Test Notes

 The test will be multiple choice and short answer

 Quiz material is a good framework for studying but not the sole material needed to review.
 The questions will be asked in a college style format (i.e. they will not ask you to list anything but
will provide a scenario in which you will have to answer based on the concept)
 Know the Task Org of IBCT, ABCT, and SBCT and what capabilities/ weapon systems are unique
to each. (some questions may also be taken from these individual modules but he didn’t provide
any more guidance than that)
o SBCT
 4x ICV/PLT + CO & XO
 9x dismounts + 2x crew
 1x Sniper TM
 2x MCV (2x 120mm mortar + 60mm mortar sections)
o ABCT
 14x tank/Bradleys per company
 7x dismounts + 3x crew
o IBCT
 3x line SQD + 1x WPN SQD/PLT
 1x 60mm mortar section

 Know the fundamentals of the Offense/Characteristics of the Offense

o Surprise
o Concentration
o Audacity
o Tempo

 Forms of maneuver
o Penetration: attacking force seeks to rupture enemy defenses on a narrow front. Used
when there is no assailable flank, defenses are overextended and weak spots are
detected in the enemy’s positions, &/or time does not permit an envelopment
o Infiltration: attacking force conducts undetected movement through or into an area
occupied by enemy forces to occupy a position of advantage in the enemy rear while
exposing only a small element to enemy defensive fires

o Envelopment: attacking force seeks to avoid the principal enemy’s defense by seizing
objectives to the enemy flank or rear IOT destroy them in their current position

o Flank attack: a form of offensive maneuver directed at the flank of an enemy. A flank is
the right or left side of a military formation and is usually not as strong in terms of
forces or fires as is the front of a military formation
 the primary difference between the flank and envelopment is one of depth
 o Turning movement: like an envelopment, but end state is to cause the enemy to move
out of current position or divert major forces to meet the threat
 BDE+ size operation

o frontal attack: seeks to destroy a weaker enemy force or fix a larger enemy forces in
place over a broad front

 Offensive tasks

- Movement to contact
o goal: make initial contact with smallest element possible
o Commander conducts MTC when enemy situation is vague or not specific enough to
directly attack
o once contact is made, 5 options:
 Attack
 Defend
 Bypass
 Delay
 Withdraw
- Attack
o goal: to destroy or defeat enemy forces, seize and secure terrain, or both
o Incorporates coordinated movement supported by fires
o Different from MTC because commander knows part of the enemy’s disposition
 o Subordinate forms of the attack: raid, spoiling, counterattack, feint, demonstration
 raid: deliberate attack with a planned withdraw back to a to a friendly location
 spoiling attack: form of attack the preempts or seriously impairs an enemy
attack while the enemy is in the process of planning or preparing to attack
 why conduct?: trying to gain the upper hand before the battle
 counterattack: a form of attack by part or all of a defending force against an
enemy attacking force, with the general objective of denying the enemy’s
purpose in attacking
 feint: form of attack used to deceive enemy of the location or time of the actual
decisive operation. Forces seek direct fire contact with the enemy but avoid
decisive engagement
 demonstration: a form of attack designed to deceive the enemy as to the
location/time of the decisive operation by a display of force. Forces do not seek
contact with the enemy
 Can all be hasty or deliberate attacks, except raid
- Exploitation
o Follows the conduct of a successful attack
o Designed to disorganize the enemy in depth
 IOT force them to surrender or retreat
- Pursuit
o Designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape, with aim of destroying
it
 Follows a successful exploitation
o Entails rapid movement and decentralized control

 Defensive tasks

o Area: concentrates on denying enemy forces access to designated terrain for a specific
time rather than destroying the enemy outright
 when conducted?
 Want to retain terrain and attrit enemy by fire
 Commander use mobile force to fill defensive gaps
 Time is available
 MOST LIKELY TO CONDUCT
o Mobile: defensive task that concentrates on the destruction or defeat of the enemy
through a decisive attack by a striking force
 Commander’s need to hold ½ to 2/3’s of defender’s combat power
 Is conducted when we are wanting to destroy the enemy via a decisive
counterattack by the striking force
 Conducted by a division or larger
o retrograde: defensive task that involves organized movement away from the enemy
 types
 delay: under pressure, trade space for time, slow enemy, not decisively
engaged
 withdrawal: planned retrograde, BLUFOR disengages from contact with
enemy and moves in a direction away from the enemy
 retirement: form of retrograde in which a force not in contact moves
away from enemy
  a retrograde is a deliberate Plan

 There will be some questions on TLP’s and steps of IPB.

