#MINUTE COMMANDER UPDATE#

#MINUTE COMMANDER UPDATE#

The S-4 provides a status update of combat power, estimated shipping dates or completion dates for supplies and the current logistics status for the battalion.Ĭommunications. He also provides the status of any wounded-in-action or killed-in-action packets. The S-1 reports the number of personnel on ground at every location of responsibility. The S-3 outlines the current activities of friendly forces, route statuses, and the current mission status for current and upcoming convoys. He also provides the current weather and weather activities that could affect operations. The S-2 provides enemy significant activities and their effects on the battalion and on logistics. The contents of the two-minute drill vary depending on what the battalion commander wants to know, but typically, it will consist of the following.

Each staff group provides their own piece of information that paints a common operational picture (COP) in a relatively short amount of time. The two-minute drill is basically a mini commander's update brief that allows the staff sections to quickly inform the commander, executive officer, command sergeant major, or a distinguished visitor of any pertinent information as of a specific date and time. So what systems can be put into place to ensure that the staff sections talk to each other and update running estimates?īesides conducting commander's update briefs, battle update briefs, and shift change briefs, the two-minute drill is another technique coached and observed at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The subordinate companies are the ones that suffer when staff officers get this wrong.Ĭompany commanders and first sergeants know how frustrating it can be to have five different staff sections requesting the same information during the same day. As leaders, we sometimes struggle to come up with the systems needed to synchronize staff efforts and build a shared understanding that will act as a forcing function to update running estimates on a regular basis.

At some point in their careers, logisticians step into a position just before a major training exercise or a training center rotation where they have to support the commander and subordinate commanders in understanding situations, making decisions, and implementing courses of action.Īrmy Doctrine Publication 6-0, Mission Command, defines the science of control as the systems and procedures used to improve the commander's understanding and support accomplishing missions.

Minute commander