The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the eighty-seventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today’s guests are three seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers across the fire support enterprise at the JRTC with over an astonishing one hundred completed rotations collectively.

LTC Russell Cummings is the TF Senior of Fires Support Task Force and OCT for the battalion commander of the various field artillery battalions at the JRTC. He has over fifteen rotations as a TF Senior. LTC Stephen Ficchi is the Brigade Fires Support Officer OCT for BDE Command & Control (BCT HQ). He has an astounding thirty-one rotations under his belt across two assignments to the JRTC. CW3 Jerrad Rader is the Brigade Targeting Officer OCT for BC2 (BCT HQ) with seventeen rotations as an OCT.

This episode is part two of a two-part series, described as the “graduate-level” session, offering deeper insights and more advanced concepts, reflecting the complexities of implementing effective fires in multi-domain operations. The first episode focused on the “undergraduate” level of the discussion on joint fires in LSCO.

In this episode, we dive into the art and application of joint fires during large-scale combat operations (LSCO) across multiple domains. Central to the discussion is the need for precision in planning and execution, emphasizing the delineation of targeting efforts at echelon to ensure effective synchronization. The team highlights the importance of leveraging organic assets and maintaining disciplined staff processes. Key challenges, such as optimizing the digital kill chain and ensuring functional collaboration between fire support elements, intelligence assets, and logistics, are also explored. The conversation underscores the critical role of clear, doctrine-based frameworks, such as the proper use of command and support Relationships, to enhance combat power and efficiency in targeting processes.

We further examine practical strategies to improve targeting and execution, such as prioritizing detailed rehearsals and leveraging lessons learned from rotations. With a focus on the lost art of wargaming and its integration into the military decision-making process (MDMP), the discussion emphasizes the need for units to conduct iterative training to refine their capabilities. The team also stresses the importance of empowering noncommissioned officers, using precise targeting standards, and fostering a system that streamlines coordination between maneuver and fires at every echelon. This graduate-level conversation serves as an essential guide for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of joint fires in the dynamic battlefield of LSCO.

Part of S07 “Joint Fires Discussions” series.

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“The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.