SOP FOR OUTGOING MESSAGES
The company commander should receive a copy
o f the Communication Electronic Operating
The watch petty officer prepares one original and
Instruction (CEOI) to find out the radio nets the
two copies of all outgoing messages. All copies are
company is required to monitor. The contents of a
passed to the watch chief. The watch chief reviews
CEOI are discussed in chapter 1. There are normally
the message, signs the releasing block, files one copy,
only two frequency nets that a company CP is required
and forwards two copies to the communicator. The
to monitor:
communicator logs one copy and transmits the
1. Battalion Command Net One: Establish
message. After transmission, the communicator
communication from the companies to the COC for
returns the original copy, with the time of transmission
administrative and logistics issues.
shown, back to the watch petty officer. The watch
chief receives the original with the time of
2. Battalion Tactical Net Two: Establish
transmission noted. The original is placed on the
communication from the companies to the COC for
outgoing reading board.
tactical purposes. Used for various reports, such as
SPOT, SALUTE, AMMUNITION, CAUSALITY, and
NOTE: When the watch petty officer is
SITREPS.
preoccupied, the watch chief prepares outgoing
messages.
OPERATION OF THE COMPANY
COMMAND POST
REPORTING PROCEDURES
A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
Reporting procedures must be established for the
instruction for the company CP should be prepared.
company CP to be effective. The use of standardized
All key personnel involved with the operations of the
reports speeds information flow and simplifies
company CP should participate in the preparation of
support requests. Proper communication procedures,
the SOP. Special consideration must be given to
including encryption of sensitive information, must be
message-handling procedures and situation boards.
followed in submitting all reports. Every person in the
The following paragraphs contain a typical SOP
company must know the proper reporting procedures.
Information from the lines must get relayed back to
for the company CP. The one you may be tasked to
the company CP in an accurate and timely fashion.
design may be different but should contain the same
Formats for reports may vary from unit to unit. The
basic topics.
two most commons are the SALUTE and SPOT
SOP FOR INCOMING MESSAGES
reports.
The platoon commander receives information
All incoming radio traffic should be written down
from the lines by landline or radio. The primary
on authorized message pads that allow the preparation
means of communication between the platoon
of an original plus two copies.
commander and squad leaders are wire. Messengers,
visual signals, personal contact, or whistles may be
NOTE: A guideline for handling messages is in
used when they are more appropriate than phones and
radios.
The communicator passes an incoming message
As previously mentioned, the location of field
to the watch petty officer who checks the message for
format, spelling, and legibility. After checking the
phones on the lines is dictated by the assets available,
the terrain, and the size of the area of responsibility
message, the watch petty officer should pass the
assigned to the company. The platoon commander
message with all copies to the watch chief who will
must be able to relay information quickly and
decide the appropriate action to take. The original
plus one copy is then filed and one copy is placed on
accurately. The platoon commander must also have
the reading board.
complete command and control of the squads and
crew-served weapons assigned to the platoon.
Incoming messages received by the runner or by
The ideal situation is for the platoon commander
the field telephone are handled in the same manner as
incoming radio messages. When the watch petty
to have a TA-312/PT (field phone) at each squad
leader's fighting position or crew-served weapon
officer is preoccupied with other events, messages
should be routed directly to the watch chief.
position. The field phones will tie into a switchboard
