Mission: NLT 260500MAR2018, 3rd BCT, 101st ABN DIV will conduct a personnel recovery operation in the neighborhood Khandaq (western part of Kandahar); in order to secure the three 3rd BCT Soldiers.
In this exercise, you are the Operations Sergeant Major for 3rd BCT, 101st ABN DIV. Your BDE CDR has just returned from ISAF HQ after receiving a briefing about three Soldiers that were taken prisoner on 250400MAR2018. Your commander has directed the staff to direct a WARNO for your subordinate elements.
Date Time Group (DTG): 250600MAR2018
DTG Soldiers Reported Missing: 240400MAR2018
Location Take From: Checkpoint in the neighborhood of Dwaham-Durahi (Southeastern Kandahar).
Suspected Location Being Held: Compound in Khandaq (western part of Kandahar).
Insurget Group Responsible: Al-Qaeda.
Insurget Group Leader: Cell leaders name is unknown at this time.
Enemy Background: We expect this cell to be well organized, trained, and equipped. They understand the importance we place on our Soldiers and are expecting action on our part. The cell itself is primarily Mujahedeen from Saudi Arabia and Yemen. They have been in this area of operations for many years and enjoy support from the local populace. Their primary sources of funding are the transportation of heroin and what they take from the local populace.
Intelligence on the Current Enemy Situation: It is believed at any given time there are 15 to 20 insurgents in the compound armed with various types of small arm weapons and RPG's. The compound is enclosed by a six foot high brick wall with gates located in the center of the northern and southern walls. These gates appear to be well fortified and will require a significant breaching force to open. There are two buildings located on the compound. Building A is the larger building of the two, approximately 72'x 96'. It is a single story structure that has multiple windows along all sides. There is a small single door entrance on the south side of the building. Building B is a small building 24'x36'. It is believed the US Soldiers are being held here.
The only civilians believed to be in the industrial park in the hours of darkness minus the insurgents are guards in the other adjacent compounds are nighttime guards for the companies that own the compounds. We must try to minimize all collateral damage to adjacent compounds.
Imagery shows that the area to the east of the compound is wide open desert with little to no vegetation. Aircraft would be able to get as close as 50 meters for touchdown. The three other sides of the compound have small houses and other small buildings tightly packed. Entry from these sides of the area would be difficult. It does not appear the roads will allow anything larger than HMMWV. There has been a decrease of civilian movement in this area since the Soldiers were captured.
For imagery see Practical Exercise instructions in the lesson folder.
Weather is showing that illumination will be at 87% with high temp of 92 degrees and low of 74 degrees.
Available Assets:
3-187th Infantry Battalion and 2-506th Infantry Battalion.
Units Attached:
AWT - Alpha Company/2-174th (AH-64 2x each)
Lift Aviation - Bravo Company/3-174th (UH-60 4x each) and Alpha Company/4-174th (CH-47 1x each)
MEDEVAC is on stand-by and is located with the DIV TOC. We only have about a 96-hour window to conduct this mission. Our intelligence sources say they will move the U.S. Soldiers as soon as they can.
Practical Exercise #2: Describe the characteristics of the area of operations and how they affect the mission using the mission variables (METT-TC). Submit your solution in a discussion thread and provide feedback to one other student.