Field Manual FM 3-11 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Operations May 2019

Book excerpt: This publication, Field Manual FM 3-11 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Operations May 2019, provides commanders and staffs with overarching chemical doctrine for operations to assess, protect, and mitigate the entire range of CBRN threats and hazards-including support to countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD) activities in all operational environments. It addresses principles, fundamentals, planning, operational considerations, and training and support functions. It provides a common framework and language for CBRN operations and constitutes the doctrinal foundation for developing other fundamentals and tactics, techniques, and procedures detailed in subordinate doctrine manuals. This manual is a key integrating publication that links the doctrine for the CBRN units and staffs with Army operational doctrine and joint doctrine.The principal audience for FM 3-11 is commanders, staffs, and leaders of theater armies, corps, divisions, and brigades as well as CBRN units that integrate capability into those formations. However, FM 3-11 is applicable to all members of the profession of arms. To comprehend the doctrine in FM 3-11 readers must first understand the fundamentals of unified land operations described in ADP 3-0 and in FM 3-0. The reader must also understand the language of tactics and the fundamentals of the offense and defense described in ADP 3-90, and be familiar with operational terms and graphics described in ADP 1-02. Commanders and staffs of Army headquarters should also refer to applicable joint or multinational doctrine concerning the range of military operations (ROMO) and joint or multinational forces.FM 3-11 uses joint terms where applicable. Selected joint and Army terms and definitions appear in both the glossary and the text. Terms for which FM 3-11 is the proponent publication (the authority) are italicized in the text and are marked with an asterisk (*) in the glossary. Terms and definitions for which FM 3-11 is the proponent publication are boldfaced in the text. For other definitions shown in the text, the term is italicized and the number of the proponent publication follows the definition.FM 3-11 applies to the Active Army, Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States and United States Army Reserve unless otherwise stated.