Military Review English Edition November December 2016 | Page 50

development
approach, simFoundational Education
ilar to a model
sometimes used
Week 1
Week 2
·
Staff
functions
·
Warfighting
function
by software
· Staff position assignments
overview
9
designers. Spiral
· Operations process
· Warfighting function
· Tactical operations
breakout
development
center (TOC) operations
· Warfighting function
sequences
· Offensive operations
integration
· Defensive operations
· Introduction to military
functional goals
· Stability operations
decision-making process
so that each
(MDMP)
goal represents
an iteration,
Practical Application
or a loop, in
the spiral. The
Week 4
Week 5
Week 3
iterations used
MDMP practical exercise
MDMP practical exercise
MDMP practical exercise
included de(counterattack)
(wide-area security)
(defense)
veloping an
initial concept,
Collective Integration
determining
and refining
Week 6
Week 9
Week 7
Week 8
MDMP for battalion
TOC operations for
goals, identifying
Command-post
MDMP for battalion
command-post
battalion field-training
exercise
field-training exercise
problems, certiexercise
exercise
fying instructors,
(Graphic by authors)
assessing progress, conducting
Figure 2. Learning Modules
retraining, and
making appropriate adjustments to the training plan. The final iterabattalion staff conducted the seven steps of the MDMP
tion would integrate the functions already established
during each iteration of the tactical scenario. They
in the other iterations.
eventually produced a final operation order, constructFigure 2 depicts the three modules developed to
ed a terrain model for a combined-arms rehearsal, and
complement this approach: foundational education,
established mission-pertinent battle-tracking tools in
practical application, and collective integration. The
the battalion tactical operations center for each prefocus during the first module included basic knowlscribed scenario.
edge of U.S. and NATO doctrine. Classroom instrucThe third module focused on collective integration covered the U.S. Army’s operations process,
tion. Following the MDMP practical exercises, the
establishing a tactical operations center, tactics in a
Ukrainian battalion staff planned and executed a
decisive-action environment, warfighting functions,
more complex command-post exercise against a
and the military decision-making process (MDMP).
hybrid threat. The command-post exercise required
Multiple delivery methods such as lectures, practical
the battalion to execute defensive operations includexercises, terrain walks, and use of multimedia reining combined-arms maneuver and stability tasks
forced key learning objectives.
in a simulated Donbass environment. Following
The second module, practical application, included
the exercise, the staff planned and executed a new
three scenarios to facilitate three complete iterations
orders process and provided mission command for
of the MDMP. The three scenarios included a defense
a full-battalion situational training exercise at the
task, a counterattack, and a cordon-and-search operYavoriv Training Area. The situational training
ation that incorporated stability tasks. The Ukrainian
exercise used a multiple integrated laser engagement
48

November-December 2016  MILITARY REVIEW