SCCC Study Guide

Module A — Common Core

32 lessons · 687 key terms. Flashcards and practice questions for this module and every other are on the study pages.

Chapters32 lessons

Common Core Module Primer 113-SCCCA01

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveIdentify the Common Core module requirements and schedule

StandardIdentify the Common Core module requirements and schedule in a clear and concise manner, without error.

This 1.0-hour lesson orients students to Module A (Common Core) of the Signal Captains Career Course: the course map, the module overview, the 44-lesson module schedule, and the governing references. It frames Common Core within a strategy context of ends, ways, and means, grand strategy, and the three international relations theories of realism, liberalism, and constructivism, and it shows how US strategic documents cascade from the Presidential level down to battalion annual training guidance. It introduces the three-tier Army doctrine hierarchy of Army Doctrine Publications (ADP), Field Manuals (FM), and Army Techniques Publications (ATP), together with the three domains of leader development: operational, institutional, and self-development. Module A is taught in a learner-centric, small-group environment with facilitated peer-to-peer learning, and it covers topics mandated by AR 350-1 for resident professional military education (PME). Its intent is to develop Signal Captains to function as battalion or brigade staff officers, with heavy emphasis on the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP).

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Three domains of leader development
  1. Operational: on-the-job training (OJT)
  2. Institutional: professional military education (PME)
  3. Self-development: professional reading
Army doctrine hierarchy with inventory counts
  1. Army Doctrine Publications (ADP): detailed information on fundamentals; 16 publications
  2. Field Manuals (FM): tactics and procedures; 64 publications
  3. Army Techniques Publications (ATP): techniques; 259 publications
International relations theories
  1. Realism: power is zero sum and based on security; unipolar
  2. Liberalism: power can be shared for mutual gain; multipolar
  3. Constructivism: power is anamorphic, and the people executing the policy matter
US strategic documents by echelon
  1. Presidential: national strategy
  2. Department of Defense: National Defense Strategy
  3. Joint Staff: National Military Strategy and National Cyber Strategy
  4. Combatant command (COCOM): manning guidance and OPLAN
  5. Army Staff: Army Strategy and Army Training Guidance
  6. FORSCOM, corps, divisions, brigade combat teams, and battalions: annual training guidance
Operational variables (PMESII-PT)
  1. Political
  2. Military
  3. Economic
  4. Social
  5. Information
  6. Infrastructure
  7. Physical environment
  8. Time
Signal Captains Career Course map modules
  1. Module A: Common Core
  2. Module B: Signal Operations
  3. Module C: Cyberspace Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA)
  4. Module D: Network Implementation and Maintenance
  5. Module E: Lower Tactical Tier-Internet (LTI)
  6. Module F: Upper Tactical Tier-Internet (UTI)
  7. Module G: Mission Command Information System (MCIS)
  8. Module H: Integrated Tactical Network (ITN)
  9. Module J: Administrative

Key terms

Common Core (Module A)
The Signal Captains Career Course module conducted in a learner-centric, small-group environment with facilitated peer-to-peer learning. It is designed to develop critical thinking in Captains and senior First Lieutenants of all branches, and it covers topics mandated by AR 350-1 for resident PME.
Grand strategy
The art and science of coordinating the development and use of the political, economic, and military instruments of national power to achieve national security.
Realism (international relations theory)
The theory that power is zero sum and based on security, so that a dominant state can impose on other nations in a unipolar world.
Liberalism (international relations theory)
The theory that power can be shared for mutual gain, so that democratic institutions are used to spread democracy in a multipolar world.
Constructivism (international relations theory)
The theory that power is anamorphic and that the people executing a policy matter, because execution is personal rather than professional.
Army Doctrine Publication (ADP)
The doctrine publication type that provides a detailed description and in-depth discussion of fundamental principles and that mirrors joint doctrine; 16 are in the Army inventory.
Field Manual (FM)
The doctrine publication type that contains tactics and procedures; 64 are in the Army inventory.
Army Techniques Publication (ATP)
The doctrine publication type that contains techniques; 259 are in the Army inventory.
Institutional domain
The leader development domain of professional military education.
Self-development domain
The leader development domain of professional reading.
Operational environment (OE)
The conditions the Army must train for and operate in. TRADOC's The Operational Environment 2024-2034: Large-Scale Combat Operations identifies 12 conditions likely to influence how the US Army trains for and operates in large-scale combat operations (LSCO) from 2024 to 2034, and instructors integrate those conditions into this lesson.
PMESII-PT
The eight operational variables: political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time.
METT-TC
Mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations: the factors leaders assess when performing a risk assessment.
DOTMLPF-P
Doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy: the capability areas across which the Army adapts to the implications of modern large-scale combat operations.
Experiential Learning Model (ELM)
The instructional model that structures the lesson through four phases: concrete experience (CE), publish and process (P&P), develop (DEV), and apply (APP).
Foreign disclosure rating FD1
A rating indicating that the training product may be used to instruct international military students from all approved countries without restrictions.
Political variable
The operational variable that describes the distribution of responsibility and power at all levels of governance, including formally constituted authorities as well as informal or covert political powers.
Information variable
The operational variable that describes the nature, scope, characteristics, and effects of individuals, organizations, and systems that collect, process, disseminate, or act on information.
Time variable
The operational variable that describes the timing and duration of activities, events, or conditions within an operational environment, and how various actors perceive that timing and duration.

Testable points

  • The Common Core Module Primer is a 1.0-hour lesson; its risk assessment level is Low and its foreign disclosure rating is FD1.
  • Module A (Common Core) comprises 44 lessons totaling 109.5 hours.
  • The Signal Captains Career Course program of instruction (POI) is version 7.0, with 760 academic hours and a course length of 20 weeks.
  • The course map runs Modules A through H plus Module J (Administrative); Module A is first.
  • The core curriculum of Module A covers Leadership and Leadership Essentials, Mission Command, the operations process, training management, Multidomain Operations, and Staff Exercises.
  • The intent of Module A is to develop Signal Captains to function effectively as battalion or brigade staff officers in current and future operational environments, with emphasis on the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP).
  • The topics in Module A are mandated by AR 350-1 for resident PME.
  • STAFFEX is the longest block in Module A at 17 hours, followed by Training Management and Unit Status Report at 16 hours and Mission Command Battle Analysis student briefs at 8 hours.
  • The Common Core exam is multiple choice, and the AC/RC Captains Career Common Core End of Course Exam is allotted 2 hours.
  • Grand strategy is the art and science of coordinating the development and use of the political, economic, and military instruments of national power to achieve national security.
  • The three international relations theories taught are realism, liberalism, and constructivism.
  • US strategic documents cascade by echelon from the Presidential level down: the Department of Defense issues the National Defense Strategy; the Joint Staff issues the National Military Strategy and the National Cyber Strategy; combatant commands issue manning guidance and the OPLAN; the Army Staff issues the Army Strategy and Army Training Guidance; and FORSCOM, corps, divisions, brigade combat teams, and battalions issue annual training guidance.
  • Army doctrine is nested by echelon, and all Army doctrine fits into three types of publications, each with a different purpose: ADPs, FMs, and ATPs.
  • The inventory counts given in the lesson are 16 ADPs, 64 FMs, and 259 ATPs.
  • Not all higher-level publications have corresponding lower-level publications, and not every lower-level publication has a specific higher-level publication.
  • The three domains of leader development are operational (on-the-job training), institutional (professional military education), and self-development (professional reading).
  • Army Doctrine Publications provide the most fundamental and enduring principles of warfare.
  • The operational variables are PMESII-PT: political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time.
  • Risk assessments in a training environment are conducted in accordance with ATP 5-19, Risk Management, using a DD Form 2977 Deliberate Risk Assessment Worksheet and assessing METT-TC.
  • Military instructors must complete the Common Faculty Development Instructor Course (CFD-IC) and hold the rank of CPT (O3) or higher, or SSG (E6) or higher in specialty areas.

References

ADP 3-0ADP 3-37ADP 3-90ADP 5-0ADP 6-0ADP 7-0FM 1-02.1FM 1-02.2FM 3-0FM 5-0FM 6-0FM 7-0AR 350-1AR 600-9ATP 5-19ATP 3-34.5TRADOC Reg 350-70

Army Doctrine Hierarchy 113-UCCAP101

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the Army Doctrine Hierarchy

StandardSummarize the role and concepts of doctrine and how Army publications are nested to guide Army professionals in their understanding of the entire body of professional knowledge, without error. To achieve this standard, the lesson covers three subjects: the role of doctrine, the concepts of doctrine, and the nesting of Army publications.

