text: The Brigade Combat Team and the Operational Environment
  (cid:122) Security.
  (cid:122) Sustainment.
  (cid:122) Terrain management.
  (cid:122) Movement control.
  (cid:122) Protection.
  (cid:122) Infrastructure development.
  Support Area
  2-113. In operations,the BCT commander may refer to a support area. The support areais the portion of
  the commander’s area of operations that is designated to facilitate the positioning, employment, and
  protection of base sustainment assets required to sustain, enable, and control operations (ADP 3-0). The
  commander assigns a support area as a subordinate area of operations to support functions. It is where most
  sustaining operations occur. Within a division or corps support area, a designated BCT or maneuver
  enhancement brigade provides area security, terrain management, movement control, mobility support,
  clearance of fires, and tactical combat forces for security. Corps and divisions may have one or multiple
  support areas,located as required to best support the force. These areas may be noncontiguous to the other
  areas,in the close area,or in the reararea. (Seechapter 4for additional information.)
  Consolidation Area
  2-114. The consolidation area is the portion of the land commander’s area of operations that may be
  designated to facilitate freedom of action,consolidategains through decisive action,and set the conditions
  to transition the area of operations to follow on forces or other legitimate authorities (ADP 3-0). Corps and
  division commanders may establish a consolidation area,particularly in the offense as the friendly force gains
  territory,to exploit tactical success while enabling freedom of action for forces operating in the other areas.
  A consolidation area has all the characteristics of a close area, with the purpose to consolidate gains through
  decisive action once large-scale ground combat has largely ended in that particular area of operations.
  2-115. The consolidation area requires a purposefully task organized,combined arms unit to conduct area
  security and stability operations tasks (see chapter 8) and employ and clear fires. (See ATP 3-21.20,chapter
  4 for illustrations of area security and stability operations tasks performed by an Infantry brigade combat
  team [IBCT].) For a division,the BCT assigned responsibility for the consolidation area will initially focus
  primarily on security operations tasks that help maintain the tempo of operations in other areas,and it is likely
  to conduct offensive operationsto defeat or destroy enemy bypassed unitsin order to protect friendly forces
  positioned in or moving through the area. The division consolidation area grows as the BCTs in close
  operations advance. When division boundaries shift, as is likely during the offense, the corps/division
  consolidation area will grow, and the balance of security and stability operations tasks may shift towards
  more of a stability focus, as conditions allow. The division responsible for the corps consolidation area
  conducts tasks designed to set conditions for the handover of terrain to host-nation forces or legitimate
  civilian authorities. (SeeADP3-0 for additional information.)
  Decisive,Shaping,and Sustaining Operations
  2-116. Decisive,shaping,and sustaining operations lend themselves to a broad conceptual orientation. The
  decisive operationis the operation that directly accomplishes the mission (ADP3-0). The decisive operation
  determines the outcome of a major operation,battle,or engagement. The decisive operation is the focal point
  around which the commander designs an entire operation. Multiple subordinate units may be engaged in the
  same decisive operation across multiple domains. Decisive operations lead directly to the accomplishment
  ofthecommander’s intent. The commander typically identifies a single decisive operation (see figure 2-4on
  page 2-28).
  2-117. Ashaping operationis an operation at any echelon that creates and preserves conditions for success
  ofthe decisive operation through effects on the enemy,other actors,and the terrain (ADP 3-0). In combat,
  synchronizing the effects of aircraft, artillery fires, and obscurants to delay or disrupt repositioning forces
  illustrates shaping operations. Information operations, for example, may integrate Soldier and leader
  engagement tasks into the operation to reduce tensions between subordinate units within the BCT and