Constant training, feedback, analysis, personal example. Biletskyi names components of Third Assault Brigade’s success. VIDEO
The Third Assault Brigade is one of the top brigades in the Army.
In an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Brigadier Andrii Biletskyi spoke about the components of success and the main differences between his unit and others, Censor.NET reports.
The first basic rule of the Third Assault Brigade is constant training and exercising of personnel across the entire vertical: common soldiers, non-commissioned officers, officers, and staff training.
"Constant training of the personnel, because otherwise they will not implement any of your plans. Constant feedback. If you don't hear your commanders, and me with platoon leaders when necessary, you will fantasize about things that cannot be realized," said Biletskyi.
Preparation for the Third Assault Brigade's operations lasts several days, involves the involvement of equipment, and practicing actions in similar terrain with the involvement of all units that must interact with each other in a coordinated manner, like a symphony orchestra. At the brigade level, such exercises can last 15-17 days, and at the company level - up to 10 days.
Biletskyi spoke about a rule he borrowed from the Prussian army: when planning operations, he was the last to speak: "So that the perhaps much more intelligent opinion of a junior officer would not be blocked by the authority of a senior officer. No matter how clever you think you are, speak last, and you may hear an opinion smarter than your own."
The second mandatory component is the After Action Review, or "blamestorming session" after operations and taking into account the lessons learned for future actions: "Based on the experience, the regulations should be rewritten. The only thing a commander has no right to say to a soldier is: "according to the charter, you have to do this". No, it doesn't work that way. War is about creativity".
The third component and fresh innovation of the Third Assault Brigade is the introduction of the position of battle captain in the brigade's headquarters and command structure. He "conducts" all the operators in the combat control center and, in the absence of critical moments of combat, frees the brigade commander and staff leadership to solve more complex planning tasks.
Biletskyi also emphasized the importance of the personal example of combat commanders for the military. "It is critically important for people to know that their commanders of all levels were pulling the same weight as they were yesterday, the day before yesterday. It's not about painting curbs or marching in formation. They are interested in the fact that this person has been in the trenches... Everyone in the Third Assault Brigade understands that the battalion commanders and the significant part of staff were not just officers, they were soldiers," the brigadier emphasized.