This 30-minute lesson introduces basic US Army doctrinal concepts in three parts: the role of doctrine, the concepts of doctrine, and the nesting of Army publications. Doctrine is the unique body of professional knowledge of the Army Profession, and it guides how Soldiers perform tasks related to the Army's role, the employment of landpower in a distinctly American context. It is dynamic, driven by lessons learned, training, and changes in force structure, technology, and social values, and it makes six basic contributions to operations and to the development of military professionals. The structure of doctrine rests on three taxonomies: five elements of information (principles, tactics, techniques, procedures, and terms and symbols), four types of doctrine (joint, multinational, multi-Service, and Service), and the three-tier Army publication hierarchy in which Army Doctrine Publications take precedence over Field Manuals, which take precedence over Army Techniques Publications. The lesson closes with the terms the Army uses to describe organizations and branches: role, core competency, function, characteristic, and principle.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Six basic contributions of doctrine
  1. Provide a coherent vision of warfare
  2. Enhance operational effectiveness
  3. Provide a common frame of reference and cultural perspective
  4. Provide a common professional language
  5. Discuss Army contributions to unified action
  6. State and foster desirable traits in leaders and Soldiers
Five elements of information in Army doctrine
  1. Principles
  2. Tactics
  3. Techniques
  4. Procedures
  5. Terms and symbols
Four types of doctrine
  1. Joint doctrine: US forces
  2. Multinational doctrine: two or more nations
  3. Multi-Service doctrine: two or more Services
  4. Service doctrine: a single Service
Three taxonomies that make up doctrine
  1. Elements of information
  2. Types of doctrine
  3. Types of Army doctrine and their hierarchy
Army doctrine publication hierarchy, in order of precedence
  1. Army Doctrine Publications (ADP): fundamental principles
  2. Field Manuals (FM): tactics and procedures
  3. Army Techniques Publications (ATP): techniques
Taxonomy terms for organizations and branches
  1. Role: broad and enduring, only one per organization
  2. Core competency: an essential and enduring capability, stated in general terms rather than as a task
  3. Function: the broad role for which an organization is designed, equipped, and trained
  4. Characteristic: a distinctive, essential attribute
  5. Principle: a fundamental rule of central importance to the conduct of operations
Army core leader competencies
  1. Leads: provide purpose, direction, and motivation; build trust; lead by example; and communicate
  2. Develops: develop themselves, create a positive climate, develop subordinates, and be stewards of the profession
  3. Achieves: execute, adjust, and get results to accomplish tasks and missions on time and to standard
Five characteristics of the Army Profession
  1. Trust
  2. Honorable service
  3. Military expertise
  4. Stewardship
  5. Esprit de corps
Drivers of doctrinal change
  1. Lessons learned
  2. Training
  3. Changes in force structure
  4. Changes in technology
  5. Social values
Army Doctrine Publications named in the lesson
  1. ADP 1, The Army
  2. ADP 1-02, Operational Terms and Symbols
  3. ADP 2-0, Intelligence
  4. ADP 3-0, Operations
  5. ADP 3-05, Special Operations
  6. ADP 3-07, Stability
  7. ADP 3-09, Fires
  8. ADP 3-28, Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)
  9. ADP 3-37, Protection
  10. ADP 3-90, Offense and Defense
  11. ADP 4-0, Sustainment
  12. ADP 5-0, The Operations Process
  13. ADP 6-0, Mission Command
  14. ADP 6-22, Army Leadership
  15. ADP 7-0, Training

Key terms

Doctrine
The body of professional knowledge that guides how Soldiers perform tasks related to the Army's role: the employment of landpower in a distinctly American context.
Principle
A comprehensive and fundamental rule, or an assumption of central importance, that guides how an organization approaches and thinks about the conduct of operations.
Tactics
The employment and ordered arrangement of forces in relation to each other. Tactics always require judgment in application and often require creative thinking, and they are always descriptive rather than prescriptive.
Techniques
Non-prescriptive ways or methods used to perform missions, functions, or tasks. Techniques are more specific than tactics and less structured than procedures, and they require judgment in application.
Procedures
Standard, detailed steps that prescribe how to perform specific tasks. Procedures are prescriptive: a series of steps in a set order that Soldiers complete the same way every time, regardless of circumstances.
Terms and symbols
The language and graphics used on operations. They provide a common language for communicating during operations, and using terms and symbols with a common military meaning enhances communication among military professionals.
Joint doctrine
Fundamental principles that guide the employment of United States military forces in coordinated action toward a common objective. It may include terms, tactics, techniques, and procedures, and it broadly covers the strategic and operational levels of war.
Multinational doctrine
The agreed-upon fundamental principles that guide the employment of the forces of two or more nations in coordinated action toward a common objective.
Multi-Service doctrine
Doctrine containing principles, terms, and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) used and approved by the forces of two or more Services. It performs a common military function consistent with approved joint doctrine.
Service doctrine
Publications approved by a single Service for use within that Service. Each Service publishes its own doctrine publications under various nomenclatures.
Army Doctrine Publication (ADP)
A Department of the Army publication containing the fundamental principles by which military forces guide their actions in support of national objectives. It is authoritative but requires judgment in application, and it provides the intellectual underpinnings of how the Army operates as a force.
Field Manual (FM)
A Department of the Army publication that lays out tactics and procedures. The main body, a maximum of 200 pages, contains tactics, and the appendices contain procedures. Field manuals describe how the Army executes the operations described in the ADPs.
Army Techniques Publication (ATP)
A publication containing techniques that Army forces use to accomplish missions, complete functions, and perform specific tasks. Each has a draft version on a wiki site that allows input from the field, and the approval authority is the proponent.
Role
The broad and enduring purpose for which an organization or branch is established. An organization or branch has only one role, which establishes why it was created and what it uniquely contributes to operations.
Core competency
An essential and enduring capability that a branch or organization provides to Army operations. A branch or organization can have more than one core competency, and a core competency is a capability stated in general terms rather than a task.
Function
The broad, general, and enduring role for which an organization is designed, equipped, and trained. A function can be a warfighting function or another grouping of tasks and systems grouped by a common purpose.
Characteristic
A feature or quality that marks an organization or function as distinctive or is representative of it, establishing the essential attributes the organization or function must possess to be effective.
Nesting
The arrangement of Army doctrine by echelon of publication: ADPs take precedence over FMs, which take precedence over ATPs. The hierarchy establishes which publication Soldiers reference when publications conflict.

Testable points

  • Every profession develops a unique body of knowledge; for the Army Profession, that body of professional knowledge is doctrine.
  • Doctrine serves as the starting point for thinking about and conducting operations.
  • Doctrine is dynamic and changing, based on lessons learned in current operations and training, adaptive enemies, and changes in force structure, technology, and social values.
  • Doctrine makes six basic contributions to the conduct of operations and the development of military professionals, and each contribution is vitally and equally important.
  • Effective doctrine demands initiative, creativity, adaptability, and ethical action, and it must be flexible enough to deal with unforeseen and evolving situations.
  • Army doctrine rests on three taxonomies: elements of information, types of doctrine, and types of Army doctrine and their hierarchy.
  • There are five basic elements of information in Army doctrine: principles, tactics, techniques, procedures, and terms and symbols.
  • Tactics and techniques both require judgment in application; procedures do not, because they are prescriptive and admit no variation.
  • The Army recognizes four general types of doctrine: joint, multinational, multi-Service, and Service.
  • All Army doctrine fits into three types of publications: ADPs, FMs, and ATPs.
  • ADPs sit at the top of the hierarchy, followed by FMs and then ATPs, and the hierarchy resolves conflicts between publications.
  • ADP 1 (The Army), ADP 3-0 (Operations), ADP 7-0 (Training), and ADP 6-22 (Army Leadership) are approved by the Chief of Staff of the Army; all other ADPs are approved by the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (CAC) Commanding General.
  • FMs are approved by the CAC Commanding General as the TRADOC proponent for Army doctrine.
  • The approval authority for an ATP is the proponent, who monitors wiki input and makes changes to the authenticated publication.
  • There is no limit on the size of techniques publications or on how many separate documents exist; the authenticated version resides on the Army Publishing Directorate site while the wiki version feeds changes.
  • Not all higher-level publications have corresponding lower-level publications, and not every lower-level publication falls under a specific higher-level publication.
  • FMs fully integrate and comply with the doctrine in the ADPs, and ATPs fully integrate, nest, and comply with the doctrine in both ADPs and FMs.
  • Doctrine in various forms has guided the Army since Baron von Steuben's Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States.
  • The Army core leader competencies are leads, develops, and achieves.
  • The five characteristics of the Army Profession are trust, honorable service, military expertise, stewardship, and esprit de corps.
  • An example of a role is the role of air defense artillery, which is to provide fires to protect the force and selected geopolitical assets from aerial attack, missile attack, and surveillance.
  • An example of a principle is the principle of war objective: direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and achievable goal.
  • The sustainment warfighting function has the subordinate functions of logistics, personnel service support, and health services support.
  • The assigned reading is ADP 1-01, Doctrine Primer, July 2019: the introduction and Chapters 1, 2, and 4.
  • Students must pass the end-of-module exam with a score of 80 percent, and elements of this lesson appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

