Couple tips... 1: Have only main circuit breakers or surge protection between power source and equipment, and utilize power distribution panels. Longer extension cord runs and power strips with surge protection plugged into power strips adds alot of unnecessary resistance and therefore less available power for equipment. 2: Use plastic clips, zip ties, even duct tape to keep equipment wires secured to tables, walls, floors to prevent tripping or accidentally unplugging equipment. Floor power cord protectors in high foot traffic areas is a must. 3: Practice different equipment power-up sequences. Surprisingly overhead projectors and other equipment can draw alot of power at start up, some may need to be turned on first or one at a time to prevent overloading circuit breakers. 4: Experiment with multiple power supply scenarios. Some buildings power panels can not support a fully functional TOC in a large room. Multiple generator options are necessary for rotating for routine maintenance, back up incase of failure, and to scale properly for power needs. Running a single 60kw generator for a 25kw demand is less efficient then 2 30kw generators paralleled which can be rotated in and out of service without and interruptions to TOC operations. And yes children get rid of the coffee pots if you are close to maxing out your power assets.
Power is always an issue - and this all is great to remember... make sure if you are a civilian picking up stuff from the hardware store - those green electrical drop cords LOOK great - but they generally are 14 or 16 ga wire - they aren't big enough to handle a large load. Go spend the extra $$$ for 12ga or 10 ga drops... you'll thank me for it (even though they weigh more and are expensive) Also: you mess with my coffee, you just moved from friendly to tango... just sayin...
I spent over three years in a Mech-Inf Bn. So whenever the unit went out into the field, I was there in the TOC, babysitting my M577, working the radios and updating the Sitmap.
If "Tactical Operations Center" is pronounced "Tock," and "Maritime Operations Center" is pronounced "Mock," I don't think I want to call it a "Civilian Operations Center."
Noticed you've been gone for a minute. I hope your doing okay man, your content is fantastic and really opens eyes to the bigger picture. Again, hope you doing okay S2U.
@@sweatt4237 For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
@@caymanhunter2612, I think we all would have hoped for an update video first. It's kinda scary when someone who puts this much info out just goes dark for over a month. No uploads, and the website being down makes everyone kinda panicky, especially with the current climate.
@@fmbob yeah, only comms have been on Patreon. Kinda sucks but I assume there is a reason behind the quickness this all occured. Whether it was an OPSEC issue or some issue with local laws, they left. But the good news is they will be back soon
I was battle Captain at night during Team Spirit ‘86. Our communicators along with civilians from BDM Corp finally sent the first email via tactical VHF FM VRC-46 radios. It was an Alexander Graham Bell moment.
I hope you know that you are our single source of information for some of these topics. Please continue to do what you're doing. Some of us are applying this knowledge to training
While serving as a Fire Direction Center Computer and Mortar Section Leader in Mech/Armored Battalions, I had a large situation board in the M-577 in order to conduct battle tracking as well as coordinate fires. This was long before BFT, GPS, and other digital innovations. We were designated as the alternate BN TOC, in case the Main TOC and Jump TOC were destroyed. We had several radios to monitor while computing firing data for the guns. It was demanding, but very interesting because we could see the big picture. Great video.
@@jackoliver7506after showing how important of a “command center” type of operations the TOC is, we’ll, it’s obviously vulnerable to attacks and that would be the end of the operation for “enemy” forces.
When one of our patrols is attacked we call it a TIC (Troops in Contact). My S-3 was briefing us before a war fighter exercise once and said “when there’s a TIC in the TOC…” I almost cracked up out loud. Had to hold it in.
My only experience with TOC operations was as a Medic with the HQ element in a Sapper Co. Never. Again. I'll gladly go back out in the field with the shooters. You get way more sleep, and serve a far greater purpose. I spent more time sitting around doing absolutely nothing while waiting for someone to show up with a frickin boo-boo than anything else. I didn't even have the benefit of a TM I could have used for hip pocket training, just staring at effing grass.
The NETWORK and secure offline coms is the TOC. Recommend preparing your ground with portable (well) hidden fiber cable and signaling via (very) low power IR lasers pointed at hidden line of sight optical receivers (any rf signal is HARM candy). If you're not looking straight at it, it better look like static background on NVG. The alternative is playing taliban vs nato or Ukraine vs Russia. Wouldn't recommend either... pro tip: battleships won't win this war. Gen. Frag: ...hey guys take a seat between Col. Rock and Sgt. Hardplace for a second ... my 2pm ran late.
I want you to know. I look forward to your intell report’s because of how informative and entertaining they are. I’m a realist and enjoy learning about the real deal. I think you’re helping so others may live. Thank you for the creation of this channel.
I really enjoy seeing you tie other videos into your closing thoughts. These are some of the most thoughtfully organized videos i have seen on youtube. Thank you so much for providing quality content!
Back in the 90s and 00s when I was active, the S3 SGM "ran" the TOC and was overall responsible for setting it up and making sure it ran smoothly. He also ensured all the lower enlisted in the S3 shop were licensed to drive *everything* they used, from humvees to M113A2/A3, M577, and HEMTTs. He'd rotate the guys through the various stations (RTO, support, etc.) and would even send them on various missions outside the wire so they get a "feel" for the battlespace AO. The S3 folks were either billeted in a tent or set of CHUs as close to the TOC as possible. The S3 SGM kept his ear to the ground for anyone in the entire unit he felt would be a good fit for his team and would regularly snatch up lower enlisted and NCOs for his section to replace someone who just wasn't working out. But that SGM also knew what he was doing to those soldiers' careers so he'd always make the good ones were being promoted and recognized for their work to keep them happy. Unfortunately, time and attrition weeded those good SGMs completely out of the military.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
A computer "game" called Command Modern Operations uses Google Earth maps and a database of most nation's military assets. Someone with this on a laptop could go a long way in showing a simulated mission map.
As an very experienced combat veteran, I’m telling you that you know little about the personal nature of warfare. Closing with and killing the enemy is brutal and up close. Thank God I am now retired.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location. Edit: He got to his new location, there are few internet options, but the S2 team has prepped videos for Narration and he is committed to narrating and getting them uploaded by any means possible!
@@YOU_CANT_BE_THAT_STUPID yep! Also current update. The S2 team has prepped videos for narration. They are likely being narrated as I send this message, however I should mention that since the move, our brother doesn't have the best of internet options but had mentioned doing anything necessary to get videos up including uploading from a coffee shop if need be!
My favorite TOC moment was seeing an explosion more than 2km away behind a low mountain spur while guarding Bagram Airbase. I called it in to them, knowing they had alternative visual systems (due to a previous incident where I caught an infiltrator but wasn't able to communicate this to anyone, yet got a response anyway). They wanted to know the bearing and range to the explosion. The bearing was easy to transmit with my compass, but we had no rangefinder and it was behind the mountain and out of sight too. They really wanted that range! 😅
the more I develop personal experience in the field, the more i equally value having a rangefinder and mounting an optic to your firearm. the modern rifleman shouldnt go anywhere outside the FOB/PB/LP/OP/etc without at least one between himself and a buddy.
