Engineer presents professional information designed to keep U.S. military and civilian engineers informed of current and emerging developments within their areas of expertise for the purpose of enhancing their professional development.
Issue link: https://engineer.epubxp.com/i/284727
January–April 2014 Engineer 25 My advice is to forget about the engineer companies—for a little while. In the new BEB structure, the commander, command sergeant major, and operations (S-3) offcer are engineers. Without having a deliberate plan, the com- mander runs a risk of neglecting the nonengineer units in the battalion. Especially during the frst 6 months, spend more time with the units you know less about. The forward support company, MI company, and signal companies will be full of smart and technically profcient Soldiers who will love to explain what they do. Give them the opportunity. This will demonstrate that you are invested in them, and it will be invaluable later when the brigade commander expects you to advise him on the capabilities and limitations of your logistics, MI, and signal companies. 2. Do Not Abdicate Command to B attalion commanders are responsible for training their MI and signal companies, but the functional experts for these formations reside in the brigade intelligence (S-2) and communications (S-6) shops. Conse- quently, there is a tendency for the companies to bypass the battalion and work everything directly through the brigade staff. While a high degree of direct coordination between the companies and brigade staff is necessary and desirable, coordination can veer into an encroachment of command authorities. The best advice on handling these relationships is to encourage direct coordination between the companies and their respective staff functional experts, but clearly estab- lish red lines for subordinate commanders and the brigade staff. My experience has been that brigade staff offcers are invaluable resources to my battalion and to me, and they always act with the best intentions. The following business rules will set conditions for productive teamwork among brigade, battalions, and companies: ■ The brigade engineer, S-2, and S-6 have no tasking authority. All tasks should come through S-3 channels to the battalion, never to companies directly. It sounds obvi- ous, but remember that the staff proponent for a maneu- ver element is the S-3, so it's natural that maneuver tasks come through the S-3. Frequently, the brigade engineer, S-2, or S-6 has tried to task BSTB companies directly without going through the battalion, always with good intentions, but never with good results. ■ Brigade staff offcers recommend proper employment, location, and command relationships for BEB enablers in consultation with the BEB staff, but commanders decide. ■ Commanders make all personnel decisions. 3. Constantly Manag T ypical functional battalions receive newly minted lieutenants and grow them into company executive offcers and junior staff offcers. They also receive new captains as battalion staff offcers and grow them into company commanders. In a multifunctional battalion like the BSTB, most of the offcers come in lateral moves from adjacent battalions, with engineers being the exception. Bri- gade commanders typically choose the best maneuver bat- talion S-2 to command the MI company. MI platoon leaders may spend their frst year in the brigade as the assistant S-2 in a sister battalion, and signal offcers follow a similar pattern. The result is that battalion commanders generally can't grow their own leaders. BEB commanders should take an active interest in the MI Corps, Signal Corps, and Chemical Corps offcers in the brigade. The brigade S-2 and S-6 will probably develop the assignment slate for the MI Corps and Signal Corps offcers, but it is helpful for them to involve the battalion commander before they present the slate to the brigade commander. Rely on the S-2 and S-6 to help mentor and counsel these offcers. Branch-specifc, brigade offcer professional development classes can help keep these offcers connected to their craft and deepen the battalion commander's understanding of their capabilities. Soldiers from the 65th Engineer Battalion clear a potential impro- vised explosive device while performing route clearance. EN Dillard.1.indd 28 3/12/2014 1:17:20 PM