INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

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This newsletter supports the explanation of Reception, Staging, onward movement, and Integration (RSOI) and briefly discusses its purpose. The newsletter reviews the objectives and elements of RSOI and points out what Reserve units need to know as they either undergo RSOI as a customer or as the Command and Control element conducting the mission. We have seen through the numerous rotations at the National Training Center (NTC), Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and each of the deployments made by Reserve Component (RC) units over the last few years to the Balkans that RSOI remains essentially unchanged. The process is the same whether conducted by an Active Component (AC) unit or a Reserve Component (RC) unit. It has the same desired outcome and is conducted with one set of standards. However, the emphasis for United States Army Reserve (USAR) and National Guard (NG) units is to place a higher level of importance on the training needed to conduct this mission successfully. The one aspect of RSOI that is mistaken by units is that RSOI is not a logistical mission, but an operation with very heavy logistical implications.

The Army, in these days of dwindling resources and constant cutbacks, particularly in the Reserves, must learn from the experiences of other units. If a unit performs admirably, whether in the Balkans or at JRTC, then what was learned by the unit should be shared with the rest of the Army. It follows then that since RSOI is RSOI, regardless of which component is undergoing or conducting it, we all should learn what other units are trying in order to "get it right." With this end in mind, this newsletter is provided for your information and use.

The Reserve Component is used more today than at any time in history including massive mobilizations such as a world war. USAR and NG units have been used more during the last 12 years than the previous 35 years. This pattern indicates that U.S. foreign policy will demand an increase in the U.S. military presence around the world. The Reserve Component must continue to support this growing demand on U.S. Forces. The U.S. Army is composed of the following:

• Fifty-four percent of all troops is in RC versus 46 percent in AC.
• Sixty-six percent of all combat support (CS) units is in the RC versus 34 percent in the AC.
• Seventy-two percent of all combat service support (CSS) is in the RC versus 28 percent in the AC.

The RC is the component for support when the AC needs more than it can muster for a world-wide deployment. Along with the decreased level of resources, the RC will benefit from the lessons that were learned by other RC and AC units as they conduct the RSOI process.

There are changes constantly taking place in the Army today. The Army is a capability based force projection platform that supports ad-hoc coalitions. The dynamics of global affairs places a requirement on the U.S. Army to conduct short-notice deployments to the far reaches of the globe, and then to rapidly build up combat power on the ground. RC units must train and be knowledgeable of all aspects of short-notice deployments.

These characteristics of the Army have generated increased emphasis on the "deployment operations" stage of force projection. Entry operations are generally categorized as either forced or unopposed. Whenever possible, U.S. forces seek unopposed entry, entering the theater peacefully with the assistance of the host nation. Early deploying units may flow through airports or seaports into a lodgment or marshalling area. From this area, they will prepare to assist forward-presence or host-nation forces, protect the force, reconfigure, build combat capability, train, and acclimate to the environment. The requirement of unopposed entry operations is being explored, trained and committed to doctrine under a series of efforts entitled "RSOI."

RSOI is a new name for an old problem. The Army has long been concerned with the process of receiving forces in a theater and molding them into ready and sustainable combat capable forces. The Army no longer has the luxury of focusing and planning for one major contingency with forward-based forces and an established infrastructure. The Army today must prepare to operate in two simultaneous major regional contingency force projection scenarios. It must also respond to a variety of Stability and Support Operations (SASOs) that may arise worldwide.

In a force projection environment, the ability to execute any mission depends on the speed with which combat power is assembled at required locations. This involves more than merely bringing soldiers and equipment into the theater. Rather, soldiers and equipment must be efficiently received, rapidly formed into units by matching the soldiers with their equipment, quickly moved to Tactical Assembly Areas (TAAs), and seamlessly integrated into operations. The individual unit is most vulnerable to a successful attack during the time between its initial arrival into theater and its operational deployment. This critical period is when the unit cannot defend itself or contribute to mission accomplishment, but yet consumes resources.

This newsletter provides lessons on how to conduct an RSOI as a service provider for customer units. And, it provides lessons to ease the RSOI process if your unit is the customer. Any RC unit has the possibility to be a customer of the RSOI process. Since many of the Army's Area Support Groups (ASGs) or Corps Support Groups (CSGs) are in the RC, and, therefore, serve as the responsible parties for force tracking during the process, the "how to" chapter of this newsletter is for you. The sooner we all understand this process, the more efficiently we can either go through it or conduct it.

Keys to success during RSOI include developing and implementing a plan to build combat power and a system for tracking such an effort. Intermediate goals, established by the chain of command, help measure progress and facilitate the adjustment of priorities during RSOI. This whole process begins with training. Located in the appendixes of this newsletter are some helpful tools for your units and staff to use. Appendix A contains a sample RSOI Operation Order annex. Use this annex and change it to suit your unit and mission. Please send samples of the annexes you develop and use to CALL. Your input can then be shared with the rest of the Army. Appendix B contains some very useful tracking charts. The charts come with instructions on their use. They are provided to assist you in your tracking, integration, and build up of combat power.

Appendix C is a sample operations order (OPORD) for use during the Theater Opening Force Module (TOFM) at NTC. The OPORD contains part of the usual RSOI mission and, in some ways, mirrors this process. But TOFM is different from RSOI. Included as a part of the OPORD are two of the most important annexes. Your unit should develop the remainder of the annexes as necessary.