 There will be 3-4 questions on Reconnaissance and Security Fundamentals

o Reconnaissance Fundamentals
 Retain FOM
 Report all information rapidly and accurately
 Ensure continuous reconnaissance
 Develop the situation rapidly
 Do not keep recon assets in reserve
 Orient on the recon OBJ
 Gain and maintain enemy contact

o Security fundamentals
 Maintain enemy contact
 Orient on the force, area, or facility to be protected
 Provide early and accurate warning
 Provide reaction time and maneuver space
 Perform continuous recon

 Know the difference between reconnaissance push and pull.

o Recon Techniques
 Recon push: confirm/deny BN’s COA
 Recon pull: helping BN form COA; pull BN up to position of advantage over the
enemy

 Stability fundamentals
o establish civil security
o establish civil control
o restore essential services
o support to governance
o support to economic and infrastructure development.

 urban operation fundamentals

o Fundamentals of urban operations

 Maintain a close combat capability
 Cannot mass in urban environment
 Avoid the attritional approach
 Seek to achieve precise, intended effects against multiple DP that
overwhelm an enemy’s ability to react effectively
 Control the essential
 Certain structures are more essential to control than others IOT be
successful
 Minimize collateral damage
  Separate non-combatants from combatants
 Reduce firepower restrictions, enhance survivability, strip enemy of its
popular support base
 Maintain target discrimination
 Conduct tactical call out
 Have HNF help with separating out non-combatants
 Preserve essential services
 Restore essential services
 Understand the human dimension
 Norms we may consider fine, may not be fine in another culture
 Create a collaborative information environment
 Ensuring all organizations understand the same situation
 Transition control
 Perform aggressive IO
 CA operations, pamphlets
 Why important?: populace support

 Review the major street patterns

 Rectangular/chessboard
 Rayed
 Radial
 Radial-ring
 Contour forming
 Irregular
 Combined pattern
 Linear pattern

 Understand the concept of mission command and how it ties into ULO (3 different types of
mission command)

o to execute ULO one must develop operations characterized by…

 Principles
 Mission Command
 3 types: philosophy, warfighting functions, system
 develop the situation through action -- IOT get more info on operational
environment
 combined arms (use/request all assets to maximize one’s effectiveness)
 adhere to Law of War
 establish and maintain security
 create multiple dilemmas for the enemy
o why? :: exploit enemy’s weaknesses, stretch them thin

 Use the new doctrine for sequence of the offense, defense, and urban attack
o Sequence of the defense/offense
 Gain and maintain enemy contact
 Disrupt the enemy
  Fix the enemy
 Maneuver
 Follow through

o Phasing of deliberate urban attack

 Reconnoiter OBJ
 UAS, SCTs/snipers, HUMINT, SIGINT
 Enemy: Preparing and security
 Move to OBJ
 Routes, formation, AoA, dismount point
o We cannot move with Raven in air
 Enemy: disrupting (using IED TMs  where are they? Where does
Raven need to be observing)
 Isolate OBJ
 Physical, direct fire, IDF, observation, combo
 Secure foothold
 Breach, SOSRA, mechanical, ballistic, explosive
 Clear OBJ
 Selective, systematic, markings, directions, front line traces
 Consolidate/reorganize
 Prepare for future missions

-Overall understanding why you would use the different forms of offense and defense will help you more than
knowing the actual definitions.
-The test will not ask us to list any of the forms or tasks or anything but will give a scenario in which we will have to
apply, identify or explain why it is used.
-Do not use the entrance exam as a study guide… there will not be focus on giving weapons ranges or drawing
symbols.
-About 1/3 of the test will focus on the fundamentals of the offense and fundamentals of the defense.
-The remaining 2/3 will cover task org, urban ops, recon/security, stability ops and mission command
The test will be mainly US focused, may include a couple questions on OPFOR doctrine and capabilities but not the
focus.