10-14-2010 at 08:10 PM. Reason: wrong memory
U Dog!
especially if we allow females into the Combat Arms
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