If you have a uav guy ( or someone that can fly a hobby fixed wing with POV and 3 to 6 hours flight time), then having them run a feed direct to a screen in the toc within runner distance from the TOC will get the quickest eyes on to an active situation. I've also seen battle command hang out with the uav guys, to get first eyes on developing weather, low level scouting, etc and also give space to let the rest of the TOC get work done. The uav can also be set up as a mobile comms relay the command can move around the battlefield. To that end, think of the purpose of RTOs as distributed runners like team guidon bearers or civilian couriers... the radio is just a shortcut to not run as far. If you have no radios, they physically run or drive messages and packages between relays, drop points, listening posts or observation posts, allowing several locations to run without antennas that are targetable with anti radiation targeting and/or made suspect through location tracking.
@@victorygarden556 that would be an ok one for site security, flitetest cargo plane designs have long been slow, long fliers that can also carry dropable items like watermelons. They're definitely also able to carry 2 handheld radios set up as simplex repeaters.
@@sunnycat69 agreed, it still the fact for some video there masked up and in the same section of video their not. So why the false showing of mask wearing just to keep a promotion happening on time/political reasons.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
I've been in and reported to several SOC's, and JOC's, and your overview is very good, especially the fact that they can be ridiculously boring, and also tremendously over stimulating when missions are going sideways... Nothing worse then a 19 year old begging for fire support over the radio and everyone around you is so inundated with other issues, because they are trying to get assets for their own problems not yours...
Thanks yet again for another banger video Rupert (thats what I am calling you now S2 Underground narrator), your videos are always really interesting and informative. You are the sole reason I have chosen to go into intel analysis after I graduate college. Thank you Rupert.
My only TOC story is from NTC. I was on a mountain top OP watching the MSR that ran past our compound. Looking through the LRAS3 I saw a group of 6 or 7 guys digging on the side of the road. I figured they were planting an IED and cashed up it TOC for some indirect. I was initially told to use my "escalation of force measures" like my stop sign. I replied "I'm about a mile and a half away; I don't think they'll see it." Then they told me to engage. I had a 248B so it is plausible I could've hit a few of them but at that range it would be mostly ineffective and I told the TOC the same in no uncertain terms. By the time QRF finally got spun up and went out they were gone...but they did get blown up so everyone who knew about it knew I wasn't bullshitting.
Yeah I can imagine your commanding officer embarrassed in front of his peers over your excuse of "my gun won't shoot that far", especially if you are American since you guys never seem to have shortages ammo compared to us other countries, but maybe rules of engagement are different over there don't know
From a retired TOC Rat perspective you hit enough buttons causing me to laugh. I noticed you didn't show the e-4 watching bootleg movies on his SIPRNET computer. LOL!!!
@@swaghauler8334 I was in ANCOC in charge of the TOC. On inspection the instructor asked what was going on. I replied, I am drinking coffee, he is getting the slide show together, he is trying to get in her pants, and he is watching porn. The instructor looked at me in shock then laughed. "You run your TOC in training like it was in real life. Carry on!" And left.
Didn't have time to watch this today, but despite watching several short form videos this has been at the top of EVERY recommended video list on every video. RUclips is doing something right, apparently.
Hey S2, first time commenting. I've been lurking for a bit and am constantly impressed by the quality of information and level of delivery of your content. Please never stop!!!
This gave me the idea that if the op sec can be ensured it can also be virtual toc similar to the subscriber of this channel. Battle orders issued online and reports coming in to a a virtual space.
The only thing I remember about TOCs from my time as a REMF was that if you used 110VAC to ring their phone they answered quickly, and annoyed (until you burnt out the ringer on their field phone).
I know plenty of communities in my local area that have a TOC staffed 24/365. And have optical and multispectral sensor networks, indication fences, ground radar, QRF, medical and firefighting QRF, checkpoints at the entrances and last but not least community armories (anybody was finished mandatory service can sign out a weapon if they need it) m 16/ belt fed 5.56 /belt fed 30cal/M2. P.S. They also have Prepared concrete reinforced fighting positions with interlocking fields of fire. One of the founders of the community when discussing the size that they should build the traffic circle said "I want to tank to be able to go around the traffic circle"...
It's designed so a tank can go around the traffic circle without going on to the sidewalk (in terms of size obviously a tank would cause damaged to the pavement)
I've worked as part of the "2" staff in TOCs at BDE, DIV and Corps level. I wouldn't say it was adversarial, but we had to push back on the Operations folks as they try to force us to "tailor the enemy to fit their plan".
My brother in christ ask your S2 (or your friend Bobby) to make one. S2U won't always be here to give us the heads up on current events Half joking, half serious
14:54 No No sir, The FLYING TOC IS THE THINGS NIGHTMEARS ARE MADE FROM! haha Moving a toc is one thing but having that machine on wheels is a damed nightmare. Got gennies running on the brink of disaster dew to not being grounded. Got the Supper Ships up or makeshift OE254 Jerryrigged to a 998 (Best is you youse a QEEMS as you can crank it up or down with a drill for expediance). THen losing key members of staff in the darn desert because their radios went out of sync with the battalion net dew to not doing radio checks. Oh and get the IP Phone online thrue the VSAT after every jump hoping the damed think will work at the next location. "and that's how I got this scar"
Instead of field telephone you could use locally networked computers with crossover Ethernet cables or with the correct settings to couple them together
That's... actually a really good idea. Even just using a plain switch/hub with static IPs or a fully disconnected (from the internet) router (preferably an old one or home built without wifi capability at all) to assign addresses via DHCP. Ignoring the relative complexity and power requirements, the biggest downside or thing to overcome compared to the field telephone would be range- the telephones can easily go thousands of meters, standard Ethernet on something like CAT5 is only good for about 100 meters before needing a signal booster/repeater. Definitely something to consider though for a situation as it would greatly increase your capability.
@@kc8omg There are also ethernet to DSL or fiber bridges, and one can do an 802.11 mesh network router with directional focussed antennas to minimize the interception and detection for hops where opportunistic cable cutting might be a threat. I've been poking at the SolidRun ClearFog Base SBC with a HackRF One SDR with a broadband amp+low-pass-filter+antenna-tuner setup, and a LoRa module. At about $900/instance and in about a cubic foot, and you get: SFP fiber, 1G Ethernet, long range 2.4GHz Wifi (mesh, high speed),
@@Real_Tim_S Those definitely sound like good options, I'll have to check out some of that stuff- although were definitely getting well beyond the complexity and scope of "drag a random spool of two conductor wire a few hundred yards down a tree row to the next location" required for a field phone 😄
@@kc8omg Indeed, this tangent is intended to illustrate that capabilites can be increased with some prep-work and a resilient architecture. It's fairly easy to emulate or improve on the work being done by DoD/NATO for self healing self establishing conectivity. If one undertakes the effort to drag a twisted pair, what one attaches to each end is a matter of prepared logistics and supply. The setup described above has about the weight of a TA-312 field phone - maybe a little bit more (batteries take space). It's about the space claim of a man-pack radio, but with significatly more capability. One could work up a connector for a H-250/U or H-350/U handset without a computer for simple voice links. Work and capability expands to time and budget allowed to figure it out.
