BASIC TRAINING:

SUPPORT TO OPS:

SUPPORT TO OPERATIONS
The CLIC is most effective when its work is complementary, supporting, and coordinated with existing
battalion planning and collection efforts and does not replace or negate the need for battalion level intelligence
sections. The CLIC’s actions and responsibilities in support of operations can be viewed in three
phases: pre-mission support, support to current operations, and support to post-mission actions. The operations
process occurs continuously and simultaneously, consisting of the major C2 activities performed during
operations: planning, executing, and assessing. At the company level, this requires commanders to
synchronize activities in order to fuse company level operations and intelligence.
The intelligence cycle shown in figure 3-1 and CLIC support are both continuous processes. Therefore, in
order for the CLIC to effectively support operations, its activities, analysis, and reporting must be carefully
Collection
Planning
&
Direction
Processing
&
Production Exploitation
Dissemination
Utilization
Intelligence
Cycle
Figure 3-1. The Intelligence Cycle.
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell
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and completely integrated. Integration consists of open, two-way information exchange from the platoon
level to the battalion level. Intelligence is an integral component of all missions or patrols. The collection
or gathering of intelligence and information is only effective if there are mechanisms in place to identify
IRs and incorporate the gathered information into relevant and timely intelligence. Company level intelligence
cell Marines may not be on every mission or patrol. This fact emphasizes the importance of the relationship
between the CLIC and Marines within the company and the critical role of every Marine being
watchful and observant on even the most routine mission.PRE-MISSION SUPPORT
The CLIC’s IPB products and data should be used to provide weather, enemy, and terrain updates. Pre-mission
intelligence support is a critical step toward ensuring that the capabilities and preparedness of patrols
and other company level operations are maximized. See table 3-1 for examples of the daily briefs, weekly
reports, and planning support that provide valuable pre- mission information to operations.
The following are additional pre-mission support considerations:
• Weather for proposed duration of operation, as well as 24 hours after the beginning of the operation
(e.g., astronomical data for next 24 hours or effects of weather).
• Enemy activity on (or near) proposed routes that will be utilized during operation.
• Terrain analysis of areas within the AO.
• Conditions of roads and paths to be used.
• Objective information and intelligence.
Table 3-1. Pre-Mission Support to Company Operations.
Category Daily Briefs Weekly Reports Planning Support
Weather BMNT, EENT, sunrise, sunset,
and illumination data
Upcoming weather forecasts Adverse weather, which
may affect operations
Enemy Significant events Significant trends Pattern analysis
Updates on persons of interest
and BOLOs
Enemy organizations
updates
NAIs and HVIs targets
Time-sensitive information
from debriefs
Continuously update target
packages
Target packages conformation
(through SIRs)
Enemy TTP changes, counter
to friendly TTP
TTP trends Counter TTP
Signficant enemy IO/CI
actions
Summary of enemy IO
effects and CI activities in
AO
Enemy areas of influence/IO
capabilities
Terrain Manmade and natural terrain
updates
Human factors and census
updates
ISR updates, imagery,
graphics, and maps
Friendly Collection plan (scheduled) Collection plan (tentative) Honesty trace
Legend:
BMNT - beginning of morning nautical twilight
EENT - end of evening nautical twilight
IO - information operations
ISR - intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
NAI - named area of interest
TTP - tactics, techniques, and procedures
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell
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• Significant surrounding terrain.
• Landing zones (LZs) and landing areas (LAs) near checkpoints and objective areas.
• Cultural considerations/tribal and community areas to be entered during route.
• Current SIRs to be collected.
SUPPORT TO CURRENT OPERATIONS
While supporting current operations, the CLIC is responsible for establishing a system to track and analyze
both enemy activities and significant events that will help identify patterns and predict future actions. Company
level intelligence cell Marines should continually analyze enemy activity and integrate other intelligence
reporting in order to provide an updated estimate of the enemy situation to the company commander.
In order to provide the company commander with increased battlespace awareness and support intelligence
collection over areas of interest, the CLIC will also coordinate with the battalion to receive intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance support. See figure 3-2, on page 3-4, for supporting tasks within the company
COC.
SUPPORT TO POST-MISSION ACTIONS
At the conclusion of a mission, the CLIC must capture all information and intelligence in order to update
their knowledge of the enemy situation. A debrief after any mission or action provides critical and often
time-sensitive information that enables the CLIC to produce intelligence reports. The reports the CLIC
produces not only enhance the company commander’s knowledge of his AO but also provide the
battalion intelligence section with on-the-ground reporting. The CLIC’s reports allow both the CLIC and
battalion intelligence section to update their intelligence products (e.g., enemy situational template, IPB,
collection planning).
Conduct Debrief
A patrol is one of the best means to build a commander’s situational awareness. Therefore, the CLIC must
conduct a thorough debrief with all members of the patrol—the patrol leader along with his entire patrol—
to capture relevant and significant information. At the conclusion of any mission, the CLIC must debrief
the patrol members to ensure that information and intelligence are not lost. Routine information often provides
indicators of the operational environment and is integral to the targeting process.
Produce Reports
Supervisors must ensure the CLIC submits reports in accordance with the timelines and formats established
by the S-2. Recording, reporting, and submitting documents to higher headquarters is paramount. Failure to
submit reports in the proper format forces the battalion S-2 to waste valuable time and resources converting
them into the required formats. Type, frequency, and format for reporting should be coordinated with
higher headquarters as part of the information management process.
