Wilf, traditionally, the terms surveillance and observation sufficed. I concur with your point. Current Army doctrine on reconnaissance can be very confusing. Back in 2005, when I was a lonely staff weenie trying to transition our infantry battalion into a RSTA (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Targeting, Acquisition) unit, I sorted through all the current doctrine and summarized it as best as I could. Simply put, Mike's intepretation of our doctrine is:
1. Reconnaissance- Human Observation
2. Surveillance- Technological Observation (UAV's, sensors, etc)
This simplified our work so when I use the term reconnaissance, I am referring to a group of soldiers collecting intelligence on the terrain or populace to covertly/overtly infiltrate and conduct observation. Likewise, surveillance covers intelligence collected from all the technological toys that we have to play with today.
In my mind, recon efforts are not driven towards feeding the staff beast. Rather, these missions exist to empower the platoon leaders and staff sergeants conducting missions. Two quick points.
1. Aerial Reconnaissance. Perhaps one of my best learning points from my last deployment taught to me by some wise infantry dudes. Prior to entering a new area, I would take the company leadership for a helicopter ride after we conducted our map reconnaissnce and initial in-brief. These flights allowed my NCO's and O's to gain a better appreciation for the terrain prior to infiltration. We operated in river valleys, mountanious areas, cities, and desert environments so I wanted them to comprehend the differences. The helicopter flight was one such method for better understanding.
2. Route, Area, Zone Reconnaissance. I hate the term that "insurgents melt back into the populace." One's enemy does not possess supernatural powers. After a hasty ambush (IED or small arms attack), they egress using established trails, paths, or roads. Often, these avenues of approach cannot be found on a map. So we conducted patrols to collect better intelligence on every route that existed within our AO. Simultaneously, these patrols gave us the opportunity to talk with the locals. (In some extreme cases, we were the first americans that they had ever met). Later, the knowledge gained allowed us to better understand the enemy's course of action. We established our own ambush positions followed with a "Suprise" for the enemy.
v/r
Mike
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