Section Commander/2IC aide memoire, what should be included?

[LightFighter]

Currently, I am trying to put together my own aide memoire/reports&returns booklet out of material I've collected over time from courses, training/deployment and peers.  Now, I have quite a large collection, but trying to thin it out to what is truly relevant and needed in the field.

Right now, I am thinking about having the following information

Reports&Returns
Contact Report, SITREP, CASEVAC, 9Liner/MIST, all arms call for fire, adrep, 10 line EOD spot report(UXO/IED), IED contact report, ammo casrep, Repair Recover Request, possibly ECAS/CCA(need to find current reports format)

Section Members list - names, service number/ZAP number, serialized kit
Blank cards for notes
Possibly some battle procedure/orders format

Any thing that I am missing?  Also, just to clarify I am looking for Infantry(light/mech) specific info

 

[PuckChaser]

Cheat sheets for simple comms tasks? Thinking manpack radio channel/freq changing, loading key, simple CI config for the LAV.

 

[ballz]

I second the radio stuff. We need to be masters of our kit and I am so tired of the reliance on a signaler being around before someone will even pick up a radio.

At least two pages for a quick operational symbology reference. We finally got a chance to do some good level 2 training at the unit last fall and unfortunately overestimated the ability of all of our SNCOs when it came to reading / understanding a trace. For the first time in far too long, they were doing section-level tasks with a full section, with absolutely no supervision, and a lot of the training value was lost because they were far behind on that skill.

A page for common mission task verbs with the symbol and written explanations.

Section battle drills reference.

Some diagrams with dimensions of what various trenches are supposed to look like, and some basic obstacles that you could be tasked with building. An example of a section range card and an individual range card. A reference for steps to the occupation of a section-level defensive position so you don't forget things (like christening the ground right off the hop so your range cards actually make sense).

A "for dummies" versions of command relationships (its explained very poorly if its copy and pasted out of doctrine). If you're attached to someone (which can easily happen to sections), you should know what they can and can't do with you (for when they inevitably try to take advance of your section :nod

I'd put some Pl-level stuff in there too... basic notes on conduct of a Pl-level hasty attack, raid, deliberate attack, etc... its the Sect Comd who has to carry out the conduct. They should understand the basics of what each job entails within the conduct of those Pl-level ops, so they know their job and what their fellow Sect Comd's are doing at the same time.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Cheat sheets for simple comms tasks? Thinking manpack radio channel/freq changing, loading key, simple CI config for the LAV.

Another spot for C/S, Freq of Bn Net/Coy Net and what channel they're on. 

It may seem asinine, but it saves us kicking you off the bn net for not switching to channel 3.

 

[Old Sweat]

I wonder about all this as a relic trained by the Second World and Korean Wars generation. Don't put anything on an aide memoire that could compromise operations, i.e. put the formula for an expedient antenna in the SOP, but don't include frequencies, groupings, etc.

p.s. I apologize because most all of you know that.

 

[chrisf]

I've never seen it in any junior leadership aid de memoir, or training for that matter, but it should be there...

Guidance on how to fill out a cf 98.