References

ADP 1-01ADP 1ADP 1-02ADP 2-0ADP 3-0ADP 3-05ADP 3-07ADP 3-09ADP 3-28ADP 3-37ADP 3-90ADP 4-0ADP 5-0ADP 6-0ADP 6-22ADP 7-0JP 1-02JP 3-0

Military Terms and Symbols 113-UCCO101

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe military terms and symbols

StandardIllustrate the rules for using military symbols to depict abstract graphic representations of a unit, equipment, installation, activity, control measure, or tactical mission task relevant to military operations, without error. To achieve this standard, the lesson covers five subjects: the composition of military symbols, control measures, warfighting function symbols, tactical mission symbols, and illustrating a military operation through graphics.

This 3-hour lesson teaches the rules for constructing and reading military symbols so that officers can communicate operations graphically. Military symbols are logograms used for course of action (COA) sketches, visualizing operations orders, planning, and portraying the common operational picture. They divide into two categories: framed symbols, which depict units, equipment, installations, and activities and whose frame conveys standard identity, physical domain, and status; and unframed symbols, which comprise control measure symbols and tactical mission task verb symbols and follow their own construction rules. The lesson works through frame shapes and default colors, unit main icons and full-frame icons, echelon and task force amplifiers, equipment and installation symbols, and then control measures organized as points, lines, boundary lines, and areas across the warfighting functions. It closes with tactical mission task symbols, retrograde task symbols, and the task organization composition symbols used in COA development during the military decision-making process (MDMP).

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Frame shapes by standard identity
  1. Friendly or assumed friend: rectangle or circle
  2. Hostile or suspect: diamond
  3. Neutral: square
  4. Unknown or pending: quatrefoil
Default symbol fill colors by affiliation
  1. Friend or assumed friend: blue
  2. Hostile or suspect: red
  3. Neutral: green
  4. Unknown or pending: yellow
Control measure symbol colors
  1. Friendly control measures: black or blue
  2. Hostile control measures: red, or black with the abbreviation ENY in field N
  3. Obstacles of any affiliation: green, or black if green is not available
  4. CBRN contaminated area cross-hatching: yellow
Three categories of control measure symbols
  1. Points
  2. Lines
  3. Areas
Warfighting functions used to organize the control measure examples - C2, not "mission command"
  1. Command and Control (C2)
  2. Movement and Maneuver
  3. Fires
  4. Protection
  5. Sustainment
  6. Intelligence
Echelon amplifiers (field B), in order
  1. Team or crew
  2. Squad
  3. Section
  4. Platoon or detachment
  5. Company, battery, or troop
  6. Battalion or squadron
  7. Regiment or group
  8. Brigade
  9. Division
  10. Corps
  11. Army
  12. Army group
  13. Theater
  14. Command (nonechelon)
Classes of supply (sustainment warfighting function points)
  1. Class I: subsistence, including health, morale, and welfare items
  2. Class II: clothing, individual equipment, tentage, tool sets, and administrative and housekeeping supplies
  3. Class III: petroleum, oils, and lubricants
  4. Class IV: construction materials
  5. Class V: ammunition
  6. Class VI: personal demand items
  7. Class VII: major end items, including tanks, helicopters, and radios
  8. Class VIII: medical material, including medical-specific repair parts
  9. Class IX: repair parts and components for equipment maintenance
  10. Class X: nonstandard items to support nonmilitary programs, such as agriculture and economic development
Retrograde task symbols
  1. Delay: a force under pressure trades space for time, slowing enemy momentum and inflicting maximum damage without becoming decisively engaged
  2. Withdrawal: a planned retrograde in which a force in contact disengages and moves away from the enemy, normally organized as a security force, a main body, and a reserve
  3. Withdrawal under pressure: a withdrawal that the enemy attempts to exploit, in which all units withdraw simultaneously when routes allow
  4. Retirement: an operation in which a force out of contact moves away from the enemy
CBRN event Sector 1 modifiers
  1. B: biological
  2. C: chemical
  3. N: nuclear
  4. R: radiological
Equipment weight, altitude, and range: Method 1 line modifiers
  1. No lines: basic
  2. One line: light, low altitude, or short range
  3. Two lines: medium, medium altitude, or medium range
  4. Three lines: heavy, high altitude, or long range
Movement and maneuver lines with doctrinal definitions
  1. Line of Departure (LD): a phase line crossed at a prescribed time by troops initiating an offensive operation
  2. Final Coordination Line (FCL): a phase line close to the enemy position used to coordinate the lifting or shifting of supporting fires with the final deployment of maneuver elements
  3. Limit of Advance (LOA): a phase line used to control the forward progress of the attack
Other movement and maneuver lines
  1. Forward Edge of the Battle Area (FEBA)
  2. Forward Line of Troops (FLOT)
  3. Handover Line (HL)
  4. Phase Line (PL)
Fire support coordination lines
  1. Coordinated Fire Line (CFL): beyond it, surface fire support may fire at any time within the boundaries of the establishing headquarters without additional coordination
  2. Fire Support Coordination Line (FSCL): facilitates the expeditious attack of targets of opportunity beyond it, and attacking forces must inform affected commanders
  3. Restrictive Fire Line (RFL): established between converging friendly surface forces, prohibiting fires or their effects across it

Key terms

Military symbol
A graphic representation of a unit, equipment, installation, activity, control measure, or tactical task relevant to military operations, used for planning or to represent the common operational picture on a map, display, or overlay.
Logogram
A graphic that represents a word or phrase. Military symbols are logograms, used for course of action sketches, visualizing operations orders, planning, or portraying a current common operational picture.
Framed symbol
A symbol that depicts a unit, equipment, installation, or activity using a combination of main icon, modifiers, amplifiers, and color.
Unframed symbol
A symbol drawn without a frame. Control measure symbols and mission task verb symbols are unframed, and they conform to rules within their own elements.
Frame
The border of a symbol, not including associated information inside or outside the border. It serves as the base to which other symbol components are added, and it indicates standard identity, physical domain, and status.
Standard identity
The affiliation conveyed by the frame: friendly or assumed friend (rectangle or circle frame), hostile or suspect (diamond frame), neutral (square frame), and unknown or pending (quatrefoil frame).
Physical domain
The domain the frame designates for the object represented: air, space, land (on or below the earth's surface), or maritime.
Status
Whether an operational object exists at the location identified (present or confirmed), will reside there in the future (planned or anticipated), or is thought to reside there (suspected). A solid frame line indicates present status, and a dashed frame line indicates anticipated, planned, or suspected status.
Fill
The interior area within a symbol. Color provides a redundant clue to standard identity, and if color is not used the fill is transparent.
Unit
A military element whose structure is prescribed by a competent authority.
Bounding octagon
The spacer within which unit icons and modifiers are displayed. The main sector reflects the main function of the symbol, Sector 1 modifiers reflect a specific capability, and Sector 2 modifiers reflect mobility or the size, range, or altitude of unit equipment.
Echelon amplifier
The amplifier that indicates separate levels of command, placed in field B.
Task force
A temporary grouping of units under one commander formed to carry out a specific operation or mission, or a semi-permanent organization of units under one commander formed to carry out a continuing specified task. The task force amplifier is placed in field D.
Battalion task force
A maneuver battalion-size unit consisting of a battalion headquarters, at least one assigned company-size element, and at least one attached company-size element from another maneuver or support unit.
Company team
A combined arms organization formed by attaching one or more nonorganic armor, mechanized infantry, Stryker infantry, or light infantry platoons to a tank, mechanized infantry, Stryker, or infantry company, either in exchange for or in addition to its organic platoons.
Attached and detached amplifiers
The amplifiers used at brigade and below in field F. The plus sign indicates that one unit's capability has been augmented by another unit's capability, and the minus sign indicates that a unit's capability has been reduced by detaching one or more of its units.
Control measure
A means of regulating forces or warfighting functions. Control measures may be boundaries, special area designations, or other unique markings related to the geometry of the operational environment and necessary for planning and managing operations.
Control measure symbol
An unframed graphic used on maps and displays to regulate forces and warfighting functions. Every control measure symbol falls into one of three categories: points, lines, or areas.
Boundary
A line that delineates surface areas for the purpose of facilitating coordination and deconfliction of operations between adjacent units, formations, or areas. There are three types: lateral, rear, and forward.
Area (control measure)
A control measure symbol that has multiple sets of coordinates that start and finish at the same point.
Line (control measure)
A control measure symbol that has multiple sets of coordinates. A phase line is marked PL with its name in field T.
Tactical mission task
A specific activity performed by a unit while executing a form of tactical operation or form of maneuver. It may be expressed as either an action by a friendly force or an effect on an enemy force, and most, but not all, tactical mission tasks have an associated symbol.
Installation
A site that incorporates permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary structures. Icons in the main sector of an installation symbol reflect its main function.
Task organization composition symbol
A graphic built on a rectangular frame that portrays task organization more quickly than unit icons alone. The echelon (field B) and task force (field D) are centered on top of the frame, the unique designation (field H) sits inside the top left, the combat effectiveness (field K) inside the top right, and the subordinate unit icons (field A) inside the frame.

