FM 3-101. Chemical Staffs and Units
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FM 3-101 FM 3-101 ii FM 3-101 CHAPTER ONE CHEMICAL UNIT AND STAFF ORGANIZATIONS This chapter describes the organization and functioning of chemical units (brigade to team) and chemical staffs (theater army to battalion). The primary focus of this manual is warfighting, however chemical units and battle staffs may be employed in operations other than war (chapter 6) CHEMICAL UNITS The mission of chemical units is to provide decon, NBC reconnaissance, large-area smoke, and staff support to commanders to enhance their warfighting capabilities or support contingency requirements. Most chemical units are 100 percent mobile. Basis of allocation is determined on the number and type of units being supported and METT-T. Appendix A provides details of specific unit organization. CHEMICAL BRIGADE The chemical brigade normally supports a corps and consists of a brigade headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) and two to six chemical battalions. The brigade HHC consists of the brigade headquarters, containing the commander’s immediate staff (S 1, S2, S3, S4, and communications) and the headquarters company, which provides administrative and logistical support to the headquarters, 1-1 FM 3-101 The chemical brigade commander, with the advice of his staff and the corps chemical section, evaluates and determines the chemical unit support requirements for the corps. The brigade commander advises the corps commander concerning the employment of chemical assets, The brigade staff develops the scheme of support based on the NBC situation and METT-T. The brigade HHC is 50 percent mobile and provides its own organizational maintenance and mess support and establishes and operates internal and external radio and wire communications nets. The chemical brigade headquarters normally receives logistical support from a corps support group (CSG) designated in the corps opera- tions order or plan (OPORD/OPLAN). The corps support command (COSCOM) provides points of contact for all classes of supply, maintenance, and field services. CHEMICAL BATTALION The chemical battalion consists of a battalion headquarters and headquarters detachment (HHD) and two to five chemical companies. The battalion headquarters contains the battalion commander’s principal staff (S 1, S2/3, S4) and the headquarters detachment, which provides administrative and logistical support to the headquarters. There are two types of chemical battalion headquarters. One is designed to operate as part of a chemical brigade. The other, the chemical battalion (enhanced) (theater army), is designed to be assigned to a theater army area command (TAACOM), and to be the senior chemical headquarters in that command. The roles, functions, and responsibilities of the chemical battalion are directly affected by the command or support relationship established with the supported unit (see chapter 4, Battle Command). When a chemical battalion is attached or under the operational control of a division, the division chemical officer may relinquish operational control of the division’s assigned chemical company to the chemical battalion. This establishes a single point of contact for chemical unit support. The HHD is 50 percent mobile and provides its own organizational maintenance and mess support and establishes and operates internal and external radio and wire communications nets. The chemical battalion (enhanced)(theater army) will normally receive support from an area support group (ASG). The ASG provides points of contact for all classes of supply, maintenance, and field services. CHEMICAL COMPANIES Chemical Decontamination Company The chemical decon company provides equipment decon support to units. The company consists of a company headquarters, a maintenance section, and five de-con platoons. The company is 100 percent mobile. Each decon platoon is organized with a platoon headquarters and three decon squads. The decon squads are equipped with the M 12A1 power-driven decon apparatus (PDDA). The company may provide decon support to units in a corps’ rear area, the communications zone (COMMZ), or a division’s area of operations (AO). The company may also provide specialized decon support such as aircraft or terrain decon. FM 3-5, NBC Decontamination, provides detailed information concerning decon operations. 