Comms Roles & Responsibilities

Purpose

Defining communication roles ensures that each member of a fireteam, section, or platoon understands when and how they are expected to speak — and who they should be listening to. This promotes clarity, maintains radio discipline, and supports effective command and control during operations.

Definition

Communication responsibilities are role-specific expectations regarding who initiates transmissions, who monitors which net, and how information flows up and down the chain of command.

Key Principles

• Only the appropriate leader should speak on higher nets (Platoon Net).
• Each unit should maintain clear internal channels (Section Net).
• Lower-level units report upward, higher units issue downward.
• Everyone listens, but not everyone speaks — use your chain of command.

Application

🔹 Fire Team Member

• Speak only on Section Net when:
  • Reporting immediate contact (e.g., aDDD format).
  • Responding directly to your Team Lead.
  • Alerting the team to urgent threats or movements.

🔹 Fire Team Leader

• Maintains internal communication with team members.
• Passes up ACE inputs and contact reports to Section Leader.
• May help manage team discipline over Section Net.

🔹 Section Leader

• Monitors both Section Net and Platoon Net.
• Passes upward:
  • ACE Reports (section-level)
  • Contact Reports
  • LOCSTATs / SITREPs
• Receives orders from Platoon Lead and distributes them to Fire Teams.

🔹 Platoon Leader

• Primary voice on Platoon Net.
• Issues taskings, redirects sections, coordinates support.
• Initiates SITREP/ACE calls as needed.

🔹 Optional Command Section Roles

If present:

• RTO (Radio Operator) may handle routine traffic on behalf of the Platoon Lead.
• JTAC communicates directly with CAS/IDF assets.
• Intel/Recon elements may report sightings directly to the Platoon Lead but usually not to general traffic.

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Fireteam members transmitting directly on Platoon Net.
• ❌ Multiple people trying to report the same thing (contact, SITREP).
• ❌ Not delegating comms duties (e.g., overwhelmed PL handling everything alone).
• ❌ Team Leaders forgetting to pass up reports from their team.

Summary

Comms discipline is built on knowing your role and respecting the chain of command. By ensuring that each player only speaks when appropriate — and passes information through the proper channels — your unit becomes faster, quieter, and more combat effective.