Testable points

  • Military symbols fall into two categories: framed and unframed.
  • Control measure symbols and mission task verb symbols are the unframed symbols.
  • The frame indicates standard identity, physical domain, and status, and it does not include associated information inside or outside the border.
  • Frame shapes show standard identity: a rectangle or circle for friendly or assumed friend, a diamond for hostile or suspect, a square for neutral, and a quatrefoil for unknown or pending.
  • A solid frame line indicates present status, and a dashed frame line indicates anticipated, planned, or suspected status.
  • The default fills are blue for friendly, red for hostile, green for neutral, and yellow for unknown or pending; colors can be black or white depending on the display background.
  • Control measure symbols use a different color scheme: blue for friendly, red for hostile, green for obstacles, and yellow for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) contaminated area fill.
  • All obstacles, whether friendly, hostile, neutral, unknown, or factional, are shown in green; if green is not available, they are shown in black.
  • If red is not available for hostile graphic control measures, they are drawn in black with the abbreviation ENY placed on the graphic in amplifier field N.
  • All lettering for icons and amplifier fields is in upper case and is oriented horizontally from left to right.
  • Sector 1 modifiers reflect the specific capability of a unit, and Sector 2 modifiers reflect its mobility or the size, range, or altitude of unit equipment.
  • The amplifier fields used in this lesson are B for echelon, D for task force, F for attached or detached at brigade and below, K for combat effectiveness, N for hostile (ENY), T and T1 for unique designation, W and W1 for date-time group, and AS for the three-letter country code.
  • Field H carries additional information on the control measure templates and carries the unique designation inside a task organization composition symbol.
  • The date-time group format for field W is DDHHMMSSZMONYYYY, or O/O for on order; W identifies the start date-time group and W1 the projected end.
  • Equipment symbols may be used with or without frames, and when frames are not used the standard identity color must be used.
  • Method 1 shows equipment weight, altitude, or range with lines: no lines for basic, one line for light, low altitude, or short range, two lines for medium, and three lines for heavy, high altitude, or long range.
  • Method 2 uses L, M, or H as a Sector 1 modifier and applies when the line method cannot be displayed clearly or would confuse the main icon.
  • Control measure symbols fall into one of three categories: points, lines, or areas.
  • There are three types of boundary lines: lateral, rear, and forward. Amplifiers are displayed perpendicular to the boundary line.
  • A line of departure is a phase line crossed at a prescribed time by troops initiating an offensive operation.
  • A limit of advance is a phase line used to control the forward progress of the attack; the attacking unit advances no elements or assets beyond it, but it may push its security forces to that limit.
  • A final coordination line is a phase line close to the enemy position used to coordinate the lifting or shifting of supporting fires with the final deployment of maneuver elements.
  • A restrictive fire line is a line established between converging friendly surface forces that prohibits fires or their effects across that line.
  • A coordinated fire line is a line beyond which conventional and indirect surface fire support means may fire at any time within the boundaries of the establishing headquarters without additional coordination.
  • A fire support coordination line facilitates the expeditious attack of surface targets of opportunity beyond it, and forces attacking beyond the line must inform all affected commanders in sufficient time to avoid fratricide.
  • An axis of advance is the general area through which the bulk of a unit's combat power must move.
  • Most tactical mission tasks have an associated symbol, but not all do; defeat and counterreconnaissance are shown with no symbol.
  • The retrograde is a type of defensive operation involving organized movement away from the enemy, and it usually combines delay, withdrawal, and retirement.
  • A retirement is an operation in which a force out of contact moves away from the enemy; a retiring unit organizes for combat but does not anticipate interference from enemy ground forces, and another unit's security force typically covers the movement.
  • A withdrawal is a planned retrograde in which a force in contact disengages and moves away from the enemy; it is normally organized as a security force, a main body, and a reserve, and it may be assisted or unassisted.
  • In a withdrawal under pressure, the enemy attempts to exploit the withdrawal, and all units withdraw simultaneously when available routes allow.
  • There are three types of brigade combat teams (armored, infantry, and Stryker) and five types of multifunctional support brigades.
  • Reading task organization icons is a skill needed for COA development during the MDMP, because the icons give leaders the information to make quick decisions at identified decision points.
  • The assigned reading is FM 1-02.2, Military Symbols: read Chapter 1, scan Chapters 2 and 3, read Chapter 5 paragraphs 5-1 through 5-9, and read Chapter 6 paragraphs 6-1 through 6-2.
  • The warfighting function is Command and Control, not "mission command". FM 3-0 (21 March 2025), paragraph 2-1, lists the six as command and control (C2), movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment and protection. Course slides that still say mission command are using the pre-2019 name; mission command is the approach to C2, not the function.

References

FM 1-02.2FM 3-90-1ADP 3-0ADRP 3-90JP 1-02JP 3-0JP 3-04

Write Effectively 113-UCCAP104

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveApply the Army writing style

StandardIdentify communication skills for leaders in a clear and concise manner, without error. Identify the fundamentals of writing in a clear and concise manner, without error. Identify the steps in the writing process in a clear and concise manner, without error. Identify common military writing products in a clear and concise manner, without error. Apply the Army writing style by completing four (4) written assignments that each achieve a passing score of 70% using the common core writing rubric.

This two-hour lesson covers effective writing skills for captains, built on the premise that hours of analysis can be wasted if the officer cannot communicate the result. It sets the Army writing standard - understood by the reader in a single rapid reading and clear, concise, and well-organized IAW the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (PL 111-274) - and its two essential requirements: putting the main point at the beginning (bottom line up front) and using the active voice. It then teaches the four fundamentals (domains) used to evaluate writing (substance, style, organization, and correctness), the five steps of the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing), and the common staff writing products (executive summary, decision memorandum, information paper, point paper, and position paper). The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava serves as the case study for what unclear written orders cost, breaking Lord Raglan's failure into problems of perspective, personality, and clarity. Students apply the standard through four graded writing assignments, each of which must score 70 percent on the MLC CCC Writing Rubric.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Four fundamentals (domains) of writing
  1. Substance
  2. Style
  3. Organization
  4. Correctness
Five steps of the writing process
  1. Pre-writing
  2. Drafting
  3. Revising
  4. Editing
  5. Publishing
AR 25-50 principles of good writing
  1. Understood in a single rapid reading
  2. Concisely organized and to the point
  3. Written in subject-verb-object sentence order
  4. Written in the active voice
Principles of good writing (ST 22-2)
  1. Bottom line up front (BLUF)
  2. Short, sensible sentences and paragraphs
  3. Efficient phrases, vocabulary, and images
  4. Active voice (primarily)
  5. Packaging that supports effective communication
Specific (plain language) techniques for military correspondence
  1. Use short words
  2. Keep sentences short - about 15 words on average
  3. Write paragraphs of no more than 10 lines, with few exceptions
  4. Avoid jargon
  5. Use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation
  6. Use "I," "you," and "we" as subjects of sentences
  7. Write one-page letters and memorandums, and use enclosures for additional information
  8. Avoid sentences beginning with "It is," "There is," or "There are"
  9. Place one space between punctuation and the text that follows
  10. Space 1/4 inch to the right of the parenthesis when numbering subparagraphs
Prewriting techniques
  1. Brainstorming - generate ideas by asking what, when, why, where, who, and how
  2. Freewriting - write without stopping for a set time, ignoring grammar and spelling
  3. Diagramming (mind-mapping or clustering) - portray thoughts visually with arrows, lines, boxes, and circles
  4. Making a list - list as many items as you can about the topic
  5. Preparing a scratch outline - lay out the exact point you are making and how you will support it, producing a blueprint for an organized, unified, and well-supported essay
Steps for revising an essay
  1. Find your main point
  2. Identify your audience and your purpose
  3. Evaluate your evidence
  4. Save only the good pieces
  5. Tighten and clean up your language
  6. Eliminate mistakes in grammar and usage
  7. Switch from writer-centered to reader-centered
Five types of plagiarism
  1. Global plagiarism - passing off an entire text by someone else as your work
  2. Verbatim plagiarism - directly copying someone else's work (less than the entire work)
  3. Paraphrasing plagiarism - rephrasing someone else's ideas to present them as your own
  4. Patchwork plagiarism - stitching together parts of different sources to create your text
  5. Self-plagiarism - recycling your own past work
Common information (staff writing) products
  1. Executive summary (EXSUM)
  2. Decision memorandum
  3. Information paper
  4. Point paper
  5. Position paper
Three problems with Lord Raglan's order at Balaclava
  1. Perspective - Lucan could not see what Raglan could see, and Raglan did not account for Lucan's viewpoint
  2. Personality - Captain Nolan hated Lucan and refused to talk the order over with him
  3. Clarity - the order failed to answer who, what, when, where, and why

