Targeting in an Engineer Brigade

Abstract : While deployed to Mosul, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 130th Engineer Brigade struggled to use targeting methodology. To correspond with its major efforts, the brigade had developed four lines of effort (LOEs): Reconstruction. Assured mobility. Iraqi Security Force partnership. General engineering. Then, the brigade attempted to use targeting to Give the commander situational awareness on the progress of LOEs. Obtain the commander s guidance. Revise resource priorities. However, the attempt to use the targeting process did not seem to work. Targeting meetings devolved into commander update briefings, the targtargetingrking group became a rehearsal for the targeting meeting, working groups conducted by the LOEs had little connection to the targeting meetings, and intelligence was not clearly integrated into each LOE. Frustrated, brigade leaders reexamined and revised the targeting process. This enabled the brigade to better incorporate the LOE working groups and changed the commander update briefings into true targeting meetings. This article examines the targeting process and how engineer brigades operating in counterinsurgency or stability operating environments can benefit from using it. It is the authors contention that the targeting process can help engineer brigade staffs and commanders develop frameworks to guide and assess progress in achieving campaign objectives and end states. An effective targeting process enables LOEs such as assured mobility, general engineering, reconstruction, or security force assistance to conduct effective working groups that are linked to the targeting process and supported by the entire staff to achieve their goals.