Quote Originally Posted by 82redleg View Post
Signal and MI are tactically controlled by the BCT staff- large portions of those companies work in the BCT TOC and augment the S2/S6. It really doesn't matter which battalion staff conducts their administration, although the BSB or STB/BEB make more sense to me than the RS (only the SBCTs have RSTA) because their other assets are more probably more closely located.

Target Acquisition platoon from the fires BN includes survey and MET that don't fit well with the RS mission set, and directly support the fires mission- the only element that is really target acquisition is the radar. The radar is limited as a target acquisition asset- it is really a counterfire asset. While the counterfire fight and the RSTA fight have to be coordinated, I think that the FA BN HQ should manage the CF fight.

FA batteries assigned directly to maneuver BNs is a horrible idea. The battalions (with a LTC CDR, a CSM and a staff) are barely able to train themselves in the BCTs- separate batteries in the maneuver BNs will be even worse trained. Separate batteries has worked in the past, but in highly specific circumstances and with specially selected leadership, not as the general organizing principle. In addition, the FA BN command and staff bring the capability to manage a centralized, massed fight to the BCT CDR- it will be much more difficult to create this from scratch for the situtations where it is required (high intensity fighting) than to let batteries operate autonomously in the current fight.

In addition, the FA BN brings an additional BN C2 capability to the BCT- look at all the different mission sets that have been given to FA BNs- maneuver/land owner HQ (whether with organic elements re-roled as maneuver or with attached maneuver units- I've seen it done both ways), counterfire/artillery HQs, MiTT coordinator, civil support/CA coordinator, I'm sure I've missed some. The point is that the BN HQ gives the BCT commander a great deal of flexibility he would lose if you simply put the firing batteries in the maneuver BNs, which are already pushing the limits of span of control.
Can not argue with experience and knowledge. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

I find the modular BCTs and transformation fascinating - why, I don't really know. Maybe it's the idea of change, technology and fighting in the 21st Century.

I take it you believe the FA BNs should be removed from the BCTs as an organic element and only assigned when needed?