Key terms

Army writing standard
Writing that is understood by the reader in a single rapid reading and is clear, concise, and well-organized, IAW PL 111-274. Its two essential requirements are putting the main point at the beginning (BLUF) and using the active voice.
BLUF (bottom line up front)
The practice of putting the recommendation, conclusion, or reason for the writing at the front - in the first or second paragraph, not at the end.
Active voice
Writing that emphasizes the actor of the sentence, shows who or what does the action, and puts the actor before the verb. It creates shorter sentences; eliminating passive voice reduces a piece of writing by about 20 percent.
Passive voice
A construction in which the object of an action becomes the subject of the sentence. It uses any form of the verb "to be" (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) plus a past participle usually ending in -en or -ed; the subject receives the action instead of taking it.
Substance
The intellectual content of the essay, and usually the most important consideration in scholarly and professional writing. It requires a clearly stated thesis, supporting paragraphs on target, relevant content, sufficient specific evidence, and documented sources.
Style
The domain that provides the author's distinctive "voice." It addresses sentence types, coordination and subordination, verb tense use and consistency, and transitional expressions, and it complements substance, organization, and correctness.
Organization
The domain that ensures the points of the paper are clear and logically arranged. It provides the skeletal structure of the essay and lets the reader see the roadmap and the relationships between ideas.
Correctness
Adherence to the conventions of standard written English (SWE) - grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence and paragraph structure. Errors distract the reader from the ideas in the paper.
Thesis statement
The statement that tells the audience why the topic demands attention by clearly stating the topic and the purpose, assertion, or question. It gives the "what" and the "why" and provides a roadmap for the rest of the essay.
Plagiarism
Presenting someone else's ideas, words, data, or work as one's own.
Prewriting
Step 1 of the writing process - everything writers may do before producing a draft, likely including research: framing a research question that cannot be answered yes or no, stating the purpose, dividing the problem into sub-problems, forming hypotheses, planning, considering the audience, consolidating evidence, and writing a thesis statement.
Drafting
Step 2 of the writing process - transforming the raw material of prewriting into a rough draft, focusing on substance and organization rather than on what the final product will look like.
Revising
Step 3 of the writing process - evaluating the substance of the essay and examining the intellectual content for coherence, clarity, unity, and development.
Editing
Step 4 of the writing process - correcting the draft against the conventions of standard written English. It examines grammatical correctness, formatting, and citations to remove surface-level mistakes that distract from a smooth reading.
Publishing
Step 5 of the writing process - submitting the essay as directed. It is the culmination of the process and requires the writer to work backwards from the suspense and allocate time and resources.
Executive summary (EXSUM)
A staff writing product used to provide information, updates, and interim responses to the command group. Whenever possible, an EXSUM is used instead of an information paper.
Decision memorandum
A staff writing product used to obtain decisions from the command group. It is prepared in plain paper memorandum format and does not exceed two pages, excluding supporting documents.
Information paper
A staff writing product used to provide the reader pertinent facts in a clear and concise format.
Point paper
A staff writing product used to provide assessment, recommendations, and discussion points in outline form, in short, easy-to-read bullet phrases. It is used when the reader already has a thorough knowledge of the subject.
Position paper
A staff writing product used to define an organization's position or policy on an issue. It can also be used to promote or defend a position.

Testable points

  • The standard for Army writing is that it is understood by the reader in a single rapid reading and is clear, concise, and well-organized, IAW PL 111-274 (Plain Writing Act of 2010).
  • The two essential requirements of Army writing are putting the main point at the beginning (BLUF) and using the active voice.
  • AR 25-50 requires four principles of good writing: understood in a single rapid reading; concisely organized and to the point; written in subject-verb-object sentence order; and written in the active voice.
  • BLUF belongs in the first or second paragraph, not at the end.
  • Active voice puts the actor before the verb, and eliminating passive voice reduces a piece of writing by about 20 percent.
  • Passive voice is recognized by a form of "to be" plus a past participle usually ending in -en or -ed, with the subject receiving rather than taking the action.
  • Voice is not tense - active and passive never refer to time, only to action; the key is telling who is doing the acting.
  • Passive voice is appropriate when the actor is unknown or when the receiver of the action is more important than the actor.
  • The average sentence should be about 15 words, and paragraphs should be no more than 10 lines, averaging about 1 inch (about 6 lines) in a single-spaced document.
  • Plain language technique: avoid sentences beginning with "It is," "There is," or "There are."
  • Plain language technique: use "I," "you," and "we" as sentence subjects instead of this office, this headquarters, this command, or all individuals.
  • Write one-page letters and memorandums for most correspondence, and use enclosures for additional information.
  • "Concise" is defined as free from all elaboration and superfluous detail; in Army writing it means short and to the point, not merely short.
  • The four fundamentals (domains) used to evaluate Captains Career Course writing are substance, style, organization, and correctness.
  • Substance is usually the most important consideration in scholarly and professional writing, and a clearly stated thesis falls under substance.
  • Substance analysis requires presenting more than one point of view, addressing potential counterarguments, supporting each view with evidence, and considering ethical and legal issues.
  • Every communication has an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion; the conclusion summarizes the main point and introduces no new information.
  • The introductory paragraph lists the major points in the order they will be addressed, usually the strongest point first.
  • Correctness is adherence to the conventions of standard written English, and not citing sources is grounds for plagiarism charges.
  • Citations in this course follow ST 22-2, Appendix B (Citation Supplement); ST 22-2, Appendix A gives general Turabian citing rules.
  • The five steps of the writing process appear linear but are cyclical - writers may move back or forward as necessary.
  • Prewriting aims for quantity, not quality - the writer captures as much raw material as fast as possible.
  • Editing technique: read the paper backwards from the end ("proofing from the bottom to the top") to catch correctly spelled but wrong words, then run spell check, then run grammar check.
  • Substance and style are achieved through pre-writing, drafting, and revising; organization and correctness are achieved through editing and publishing.
  • Substance and organization together have the most direct effect on the understandability of a paper.
  • The three problems with Lord Raglan's order were perspective, personality, and clarity; lack of clarity was probably his greatest failing.
  • Clarity requires the document to address who, what, when, where, and why.
  • The four graded writing assignments are the Letter of Introduction (1 page, AR 25-50 format), the Executive Summary (2 pages, following TRADOC Regulation 1-11, on an academic article of at least 8 pages), the Leadership Essay (2 pages, using the Army Leadership Requirements Model), and the White Paper (3-5 pages, using the DOTMLPF-P framework of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy); each is graded on the MLC CCC Writing Rubric and must score 70%.

References

AR 25-50ST 22-2TRADOC Regulation 1-11PL 111-274 (Plain Writing Act of 2010)

Brief Effectively 113-UCCAP105

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDevelop a military briefing

StandardDevelop an information briefing which includes an introduction, main body, and closing. The briefing must adhere to the four fundamentals of the writing process: substance, style, organization, correctness.