On the topic of grunts vs. POGs, one things that grunts might overlook when judging TOC workers is that, in a high-tempo combat environment, TOCs often move frequently, and these moves are exhaustive for everyone involved. The amount of work involved in moving a TOC is immense, and especially as a lower enlisted, setting up tents in the mud in the dark at 2:00 AM while the command staff watches and drinks coffee is about as thankless as jobs get. Sometimes it's a day or more before things get settled enough that anyone is even allowed to go off somewhere and sleep. Working as TOC staff, while cushy at the best of times, is more often than not, punishing.
Truth! tents, vehicles, generators, camo nets, etc... "jumping".. yep. it's a PITA. I was trapped in S3, I won't get into the how or why, while I had limited moments of advantage, I worked my A off.. much longer hours, less sleep and downtime. The officers are in it for the recognition and they're fully taking advantage of their staff time to advance their careers. The unfortunate grunts that are assigned are used and abused. A lot of broke-diks do get moved to staff to work with the POGs .. but they need capable soldiers to do the work.
This is absolutely massive. I think you guys are spot on the money as this is something I have been working on given the extremely diverse terrain from sprawling urban to dense wrong turn level woods to corn fields. I also think you guys are spot on for driving home the camouflage aspect and pushing and pushing it. As someone who plays with thermal optics daily you will be fucking dead if you cannot hide your heat signature, your IR signature (think devices and lights) and your signal signature. Something as minimal as just laying down without some form of thermal concealment is death. With thermal sensors becoming cheaper and cheaper. Thermal isn’t just blobs and blurs of heat anymore. That shit is really scary to me. You can get black and white photo quality from thermal then see a lava monster from hundreds of yards away and immediately detect even that subtle leg of a guy sticking out of his hasty. You need to have thermal concealment. You need to be getting dug in atleast 18 inches if you are going to sleep somewhere. You need to have a Beez Combat systems Spectralflage blanket over your position, you need to have natural terrain and vegetation supporting your position. You need to have comms plans so you only transmit when absolutely necessary. Not all the time. You need to have every single device set to airplane mode if you have to use it for data purposes, and completely turned off and stored away when not in use. All of this applies equally the dumb guys on the internet thinking they are doing recce when they have ATAKs all running amongst 3 guys, are all using baofengs to talk to each other 50M apart just because, not running suppressors or at minimum quality flash hiders, using jet boils that will wake up the whole block to make a hot chocolate rather than an alcohol stove that’s silent, not covering the lenses of their shit. No matter what you are doing or what you think you will be doing everything said in this video for the civilian application could not be more spot on as this is something I have been working on with my group for about 3 years now pretty much every week. All of us run only lithium AAA, and AA, everyone packs a solar panel and extra water and supplies for the group while one guy only packs the solar generator and everyone else humps his fair share. This is all scary and you need to really think it out as they have here.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
In the public sector, NIMS is taught to all fire and EMS personnel. Your level of education varies by your organization and their dedication to it's use, but IFSAC and IFSTA have requirements for it. The classes are publicly available on FEMA's website. I would suggest taking them if you want to understand how to organize something effectively. Start with ics 100 and 200. In general, police are less well versed in these kinds of things than fire because they rarely use it. That's why fire stations and fire personnel tend to be involved in big incidents as communication and coordination.
Former Army Sergeant here, who worked for a full-bird Colonel in command of a Brigade Combat Team under a well known Airborne Division (no, not the other "Airborne" Division). As far as TOC's not having S6, S4, or Medical personnel present at the TOC is 100% wrong. Nearly every TOC I helped establish, manned, and observed always included at least an S6 shop to coordinate crypto, radio repair and distribution, and in-situ IT troubleshooting; further, the Supply and Medical shops also at least had a senior NCO (or at least a very squared away NCO), to coordinate things on their end with the S3, S4, and S6 shops...addition to advising the Commander when needed.
TOC culture is just like Central Office vs School employees in education. I realize the Central Office is the educational equivalent of a TOC. I wish more people ran it like a TOC when I was a CO admin.
S2, I look forward to you releasing your videos or latest Intel content. I've found it amusing over the years, being a coms tech, that the vast majority of people find the field either boring or they can't relate. Thus if people ask what I do for a living, they quickly disengage, and go find someone else to talk to. I've now learned to use it to my advantage. I just had someone look over my shoulder and ask what I was watching. He usually hangs around. This time he held a blank stare for about 2 seconds and then walked away! Thanks S2 for being so boring!
As a Brigader Battle Captain in the TAC, My NCO and I enforced a rule that everyone including the Brigade Commander, XO, and S3 was required to have a "spill-proof" coffee cup. this came about after the 3 spilled his coffee all over the tracking map and duty journal. My NCO had to keep himself between the RTOs and the 3 for days.
16:35: "The tiniest bit of professionalism goes a long way" Profound. This should be tattooed on the forehead of every manager, leader, officer, and supervisor.
You misspelled liaison; they can turn into (communication) runners if need be--put those guys to work! The Marines were doing it right in the video; they had an analog backup and were not depending on digital exclusively. It is critical to have analog backup. Battle drills are important for a TOC, and there are ways to streamline those. Another specialty type of TOC is a Base Defense Operation Center (BDOC). It is possible to run a TOC from an mobile armored platform, such as an M1087 Expando Van. You touched on Incident Control Systems (ICS), knowing a little about NIMS can streamline any sort of TOC. A TOCSOP done correctly as a living and breathing document can do good things for efficiency as well. You want experienced personnel in a TOC running things--it isn't a good place to dump the sick, lame, and lazy (except RTO, sometimes). Putting out information in a TOC has to be done in such a manner that everyone can act on it; spitting out info before anyone is prepared to copy just wastes time. TOCs also deconflict resources for supported units and respond to requests for information (RFI).
Have worked out of TOC's or in the civilian environment an EOC's; they come in any style from on field/foot to fixed building and in-between ie; a APC or suburban with a radio and maps. The lingo is the same form military to civilian ops center given all are trained the same and have served in most cases, given my experience FEM federal emergency management has made this easy and uniform cross the government sector.
Thanks for doing this, I was in the military for 12 years but have forgotten soooo much, not to mention the stuff I never understood. Lol. Anyway, good gouge.
@14:50 there is such thing as a mobile JOC. In a civilian role a rental 40ft U-Haul can work, and often modern minivans work very well, if your crew can be small enough. it is clearly a trade off compared to a static Joc but can be well worth it given the environment.
I'm a dinosaur. In the late 1980s the 67th Sig Bn TOC on Ft. Gordon most of the time was a three man operation, occassionally five closer to briefing time. Of course this was before computers made it to the field and before computer projectors. Two 2 1/2 ton trucks with shelters, two frame tents, camo and constantina wire. The missions were training units and officers for TRADOC, and supporting theater and higher level operations for FORSCOM and SOCOM. The last thing I did before getting out was final field testing of gen1 digital subscriber gear (mostly field phones & switches) and joint tactical radios. Usually a small detachment supported FORSCOM or SOCOM exercises. A souls would go TDY to places like Honduras or Ft. Wachuka. Yes, I am the rare peace time vet. I was fortunate to work under a battalion CSM that was a veteran of Korea and Vietnam that had master's degree. He did a good job of keeping officers in check.
