Intelligence at the Company Level
by Maj Jackie Fisher
A few months after I left V27, I found myself with some time to reflect on what I did well and what I failed to achieve as the Battalion S-2. Somewhere in the middle of my successes and failures is what integrating intelligence functions at the company level successfully looks like. In retrospect, clear and consistent communication between, the CLIC, S-2, and company leadership is the key ingredient for success. I am writing this in the hope that future commanders can identify new ways to integrate intelligence effectively in support of company- and battalion-level operations.
First and foremost, the battalion intelligence officer and their staff exist to provide the battalion commander with timely, accurate, and relevant intelligence. Company Level Intelligence Cells (CLICs) exist to support the line company commander. Ideally, CLICs and the battalion S-2 work harmoniously, but this relationship can be inhibited by several factors. The future Infantry Battalion 2030 design may eliminate gaps in support and coverage to line companies, but that is a topic for another day.
The following is a summary of lessons learned on CLIC development, integration, and employment.
Training the CLICs
CLICs are T/O’d to be 1x 0231/Co and 1-2x 03XX per platoon. Commanders must recognize that the majority of your capability is not formally trained to conduct intelligence functions. To solve this gap, the Regional Intelligence Training Centers (RITC) at their respective bases hold a CLIC-101 course for both 02s and 03s to attend. The RITCs are more than capable of providing meaningful, engaged, and full-scope training for the 03s. I highly recommend company commanders should take at least time out of their week to visit the RITC and observe what their Marines are learning, how they are conducting debriefs, and what capabilities they will provide the company. This also shows the Marines that the company commander takes intelligence seriously and is invested in the success of the CLIC.
Purpose of your 0231
The company’s 0231 coordinates collection plans between the company commander and S-2, advises the company leadership on threats, and collates and passes up reports (patrol, weather, SALUTE, recon reports, etc.). The 0231 is not there to just be another radio watch or sUAS operator. Yes, they can, and should, do that too, but inundating them with extra tasks at the expense of their assigned billet will hurt the company’s ability to orient on the adversary effectively.
Integration
For your 0231s professional success, I recommend pushing for a Battalion Special Order (moving them to your company’s BIC) no earlier than a month before MCCRE. This allows the S-2 to procure more RITC training and provide in-house product critique and mentorship. This also means that the S-2 needs to have an unwritten contract with the company: if the company is training, the CLIC Marine is in the field with the company. The CLIC Marine should use this time to learn company TTPs, understand command personalities, sustain sUAS currency, and master field skills. This also enables the company to provide feedback to the S-2 on what they’d like the Marine to learn more about and what gaps they feel they have as a company. The S-2 and S-2 Chief can provide extra instruction and lean on seasoned NCOs to grow the Marines in daily S-2 section battle rhythm events.
Bad Fit?
This is all well and good, but what if the CLIC 0231 just isn’t working? Maybe they are not meeting company field standards, meshing with leadership, or are coming up short of expectations for any number of other personal or professional reasons. First and foremost, company commanders need to talk to the Battalion Intelligence Officer personally. It is important for the Company Ops Chiefs/Company Guns and XOs to speak with their staff equivalents to address issues at the action officer level and to address minor issues. However, the S-2 is ultimately responsible for the manning, training, and equipping of their section and the support provided. They can’t fix what they don’t know about. If the Marine is underperforming, it is absolutely acceptable to tell the intel section leadership that the Marine isn't working out and replace them. Do not sacrifice the support you should get by writing off the problem. Letting the issue fester and not solving the issue only hurts your company, and also, the Marine.
Training
Want to incorporate more UNCLASSIFIED threat-level training in the companies? First, I highly encourage you to give your CLIC 0231 your training objectives, threat type and size (i.e., Dismounted Chinese FT for a squad unsupported attack maneuver range), a due date, and tell them to work with the intelligence section to build realistic threat-based training. It is that easy to get the baseline met. Concurrently, the CLIC 0231 in conjunction with the 03XXs, must be building PowerPoint threat cards. These should be briefed by the 03XXs to their respective squads. This is easy white space barracks training. Next, encourage the battalion to order the Army’s Threat Weapons-TRADOC Worldwide Equipment Playing Cards and allow Marines to bring them to the field. This is an easy way to get more visual reps. Websites like ODIN and ODIN Worldwide Equipment Guide can be used for more interactive reference. Also, have your CLIC break out the ATP 7-100.3 (Chinese Threat Tactics) and start briefing the contents to squad leaders and up.
Next, before any battalion-level training, the CLIC rep should work with the battalion intelligence section, ideally in the S2 spaces, to build coherent, nested, company-level IPBs and collection plans. This allows the S-2 leadership to provide mentorship and identify shortfalls in the company’s collection plan that they may be able to shore up. However, ensure you, your XO, and your senior tactical advisor are supervising throughout the process. Ultimately, the commander owns intelligence, so knowing and advocating for your needs is imperative.
Miscellaneous
Coordinate company PIRs and collection plans as early as possible during planning. This includes requesting non-organic assets to facilitate your collection plan. This will allow the battalion to identify resources to fill in gaps. However, do not ask for more collection assets than you can handle. But seriously, ask for some… You do yourself no good if you fight blindly and unnecessarily.
Embrace your attachments instead of looking at them as strap-hangers. They are there to make you more lethal; too often, they are stuck in the back or on the last wave of the air assault and provide no value. Collections are meant to be out front informing the commander. Treat them as such and give them the opportunity before writing them off completely.
Finally, realize the battalion has competing priorities set by the battalion commander, higher headquarters, and finite resources. We truly wish we could do it all, but we can’t. Exercise patience and provide clear requirements, including a justification for why you need something. This helps better and more effective prioritization. Yes, you may be the main effort, but if SE1 is currently receiving massed fires from an unknown location, resources may need to shift accordingly.
Authors note: I’d like to thank my Marines at 2/7 for their hard work supporting the companies, independent platoons, and the battalion. Without them, I would have had nothing to write about and no idea what right should look like.
Maj Jackie Fisher is currently a student at Marine Corps Command and Staff College. She can be reached at jacqueline.fisher@usmc.mil