Lesson 1: Tactical Standing Operating Procedure (TACSOP)

I begin the first lesson talking about the most important document in a unit's kitbag, the Tactical Standing Operating Procedure (TACSOP). This is the unit's bible for conducting tactical operations; it provides continuity for new soldiers and guidance to supporting units. It should be the basis for the unit to plan and structure its tactical training in support of staff operations and subordinate command and control (C2). The TACSOP is a living document and can be adjusted to support new capabilities, change of mission, or any task/function that that requires detailed instruction. Most important, the TACSOP is the foundation a unit utilizes when it needs to restructure or retrain its staff processes.

The units TACSOP and its supporting Annex's are a set of instructions to standardize routine and recurring operational procedures within the brigade. The document provides commanders, supervisors, and leaders recommended concepts on procedures for brigade field operations. Its design is to lead you systematically through tactical standard operating procedures, which will assist in field operations, as well as help sustain command and control across brigade operations.

Task and Function

The Army thinks creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for tactical operations is so important that they have established its own task and functions within The Army Universal Task List (FM7-15):

"FM 7-15 outlines Army tactical task 5.2.1.3, Establish or revise standard [or standing] operating procedures:

Create or modify a set of instructions covering those tasks and functions that lend themselves to a definite or standing procedure without a loss of effectiveness; the standing operating procedures is effective unless ordered otherwise to meet altered conditions.

Per FM 7-15, the overall goal for SOPs is to facilitate mission accomplishment and warfighting functions integration."

The tasks and functions depicted in FM7-15 provide measures to evaluate a unit's capability, as well as the scale the unit uses to identify its effectiveness (See Table 1).

Developing a TACSOP

A unit's SOP should always align with its higher headquarters existing documentation/SOPs, as well as meets the Army standardization policy requirements. There are certain questions the author needs to answer before they begin developing an SOP:

1. What is the objective?

2. What are the tasks and functions (procedure) that need delivering to meet the objective?

3. What is the method to achieve the objective?

4. How does the writer put in plain words the proper instructions?

The process in writing an SOP is fairly simple and straightforward the author develops a draft and then staffs the document for recommendations and ultimately approval to ensure the final SOP is accurate. The author should ensure that his writing style is concise, organized, and to the point ensuring the instructions are easy to read and follow. A good proof of principle to go by can junior enlisted soldiers understand exactly what to do after reading the instructions one time. The most important guidance the author of an SOP needs to remember is, "keep it simple and to the point".

SOP Categories

This section provides a listing of annexes by category and responsible staff officers. For the sustainment annex, I have provided the appropriate appendixes required and who is responsible for its substance. The staff positions are designated using the code "S" and a number relates to a functional area.

• S-1, personnel staff officer

• S-2, intelligence staff officer

• S-3, operations staff officer

• S-4, logistics staff officer

• S-5, plans staff officer

• S-6, signal staff officer

• S-7, inform and influence activities staff officer

• S-9, civil affairs operations staff officer

The following are the Army's suggested SOP categories. It is not required for a unit to create each category, for the unit may not have a need for that function, so utilize if it pertains to your organization. If you choose not to use a category simply, list it in the table of content as, "not required". Of course this listing is just a suggestion and is not all inclusive to each unit particular requirements so you will see some annexes are either labeled spares or not used designed for the user to add additional topics as deemed by the type unit and its commander.

• ANNEX A – Task Organization (S-3)

• ANNEX B – Intelligence (S-2)

• ANNEX C – Operations (S-3)

• ANNEX D – Fires (Fire Support Officer)

• ANNEX E – Protection (Protection Officer as designated by the commander)

• ANNEX F – Sustainment (S-4)

* Appendix 1 – Logistics (S-4)

* Tab A – Sustainment Overlay (automated or manual)

* Tab B – Maintenance

* Tab C – Transportation

* Tab D – Supply

• Events Check List

• Concept of Support Diagram

• Sustainment Synchronization Matrix

* Tab E – Field Services

* Tab F – Distribution

* Tab G – Contract Support Integration

* Tab H – Mortuary Affairs

* Tab I (Internment and Resettlement

* Appendix 2 – Personnel Services Support (S-1)

* Tab A – Human Resources Support

* Tab B – Financial Management

* Tab C – Legal Support

* Tab D – Religious Support

* Tab E – Band Operations

* Appendix 3 – Army Heath System Support (Surgeon)

* Tab A – Sustainment Overlay

* Tab B – Medical Evacuation

• ANNEX G – ENGINEER (Engineer Officer)

• ANNEX H – SIGNAL (S-6)

• ANNEX I – Not Used

• ANNEX J – Inform and Influence Activities (S-7)

• ANNEX K – Civil Affairs Operations (S-9)

• ANNEX L – Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (S-3)

• ANNEX M – Assessment (S-5 or S-3)

• ANNEX N – Space Operations (Space Operations Officer)

• ANNEX O – Not Used

• ANNEX P – Host-Nation Support (S-4)

• ANNEX Q – Spare

• ANNEX R – Reports (S-3, S-5, Knowledge Management Officer)

• ANNEX S – Special Technical Operations (Special Technical Operations Officer)

• ANNEX T – Spare

• ANNEX U – Inspector General (Inspector General)

• ANNEX V – Interagency Coordination (S-3...