The United States Army | Fort Benning

Overmatch at the Tip of the Spear

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Why the squad ...

The squad’s nine Soldiers are and will remain the tip of the spear in all combat operations. However, the complexities of the contemporary and future operating environments have elevated the squad’s impact. The dismounted squad is the foundation of the decisive force. Its nine-man team is the centerpiece of the tactical fight despite the fact the squad is the only level where there is no appreciable overmatch capability to the current threat. Although we have experienced many technological advancements to individual Soldier weapons and equipment, dismounted squads are still unable to be networked horizontally and vertically like their mounted counterparts, which keeps them from gaining situational awareness.
Taking a new approach ...

We are taking a new approach to the squad modernization effort. Measures of effectiveness will be used across the collective squad formation to evaluate DOTMLPF imperatives—doctrinal, organizational, training, materiel, leader development, personnel and facilities. Our dismounted squads are experiencing capability gaps in networking, mobility, force protection, power and energy, lethality, and training and leader development. Situational awareness, sharing a common operating picture, and the ability to link into the Army network of information will provide the same decisive advantage to our dismounted squads that their mounted counterparts already have.
Achieving Overmatch ...

Overmatch will be achieved as we build the Army of 2020 by focusing on the Squad: Foundation of the Decisive Force. Our efforts will shape and influence future defining moments in Army history and ensure our squad formations have the overmatch needed to achieve mission success.
Capabilities ...
- Connection to the existing network,
- Lethality,
- Survivability,
- Power and Energy,
- Mobility, and
- 21st Century Training and Leader Development.
- Dominates at a given time and place.
- Establishes favorable conditions for overmatch.
- Connected to the existing network.
- Physically fit, agile and culturally aware.
- Organized, equipped, trained and enabled as a squad.
- Maintains offensive initiative.
- Knowledgeable of their environment.
Linking Live and Virtual ...
- Future Training and Leader Development programs must include immersive Home Station Live, Virtual, Constructive and Gaming simulations (LVC/G).
- The Soldier Avatar will become an important component of each Soldier’s individual and collective skills training regimen. Individual training capabilities will be programmed into virtual and constructive simulations training and will provide continuous awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Affordability of LVC/G simulation domains will enable easy transition to the actual battlefield environment to prevent disruption due to gaps in training.
- Virtual and Constructive simulations at Home Station will allow commanders to provide small unit leaders access to Joint Intergovernmental Interagency Multinational resources across the threat environment that would not be available or affordable in the live domain.
Every Soldier has an Avatar. ...
- Physical performance is based on the APFT; Weapons skills are based on qualifications; Other skills are based on training and qualifications.
- It’s updated regularly and linked to goals and performance.
- Simulated performace based on APFT and weapons qualifications scores; Replicates leadership style based on 360-degree assessments.
- Bite-Sized Leader Trainer;
- Dismounted Soldiers System in CCT - Squad Immersive Trainer;
- Virtual Battle Simulation 2; and
- Other Gaming solutions.