Brigade Combat Team (FM 3-96)

Army FM 3-96, "Brigade Combat Team," provides doctrine for the brigade combat team (BCT). This publication describes relationships, organizational roles and functions, capabilities and limitations, and responsibilities within the BCT. Tactics, the employment and ordered arrangement of forces in relation to each other (CJCSM 5120.01), are discussed in this manual and are intended to be used as a guide. They are not prescriptive. FM 3-96 applies to the infantry brigade combat team, Stryker brigade combat team, and armored brigade combat team. The Army provides readily available and trained regionally aligned and globally responsive forces to prevent conflict, shape the security environment, and win wars. Army forces maintain proficiency in the fundamentals of decisive action, and possess capabilities to meet specific geographic combatant command requests. Regionally aligned forces provide combatant commanders with an Army headquarters tailored to missions from tactical level to joint task force capable. The brigade combat team shapes the security environment and wins across the range of military operations. FM 3-96 focuses on the employment and ordered arrangement of forces within the BCT during the conduct of decisive action across the range of military operations. The tactics addressed in this manual include the ordered arrangement and maneuver-the employment of forces in the operational area through movement in combination with fires to achieve a position of advantage in respect to the enemy (JP 3-0)-of units in relation to each other, the terrain, and the enemy. Tactics vary with terrain and other circumstances; they change frequently as the enemy reacts and friendly forces explore new approaches. Applying tactics usually entails acting under time constraints with incomplete information. Tactics always require judgment in application; they are always descriptive, not prescriptive. FM 3-96 addresses the tactical application of tasks associated with the offense, the defense, and operations focused on stability. FM 3-96 does not discuss defense support of civil authorities. Employing tactics addressed in FM 3-96 may require using and integrating techniques. Echelon-specific ATPs address techniques, non-prescriptive ways or methods used to perform missions, functions, or tasks (CJCSM 5120.01).