Army Chemical Review

SUMMER 2013

Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.

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necessary for career or professional development. The 335th lacks authorized personnel with CBRN expertise, and the 20th lacks institutional knowledge and a cultural understanding of the USAR.4 Although individual senior CBRN leaders throughout the U.S. Army Chemical Corps sincerely try to guide, mentor, and shape the body of CBRN professionals, their efforts lack a unifying vision. Recent initiatives by the commander of the Chemical Corps to correct the situation are welcome; however, as an element of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, the commander has no formal direct command relationship with FORSCOM units. As a result, coordination between Regular Army and USAR CBRN forces is often ad hoc and situationally dependent. The problem can be summarized with the following points, and addressing these challenges will require creative, no-cost or low-cost solutions that will expand operational capabilities, improve readiness, and enhance mission command: y USAR CBRN forces are not functionally or operationally organized according to USAR Command doctrine. y USAR CBRN forces do not necessarily train as they are expected to fght; resources are not used as effciently or effectively as they should be. y USAR CBRN forces, despite constituting most of the available CBRN forces, are not confgured to serve as operational reserves for the most signifcant Regular Army CBRN headquarters inside or outside the continental United States. y Coordination between Training and Doctrine Command and FORSCOM Chemical Corps elements is not optimal. Proposed Solution The course of action proposed to address this problem involves establishing a USAR operational command and aligning all USAR CBRN units under the new command. Using the 20th SUPCOM modifed table of organization and equipment as a template, a brigadier general level command would be established and the eight USAR CBRN battalions would be aligned into two 4-battalion brigades—the 415th Chemical Brigade and another CBRN brigade. Funding and resources for the proposed CBRN command would be derived from the existing budget and manning authorizations for the USAR. The application of this proposed solution can be discussed in terms of the doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF) framework: y Doctrine. The establishment of a CBRN command would be consistent with current USAR doctrine for aligning forces by operational and functional commands. This doctrine, which has been in effect since 2006, has proven to be successful as the USAR has evolved into an operational reserve. y Organization. New organizational models would not be necessary. The 20th SUPCOM modifed table of organization and equipment would provide the Summer 2013 organizational template for the USAR CBRN command. The current 415th Chemical Brigade modifed table of organization and equipment would apply to the other, newly organized CBRN brigade. y Training. No new tactical (brigade and below) training requirements would be identifed. The existing training base (Training and Doctrine Command) could use the USARspecifc knowledge base (the 75th and 102d Divisions) to provide training to the new USAR CBRN command to reach headquarters, joint task force, initial operational capability within 12 months following activation and full operational capability within 24 months following activation. y Materiel. The cost associated with the required sourcing of the new CBRN command with communications and knowledge management systems comparable to those of the 20th SUPCOM would represent the second-largest, single cost (after facilities). The new command would likely need to make use of existing systems and commercial, off-the-shelf equipment during the initial operational capability period. y Leadership and education. Leadership and education benefts could potentially be realized along multiple lines of operation: ■ The new CBRN command would have training readiness oversight for all USAR CBRN assets. This would result in improved effciency in the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of training resources through a single headquarters to Training and Doctrine Command (102d Division; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear School [USACBRNS]). ■ The addition of the new CBRN brigade would reduce the span of control required for each brigade commander (with the 415th and the new CBRN brigade each having four subordinate battalions), increasing command contact time and attention by at least 25 percent. ■ The new USAR CBRN command would allow for the operational control of the direct reporting unit to FORSCOM as the operational reserve for the 20th SUPCOM, ensuring the readiness of leadership structures when needed. ■ Additional CBRN formations would provide the structure necessary for improved professional development and for opportunities for branch-qualifying assignments, which are currently very limited. Qualifed CBRN offcers and noncommissioned offcers must be developed and retained as the senior leaders of the Chemical Regiment. ■ The presence of a general offcer who, on behalf of USAR CBRN forces, serves as the senior leader (advocate and subject matter expert) would ensure the USAR maintenance of senior leader representation, comparable with the Regular Army and the ARNG. y Personnel. The total end strength would be neutral. New mission command organizations would be sourced and felded from current major subordinate command 41

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