On the topic of small TOC I've seen plenty of company level ones where it's one or two guys at a time on radio watch with a direct line to anybody that might need.
Have you read Mao's On Guerrilla Warfare? Could you do a video interpretation/review how a guerrilla war would be conducted strategically the way Mao's book covers? Maybe throw in some Che Guevara strategy/tactics as well?
Rather than one massive battery, it could also be advantageous for several folks to hump a smaller 9-12ah cell with their solar. These can be set to a serial-parallel configuration and tapped at whatever multiples of cell voltage.
Bosnia, 1996. While manning a checkpoint outside the wire we'd get so bored late at night that we'd sing or rap our hourly check-ins with the TOC back at Camp Colt. The poor soul manning the radios at the TOC would eventually sign their replies back to us until the shift's TOC NCOIC would come up on the air and tell everyone to knock it off.
Major missing TOC personnel for a civilian version: Battle Angel In Russia, the Battle Angel is the person who is responsible for civilians in the theater. Battle Angel Is essential if civilian life is critical. Battle Angels have the ability to task any reserve personnel directly with the authority of a General regardless of their actual commission for the purpose of saving lives, providing water, food and medical help. Battle Angels also force civilians from the theater.
This might be a stupid idea, but since barely anyone in a given community want to practice boring things such as radio comms, Battle tracking, and running a TOC, what if someone created an entertaining board game/war game that approximated the experience? That way, though a few skills might remain lacking, during an emergency, those players can be called upon to run an actual TOC, and will have the skills to do so without having realized it at first (as prepping might still have a stigma, Turn it into a board game, and favorable results will likely be found). At best, this will pique their interest in learning more about running TOCs. At Worst, they'll have something to fall back on, as some competency is better than none.
QUESTION: I want to use my phone for offline tasks, how can I temporarily and completely disable any/all signal connections while doing so - not just data, bluetooth, wifi, but the basic core call/text connection to provider for 100% secure, absolute private, completely disconnected offline use? Please make a video on doing this in general - temporarily disconnecting all signals from one's cell phone and other devices? Thx.
I would say for a "civilian TOC" matters of opsec and minimizing overall detectability would need to be the primary concern before everything else if operating in a non-permissive environment. Honestly the whole place might have to be underground in some barely accessible pocket of wilderness to even survive long enough to do its mission under combat conditions, assuming a more advanced adversary. Doing things "old school" would probably be the preferable mode of operation, since hauling a bunch of computers and equipment just means more vehicles necessary to move the place, and thus a greater signature.
I had to guard a JOC in the early days of Afghanistan, I can confirm the cultural differences. The food bribe stuff is also legit. Having a Col who needs a favor hand out cigars, fresh coffee, and such we wanted to help him and thus did a good job as opposed to officers that just ordered us who got the bare minimum. Those bribes go both ways too. Taking an officer to a range and letting him play with hero gear or set off a demo charge can get you all kinds of extras and I personally prevented a gun fight with a militia group while out on a patrol by handing out cigarettes and granola bars.
I note that in the "civilian world" we also have EOCs usually at the county-level, but also at the municipality level for certain larger areas (and regional, state, and federal flavors too). Some jurisdictions (my own included) even have mobile command units built on fire engine chassis to function as a remote FOB during a crisis. If you're getting enough buy-in from your fellow residents, you may end up with group members inside those Emergency Operations Centers (my dad worked in one). Thinking about getting a connection in those rooms would be good to add to a long term prep plan...
The similarities between military TOCs and civilian EOCs is more similar than I first thought. My background using the Incident Command System in the “civilian” world (local government) actually helped me in understanding the points made in this video. Civilian EOCs, compared to TOCs plan and support disaster response. Instead of intelligence staff, EOCs may have law enforcement, public works, or county department of transportation, etc liaisons to provide information to the Incident Commander in order to more efficiently respond to a disaster.
@@shortegg6725 And utilities reps (public and private), and a seating area for transient NGOs (think Red Cross, food banks, etc.), or other agencies (FEMA, DHS, National Guard, etc.). Having a PIO is also a thing as disseminating a command message "to your people" may take non-secure routes like Mass Media, Social Media, etc. HAM clubs may take on a comms role at various scales - including data networking, email, and voice communication.
Couple tips... 1: Have only main circuit breakers or surge protection between power source and equipment, and utilize power distribution panels. Longer extension cord runs and power strips with surge protection plugged into power strips adds alot of unnecessary resistance and therefore less available power for equipment. 2: Use plastic clips, zip ties, even duct tape to keep equipment wires secured to tables, walls, floors to prevent tripping or accidentally unplugging equipment. Floor power cord protectors in high foot traffic areas is a must. 3: Practice different equipment power-up sequences. Surprisingly overhead projectors and other equipment can draw alot of power at start up, some may need to be turned on first or one at a time to prevent overloading circuit breakers. 4: Experiment with multiple power supply scenarios. Some buildings power panels can not support a fully functional TOC in a large room. Multiple generator options are necessary for rotating for routine maintenance, back up incase of failure, and to scale properly for power needs. Running a single 60kw generator for a 25kw demand is less efficient then 2 30kw generators paralleled which can be rotated in and out of service without and interruptions to TOC operations.
And yes children get rid of the coffee pots if you are close to maxing out your power assets.
if it can be cooked over a fire, by god ill cook it over a fire. electric coffee pots are lame
No coffee?
Operation is a no go
Power is always an issue - and this all is great to remember... make sure if you are a civilian picking up stuff from the hardware store - those green electrical drop cords LOOK great - but they generally are 14 or 16 ga wire - they aren't big enough to handle a large load. Go spend the extra $$$ for 12ga or 10 ga drops... you'll thank me for it (even though they weigh more and are expensive)
Also: you mess with my coffee, you just moved from friendly to tango... just sayin...
Inrush current can be mind mindbogglingly high for some items.
Get better power before removing coffee your life depends on it.
I spent over three years in a Mech-Inf Bn. So whenever the unit went out into the field, I was there in the TOC, babysitting my M577, working the radios and updating the Sitmap.
If "Tactical Operations Center" is pronounced "Tock," and "Maritime Operations Center" is pronounced "Mock," I don't think I want to call it a "Civilian Operations Center."
why not? I love my coc
Bruh 🤣🤣🤣
😭😭🤣
Phonetically like civilian, it would be "sock"
Very well played
I keep preaching this to my friends. F-15s are great for leveling forces. But without supply lines they can't fly.
Noticed you've been gone for a minute. I hope your doing okay man, your content is fantastic and really opens eyes to the bigger picture. Again, hope you doing okay S2U.
Website link is dead or the site itself?
@@sweatt4237 For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
@@caymanhunter2612, I think we all would have hoped for an update video first. It's kinda scary when someone who puts this much info out just goes dark for over a month. No uploads, and the website being down makes everyone kinda panicky, especially with the current climate.
@@fmbob yeah, only comms have been on Patreon. Kinda sucks but I assume there is a reason behind the quickness this all occured. Whether it was an OPSEC issue or some issue with local laws, they left. But the good news is they will be back soon
I was battle Captain at night during Team Spirit ‘86. Our communicators along with civilians from BDM Corp finally sent the first email via tactical VHF FM VRC-46 radios. It was an Alexander Graham Bell moment.