This two-hour lesson covers oral communication and builds directly on Write Effectively: the arrangement of a briefing is no different from the organization of a written product - state the purpose, present the supporting points, then summarize them. It covers the four types of briefings in FM 6-0, Appendix B (information, decision, mission, and staff), the four briefing steps (plan, prepare, execute, and assess), which match the four steps of the operations process in ADP 5-0, and the standard three-part briefing structure of introduction, main body, and closing. The second half addresses feedback: what feedback is, the duty of all Army leaders to give and seek it, and the SOAR format for capturing observations. The lesson closes by mapping the briefing steps onto the five steps of the writing process: plan and prepare correspond to pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing, while execute and assess correspond to publishing.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Four types of briefings (FM 6-0, Appendix B)
  1. Information
  2. Decision
  3. Mission
  4. Staff
Four briefing steps
  1. Plan - analyze the situation and prepare a briefing outline
  2. Prepare - collect information and construct the briefing
  3. Execute - deliver the briefing
  4. Assess - follow up as required
Three parts of a briefing
  1. Introduction
  2. Main body
  3. Closing
Information briefing outline (FM 6-0, Appendix B)
  1. Introduction: greeting; type and classification of briefing; purpose and scope; outline or procedure
  2. Main body: arrange main ideas in a logical sequence; use visual aids to emphasize main points; plan effective transitions; be prepared to answer questions at any time
  3. Closing: ask for questions; briefly recap main ideas and make a concluding statement
Decision briefing outline (FM 6-0, Appendix B)
  1. Introduction: greeting; type and classification of briefing; problem statement; recommendation
  2. Main body: facts; assumptions; solutions; analysis (screening and evaluation criteria, advantages and disadvantages); comparison; conclusion
  3. Closing: ask for questions; briefly recap and restate the recommendation; request a decision
Plan step - what the briefer analyzes and determines
  1. Audience
  2. Purpose and type of briefing
  3. Subject
  4. Classification
  5. Physical facilities and support needed
  6. Preparation timeline and schedule
Prepare step - key steps
  1. Collect the materials needed
  2. Prepare the first draft
  3. Revise and edit the first draft
  4. Plan the use of visual aids
  5. Check audiovisual delivery systems to ensure availability and functionality
  6. Practice
SOAR feedback format
  1. Situation
  2. Observation
  3. Associate and assess
  4. Reinforce and recommend
Purposes of a mission briefing
  1. Issue or enforce an order
  2. Provide more detailed instructions or requirements
  3. Instill a general appreciation for the mission
  4. Review key points for an operation
  5. Ensure participants know the mission objective, their contribution to the operation, problems they may confront, and ways to overcome them
Briefing steps mapped to the writing process
  1. Plan and prepare - pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing (verbally transmits a clear message)
  2. Execute and assess - publishing (generally free of confusion and misinterpretation of the mission's intent)

Key terms

Briefing
A means of presenting information or instructions to commanders, staffs, or other designated audiences. The techniques employed are determined by the purpose of the briefing, the desired response, and the role of the briefer.
Information briefing
A briefing that presents facts in a form the audience can easily understand. It includes no conclusions or recommendations and does not result in a decision; it deals primarily with facts.
Decision briefing
A briefing that obtains the answer to a question or a decision on a course of action. The briefer presents recommended solutions drawn from the analysis or study of a problem or problem area.
Mission briefing
An informal briefing that occurs during operations or training and conveys critical mission information not provided in the plan or order to individuals or small units. The most common mission briefing is the operations order, to include fragmentary orders.
Staff briefing
A briefing that informs the commander and staff of the current situation in order to coordinate and synchronize efforts within the unit. The individual convening it sets the agenda, and each staff element presents relevant information from its functional area.
Plan (briefing step)
The first briefing step - analyzing the situation and preparing a briefing outline. The briefer determines the audience, the purpose and type of briefing, the subject, the classification, the physical facilities and support needed, and the preparation timeline and schedule.
Prepare (briefing step)
The second briefing step - collecting the information and constructing the briefing. It covers collecting the materials needed, preparing the first draft, revising and editing it, planning the use of visual aids, checking audiovisual delivery systems, and practicing.
Execute (briefing step)
The third briefing step - delivering the briefing. Success depends on a concise, objective, accurate, clearly enunciated, and forceful delivery by a confident, relaxed briefer.
Assess (briefing step)
The fourth briefing step - conducting follow-up as required. It covers preparing and distributing a memorandum for record, informing the proper authorities, and holding an after action review (AAR) after the brief.
Briefing outline
The plan for the preparation, execution, and follow-up of the briefing, assembled during the plan step.
Timeline (briefing)
A time management tool used to manage briefing preparations and to budget time in case the briefing must be refined as new information becomes available.
Memorandum for record (MFR)
The product of the assess step, recording the subject, date, time, and location of the briefing; the ranks, names, and positions of audience members; the briefing content; recommendations and their approval, disapproval, or approval with modification; directed actions; who is to take action; and the decision.
Feedback
Information about the situation that commanders use to compare the actual situation to their visualization and to decide whether to adjust operations and direct actions. It takes many forms, including information, knowledge, experience, and wisdom.
SOAR
Situation, observation, associate and assess, and reinforce and recommend - a quick, accurate, and complete note-taking format for capturing observations and assessment that makes for an effective feedback session.
Situation (SOAR)
The SOAR element that describes the situation and conditions of the assessment - the time, location, event, or other context, including the prevailing leadership relationship or climate if it is known.
Observation (SOAR)
The SOAR element that describes the leadership behaviors the leader exhibits, focusing on competencies in the lead, develop, and achieve categories and noting evidence of attributes in the character, presence, and intellect categories. It records both strengths and developmental needs.
Associate and assess (SOAR)
The SOAR element that identifies the competency or attribute best describing the leader's actions and assesses whether those actions meet the standard or represent a strength or developmental need.
Reinforce and recommend (SOAR)
The SOAR element that records how to reinforce the leader's behavior through praise or correction and identifies actions for the subordinate to sustain or improve.
Introduction (briefing)
The first part of a briefing, consisting of the greeting (address the audience and identify yourself and your organization), the type and classification of the briefing, the purpose and scope (described from general to specific), and the outline or procedure summarizing the key points and general approach.
Closing (briefing)
The final part of a briefing, in which the briefer asks for questions, briefly recaps the main ideas, makes a concluding statement, and announces the next speaker. In a decision briefing, the briefer instead recaps and restates the recommendation, then requests a decision.

Testable points

  • Briefings are a means of presenting information or instructions to commanders, staffs, or other designated audiences.
  • The techniques employed in a briefing are determined by the purpose of the briefing, the desired response, and the role of the briefer.
  • FM 6-0 discusses four types of briefings: information, decision, mission, and staff.
  • An information briefing includes no conclusions or recommendations and does not result in a decision; the briefer states that the purpose is to inform and that no decision is required.
  • Appropriate information briefing topics are high-priority information requiring immediate attention, complex information requiring detailed explanation, and controversial information requiring elaboration.
  • A decision briefing includes all facts and assumptions relevant to the problem, a discussion of alternatives, analysis-based conclusions, and any coordination required.
  • At the outset of a decision briefing, the briefer must state that he is seeking a decision; if no decision is given at the conclusion, he asks for it and seeks clarification if he is uncertain.
  • Decision briefings vary in formality and detail with the decision maker's knowledge of the subject; if the decision maker already knows the problem, the briefing is limited to the problem statement, essential background, and a recommended solution.
  • Mission briefings are informal, occur during operations or training, and may be given by commanders, staffs, or special representatives; the most common mission briefing is the operations order, including fragmentary orders.
  • The nature and content of the information determines the mission briefing format; typically the briefer uses the operation plan or order as the format.
  • In a staff briefing the individual convening it sets the agenda, each staff element presents from its functional area, and the format may include characteristics of the information, decision, and mission briefings.
  • The chief of staff or executive officer often presides over a staff briefing; the commander may take an active role and normally concludes it.
  • The four briefing steps - plan, prepare, execute, and assess - match the four steps of the operations process in ADP 5-0.
  • During the plan step the briefer determines the audience, the purpose and type of briefing, the subject, the classification, the physical facilities and support needed, and the preparation timeline and schedule, then assembles a briefing outline and timeline.
  • Planning factors include audience preference for information delivery, time available, and facilities and briefing aids available.
  • Outlines help because they show relationships among major and supporting points, reveal whether the briefing is balanced, and make the first draft easier to produce.
  • Every briefing has an introduction, a main body, and a closing.
  • Success in execution depends on a concise, objective, accurate, clearly enunciated, and forceful delivery, with the briefer confident and relaxed.
  • Brevity precludes a lengthy introduction or summary, and conclusions and recommendations must flow logically from facts and assumptions.
  • Monotone speech results in a loss of the audience's attention; tone, demeanor, and inflection must suit the situation.
  • Interruptions and questions may occur at any point - the briefer answers each before continuing, or states that he will answer later and specifically references the earlier question when he does.
  • When a decision is involved and any ambiguity exists about the commander's intent, the briefer submits a draft memorandum for record (MFR) for correction before preparing the final document.
  • The briefer distributes the final MFR to staff elements and agencies required to act on the decisions or instructions, or whose plans or operations may be affected.
  • To be effective, feedback must be interpreted and processed into knowledge - the person receiving it must understand it and know what to do with it.
  • Feedback comes from subordinates, higher headquarters, or adjacent, supporting, and supported forces; all Army leaders have a duty to use feedback in their communications.
  • Leaders should provide feedback as soon as possible after observing a behavior; waiting for a formal sit-down counseling session makes feedback less effective.
  • The question-and-answer period is itself a form of feedback - the type of questions asked shows whether the audience understood the brief.
  • Plan and prepare are achieved through pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing; execute and assess are achieved through publishing.
  • Students must pass the end-of-lesson exam with a score of 80%, and lesson content also appears on the Common Core End of Course Exam.

