Table of Contents
Using CERP to Disrupt the Taliban in Kabul Province
Mission command uses seven element essential to mission success. Every part plays an important role in battlefield strategy, overcoming obstacles, and team success. In 2010, Captain Dennis Frey captured the true meaning of mission command during the Humanitarian Effort United Front 1 (located in Musahi Afghanistan).
“By the end of 2010 the valleys of stagnant rural economy, chronic poverty, wide spread illiteracy, lack of living necessities (such as winter clothing and food staples), dilapidated infrastructure, and absence of economic and educational opportunities fueled an acute humanitarian crisis” (Donald P. Wright, 2012).
Mission Command
Sustainment commanders use mission command to balance between command and control that enables them to achieve objectives. There are seven principles that are used when exercising the use of mission command. These principles are competence, mutual trust, shared understanding, commander’s intent, mission orders, discipline initiative, and risk acceptance. The first and what I feel is the most important principle is competence. In order to achieve anything, one must have competence.
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Competence
ADP 6-0 states that competence is “tactically and technically competent commanders, subordinates, and teams are the basis of effective mission command” (ADP, 2019) Competence and confidence go hand and hand. In the humanitarian effort United Front 1, competence played a huge role in mission success. Captain Dennis Frey showed his competence by “launching a large scale humanitarian aid mission funded by the Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP)” (Donald P. Wright, 2012). In order to the launch the humanitarian aid, Captain Dennis Frey had to have mutual trust with the Musahi Tribal Elders.
Mutual Trust
ADP 6-0 states that “Mutual Trust is shared confidence between commanders, subordinates, and partners that they can be relied on and are competent in performing their assigned tasks’’ (ADP, 2019). Captain Dennis Frey gained mutual trust by meeting with the Musahi Tribal Elders. In the beginning, all parties were extremely uncomfortable with one another. Based on Captain Frey’s research on Musahi Tribal politics he knew to remain silent and remove his body armor to show that he was of no threat. After gaining the respect of the Elders they could come to common grounds of shared understanding.
According to ADP 6-0, Shared Understanding is the common approach to conduct operations through the process of planning, preparation, execution, and assessment. (ADP, 2019) A plan of action was established during the meeting with the Musahi Tribal Elders. They gained a shared understanding of the crisis going on in Musahi villages. However, the commander’s intent was not that of a humanitarian effort.
Commanders Intent
The commander’s intent was to train and mentor the Afghan National Police. ADP 6-0 states that the commander’s intent is a clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired military end state. The end state of this mission was not as concise or clear. However the mission orders helped Captain Frey push a humanitarian effort while carrying out commander’s intent. (Jones, 2011)
Mission Orders
Mission orders can vary in many ways. “Army commanders issue orders to give guidance, assign tasks, allocate resources, and delegate authority.” (ADP, 2019) The mission orders were to provide security for Kabul Villages. Captain Frey used the guidance of the commander by “Using the Afghan National Police to establish security perimeters, search incoming vehicles, conduct foot patrols, and distribute goods as part of the humanitarian aids to serve the broader purpose of the mission” (Donald P. Wright, 2012). The allocated resources served both the mission order and the humanitarian effort. He took the disciplined initiative to accommodate both the Musahi Tribe and his command.
Disciplined Initiative
Captain Frey by turning what was once a security mission into a Humanitarian Aid Effort. “The Humanitarian Aid deliveries also constituted a police training exercise” (Donald P. Wright, 2012). Disciplined initiative is when subordinates have the discipline to follow their orders until they themselves realize it is no longer suitable for the situation in which they find themselves (ADP, 2019).
Captain Frey knew because of the current state of the village that the people were in such dire need that they did not have the resources to rise against the Taliban. He would not have been able to get them to cooperate and help until they were clothed and fed with basic human needs. In doing so he accepted all risks including retaliation from the Taliban and reprimand from his chain of command.
Risk Acceptance
Risk acceptance is the “commander’s ability to balance the tension between protecting the force and accepting and managing risks that must be taken to accomplish their mission” (ADP, 2019). Captain Frey knew that the overall mission success was based on the villagers welfare and the cooperation of the Afghan National Police. This was extremely vital because of the Taliban retaliation. The Afghan National Police not only trusted Captain Frey but they respected him. They were all able to work together and accomplish the mission.
Conclusion
Captain Frey knew by putting people before mission that he would succeed. In conclusion, “The surge of humanitarian and medical assistance, enhanced educational opportunities, expanded police presence, and door to door interaction with the Musahi valley to push back against Taliban” (Donald P. Wright, 2012). “For the first time in the war, the Taliban’s iron grip on the Musahi valley had been loosened” (Donald P. Wright, 2012).
“We prepped that battlefield with earning the trust and getting the people what they needed”
–Sergeant Marcell
References
- Donald P. Wright, P. D. (2012). Gaining the Initiative in Musahi Using CERP to Disrupt the Taliban in Kabul Province. In P. D. Donald P. Wright, Vanguard of Valor Volume II (pp. 29-53). Fort Leavenworth: Combat Studies Institute Press.
- Jones, S. S. (2011). Afghan families recieve food, clothing for winter months. Retrieved from Defense visual information distribution service: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/64627/afghan-families-receive-food-clothing-winter-months
- U.S. Deparment of the Army. (2019). Mission Command: Army Doctrine Publication 6-0. Retrieved from https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN19189_ADP_6-0_FINAL_WEB_v2.pdf