Awesome!
I hope you know that you are our single source of information for some of these topics. Please continue to do what you're doing. Some of us are applying this knowledge to training
Yes, the workers revolution grows stronger via S2
@@poiu477 workers revolution?
@@bryananderson3772 Someone talking like that would call most of us a false consciousness, and should be isolated from any Ops.
While serving as a Fire Direction Center Computer and Mortar Section Leader in Mech/Armored Battalions, I had a large situation board in the M-577 in order to conduct battle tracking as well as coordinate fires. This was long before BFT, GPS, and other digital innovations. We were designated as the alternate BN TOC, in case the Main TOC and Jump TOC were destroyed. We had several radios to monitor while computing firing data for the guns. It was demanding, but very interesting because we could see the big picture. Great video.
@Dave 😉👍
@Dave no ac..if we were lucky, we had a vehicle heater that worked in the winter.
another alternate for t.o.c is 'primary target'
Lol
I don't get the joke can someone explain it to me
@@jackoliver7506after showing how important of a “command center” type of operations the TOC is, we’ll, it’s obviously vulnerable to attacks and that would be the end of the operation for “enemy” forces.
When one of our patrols is attacked we call it a TIC (Troops in Contact). My S-3 was briefing us before a war fighter exercise once and said “when there’s a TIC in the TOC…” I almost cracked up out loud. Had to hold it in.
My only experience with TOC operations was as a Medic with the HQ element in a Sapper Co. Never. Again. I'll gladly go back out in the field with the shooters. You get way more sleep, and serve a far greater purpose. I spent more time sitting around doing absolutely nothing while waiting for someone to show up with a frickin boo-boo than anything else. I didn't even have the benefit of a TM I could have used for hip pocket training, just staring at effing grass.
The NETWORK and secure offline coms is the TOC. Recommend preparing your ground with portable (well) hidden fiber cable and signaling via (very) low power IR lasers pointed at hidden line of sight optical receivers (any rf signal is HARM candy). If you're not looking straight at it, it better look like static background on NVG. The alternative is playing taliban vs nato or Ukraine vs Russia. Wouldn't recommend either... pro tip: battleships won't win this war.
Gen. Frag: ...hey guys take a seat between Col. Rock and Sgt. Hardplace for a second ... my 2pm ran late.
I want you to know. I look forward to your intell report’s because of how informative and entertaining they are. I’m a realist and enjoy learning about the real deal. I think you’re helping so others may live. Thank you for the creation of this channel.
I really enjoy seeing you tie other videos into your closing thoughts. These are some of the most thoughtfully organized videos i have seen on youtube. Thank you so much for providing quality content!
Back in the 90s and 00s when I was active, the S3 SGM "ran" the TOC and was overall responsible for setting it up and making sure it ran smoothly.
He also ensured all the lower enlisted in the S3 shop were licensed to drive *everything* they used, from humvees to M113A2/A3, M577, and HEMTTs. He'd rotate the guys through the various stations (RTO, support, etc.) and would even send them on various missions outside the wire so they get a "feel" for the battlespace AO.
The S3 folks were either billeted in a tent or set of CHUs as close to the TOC as possible. The S3 SGM kept his ear to the ground for anyone in the entire unit he felt would be a good fit for his team and would regularly snatch up lower enlisted and NCOs for his section to replace someone who just wasn't working out.
But that SGM also knew what he was doing to those soldiers' careers so he'd always make the good ones were being promoted and recognized for their work to keep them happy.
Unfortunately, time and attrition weeded those good SGMs completely out of the military.
Having S2 withdrawals after 3 weeks. Hope you're still a free man and that your K9 is okay.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
@@caymanhunter2612 Thanks for the UPdate!
A computer "game" called Command Modern Operations uses Google Earth maps and a database of most nation's military assets. Someone with this on a laptop could go a long way in showing a simulated mission map.
Killing the enemy is not a computer game.
Except when it is
....Which it is
@@mikemcnamara3777 These days it very well can be.
As an very experienced combat veteran, I’m telling you that you know little about the personal nature of warfare. Closing with and killing the enemy is brutal and up close.
Thank God I am now retired.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location.
Edit: He got to his new location, there are few internet options, but the S2 team has prepped videos for Narration and he is committed to narrating and getting them uploaded by any means possible!
Thanks for the update
Thanks. I was actually looking through the comments hoping to find out why no new videos.
@@benwilson5893 yes. They arrived at the location and have been getting settled. Methinks they are editing atm so expect video soon!
Good, sounded like they were in an untenable location. And I had wondered, just figured they were forced to go to ground.
@@YOU_CANT_BE_THAT_STUPID yep! Also current update. The S2 team has prepped videos for narration. They are likely being narrated as I send this message, however I should mention that since the move, our brother doesn't have the best of internet options but had mentioned doing anything necessary to get videos up including uploading from a coffee shop if need be!
My favorite TOC moment was seeing an explosion more than 2km away behind a low mountain spur while guarding Bagram Airbase. I called it in to them, knowing they had alternative visual systems (due to a previous incident where I caught an infiltrator but wasn't able to communicate this to anyone, yet got a response anyway). They wanted to know the bearing and range to the explosion. The bearing was easy to transmit with my compass, but we had no rangefinder and it was behind the mountain and out of sight too. They really wanted that range!
😅
the more I develop personal experience in the field, the more i equally value having a rangefinder and mounting an optic to your firearm. the modern rifleman shouldnt go anywhere outside the FOB/PB/LP/OP/etc without at least one between himself and a buddy.
Always a good day
If you have a uav guy ( or someone that can fly a hobby fixed wing with POV and 3 to 6 hours flight time), then having them run a feed direct to a screen in the toc within runner distance from the TOC will get the quickest eyes on to an active situation. I've also seen battle command hang out with the uav guys, to get first eyes on developing weather, low level scouting, etc and also give space to let the rest of the TOC get work done. The uav can also be set up as a mobile comms relay the command can move around the battlefield. To that end, think of the purpose of RTOs as distributed runners like team guidon bearers or civilian couriers... the radio is just a shortcut to not run as far. If you have no radios, they physically run or drive messages and packages between relays, drop points, listening posts or observation posts, allowing several locations to run without antennas that are targetable with anti radiation targeting and/or made suspect through location tracking.
Drones that can be given a flight plan and turned loose are very useful
Rctestflight has a solar uav built, seems legit
@@victorygarden556 that would be an ok one for site security, flitetest cargo plane designs have long been slow, long fliers that can also carry dropable items like watermelons. They're definitely also able to carry 2 handheld radios set up as simplex repeaters.
love how some are masked up then the next image shows them unmasked while at the same location
Mask are for lames bro
@@sunnycat69 agreed, it still the fact for some video there masked up and in the same section of video their not. So why the false showing of mask wearing just to keep a promotion happening on time/political reasons.
It has been a month since this video came out. I'm really hoping you'll release an intel update soon. Godspeed, S2. Your videos are so helpful.
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
What happened to the info briefs? It’s been weeks since they came out and I enjoyed the information for the discovery aspect.
Update
I checked their Patron, seems like they’re in the process of moving.
