ROUTINE: 3-4 hours or start of business on
6. Base Facility Tactical Net: Establishes
the following day.
communication from the battalion's COC to the base
facility commander. Used for tactical purposes and
The message is passed to the communication chief
v a r i o u s reports, such as SPOT, SALUTE,
who checks the message for form at, spelling, and
AMMUMTION, CAUSALITY, and SITREPS.
l e g i b i l i t y . After checking the message, the
7. Conduct of Fire Net: Establishes communica-
communication chief passes the message with all
tion from the battalion's COC to the battalion's Fire
copies to the COC watch officer. The COC watch
Direction Center (FDC). Used by the companies to call
officer assigns the action as appropriate and indicates
in fire missions and by the fire support coordinator to
the action section on the message, such as FSC and
call in fire support.
S-2. The watch officer gives the original to the journal
clerk for logging, gives one copy to the action section,
8 . Rear Area Operating Command Net:
and places one copy on the reading board.
E s t a b l i s h e s communication, u s u a l l y b y a
high-frequency radio (HF), from the battalion's COC to
Incoming messages received by runner or field
higher authority (i.e., RASC) located outside the base
telephone are handled in the same manner as incoming
facility, such as RAOC.
radio messages, except they are delivered to the COC
9. Communication Coordination Net: Used solely
w a t c h officer without routing through the
for communication problems within the battalion.
communication chief.
10. Alert/Broadcast Net (HF): Used to pass alert
warning traffic or general traffic about all (or the
OUTGOING MESSAGES
majority) of the units within the area of operations.
OPERATION OF THE COMBAT
The originating staff sections, such as FSC and
OPERATION CENTER
S-2, prepare an original and two copies of each
message prepared. All copies are passed to the COC
Once you know the units within your area of
watch officer. The COC watch officer reviews the
operations, who you are OPCON to, and have
message, signs the releasing block, and passes one
established a communication network, a Standard
copy to the journal clerk for logging. The COC watch
Operating Procedure (SOP) instruction for the
officer then gives the original plus one copy to the
Combat Operation Center should be prepared. All key
communication chief. The communication chief
personnel involved with the operations of the COC
passes one copy to the communicator. After
should be involved. Special consideration must be
transmission, the communicator returns this copy with
given to message handling procedures, situation
the time of transmission indicated back to the
boards, unit journal, fire support coordinator, and staff
communication chief. The communication chief
briefings.
returns a copy to the originator. The COC watch
officer gets the original with the time of transmission
NOTE: The following paragraphs contain a
noted. The original is then placed on the outgoing
typical SOP for the Combat Operation Center. The
reading board after the journal clerk logs the time of
one you may be tasked to design maybe different but
transmission.
should contain the same basic topics.
INCOMING MESSAGES
SITUATION BOARDS
All incoming radio traffic will be written down on
Each cognizant staff section, such as Ops and
authorized message pads with an original plus two
INTEL, is responsible for maintaining current
copies (fig. 1-11).
situation maps and other tactical information aids.
A guide for handling messages is as follows:
Close monitoring of the developing tactical situation
is required to ensure that request for support or
FLASH: Not fixed. Handle as fast as humanly
information are provided expeditiously. The COC
possible; objective is less than 10 minutes.
watch officer should ensure that any information
IMMEDIATE: 30 minutes-1 hour.
requiring the updates of maps or charts is forwarded
to the staff sections rapidly.
PRIORITY: 1-3 hours.
