Recently I watched “Saving Private Ryan” again, and it made me have some questions. For example, in the opening scene of soldiers rushing to the beach, most of the soldiers were almost dead before they even got out of the landing craft. If the commander was also killed, what about the remaining soldiers? Who should direct the people? How should each unit perform the tasks assigned before departure?
In: Other
Military forces plan around bus factor as a matter of cause – casualties are inevitable, so the org chart is very clearly defined. Rank plays into it as well. 2-4 soldiers form a fireteam commanded by a corporal, 3-4 fireteams a section commanded by a sergeant, 2-4 sections a platoon commanded by a lieutenant, 2-4 platoons a company commanded by a captain, and so forth until you get an army of thousands of men. Now I’m skipping over ranks and simplifying, but you get the picture. If someone in the chain of command has their ticket punched, the next most senior officer or NCO takes over their position in an acting capacity. This extends to planning. It’s important not just to know your tasks, but also your boss’ tasks, and to ensure your subordinates know yours.
Latest Answers