Replying so more see this
Our S2 has gone radio silent. What could this mean?
Missing your updates... Is that Patreon now?
Boom s2 comes in to make my day interesting!
I was 2/21 FA HQ BATTALION (TOC) S2... it was a blast doing that job..
@@americanpatriotbill my hat's off to you man. Thanks
@@keyes_austin_trainingchann7443 thank you. In the middle 80's it was all games. The real thanks belong to today's soldiers.....
I've been in and reported to several SOC's, and JOC's, and your overview is very good, especially the fact that they can be ridiculously boring, and also tremendously over stimulating when missions are going sideways... Nothing worse then a 19 year old begging for fire support over the radio and everyone around you is so inundated with other issues, because they are trying to get assets for their own problems not yours...
Coming out swinging lol. I’ll happily be the Obi Wan making damn good coffee back at the TOC
would really love a dedicated video on guerilla TOC's examples of underground, mobile TOC's etc.
It would probably have to be as simple as some tables, maybe a tent, and some radios and laptops stuffed into a few ordinary looking civilian cars
@@bigredwolf6 look at ham radio emcomm RVs
Thanks yet again for another banger video Rupert (thats what I am calling you now S2 Underground narrator), your videos are always really interesting and informative. You are the sole reason I have chosen to go into intel analysis after I graduate college. Thank you Rupert.
My only TOC story is from NTC. I was on a mountain top OP watching the MSR that ran past our compound. Looking through the LRAS3 I saw a group of 6 or 7 guys digging on the side of the road. I figured they were planting an IED and cashed up it TOC for some indirect.
I was initially told to use my "escalation of force measures" like my stop sign. I replied "I'm about a mile and a half away; I don't think they'll see it." Then they told me to engage. I had a 248B so it is plausible I could've hit a few of them but at that range it would be mostly ineffective and I told the TOC the same in no uncertain terms.
By the time QRF finally got spun up and went out they were gone...but they did get blown up so everyone who knew about it knew I wasn't bullshitting.
I think you were supposed to scare them off so they couldn't complete the install.... maybe don't tell this story at bars.
Yeah I can imagine your commanding officer embarrassed in front of his peers over your excuse of "my gun won't shoot that far", especially if you are American since you guys never seem to have shortages ammo compared to us other countries, but maybe rules of engagement are different over there don't know
From a retired TOC Rat perspective you hit enough buttons causing me to laugh. I noticed you didn't show the e-4 watching bootleg movies on his SIPRNET computer. LOL!!!
The E4 Mafia is both real and vindictive. If you spill their secrets, even witness protection won't save you.
@@swaghauler8334 I was in ANCOC in charge of the TOC. On inspection the instructor asked what was going on. I replied, I am drinking coffee, he is getting the slide show together, he is trying to get in her pants, and he is watching porn. The instructor looked at me in shock then laughed. "You run your TOC in training like it was in real life. Carry on!" And left.
Didn't have time to watch this today, but despite watching several short form videos this has been at the top of EVERY recommended video list on every video. RUclips is doing something right, apparently.
Hey S2, first time commenting. I've been lurking for a bit and am constantly impressed by the quality of information and level of delivery of your content. Please never stop!!!
This gave me the idea that if the op sec can be ensured it can also be virtual toc similar to the subscriber of this channel. Battle orders issued online and reports coming in to a a virtual space.
“Nobody goes to a brief that’s a waste of time”
I chuckled a bit at that
He must have shammed out of SHARP and EO
This brings back memories of division HQ TOC.
Week 1 brigade exercise
Week 2 exercise division
week 3 command exercise
Well boys, it's been two weeks... looks like they got the underground
It’s funny… I’m watching this while on my 12 hour shift in a TOC
The only thing I remember about TOCs from my time as a REMF was that if you used 110VAC to ring their phone they answered quickly, and annoyed (until you burnt out the ringer on their field phone).
I know plenty of communities in my local area that have a TOC staffed 24/365.
And have optical and multispectral sensor networks, indication fences, ground radar, QRF, medical and firefighting QRF, checkpoints at the entrances and last but not least community armories (anybody was finished mandatory service can sign out a weapon if they need it)
m 16/ belt fed 5.56 /belt fed 30cal/M2.
P.S.
They also have Prepared concrete reinforced fighting positions with interlocking fields of fire.
One of the founders of the community when discussing the size that they should build the traffic circle said "I want to tank to be able to go around the traffic circle"...
Based on username and mandatory service - Israel?
@@Real_Tim_S yes
Tank should go through traffic circle not around.
It's designed so a tank can go around the traffic circle without going on to the sidewalk (in terms of size obviously a tank would cause damaged to the pavement)
Are there any good IDF After Action reports which are accessible to the General public about counter Terrorism and Urban operations ?
Wow. I just assumed they gave the infantry some Scooby snacks and told them to kick in some doors.
I've worked as part of the "2" staff in TOCs at BDE, DIV and Corps level. I wouldn't say it was adversarial, but we had to push back on the Operations folks as they try to force us to "tailor the enemy to fit their plan".
That's a scary method.
I’d love a breakdown of Fusion Centers, sort of the civilian law enforcement equivalent.
Hope everything is ok S2. You are appreciated. Fight in the shade.
So glad I never had to work in a headshed. It was way more fun to be a collector than an analyst
Awesome video - One Question though: When's the next Intel Update?
My brother in christ ask your S2 (or your friend Bobby) to make one. S2U won't always be here to give us the heads up on current events
Half joking, half serious
Check out Forward Observer
Do COIST next please
14:54 No No sir, The FLYING TOC IS THE THINGS NIGHTMEARS ARE MADE FROM! haha Moving a toc is one thing but having that machine on wheels is a damed nightmare. Got gennies running on the brink of disaster dew to not being grounded. Got the Supper Ships up or makeshift OE254 Jerryrigged to a 998 (Best is you youse a QEEMS as you can crank it up or down with a drill for expediance). THen losing key members of staff in the darn desert because their radios went out of sync with the battalion net dew to not doing radio checks. Oh and get the IP Phone online thrue the VSAT after every jump hoping the damed think will work at the next location. "and that's how I got this scar"
A discreet van effectively outfitted to gather and disperse info and resources will do wonders for your neighborhood, city, state, etc. Defense.
@@dejuanballard3367 I am reluctantly liking this comment
Instead of field telephone you could use locally networked computers with crossover Ethernet cables or with the correct settings to couple them together
That's... actually a really good idea. Even just using a plain switch/hub with static IPs or a fully disconnected (from the internet) router (preferably an old one or home built without wifi capability at all) to assign addresses via DHCP. Ignoring the relative complexity and power requirements, the biggest downside or thing to overcome compared to the field telephone would be range- the telephones can easily go thousands of meters, standard Ethernet on something like CAT5 is only good for about 100 meters before needing a signal booster/repeater. Definitely something to consider though for a situation as it would greatly increase your capability.
@@kc8omg There are also ethernet to DSL or fiber bridges, and one can do an 802.11 mesh network router with directional focussed antennas to minimize the interception and detection for hops where opportunistic cable cutting might be a threat.