References

FM 6-0ADP 6-0ADP 5-0ADP 6-22FM 6-22ST 22-2FM 101-5 (outdated, cited in the instructor guide for briefing definitions)

Transformational Moral Leadership for Signal Leaders 113-SCCCA03

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDefine Transformational Moral Leadership as a Signal leader.

StandardDefine Transformational Moral Leadership in a clear and concise manner, without error. Define Transformational Moral Leadership Reasoning in a clear and concise manner, without error. Define Transformational Moral Leadership Moral Awareness in a clear and concise manner, without error.

Transformational Moral Leadership (TML) is a three-part framework built to help leaders at every echelon work out who they ought to Be, what they must Know, and what they must Do morally and ethically as Army Professionals. The three parts map to Be/Know/Do as moral courage, moral reasoning, and moral awareness, and the lesson is taught in three blocks in that order. Moral courage grounds the leader in identity, the Army Ethic, the characteristics of the Army profession, holistic fitness, the Army Values, and the Warrior Ethos. Moral reasoning answers three chained questions - what is right (ethical, effective, efficient), what is ethical (legal and moral), and what is legal and moral (the E.T.H.I.C.A.L. test) - working through the Constitution, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), the Code of Conduct, the law of armed conflict (LOAC), the Soldier's Rules, rules of engagement (ROE), and treaties on the legal side, and the Declaration of Independence, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Army Values, the creeds, and the Golden Rule on the moral side. Moral awareness counters ethical fading with self-awareness, others-awareness, and accountability, built through reflection and feedback and carried by humility, empathy, and discipline.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

The three components of Transformational Moral Leadership (Be / Know / Do)
  1. Moral courage (Be) - character and presence
  2. Moral reasoning (Know) - intellect
  3. Moral awareness (Do) - leads, develops, achieves
Four factors of transformational leadership
  1. Idealized Influence - followers identify with the leader and want to emulate them; very high standards of moral and ethical conduct
  2. Inspirational Motivation - communicates high expectations and inspires commitment to a shared vision
  3. Intellectual Stimulation - stimulates followers to be creative and innovative and to challenge their own beliefs and values
  4. Individualized Consideration - provides a supportive climate, listens to individual needs, acts as coach and adviser
Five characteristics of the Army profession (ADP 6-22, 1-2)
  1. Trust
  2. Honorable service
  3. Military expertise
  4. Stewardship
  5. Esprit de corps
Three tests of a "right" decision or action
  1. Ethical - consistent with the moral principles of the Army Ethic
  2. Effective - likely to accomplish its purpose, accepts prudent risk
  3. Efficient - makes disciplined use of resources
The seven Army Values
  1. Loyalty
  2. Duty
  3. Respect
  4. Selfless Service
  5. Honor
  6. Integrity
  7. Personal Courage
Five attributes of character (ADP 6-22, Chapter 2)
  1. Army Values
  2. Empathy
  3. Warrior Ethos
  4. Discipline
  5. Humility
Five categories of holistic fitness and resilience (AR 350-53, Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness)
  1. Physical
  2. Family
  3. Social
  4. Emotional
  5. Spiritual
Holistic readiness metrics and indicators (FM 7-22)
  1. Physical domain
  2. Nutritional domain
  3. Mental readiness
  4. Spiritual readiness
  5. Sleep readiness
  6. Familial strength
  7. Moral and ethical reasoning
Five LOAC principles (FM 6-27)
  1. Military necessity
  2. Humanity
  3. Honor
  4. Distinction
  5. Proportionality
The Soldier's Rules (AR 350-1, Table F-2)
  1. Soldiers fight only combatants
  2. Soldiers do not harm enemies who surrender; they disarm them and turn them over to their superior
  3. Soldiers do not kill or torture personnel in their custody
  4. Soldiers collect and care for the wounded, whether friend or foe
  5. Soldiers do not attack protected persons and protected places
  6. Soldiers destroy no more than the mission requires
  7. Soldiers treat civilians humanely
  8. Soldiers do not steal; Soldiers respect private property and possessions
  9. Soldiers should do their best to prevent violations of LOAC
  10. Soldiers report all violations of LOAC to their superiors
The E.T.H.I.C.A.L. moral reasoning test
  1. E - Is it Equitable? (the Golden Rule and virtue ethics)
  2. T - Is it True? (your moral compass and virtues)
  3. H - Is it Helpful? (basic human rights, consequences, and rules)
  4. I - Is it Institutionally appropriate? (Army Values, Soldier creeds, and your oath)
  5. C - Is it Culturally appropriate? (treaties, standards of conduct, policies, directives)
  6. A - Is its Application just? (just war theory and rules)
  7. L - Is it Legal? (U.S. law and ROE)
Three moral-ethical theories (the ethical triangle)
  1. Virtues - virtue ethics (Aristotle, Aquinas): an action is right if a virtuous person would perform it; the Rule of the Mean
  2. Rules - deontological ethics (Kant): an action is right if it falls under a rule that prescribes it
  3. Consequences - utilitarian ethics (Mill): an action is right if it creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number
Steps of moral action
  1. Identify the problem
  2. Evaluate the options
  3. Commit to a decision
  4. Take moral action
Four purposes of the military justice system (UCMJ)
  1. Promote justice
  2. Help maintain good order and discipline in the armed forces
  3. Promote efficiency and effectiveness in the military
  4. Strengthen national security
Three purposes of rules of engagement
  1. Provide guidance from the President and the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF), and from subordinate commanders, to deployed units on the use of force
  2. Act as a control mechanism for the transition from peacetime to combat operations
  3. Provide a mechanism to facilitate planning

Key terms

Transformational Moral Leadership (TML)
Leadership that elevates, expands, refines, and forges the Army Professional through moral courage (Be), moral reasoning (Know), and moral awareness (Do).
Moral gap
"The space between one's ethical ideal and one's actual living according to that ideal" (Prof. John Hare, Yale Divinity School). The leader's job is to close it.
Moral courage
The willingness to stand firm on values, principles, and convictions. It enables leaders to stand up for what they believe is right regardless of the consequences, and expresses itself as candor - being frank, honest, and sincere with others (ADP 6-22, 2-5).
Personal courage
The ability to put fear aside and do what is necessary or right; it is not the absence of fear. Personal courage takes two forms, physical and moral, and effective leaders demonstrate both (ADP 6-22, 2-12).
Identity
One's sense of self - one's perception of one's roles and purpose in life, how one sees oneself, how one internalizes responsibilities and actions, what one stands for, the way one conducts oneself, and what one believes about oneself and others. Identity applies primarily to the individual (ADP 6-22, 1-91).
Right (a right decision or action)
A decision or action is right if it is ethical (consistent with the moral principles of the Army Ethic), effective (likely to accomplish its purpose, accepts prudent risk), and efficient (makes disciplined use of resources).
Ethical
A decision or action that is both legal and moral.
Legal
What a leader will do, based on written law and regulation, at two levels: national (the Constitution) and organizational (the UCMJ).
Moral
What a leader ought to do, based on conscience, at two levels: organizational (the Army Ethic, the Army Values, and the Warrior Ethos) and individual (the leader's own conscience).
E.T.H.I.C.A.L.
The lesson's moral-reasoning test of whether an action is legal and moral: Equitable, True, Helpful, Institutionally appropriate, Culturally appropriate, Application just, Legal.
Ethical fading
When the "moral colors of an ethical decision fade into bleached hues that are void of moral implications," letting a leader convince themselves that right and wrong do not apply to a decision that would otherwise be an ethical dilemma.
Military necessity
The LOAC principle that justifies the use of all measures needed to defeat the enemy as quickly and efficiently as possible that are not prohibited by LOAC (FM 6-27, 1-23).
Humanity
The LOAC principle that forbids inflicting suffering, injury, or destruction unnecessary to accomplish a legitimate military purpose. It is also called the principle of avoiding unnecessary suffering or superfluous injury (FM 6-27, 1-28).
Honor (LOAC)
The LOAC principle, also called chivalry, that demands a certain fairness in offense and defense and mutual respect between opposing forces. Honor requires adherence to LOAC regardless of the enemy's level of compliance (FM 6-27, 1-31).
Distinction
The LOAC principle, sometimes called discrimination, that obliges parties to a conflict to distinguish between combatants and the civilian population, and between military objectives and protected property and places. Distinction derives from both military necessity and humanity (FM 6-27, 1-34).
Proportionality
The LOAC principle that requires combatants to refrain from attacks in which the expected incidental loss or injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage expected to be gained (FM 6-27, 1-44).
Empathy
What Army leaders show when they genuinely relate to another person's situation, motives, or feelings. Empathy is not sympathy but a realization that leads to a deeper understanding, allowing the leader to anticipate what others are experiencing (ADP 6-22, 2-8).
Humility
In its simplest form, the absence of arrogance - a sign of a leader being unselfish and working toward something more important than themselves. For humility to apply, a leader must first have competence and confidence (ADP 6-22, 2-11).
Self-awareness
Knowing one's own strengths and weaknesses and what is within one's span of control, and seeing oneself as others see one. Self-awareness is fundamental to understanding one's abilities and allows a leader to adjust leadership actions in the moment (ADP 6-22, 1-17).

