text: Chapter 5
  5-115. Organic and attached aviation assets are invaluable assets in assisting disengagement of ground units
  during the conduct of battle handover and passage of lines with the main body. Additionally, they can assist
  in reconnaissance of the security area as the covering force moves forward, screening forward of the covering
  force, covering areas between ground units, and providing additional firepower for disengaging ground units.
  5-116. BCT staffs consider communications requirements to maintain contact with the main body and
  subordinate battalions within the covering force. Covering forces consider use of high frequency and tactical
  satellite communications to maintain continuous communications with all organic units, adjacent units, and
  higher. Covering forces may require additional signal assets to provide communications infrastructure
  support and retransmission.
  5-117. Reserves are critical to a defensive cover. They allow the BCT commander to seize the initiative
  during the early stages of an enemy attack. The covering force commander always designates a reserve.
  Frequently, reserves are attack aviation units, combined arms battalions, and other operational control
  maneuver forces. In the absence of attached or operational control maneuver units, the BCT commander may
  assign a contingency mission to assigned tank companies and dictate employment restrictions to subordinate
  commanders. The tank company is the battalion-level commander’s primary reserve force. Normally,
  commanders position ground reserve forces in-depth and prepare them to execute a series of contingency
  missions, such as counterattack, block, and assume an area defense. Aviation reserves may counterattack in
  coordination with ground reserves and conduct an attack against enemy forces in close friendly contact.
  Frequently, the covering force commander designs the defense to shape an enemy penetration causing the
  enemy to become isolated and to provide opportunities to mass effects to defeat the isolated enemy.