I've been poking at the SolidRun ClearFog Base SBC with a HackRF One SDR with a broadband amp+low-pass-filter+antenna-tuner setup, and a LoRa module. At about $900/instance and in about a cubic foot, and you get: SFP fiber, 1G Ethernet, long range 2.4GHz Wifi (mesh, high speed),
@@Real_Tim_S Those definitely sound like good options, I'll have to check out some of that stuff- although were definitely getting well beyond the complexity and scope of "drag a random spool of two conductor wire a few hundred yards down a tree row to the next location" required for a field phone 😄
@@kc8omg Yeah that stuff is super over-engineered. You can just run a private 5g network. Phones are cheap and encrypted.
@@kc8omg Indeed, this tangent is intended to illustrate that capabilites can be increased with some prep-work and a resilient architecture. It's fairly easy to emulate or improve on the work being done by DoD/NATO for self healing self establishing conectivity. If one undertakes the effort to drag a twisted pair, what one attaches to each end is a matter of prepared logistics and supply.
The setup described above has about the weight of a TA-312 field phone - maybe a little bit more (batteries take space). It's about the space claim of a man-pack radio, but with significatly more capability. One could work up a connector for a H-250/U or H-350/U handset without a computer for simple voice links. Work and capability expands to time and budget allowed to figure it out.
On the topic of grunts vs. POGs, one things that grunts might overlook when judging TOC workers is that, in a high-tempo combat environment, TOCs often move frequently, and these moves are exhaustive for everyone involved. The amount of work involved in moving a TOC is immense, and especially as a lower enlisted, setting up tents in the mud in the dark at 2:00 AM while the command staff watches and drinks coffee is about as thankless as jobs get. Sometimes it's a day or more before things get settled enough that anyone is even allowed to go off somewhere and sleep. Working as TOC staff, while cushy at the best of times, is more often than not, punishing.
Truth! tents, vehicles, generators, camo nets, etc... "jumping".. yep. it's a PITA. I was trapped in S3, I won't get into the how or why, while I had limited moments of advantage, I worked my A off.. much longer hours, less sleep and downtime. The officers are in it for the recognition and they're fully taking advantage of their staff time to advance their careers. The unfortunate grunts that are assigned are used and abused. A lot of broke-diks do get moved to staff to work with the POGs .. but they need capable soldiers to do the work.
This is absolutely massive. I think you guys are spot on the money as this is something I have been working on given the extremely diverse terrain from sprawling urban to dense wrong turn level woods to corn fields. I also think you guys are spot on for driving home the camouflage aspect and pushing and pushing it. As someone who plays with thermal optics daily you will be fucking dead if you cannot hide your heat signature, your IR signature (think devices and lights) and your signal signature. Something as minimal as just laying down without some form of thermal concealment is death. With thermal sensors becoming cheaper and cheaper. Thermal isn’t just blobs and blurs of heat anymore. That shit is really scary to me. You can get black and white photo quality from thermal then see a lava monster from hundreds of yards away and immediately detect even that subtle leg of a guy sticking out of his hasty.
You need to have thermal concealment. You need to be getting dug in atleast 18 inches if you are going to sleep somewhere. You need to have a Beez Combat systems Spectralflage blanket over your position, you need to have natural terrain and vegetation supporting your position. You need to have comms plans so you only transmit when absolutely necessary. Not all the time. You need to have every single device set to airplane mode if you have to use it for data purposes, and completely turned off and stored away when not in use. All of this applies equally the dumb guys on the internet thinking they are doing recce when they have ATAKs all running amongst 3 guys, are all using baofengs to talk to each other 50M apart just because, not running suppressors or at minimum quality flash hiders, using jet boils that will wake up the whole block to make a hot chocolate rather than an alcohol stove that’s silent, not covering the lenses of their shit.
No matter what you are doing or what you think you will be doing everything said in this video for the civilian application could not be more spot on as this is something I have been working on with my group for about 3 years now pretty much every week. All of us run only lithium AAA, and AA, everyone packs a solar panel and extra water and supplies for the group while one guy only packs the solar generator and everyone else humps his fair share. This is all scary and you need to really think it out as they have here.
I really hope all is good in the camp! Kinda worried. If your able atleast post a short showing your alive and well. (If able)
For anyone wondering, the S2 team is moving...from what I hear they are driving thousands of miles. They will resume uploads when at their new location
You're contributing a lot to civilian organizational management by making videos like this
In the public sector, NIMS is taught to all fire and EMS personnel. Your level of education varies by your organization and their dedication to it's use, but IFSAC and IFSTA have requirements for it. The classes are publicly available on FEMA's website. I would suggest taking them if you want to understand how to organize something effectively. Start with ics 100 and 200.
In general, police are less well versed in these kinds of things than fire because they rarely use it. That's why fire stations and fire personnel tend to be involved in big incidents as communication and coordination.
“Have to retro actively scramble to find reasons” 😂 Perfectly articulated.
This channel deserves so much more subs. I'll be here when you hit 1M!
This is the best explanation of TOC I've seen. Thanks
Former Army Sergeant here, who worked for a full-bird Colonel in command of a Brigade Combat Team under a well known Airborne Division (no, not the other "Airborne" Division).
As far as TOC's not having S6, S4, or Medical personnel present at the TOC is 100% wrong. Nearly every TOC I helped establish, manned, and observed always included at least an S6 shop to coordinate crypto, radio repair and distribution, and in-situ IT troubleshooting; further, the Supply and Medical shops also at least had a senior NCO (or at least a very squared away NCO), to coordinate things on their end with the S3, S4, and S6 shops...addition to advising the Commander when needed.
I hope that S2 is doing okay. Radio silence for about two months
Great presentation.
If you worked in a toc and had tourettes with an uncontrollable tic, would your codename be tic toc?
TOC culture is just like Central Office vs School employees in education. I realize the Central Office is the educational equivalent of a TOC. I wish more people ran it like a TOC when I was a CO admin.
Excellent info and thorough briefing as always friends, keep up the fire!
S2, I look forward to you releasing your videos or latest Intel content. I've found it amusing over the years, being a coms tech, that the vast majority of people find the field either boring or they can't relate. Thus if people ask what I do for a living, they quickly disengage, and go find someone else to talk to. I've now learned to use it to my advantage. I just had someone look over my shoulder and ask what I was watching. He usually hangs around. This time he held a blank stare for about 2 seconds and then walked away! Thanks S2 for being so boring!
Ready for a new video!
Such a great debrief. And great gouge for active duty personnel.
As a Brigader Battle Captain in the TAC, My NCO and I enforced a rule that everyone including the Brigade Commander, XO, and S3 was required to have a "spill-proof" coffee cup. this came about after the 3 spilled his coffee all over the tracking map and duty journal. My NCO had to keep himself between the RTOs and the 3 for days.
16:35: "The tiniest bit of professionalism goes a long way"
Profound.
This should be tattooed on the forehead of every manager, leader, officer, and supervisor.
