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jscd practical
isuc branch
nco ops duties

The aim of the Junior Command and Staff Duties Practical (JCSD Prac) Course is as follow:

  • To provide practical experience in conventional operations to officers in the rank group of Maj - Lt Col in the command of an all arms combat group and to qualify the learner as a grade 1 staff officer at Brigade level.

The Pre entry requirements are as follow:

  • The learner must be selected by his corps and earmarked to become a future unit commander or SO 1 at Brigade level or an Instructor at an Army/Corps training facility.
  • The learner should have completed his own corps training up to unit level/SO 1 level.
  • The learner should have completed the tactical phase of the JCSD theory course.
  • The Learner must be medically fit.
  • The learner must be within the rank group of Maj – Lt Col.

Method of Assessment

  • The learners are trained in and assessed on integrated safety planning for direct and indirect weapons on at tactical level.
  • The learners are assessed while appointed in the different posts at unit and Brigade level.

Overview of the Course

  • The duration of the course is 13 weeks.  Training starts with the revision of the phases of war for OF and OPFOR , organisations and the development of the log system. Learners participate in preparing and presenting learning.
  • The next exercise is a practical Battle control exercise in the training area, where the learners are divided into syndicates, receiving training on standard commands for integrated forces, signal, navigation and battle control.
  • Unit planning, orders, and execution of the plan in the training area, follow this exercise.  Planning is focused on offensive operations and obstacle crossing.
  • The next two weeks will be spent on an instructional Brigade planning cycle. Learners are appointed  in the SO 1 and SO 2 posts at Brigade level with an instructor appointed as the Chief of Staff. Lectures regarding the outcome of each phase, are presented to the learners, where after the learners are to plan and present the next phase. The planning is concluded with the Brigade Orders and the testing of the plan on the Tactical Exercise Simulator (TES) system.
  • The Brigade plan is then planned on unit level. During the orders, the learners from the integrated sub unit commanders course and NCO Ops Duties (Echelon Commanders) integrate with the JCSD Practical course. Forthwith they will then act as the sub-unit commanders and echelon commanders.
  • The next three weeks are spent on the practical execution of all the phases of war, raids, mobile ambushes, deliberate and assault river crossings with an all arms skeleton force. Emphasis is placed on command and control, planning and execution of the different operations, technical level execution, combat survival, applying of the principles of the different phases of war, Fire Support Coordination and the integration of arms.
  • This is followed with a Brigade planning of a defensive operation.
  • The course is concluded with a brigade planning and execution with a brigade(-).