Joint Function as related to Operation Anaconda

Summary Joint functions or warfighting functions are the tasks that systems that are used by commanders to accomplish missions and objectives. Systems refer to people, organizations, processes, and information. There are six warfighting functions namely mission command, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection. These functions are mostly used to reinforce and complement each other. While each function has its own role to play it cannot be used in isolation of the others.

The operation Anaconda demonstrates how each of the functions was used to support each other in order to accomplish the mission. The success of the operation was mainly due to the commanders recognizing and acting on the information received (Fleri, Howard, Hukill, & Searle, 2003). Without reinforcements from the other functions, it would not have been possible for the operation to succeed. The paper analyzes the 6-warfighting functions and offers information on how it reinforces and complements the other functions.

Looking from the perspective of the operation Anaconda, each function is defined and information offered on the role that it played during the operation. This allows for a better understanding of the different functions and how they can be used for other operations and missions. Achieving the objective of the operation is vital and without the necessary support, this would be quite difficult. Joint operations also require support from different arms of the Army. Therefore, coordination would be difficult if different strategies and functions were to be used.

The operation might have begun on the wrong footing. However, the American forces were able to gain background and pushed the enemy. Without proper coordination and use of the functions, an operation can be ruined. However, it is possible to recover when mistakes are identified and changes are made to factor in the information that is received. Operation Anaconda Case Study Joint Functions Introduction: Operation Anaconda was the first major joint combat operation against the war on terror that the US was committed to winning.

This operation would test our military's readiness for joint operations against a hardened and willing adversary. Thesis: With so many different nations fighting along with our own branches of the military, it would test our ability to conduct joint operations on multiple levels. There are six warfighting functions that are used by commanders at all levels of war. These functions are mission command, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection.

A warfighting function is defined as a group of tasks and systems that are united by a common purpose that is used by commanders to accomplish missions and training objectives. The Mission Command function is related to tasks and systems that develop and integrate activities that enable a commander to balance the science of control with the art of command. This is done with an aim of integrating the other warfighting functions.

The movement and maneuver functions are concerned with the movement and employment of forces in order to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy. Close combat and direct fire as inherent in the maneuver. This warfighting function is also concerned with tasks that are associated with force protection that is related to gaining a position of advantage over the enemy (Boyce, DeFalco, Davis, Kober, & Goldberg, 2018).

There is a need for movement in order to disperse and displace the force as a whole or in part when making maneuvers. Intelligence function is the use of tasks and systems that will assist in understanding the enemy, civil considerations, and terrain. The intelligence warfighting function also includes understanding adversaries, threats, and weather. It is concerned with information collection and synchronizing this with tactical tasks of surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence operations, and security. Intelligence development is a continuous process of analyzing information from different sources.

The fires function denotes the collective and coordinated use of air and missile defense, indirect fires, and joint fires. Army fires systems will deliver fires in support of defensive and offensive tasks in order to create a lethal and nonlethal effect on the target. Sustainment function provides support and services in order to ensure freedom of action, prolong endurance, and extend operational reach. Sustainment is what determines the depth of all Army operations. In order to retain and exploit the initiative, sustainment is vital.

It provides the support needed for maintaining operations until the mission is accomplished (Garcia, 2015). Protection function refers to the related tasks and systems that preserve the force so that the commander can be able to apply maximum combat power in order to accomplish the mission. Preserving of the force will include protecting the personnel and physical assets of the US and multinational civilian and military partners. This function enables the commander to maintain the integrity of the force and combat power.

Protection function will determine the degree to which likely threats will disrupt the operations and counters for those threats. How the functions reinforce and complement each other The six warfighting functions are not meant to be used individually, they are supposed to be used collectively in order to achieve the desired results. For operation Anaconda, there was a need to ensure that each of the six functions worked hand in hand (Fleri et al., 2003).

Operation Anaconda was a Joint Forces mission and there was lack of joint control from the onset. Based on the six warfighting functions mentioned above mission control is the most vital aspect and there is need for mission control to be inclusive of all forces involved. Mission command is what determines the placement and movement of forces and this was lacking for operation Anaconda. From the onset the forces were deployed at the wrong site and they were ambushed by the enemies immediately.

This could have been due to a lack of proper communication between the joint forces. The intelligence information received was not properly verified as it indicated the area was perfect for deployment. Intelligence information is used to determine the extent of battle and the power of the enemy (Canan & Sousa-Poza, 2018). Once it has been determined what is needed, moving the troops and creating maneuvers will also be determined using intelligence. In order to effectively respond to enemy fire, soldiers were forced to maneuver themselves.

This resulted in them being able to fight off the enemies, though there were some casualties. With continuous fighting, the soldiers managed to fight the enemy and this clearly demonstrates how sustainment function complements intelligence and maneuver. The operation also lasted longer than had earlier being planned and this was only possible through sustainment. Discovering that the deployment location was wrong, there was need for the other forces to offer protection to the soldiers on the ground. The launched fire played a vital role in pushing the enemy back.

The additional fire was also a protection mechanism that ensured that the forces were well protected and preserved. The level of resistance had been underestimated and the Taliban Soldiers were more than willing to fight to protect their area of operation. The fires function is what assisted the joint forces to fight and succeed in the operation. The forces also had to seek protection to ensure that their base of operation was secure. There was protection offered using air support. However, there was some disconnect initially. By responding effectively.