You misspelled liaison; they can turn into (communication) runners if need be--put those guys to work! The Marines were doing it right in the video; they had an analog backup and were not depending on digital exclusively. It is critical to have analog backup. Battle drills are important for a TOC, and there are ways to streamline those. Another specialty type of TOC is a Base Defense Operation Center (BDOC). It is possible to run a TOC from an mobile armored platform, such as an M1087 Expando Van. You touched on Incident Control Systems (ICS), knowing a little about NIMS can streamline any sort of TOC. A TOCSOP done correctly as a living and breathing document can do good things for efficiency as well. You want experienced personnel in a TOC running things--it isn't a good place to dump the sick, lame, and lazy (except RTO, sometimes). Putting out information in a TOC has to be done in such a manner that everyone can act on it; spitting out info before anyone is prepared to copy just wastes time. TOCs also deconflict resources for supported units and respond to requests for information (RFI).
It would be cool too see your perspective on phones/smartphones since you do a lot of content on communications
Have worked out of TOC's or in the civilian environment an EOC's; they come in any style from on field/foot to fixed building and in-between ie; a APC or suburban with a radio and maps. The lingo is the same form military to civilian ops center given all are trained the same and have served in most cases, given my experience FEM federal emergency management has made this easy and uniform cross the government sector.
Once again you nailed it. Thank you!
Thanks for doing this, I was in the military for 12 years but have forgotten soooo much, not to mention the stuff I never understood. Lol. Anyway, good gouge.
Appreciate the footage in these videos.
@14:50 there is such thing as a mobile JOC. In a civilian role a rental 40ft U-Haul can work, and often modern minivans work very well, if your crew can be small enough. it is clearly a trade off compared to a static Joc but can be well worth it given the environment.
My spider sense is tingling, it feels like a new video may be on the way.
I'm a dinosaur. In the late 1980s the 67th Sig Bn TOC on Ft. Gordon most of the time was a three man operation, occassionally five closer to briefing time.
Of course this was before computers made it to the field and before computer projectors.
Two 2 1/2 ton trucks with shelters, two frame tents, camo and constantina wire.
The missions were training units and officers for TRADOC, and supporting theater and higher level operations for FORSCOM and SOCOM.
The last thing I did before getting out was final field testing of gen1 digital subscriber gear (mostly field phones & switches) and joint tactical radios.
Usually a small detachment supported FORSCOM or SOCOM exercises. A souls would go TDY to places like Honduras or Ft. Wachuka.
Yes, I am the rare peace time vet.
I was fortunate to work under a battalion CSM that was a veteran of Korea and Vietnam that had master's degree. He did a good job of keeping officers in check.
On the topic of small TOC I've seen plenty of company level ones where it's one or two guys at a time on radio watch with a direct line to anybody that might need.
Have you read Mao's On Guerrilla Warfare? Could you do a video interpretation/review how a guerrilla war would be conducted strategically the way Mao's book covers? Maybe throw in some Che Guevara strategy/tactics as well?
Or Stallin. Stallin was apparently a badass bankrobber before becoming a politician.
@@garrysekelli6776 those skills carry over well
Rather than one massive battery, it could also be advantageous for several folks to hump a smaller 9-12ah cell with their solar.
These can be set to a serial-parallel configuration and tapped at whatever multiples of cell voltage.
Bosnia, 1996. While manning a checkpoint outside the wire we'd get so bored late at night that we'd sing or rap our hourly check-ins with the TOC back at Camp Colt.
The poor soul manning the radios at the TOC would eventually sign their replies back to us until the shift's TOC NCOIC would come up on the air and tell everyone to knock it off.
Exceptional presentation
Major missing TOC personnel for a civilian version: Battle Angel
In Russia, the Battle Angel is the person who is responsible for civilians in the theater. Battle Angel Is essential if civilian life is critical. Battle Angels have the ability to task any reserve personnel directly with the authority of a General regardless of their actual commission for the purpose of saving lives, providing water, food and medical help. Battle Angels also force civilians from the theater.
Thank you 😊
Where are the Intel updates? I feel like this channel has almost been shut down.
Spent a lot of time in the TOC, good, bad, and ok times working those crap shifts lol
I’m going to bug city council to pick up the tab when I build a TOC for my neighborhood watch program.
This might be a stupid idea, but since barely anyone in a given community want to practice boring things such as radio comms, Battle tracking, and running a TOC, what if someone created an entertaining board game/war game that approximated the experience? That way, though a few skills might remain lacking, during an emergency, those players can be called upon to run an actual TOC, and will have the skills to do so without having realized it at first (as prepping might still have a stigma, Turn it into a board game, and favorable results will likely be found). At best, this will pique their interest in learning more about running TOCs. At Worst, they'll have something to fall back on, as some competency is better than none.
QUESTION:
I want to use my phone for offline tasks, how can I temporarily and completely disable any/all signal connections while doing so - not just data, bluetooth, wifi, but the basic core call/text connection to provider for 100% secure, absolute private, completely disconnected offline use?
Please make a video on doing this in general - temporarily disconnecting all signals from one's cell phone and other devices?
Thx.
Man, are you guys okay? Haven't heard from you in a bit. Starting to worry.
Spectacular stuff as always. Is logistics next?
I would say for a "civilian TOC" matters of opsec and minimizing overall detectability would need to be the primary concern before everything else if operating in a non-permissive environment. Honestly the whole place might have to be underground in some barely accessible pocket of wilderness to even survive long enough to do its mission under combat conditions, assuming a more advanced adversary. Doing things "old school" would probably be the preferable mode of operation, since hauling a bunch of computers and equipment just means more vehicles necessary to move the place, and thus a greater signature.
I had to guard a JOC in the early days of Afghanistan, I can confirm the cultural differences.
The food bribe stuff is also legit. Having a Col who needs a favor hand out cigars, fresh coffee, and such we wanted to help him and thus did a good job as opposed to officers that just ordered us who got the bare minimum.
Those bribes go both ways too. Taking an officer to a range and letting him play with hero gear or set off a demo charge can get you all kinds of extras and I personally prevented a gun fight with a militia group while out on a patrol by handing out cigarettes and granola bars.
I note that in the "civilian world" we also have EOCs usually at the county-level, but also at the municipality level for certain larger areas (and regional, state, and federal flavors too). Some jurisdictions (my own included) even have mobile command units built on fire engine chassis to function as a remote FOB during a crisis.
If you're getting enough buy-in from your fellow residents, you may end up with group members inside those Emergency Operations Centers (my dad worked in one). Thinking about getting a connection in those rooms would be good to add to a long term prep plan...
The similarities between military TOCs and civilian EOCs is more similar than I first thought. My background using the Incident Command System in the “civilian” world (local government) actually helped me in understanding the points made in this video.
Civilian EOCs, compared to TOCs plan and support disaster response. Instead of intelligence staff, EOCs may have law enforcement, public works, or county department of transportation, etc liaisons to provide information to the Incident Commander in order to more efficiently respond to a disaster.
@@shortegg6725 And utilities reps (public and private), and a seating area for transient NGOs (think Red Cross, food banks, etc.), or other agencies (FEMA, DHS, National Guard, etc.). Having a PIO is also a thing as disseminating a command message "to your people" may take non-secure routes like Mass Media, Social Media, etc. HAM clubs may take on a comms role at various scales - including data networking, email, and voice communication.
Hope all is well
Solid video as always.
Love your videos, former infantry
The Swo gear was cramed into my dtss. The bane of my time in was the s2 didn't have the same tools in arcmap as I did in geoint