197th Fires Brigade Deployment 2010-2011

mission. The second would involve the logistics of training 2375 soldiers in individual soldier skills and collective tasks (from map reading or putting on a protective mask, to the teamwork of a convoy reacting to an ambush).

Typically, Forces Command and National Guard Bureau (NGB) use the Reserves and National Guard for Combat Service (CS) and Combat Service Support (CSS) Missions. This doctrine allows the Department of Defense (DoD) to place more of their Active Duty units into combat situations, supported by the reserve units. Thus, the 197th FIB would be distributing its units throughout Kuwait where they would be taking over for the following non-standard and supporting missions:  Common-User Land Transport (CULT) involved short and long haul Convoy Escort Teams (CETs) for movement of military supplies  Force protection in and around the U.S. Military camps throughout Kuwait  Gateway mission involved all manner of troop movement around Kuwait – travelling from camp to camp, going on Rest and Relaxation (R&R) leave, etc.  Camp Command Cells were responsible for safety and general functioning of the U.S. Camps in Kuwait  Operational control of four other units already in theater: o Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) o Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) o Engineer Dive unit o Commander's Task Group (CTG) 56.5 (Navy & Coast Guard) In the process of staffing these missions, the 197th leadership contacted the 45th FIB for advice and insight. (The 45th was the unit in theater directing these missions from approximately July, 2009 to Apr 2010.) Armed with this real-life and up to date information, the 197th began breaking down their brigades, companies and platoons to fill the initial Deployment Manning Document (DMD). Historically, deploying units were authorized to leave at 110 percent strength to provide continuity of mission in the event of attrition (illness or injury, family emergency, going on leave, etc.).

However, host nation relationships and troop level sensitivities became a factor requiring the 197th to deploy at only 100 percent strength. To reduce their numbers, the 237th Military Police (MP) Company, which was slated to take the Force Protection mission, was cut from the DMD. The rationale was two-fold, first, the majority of the MP unit members had previously been deployed, and secondly, the state leadership was requiring some