text: Mission Command
  (cid:122) Assisting the XO in ensuring a smooth and continuous information flow.
  (cid:122) Processing essential data to ensure tactical and logistical information is gathered and provided to
  staff members on a regular basis.
  (cid:122) Tracking CCIRs and providing recommendations.
  (cid:122) Approving fabrication and propagation of manual unit icons.
  (cid:122) Sending reports to higher and ensuring relevant information passes to subordinate units.
  (cid:122) Monitoring security within and around the CP.
  (cid:122) Organizing the CP to displace rapidly.
  (cid:122) Conducting battle drills and enforcing the SOP.
  4-279. The battle captain ensures allstaff elements in the CP understand their actions in accordance with
  the SOP and operation order,and provides coordination for message flow,staff briefings,updates to charts,
  and other coordinated staff actions. As the focal point in the CP, the battle captain processes essential
  information from incoming data, assesses it, ensures dissemination, and makes recommendations to the
  commander,XO,and S-3. The battle captain ensures the consistency,accuracy,and timeliness of information
  leaving the CP, including preparing and issuing fragmentary orders and warning orders. The battle captain
  monitors and enforces the updating of charts and status boards necessary for battle management and ensures
  this posted information is timely,accurate,and accessible.
  Digital and Analog Command and Control Systems and Techniques
  4-280. Digital command and control systems within a CP bring a dramatic increase in the level of
  informational dominance units may achieve. Techniques for digital procedures and for integrating analog
  and digital units contribute to battlefield lethality and tempo, and the ability to maintain information
  dominance. These techniques can significantly speed the process of creating and disseminating orders,allow
  for extensive collection of information, and increase the speed and fidelity of coordination and
  synchronization of battlefield activities. At the same time,achieving the potential of these systems requires
  extensive training,a high level of technical proficiency by both operators and supervisors,and the disciplined
  use of detailed SOPs. Communications planning and execution to support the digital systems is significantly
  more demanding and arduous than is required for units primarily relying on Combat Net Radio
  communication and Joint Capabilities Release(known as JCR)/Joint Battle Command-Platform (known as
  JBC-P). (See ATP6-02.53 for additional information on CP tactical radio operations.)
  4-281. Whether to use Combat Net Radioor digital means for communication is a function of the situation
  and SOPs. Some general considerations can help guide the understanding of when to use which mechanism
  at what time. Frequency modulation communication is normally the initial method of communications when
  elements are in contact. Before and following an engagement,the staff and commanders use digital systems
  for disseminating orders and graphics and conducting routine reporting. During operations,however,the staff
  uses a combination of systems to report and coordinate with higher and adjacent units.
  4-282. The BCT staff must remain sensitive to the difficulty and danger of using digital systems when
  moving or in contact. The staff should not expect digital reports from subordinate units under such conditions.
  Other general guidelines include the following:
  (cid:122) Initial contact at any echelon within the BCT should be reported on frequency modulation voice;
  digital enemy spot reports should follow as soon as possible to generate the enemy COP.
  (cid:122) Elements moving about the battlefield (not in CPs) use frequency modulation voice unless they
  can stop and generate a digital message or report.
  (cid:122) Emergency logistical requests,especially casualty evacuation (see ATP 4-25.13) requests,should
  be initiated on frequency modulation voice with a follow-up digital report,if possible.
  (cid:122) Combat elements moving or in contact should transmit enemy spot reports on frequency
  modulation voice; their higher headquarters should convert frequency modulation reports into
  digital spot reports to generate the COP.
  (cid:122) Calls for fire on targets of opportunity should be sent on frequency modulation voice;fire support
  teams submit digitally to advanced field artillery tactical data system.
  (cid:122) Plan calls for fire digitally and execute them by voice with digital back up.