Follow and Support: Toward a More Useful Warfighting Doctrine

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to answer the question: How should U.S. Army doctrine or the 'follow and support' mission be clarified? This is done by focusing on the evolution of the 'follow and support' concept in the Army's capstone doctrinal manual, Field Manual 100-5. 'Follow and support' is a fundamental mission assigned to U.S. Army forces in support of an exploitation or pursuit mission. Nevertheless, the doctrine, as described in the current FM 100-5 is unclear at several points. These points include the relationship between the 'follow and support,' reserve, and trailing forces and the relationship between the main effort and the 'follow and support' force. 'The monograph re-views the theoretical basis for the 'follow and support' force mission followed by a review of the evolution of tasks associated with follow and support since 1939. Analysis and conclusions which follow provide suggestions for inclusion in an updated FM 100-5.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA258308

Entities

People

  • Emmett E. Perry Jr.

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Armored Personnel Carriers
  • Artillery
  • Close Support
  • Combat Operations
  • Combat Support
  • Counterattack
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Maneuvers
  • Military History
  • New York
  • Recognition
  • Schools
  • Second World War
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Computer Science.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design