Military Review English Edition September-October 2014 | Page 11

INSIGHT

intent is not understood or if soldiers exercise undisciplined initiative. From this perspective, the critical role
of NCOs becomes clear.

The commander drives the operations process by
understanding, visualizing, describing, directing, leading, and assessing operations.9
As commanders use the mission command warNoncommissioned Officers and
fighting function to integrate the other warfighting
the Mission Command Warfighting
functions—movement and maneuver, intelligence,
Function
fires, sustainment, and protection—it is their sergeants
Next, NCOs need to understand their part in supmajor who provide sage advice on capabilities, outporting the tasks and subordinate systems of the mission
comes, concerns, and friction points. They provide their
command warfighting function. According to mission
commanders with constant assessments and feedback,
command doctrine, within the mission command
so they can make well-informed decisions. Similarly,
warfighting function the main commander tasks are—
senior, mid-grade, and first-line leaders—through
Drive the operations process
feedback, training, education, and experience—inform
Develop teams within and outside the
their commanders about approaches that have or have
organization
not worked in the past. They can discuss the effecInform and influence audiences within and outtiveness of various capabilities needed for any of the
side the organization
warfighting functions.
Driving the operations process. NCOs in all specialties and
at all levels have a direct role in
helping commanders drive the
operations process. NCOs at the
senior level help commanders
organize soldiers with expertise in
different specialties to support the
appropriate warfighting function.
Mid-grade leaders ensure those
soldiers are trained, and they share
knowledge with their commanders
about the availability of or need for
expertise to inform commanders’
decisions. First-line leaders execute
the mission and perform subordinate tasks within the given intent.
In order for commanders to understand and visualize, they must
have a reasonably accurate picture
of the problem set or mission.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Audie Smitley
discusses which equipment is best
Through their leadership and expesuited for future route clearance
rience, the sergeants major or other
patrols with German combat
NCOs provide key information to
engineers from Task Force Kunduz,
assist commanders in their process
8 March 2011. U.S. Army and
German combat engineers trained
of understanding and visualizing.
together to form a combined
Commanders describe and
coalition route clearance team that
direct as NCOs execute. During
would eventually include Afghanistan engineers.
execution, NCOs at each level feed
Spc. David Huddleston, 18th Engineer Brigade
their commanders information

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MILITARY REVIEW  September-October 2014

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