Batte Procedure

[slowstrummer]

Hey guys ... I am off to New Brunswick for the summer, BOMQ and CAP.  I would like to know about Battle Procedure, who might have experience with this recently and what I have to do before going?  I know the 16 points and their order change with every course.  Any help would be much appreciated.

S.

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

Hey guys ... I am off to New Brunswick for the summer, BOMQ and CAP.  I would like to know about Battle Procedure, who might have experience with this recently and what I have to do before going?  I know the 16 points and their order change with every course.  Any help would be much appreciated.

S.

I wouldn't worry about preparing to learn and execute battle procedure before going on course. They will teach you that. Focus on having your physical fitness at the highest possible level before going on BOMQ and CAP. That is something you can actually work on before going on course.

Having said that, the aspect of battle procedure that new guys (and old guys) often irretrievably screw up is the time estimate. Get the time estimate right and follow it and you will usually be OK. Mess up the time estimate  (or don't follow it) and you will probably fail regardless how brilliant your plan is.

Cheers and best of luck,

T2B

 

[jeffb]

If you have an iPhone there is a great Battle Procedure app produced by Mike, the owner of this site. Echo what the above poster said. Don't worry about this. You will learn this ad nausea for the rest of your career on various courses.

 

[Maxadia]

Are you not going on BMOQpt.2? If so, you'll learn it there.

 

[Wolseleydog]

Just to offer another perspective: I've heard it asserted (and would agree), that the core thing the system wants candidates to absorb in phase trg at Gagetown is battle procedure, not tactics.  Battle procedure is what will keep you org and on track, whereas tactics are more just understanding your wpns (ie technical), some cunning, and common sense.  Rather like the old saw about "amateurs think tactics, professionals think logistics" which is probably true when considering higher levels, at small unit level "amateurs think tactics, professionals think battle procedure."

So what is this vitally important battle procedure then?  I assume you've looked up the book defn.  Let me offer this take on it: battle procedure is how, in operations, you get -- and keep -- a grip.

Above commenters have stressed sticking to your time appreciation, which is sound advice.  Also -- the key to getting everything ready in time is concurrent activity.  And the key to concurrent activity is getting a warning order out as early as possible.  And the key to getting a warning order out as early as possible is not waiting until you have all the details before issuing your warning order.  Get it out asap and then update it as applicable.

Good luck.

 

[MNC]

Hey guys ... I am off to New Brunswick for the summer, BOMQ and CAP.  I would like to know about Battle Procedure, who might have experience with this recently and what I have to do before going?  I know the 16 points and their order change with every course.  Any help would be much appreciated.

S.

I spent about 4 years teaching BMOQ for a living, so what I'll say is, YES, battle procedure is important to your success on course, and getting a leg up on it before you go isn't a bad idea at all.  Most of BMOQ isn't hard to pass, if you can avoid a) getting injured, b) becoming a disciplinary problem, or c) getting stressed and quitting.  Of all the people I've seen fail the course, I'd guess around 70% of them failed for one of those reasons. 

However, those who managed to avoid these pitfalls, but still failed, typically failed in the field phase because they weren't able to demonstrate effective battle procedure and/or weren't able to write/issue decent orders.  I'd suggest you learn the 16 steps (they haven't changed in a couple of years, that I've heard) not just as a list to memorize...but read up on what each step MEANS.  Then, imagine yourself breaking down a real task that you've had to put some planning into, using battle procedure.  The "military specific" parts might not factor in well, but the most important (and hardest to learn) steps are those that help you gather information, analyze, and make a decision...all of which you do subconsciously every day.

For example, imagine you need to move to a new apartment.  You have several friends who could help.  They each have different skills.  You have a certain amount of money to pay for any expenses.  You have to be moved by a certain time/date.  You have to "recce" potential places, and select one.  You have to plan for which of your friends is going to help you do what.  If you take this example and try to write it down, as a detailed plan, step by step using battle procedure, you'll have a better appreciation for why one step comes before the next, and why it's important.

Good luck!

 

[Dissident]

For example, imagine you need to move to a new apartment.  You have several friends who could help.  They each have different skills.  You have a certain amount of money to pay for any expenses.  You have to be moved by a certain time/date.  You have to "recce" potential places, and select one.  You have to plan for which of your friends is going to help you do what.  If you take this example and try to write it down, as a detailed plan, step by step using battle procedure, you'll have a better appreciation for why one step comes before the next, and why it's important.

^^This^^

I make a concerted effort to teach BP in a way which my troops will be able to understand it  and use it outside of the army context.

In any case, I find the app Mike Bobbit made very usefull as a quick reference and draw from it on occasion. BP is a great system to manage projects. Of all the things the army has taught me, BP and SMESC are the most valuable teaching points to use civi side.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

As a young lance corporal many moons ago (well ok, not that long, 8 years ago), I found the intial learning of BP to be daunting....

...until I realised it was simple logical thought and planning.

My advice would be do not overthink it. For example, the time estimate. If you have ever had multiple tasks to complete in a day and still were home for dinner on time you have 'done' a time estimate. It really is that simple. It'll only be difficult at first because you will have no idea how long things take in reality as opposed to what your TAMs say.