Should fire support assets be kept in reserve?

Should fire support assets be kept in reserve?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Never

Answer: (B)

Fire support should be integrated and planned to support the operation’s tempo and the commander’s intent, not held back as a standing reserve. If fires are kept in reserve, you miss opportunities to shape the fights, respond quickly to evolving conditions, and mass effects at the decisive point. The most effective approach is to preplan and synchronize fires with maneuver, using on-call or readily available assets where needed while maintaining a clear sequencing of fires to exploit targets and maintain momentum. Some flexibility is necessary for urgent counterfire or unanticipated threats, but the default practice is not to keep fire support assets indefinitely in reserve.

Fire support should be integrated and planned to support the operation’s tempo and the commander’s intent, not held back as a standing reserve. If fires are kept in reserve, you miss opportunities to shape the fights, respond quickly to evolving conditions, and mass effects at the decisive point. The most effective approach is to preplan and synchronize fires with maneuver, using on-call or readily available assets where needed while maintaining a clear sequencing of fires to exploit targets and maintain momentum. Some flexibility is necessary for urgent counterfire or unanticipated threats, but the default practice is not to keep fire support assets indefinitely in reserve.