Obstacles to troop movement represent either natural, human habitat originated, constructed, concealed obstacles, or obstructive impediments to movement of military troops and their vehicles, or to their visibility. By impeding strategic, operational or tactical manoeuvre, the obstacle represents an added barrier between opposing combat forces, and therefore prevent achievement of objectives and goals specified in the operational planning schedule. The constructed obstacles are used as an aid to defending a position or area as part of the general defensive plan of the commander. The obstacles that originate from the human habitat can be converted by troops into constructed obstacles by either performing additional construction, or executing demolitions to obstruct movement over the transport network, to create a choke point, or to deny traversing of an area to the enemy. The natural obstacles can be used defensively by securing a more difficult to breach defensive position by for example securing a flank on terrain that is deemed impossible to traverse, thus denying the enemy an ability to close into combat range of direct fire weapons.
Read more about Obstacles To Troop Movement: Role of Obstacles, Natural Obstacles, Habitat Obstacles, Constructed Obstacles, Concealed Obstacles, Obstructive Obstacles, Obstacle Negotiation
Famous quotes containing the words obstacles to, obstacles, troop and/or movement:
“Life is like walking along a crowded street—there always seem to be fewer obstacles to getting along on the opposite pavement—and yet, if one crosses over, matters are rarely mended.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)
“Weakness is a better teacher than strength. Weakness must learn to understand the obstacles that strength brushes aside.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“Old soldiers, Miss Dandridge. Someday you’ll learn how they hate to give up. Captain of a troop one day, every man’s face turned toward ya. Lieutenants jump when I growl. Now tomorrow, I’ll be glad if the blacksmith asks me to shoe a horse.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)
“What had really caused the women’s movement was the additional years of human life. At the turn of the century women’s life expectancy was forty-six; now it was nearly eighty. Our groping sense that we couldn’t live all those years in terms of motherhood alone was “the problem that had no name.” Realizing that it was not some freakish personal fault but our common problem as women had enabled us to take the first steps to change our lives.”
—Betty Friedan (20th century)