text: Support Area Responsibilities
  4-37. Early warnings of pending enemy actions ensure that the commander has time to react to any threat.
  The intelligence staff analyzes likely routes and methods the enemy could use to conduct reconnaissance.
  They template likely locations and activities of enemy observation posts, patrols (mounted and dismounted),
  and other reconnaissance assets. Named areas of interest are established at these locations to focus
  counterreconnaissance activities. Security forces use observation posts, combat outposts, patrols, sensors,
  target acquisition radars, and aerial surveillance to locate high-potential targets and to confirm or deny the
  commander’s critical information requirements.
  Defense in Depth
  4-38. The depth extends from the range of the threat’s indirect weapons to the individual Soldier’s response
  to threats inside the perimeter. The support area commander can mass combat power at any of the base camps
  or direct the response forces, reserve, or TCF to fight from one of the base camps. MEB commanders plan
  fires throughout the support area up to the maximum planning range of available weapons. They may place
  portable obstacles around critical locations within the AO or base camp perimeters during periods of reduced
  visibility to disrupt the enemy plan based on visual reconnaissance and to add depth to the defense. See
  ATP 3-37.34 for additional information on establishing perimeters.
  4-39. The base camps formed into base clusters provide mutual support to each other. The MEB can
  coordinate mutual support between base camps and between base clusters. This provides a series of integrated
  defensive positions that add to defense in depth.
  Strong Point
  4-40. In hostile fire areas, most base camps are planned, prepared, and executed as modified strong points
  because their focus is not primarily antiarmor. Normally, the modified strong point must defeat personnel,
  car or truck bombs, and indirect fires. If the base camp is designated a strong point, then the support area
  designated land owner has sited and planned it based on a detailed analysis of the terrain to best use its
  defensive potential.
  Penetrations
  4-41. The MEB must develop plans to find, fix, and destroy enemy forces in the support area. This is
  accomplished throughout the support area and in the outer security area or within the base camps when there
  is a penetration. Each base camp commander or unit assigned an AO is responsible for identifying enemy
  forces. Enemy threats may originate within the support area or be a larger element that penetrates the support
  area or base camp perimeter.
  4-42. If a base camp is threatened with a penetration, the MEB commander may take the following actions
  in order of priority:
  * Allocate immediate priority of all available indirect fires, including attack aviation or close air
  support, or coordinate for reinforcing fires from higher or adjacent commands to support of the
  threatened unit. This is the most rapid and responsive means of increasing the combat power of
  the threatened unit.
  * Direct and reposition adjacent units to engage enemy forces that are attacking the threatened unit.
  This may not be possible if adjacent units are already decisively engaged.
  * Commit the TCF (if available) to defeat the Level III threat.
  * Commit the reserve to reinforce the threatened unit.
  * Commit the reserve to block, contain, or destroy the penetrating enemy force.