From the Cop and Soldier side: One of the
things my team got complimented on while we were in Bosnia was our Mission
Planning. Some guy from USAER (United
States Army Europe) came around and checked out all the little teams we had
scattered around Bosnia. When he visited
our team, he watched how we did our planning.
Our style was to let the Soldier who was
running the mission for that day do the plan.
It didn’t matter if he was a Specialist E-4 or the team leader…the plan
was presented to everybody who had to go and we all looked at it to see if it
was good or it sucked. If it sucked,
then I’d make “suggestions”.
Then we had a backup plan because of
Murphy’s Law. No matter how good the
plan was, just like the law of gravity, the law of Murphy was always there and
it would mess up even the simplest of plans.
I got everybody on our team to do this…except
the guy who was the orginal team leader.
He later got fired and they gave me the team. Now, if you’re not aware of it, the US Army
will promote you with duties, but not always with the rank that should go with
it--- so you are made to do the work, but without the extra pay….and no over
time.
Anyway, the team leader would never plan
his missions. Hell, most of the time he
forgot to even tell anybody that he had a mission the next day and the first
anybody heard of it was at breakfast.
Then he’d ask the SECFOR (Security Force) guys if they had the vehicles
fueled and ready to go. They always did
because I trained them to always be ready.
The team leader was never ready.
After about the fifth mission the team
leader messed up by being unplanned and late, I asked him why he didn’t plan
ahead. His response: “I always do better
under pressure.”
I thought it over for a few minutes while
I was driving like hell to get us to a “job” we were late for, then I said: “you
know you may think you work better under pressure, but really all you do is
fuck shit up, yell at everybody, and stress us all out, then screw up the job.”
He wasn’t used to people being so honest
and blunt with him. That day he didn’t
say much--- you see he was in such a hurry he had forgotten to bring his weapon
and we had no time to turn back and get it.
He knew I could cover him and outshoot anybody, so he didn’t worry.
When they finally relieved him of the
team, they gave it to me. But by that
time, we had reduced our number of Soldiers and I also had to take over another
team. So instead of 8 Soldiers to do the
job, we did it with 2.5 (I could borrow a guy from one of the other teams if I
needed.) none of it mattered much, as
SFOR (Stabilization Force Bosnia) was soon to go away.
Damn it, I loved that job. Oh well, at least I have the stories and the
experience.
As a cop, I learned early that when going to make an arrest or do a search, the best made plans always were not perfect. Include things that you don't know and be able to adjust and overcome.
So, for planning…are you the type who
waits until the last minute and thinks everything is OK, or do you plan ahead
and have a good back up plan.
5 comments:
Dwight David Eisenhower- The Plan is nothing, Planning is everything! :-)
1. Good Eisenhower quote.
2. Your post relates to load-out for on-foot patrolling.
3. Was chatting with heavy brass type about that subject. With armor, the troops are carrying about twenty pounds more than we did, back in the day. (Wuz about 90# in a ruck with no frame and unpadded shoulder straps).
4. Point being, it's nice to have the kitchen sink on hand when you need it.
5. Relates to your back-up plan.
6. Most of the gear we were hauling would stay packed unless stuff happened.
7. Actually, mostly we'd be out and some higher-up would call with a change of plan.
8. Didn't need back up plan as mission changes provided a worthy substitute.
9. It's a wonder anyone survived and anything got done. Somewhat questionable on the latter.
V/R JWest
I wish we had somebody like Ike running for president today.
Planning and prep was the only correct way to do our jobs in Bosnia and later in Iraq. The difference between the 2 places was like being on Earth and Mars. Bosnia we were almost always in civilian clothes, in Iraq it was DCUs and lots of armor and crap. Bosnia was like a dream, Iraq like a bad dream...but I loved both jobs.
Most of the time I run by the seat of my pants...off duty...except in public. Always ready on duty and out in public with or without my family. Off duty...at home...I have everything in its place, but admit I am complacent there.
MF, as long as you can turn the switch on and know when to do so.
...but with a plan...all you have to do is know the plan, then relax.
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