1-2 FM 3-101 Motorized Smoke Generator Company The motorized smoke generator company provides large-area smoke support for tactical operations. The company consists of a company headquarters, a maintenance section, two smoke platoons, and a support platoon. The company is 100 percent mobile. Each smoke platoon is organized with a platoon headquarters, and three smoke squads. The smoke squads are equipped with the motorized smoke system. The support platoon may operate in a centralized or decentralized mode. When the company is organized to conduct company-level smoke operations, the support platoon operates as a platoon under the control of the support platoon leader. In decentralized operations, smoke platoons operate independently with support squads task-organized to each platoon under control of the smoke platoon leader. The motorized smoke company is normally assigned to a chemical battalion, but may operate in direct support to a division. Motorized smoke units are less survivable than mechanized smoke units. This must be considered when determining how far forward motorized smoke units will operate. The smallest deployable element of the company is a platoon. A motorized smoke platoon can create a smoke haze from 1,100 to 2,800 meters in width. FM 3-50, Smoke Operations provides more detailed information concerning smoke operations. Mechanized Smoke Generator Company The mechanized smoke company provides large-area smoke support for tactical operations in the forward combat area. The company consists of a company headquarters and two smoke platoons. The company is 100 percent mobile. Each platoon consists of a platoon headquarters, two smoke squads, and a support squad. The smoke squads are equipped with M 1059 mechanized smoke vehicles. The M1059 allows them to provide more responsive smoke support to armored and mechanized infantry units. The smallest deployable element of the mechanized company is a platoon. One platoon can create a smoke haze from 600 to 1,500 meters in width. Survivability of the fuel support platoon/ squads must be taken into consideration during planning. FM 3-50, Smoke Operations provides detailed information concerning smoke operations. Smoke/Decontamination Company The smoke/decon chemical company (corps/theater army) provides large area smoke and equipment decon support to divisions, units in the corps rear areas, or COMMZ. The company consists of a company headquarters and four smoke/decon platoons. The company is 100 percent mobile. Each platoon consists of a platoon headquarters, two smoke/decon squads, and a fuel/water support squad. The smoke/decon squads are equipped with M 17 lightweight decon systems (LDS) and motorized smoke system. Each support squad can haul 2,400 gallons of water and 1,100 gallons of fog oil. Each platoon can provide equipment decon and large area smoke generation support, however, the platoons cannot perform these missions simultaneously. Platoons cannot immediately switch from one mission to the other and must plan changes to mission configuration in detail. A platoon can provide smoke haze from 550 to 1,400 meters in width. When the platoon is configured for decon support it can establish two operational decon sites or one thorough decon site. 1-3 FM 3-101 NBC Reconnaissance Companv The NBC reconnaissance company provides NBC reconnaissance support through the area of operations to locate, identify, mark, report NBC contamination, and identify bypass routes around contaminated areas. The company has three platoons, each with four recon squads. The company is 100 percent mobile. Each squad contains two recon teams. The NBC reconnaissance company is normally assigned as a separate company of the chemical brigade, but may be attached to a chemical battalion. The company’s platoons can conduct NBC reconnaissance, surveys, surveillance, sampling, and limited conventional reconnaissance missions throughout the corps area of operations. Recon squads may also locate potential decon sites. FM 3-19, NBC Reconnaissance, provides detailed information concerning NBC reconnaissance operations. Chemical Company (Smoke/Decontamination/Reconnaissance) This company provides equipment decon, NBC reconnaissance, large-area smoke, and chemical staff support to armored cavalry regiments (ACR). The company consists of a chemical staff section, a company headquarters, one NBC recon platoon, and one smoke/decon platoon. The company is 100 percent mobile. The company headquarters has a headquarters section and a maintenance section. The NBC reconnaissance platoon is organized with a platoon headquarters and three reconnaissance squads, each with two recon teams. The smoke/decon platoon is organized with a platoon headquarters, two smoke/decon squads, and a support squad. The smoke/decon platoon is equipped with M 1059 mechanized smoke vehicles and M 17 LDS. The M 1059 is in the smoke/decon squads, and the M 17 LDS is in the support squad. The smoke/decon platoon performs missions similar to the platoons of the smoke/decon company with the same considerations for planning. During offensive operations or operations forward in the covering force area or main battle area, thorough decon operations will probably not be conducted; however, assets may be