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell
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Scenario: Infantry squad on
foot patrol recieves small
arms fire from enemy forces.
Plt reports incident to CLOC
via TAC 1
Watch Officer
Notify CO/XO of triggered CCIR
Alert Bn
Alert organic FS assets
Alert Corpsman of potential
casualties
Supervise information flow
Ops/Intel NCO
Manage info flow
Relay information to higher
Alert QRF
Verify information as required
Maintain significant events log
Update journal
Update map board
Collections
Coordinate ISR support
Receive initial and follow-on
reports
Analysis
Receive and plot position report
Manipulate C2PC
Verify no strike list
EMLCOA
Attention in the COC
Radio Operator
Relay information to watch officer
Monitor assigned nets
Report
Reports to Expect:
SALT/SALUTE report
SHELREP
LOGSTAT (via LOC)
Rapid request (via LOC)
Contact report
CASEVAC
100% accountability of weapons,
serialized gear, and sensitive items
Information Requirements:
Location of enemy and friendly units
Enemy situation
Casualties?
Nearest unit?
RW and FW CAS availability
Reinforcement required?
Figure 3-2. Support Within the Combat Operations Center.
Legend:
Bn - battalion
CAS - close air support
CASEVAC - casualty evacuation
CLOC - company level operations center
CO - commanding officer
C2PC - command and control personal computer
EMLCOA - enemy most likely course of action
FS - fire support
FW - fixed wing
Intel - intelligence
ISR - intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
LOGSTAT - logistics status
NCO - noncommissioned officer
Ops - operations
Plt - platoon
QRF - quick response force
RW - rotary wing
SALT - size, activity, location, time
SALUTE - size, activity, location, unit, time, and equipment
SHELREP - shelling report
TAC - tactical net
XO - executive officer
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell
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Update Civilian and Enemy Situation Board, IPB, and Collections Planning
Intelligence preparation of the battlespace is a continuous process that requires updates as information
dictates. Information gathered from patrols or during missions can provide granularity and substance
to the IPB.
Collection requirements and intelligence requirements will drive collection planning and support overall
mission planning. Information provided to the CLIC post mission provides fidelity on potential targets or
future missions that tie directly into collection planning.
Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 2-3, MAGTF Intelligence Production and Analysis, describes the
situation board as a temporary graphic display of current dispositions, major activities, and other pertinent
intelligence and information. By presenting this intelligence information in such a way that it can be
reviewed in one place, the situation board also helps with interpretation, analysis, and decisionmaking. In
addition, it helps with the dissemination of information by permitting the ready transfer of intelligence
related to elements capable of interfering with the unit’s mission. The enemy situation map is a primary
analytical tool and is often the only recording device used during fast-moving combat operations, particularly
at lower command echelons.
Process Confiscated Detainee Materiel
In order to process confiscated detainee materiel properly, the CLIC applies “5S and a T” (search, safeguard,
segregate, silence, speed, and tag). The CLIC must notify higher headquarters and provide basic
identifying information on all detainees captured (including name, rank, date of capture, circumstances surrounding
the capture, and any other information deemed appropriate by the capturing unit). The capturing
unit must use the approved capture card (i.e., Department of Defense [DD] Form 2745, Enemy Prisoner of
War (EPW) Capture Tag).
TARGETING AND SUPPORT TO FUTURE OPERATIONS
Targeting is the process of selecting and prioritizing targets in order to satisfy and match the appropriate
responses to stated objectives, while considering operational requirements and capabilities (see fig. 3-3 on
page 3-6). When focusing on operations with limited assets and time, targeting combines intelligence, planning,
command and control, weaponeering, operational execution, and combat assessment. The targeting
cycle remains the same in all operational situations but may have more restrictive guidance or authorities
based on the operational environment. For more detailed information on providing intelligence support to
targeting, see appendix B and MCWP 2-1, Intelligence Operations.
Depending on the timeframe and scope of the operation, coupled with direction from battalion headquarters,
support to future operations will consist of a mix of immediate and deliberate production focused on
supporting both the company and battalion IRs. Future operations focus on the deep battle, which is
defined either by distance or time. Because of the limited reach and scope of an average line company,
CLIC support to future operations is generally restricted to targeting and reporting.
The CLIC assists the commander in target development to effectively focus lethal and nonlethal operations.
The CLIC supports the targeting process by assisting in the collection and detection of targets and identifying
their vulnerability and relative importance.
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell
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Deliberate and dynamic targeting will be submitted to the appropriate authorities by the battalion S-2. Specific
information and intelligence gathered on the nominated target will be provided by the CLIC, from
responses to SORs and SIRs tasked to collections platforms, to the battalion S-2 for target refinement and
submission to higher headquarters. Higher headquarters will dictate the appropriate targeting templates for
use by the CLIC. These templates are especially important because they are integral to the sometimes complex
approval process in distributed operations.
Figure 3-3. Intelligence Support to the Targeting Process.
Legend:
ATGM - antitank guided missile
BDA - battle damage assessment
BHA - bomb hit assessment
CA - convening authority
Cdr - commander
HN - host nation
HPTL - high-payoff target list
HUMINT - human intelligence
MEA - munitions effectiveness assessment
METT-T - mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops
and support available—time available
Msn - mission
OGA - other government agency
OSINT - open-source intelligence
Re-Atk - re-attack
SIGINT - signals intelligence
TVA - target value analysis
UAS - unmanned aerial system
MCIP 2-1.01 Company Level Intelligence Cell