SMEAC Briefing

P-1: OVERVIEW

The Sigma Security Group Curator program is meant to ensure that operations are being overseen by trained, experienced, and well-equipped operations hosts, dubbed “curators.” This includes providing field teams with a proper briefing, coordinating properly with forces on the ground, proper usage and implementation of all available assets, and ultimately, the overall outcome of the operation followed by a successful debrief and after-action report.

P-2: BRIEFING

An ideal operations briefing should follow SMEAC format - Situation, Mission, Execution, Administration and Command. These are the five crucial components of an informative and all encompassing mission brief and should be implemented during every operation briefing given.

S: SITUATION

• What country or province are we in? What town or base are we at? Who controls it?

• Why has Sigma been contracted to this location, and by whom? What are we doing?

• What has been happening in this region to require an operation by Sigma forces?

• Who are our enemies, what are their motivations? Who are our allies?

• What is the enemy’s strength, composition, and most likely course of action?

• What is the enemy’s standard procedure? Are they a militia or organized force?

• What are the enemy’s limitations and capabilities? Are they defensive or offensive?

• Do we have any units directly attached to us, e.g. persons to escort?

• What allied supports are available to us? Are friendly elements are operating in the AO?

• What are the civil and terrain considerations? Weather, time of day, CIVPOP, etc.
  
  “Welcome to Afghanistan. We’re here today in the Helmand Province on a United States Department of Defense contract, operating outside the city of Sangin. Our goal today will be to provide blocking positions and QRF to a Delta Force detachment running COIN operations within the city limits. Enemy militia elements from the Ba’ath party are expected to be consolidating resources and personnel within the town.
  
  Sigma will be tasked with constructing a forward operating base outside the city with the assistance of Canadian Engineers, as the enemy are likely to hunker down and defend the city fiercely…”
  

M: MISSION

• What are we being tasked to do? What are the primary, secondary, and tertiary OBJs?

• Are there any objectives that are mandatory to be completed? Are any optional?

• What is the description of the target? (HVI, caches, fortified buildings, marked cargo?)

• Who do we expect to face as an enemy during this operation?

• Where will this operation take place? Are there any environmental considerations?

• Is there a time frame that the operation must be completed in? Will QRF respond?

• What is the goal of this mission? Why are we executing this operation?
  
  “Sigma will establish a forward operating base at RP Ottawa with the assistance of Canadian Engineers, and additionally will serve as quick-reaction force to BLUFOR teams operating within the city. We may be tasked with the completion of their objectives should their force become combat ineffective. This may include the kill/capture of high ranking Ba’ath party members and the destruction of any munitions caches in Sangin.
  
  Note that any large-scale firefights within Sangin will draw in Ba’ath party sympathizers from neighboring villages and the surrounding mountains and high-rise buildings may interfere with short range communications. This town has a high threat of IEDs and a high CIVPOP will still be present.”

E: EXECUTION

• How will the insertion be done? Are there any considerations for drivers or pilots?

• What is the intended order of objectives or movement route for the operation?

• Are there any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that may be exploited, e.g. cutting power?

• How would these weaknesses be exploited? What needs to be done?

• Is any mission-essential equipment required, e.g. thermite, demolition blocks?

• What is the intended scheme of maneuver? Single push vs. flanking attack, etc.

• What are the taskings for each individual team?
  
  “Sigma teams will insert via CH-47 Chinook helocast into the Musaqara river and will proceed on foot to RP Ottawa, where they will meet Canadian Engineers in possession of supplies. Fortify tools will be required to assist with the construction of the FOB. Echo 3 will provide security while Echo 1 and Echo 2 work on fortifications facing North toward the town of Sangin.
  
  If Quick Reaction Force is required, Echo 1 will advance into the town from the east side while Echo 2 advances in directly from the south and Echo 3 advances in from the west.”
  

A: ADMINISTRATION

• How are enemy prisoners, civilians, and enemy or friendly wounded to be handled?

• What are the options for MEDEVAC or CASEVAC?

• How will friendly units be reinserted into the operation?

• What are our logistics capability e.g. resupply via airdrop, on-site procurement?
  
  “Enemy prisoners are to be handed over to BLUFOR teams in the region, either to SF teams operating within Sangin or to the Canadian Engineers. The CH-47 insertion helo will be on station for CASEVAC and MEDEVAC of all friendly and enemy casualties as well as to deploy friendly re-inserts. Another CH-47 is on standby for logistics support via paradrop but will require a forward observer to mark drop zones within the urban center.”

C: COMMAND

• What are the frequencies for all teams, supports, and commanders?

• What is the succession of command? Who is the Actual and 2IC in each team?

• What is the location of any key personnel, supports, commanding officers, etc?

• Are there any emergency or contingency radio nets to be used?

• Are any non-standard radio nets to be used for air-to-ground, MEDEVAC, etc.?

• How are allied support elements to be contacted, and what are their callsign(s)?
  
  “Teams will use standard Sigma short-range frequencies and contact command on LR 51. All command elements will remain stationed at the forward operating base at RP Ottawa if a quick reaction force into Sangin is required. MEDEVAC and logistics support will be available on LR 52 and all communications with NATO BLUFOR teams is to be done through contact with Sigma command.
  
  As a contingency, the American SF team within Sangin uses callsign ‘Demon’ and has been provided with Sigma short-range frequencies for emergency use.”