Testable points

  • TML's purpose is to assist leaders at every echelon to think through who they ought to Be, what they are supposed to Know, and what they need to Do, morally and ethically, as Army Professionals.
  • GEN Eisenhower defined leadership as "the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it."
  • ADP 6-22 defines leadership as the activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization.
  • Trusted Army professionals embrace a shared identity: they defend the Constitution, they are competent professionals, they are committed and accountable to each other, the Army profession, and the American people, and they are governed by the UCMJ (ADP 6-22, 1-56).
  • A leader's identity should include the leader attributes and competencies described in the Leadership Requirements Model.
  • The Army Ethic provides the Army's legal and moral foundations; by the Oath of Service a Soldier commits to living it, and its essence is captured in the creeds, ethos, and Army Values.
  • The Army Ethic has its origins in the philosophical heritage, theological and cultural traditions, and historical legacy that frame our Nation (ADP 6-22, 1-7).
  • Trust is the foundation of the Army's relationship with the American people - and with each other (ADP 6-22, 1-2).
  • Honorable service is support and defense of the Constitution, the American people, and the national interest in a manner consistent with the Army Ethic (ADP 6-22, 1-3).
  • Military expertise is the ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower and the associated capabilities essential to accomplishing missions in defense of the American people (ADP 6-22, 1-4).
  • Stewardship is the responsibility of Soldiers and Army civilians to strengthen the Army as a profession (ADP 6-22, 1-5); esprit de corps denotes the Army's winning spirit - a collective ethos of camaraderie, mutual trust, and cohesive teamwork (ADP 6-22, 1-6).
  • The Army Values embody the practical application of the Army Ethic (ADP 6-22, 1-12) and set expectations for conduct fundamental to making the right decision in any situation (ADP 6-22, 2-2).
  • The first order of loyalty is to the Constitution and the ideals upon which it is based; one cannot remain loyal to the Constitution by being loyal to those who violate it (ADP 6-22, 2-6).
  • The Army places morals and ethics in the spiritual category of holistic fitness: spiritual and religious beliefs often form the foundation of an individual's understanding of right and wrong and of priorities for ethical reasoning and decision making (FM 7-22, 10-34).
  • Army forces reject and report illegal, unethical, or immoral orders or actions; Soldiers are bound to obey the legal and moral orders of their superiors but must disobey an unlawful or immoral order (ADP 6-22, 1-3 and 1-4).
  • The ethical, effective, and efficient accomplishment of the mission is the core of the Army Ethic; the Army is trusted to accomplish missions ethically, effectively, and efficiently (ADP 6-22, 1-4, 1-8).
  • The Constitution is the supreme law of the land by the Supremacy Clause (Article VI, paragraph 2); Article I, Section 8, clause 14 gives Congress the power to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces, and Article II, Section 2 makes the President Commander in Chief.
  • The commissioned officer's oath (Title 5 U.S. Code 3331) contains no clause about obeying orders; the enlistment oath (Title 10 U.S. Code) adds obedience to the orders of the President and of the officers appointed over the Soldier.
  • Congress enacted the UCMJ in 1950; the Manual for Courts-Martial (MCM) arises from the President's authority under Articles 36 and 56, and AR 27-10 implements the MCM for the Army.
  • The Code of Conduct has six articles, issued by Executive Order 10631 in 1955; Article V was amended in 1977 to add the "Bounce Back" policy, and the code was made gender neutral in 1988. Under Article V a prisoner of war (POW) gives only name, rank, service number, and date of birth.
  • The Soldier's Rules are found in AR 350-1, Table F-2, and reflect four major LOAC principles - military necessity, unnecessary suffering/humanity, distinction/discrimination, and proportionality - plus the obligation to treat detainees, civilians, and their property with respect and to prevent and report LOAC violations.
  • Executive orders are not legislation: they require no approval from Congress, and Congress cannot simply overturn them. Only a sitting President may overturn an existing executive order by issuing another.
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (resolution 217 A).
  • Leaders use three perspectives to think about ethical concerns - virtues, agreed-upon values or rules, and consequences - and when time allows should consult peers and seniors; chaplains can provide confidential advice on difficult ethical issues (ADP 6-22, para 2-18).
  • Chaplain counseling is 100 percent confidential; the privilege is absolute and belongs to the advisee, backed by Military Rule of Evidence 503 in the Manual for Courts-Martial and AR 165-1 (ATP 1-05.04, 1-8).
  • Awareness is gained two ways - reflection (from self) and feedback (from others); self-aware leaders are open to feedback and actively seek it (ADP 6-22, 6-3).
  • The Army's empathy requirement extends to DA Civilians, Soldiers and their Families, local populations, victims of natural disasters, and enemy combatants (ADP 6-22, 2-8).
  • The three levels of Army leadership are direct, organizational, and strategic.

References

ADP 5-0ADP 6-0ADP 6-22FM 6-27FM 7-22AR 27-10AR 165-1AR 350-1AR 350-53ATP 1-05.04JP 3-0JP 3-50

The Army Leadership Requirements Model 113-UCCAP107

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveExplain the Army Leadership Requirements Model.

StandardRelate leadership doctrine to a personal leadership philosophy, including at least one attribute and one competency from the Army Leadership Requirements Model (LRM).

The Army Leadership Requirements Model is doctrine's single statement of what every Army leader must be and do, applicable to all types and echelons of Army organizations regardless of rank, grade, uniform, or attire. It has two halves: attributes, which are what a leader is (the BE and KNOW), and competencies, which are what a leader does (the DO). The three attribute categories are character (the leader's moral and ethical qualities), presence (how the leader is perceived by others), and intellect (the mental and social abilities applied while leading). The three competency categories are leads, develops, and achieves. The critical distinction is that competencies are skills that can be trained and developed, while attributes are enduring personal characteristics molded through experience over time. The lesson ends by having each student draft a personal leadership philosophy that names at least one attribute and one competency.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

The two halves of the Leadership Requirements Model
  1. Attributes - what a leader is (BE and KNOW): character, presence, intellect
  2. Competencies - what a leader does (DO): leads, develops, achieves
Attributes of character
  1. Army Values
  2. Empathy
  3. Warrior Ethos/Service Ethos
  4. Discipline
  5. Humility
Attributes of presence
  1. Military and professional bearing
  2. Fitness
  3. Confidence
  4. Resilience
Attributes of intellect
  1. Mental agility
  2. Sound judgment
  3. Innovation
  4. Interpersonal tact
  5. Expertise
Competencies under "Leads"
  1. Leads others
  2. Builds trust
  3. Extends influence beyond the chain of command
  4. Leads by example
  5. Communicates
Competencies under "Develops"
  1. Prepares self
  2. Creates a positive environment / fosters esprit de corps
  3. Develops others
  4. Stewards the profession
Competency under "Achieves"
  1. Gets results
The seven Army Values
  1. Loyalty
  2. Duty
  3. Respect
  4. Selfless Service
  5. Honor
  6. Integrity
  7. Personal Courage
One-line description of each competency category
  1. Leads - provides purpose, direction, and motivation; builds trust, provides an example, and communicates
  2. Develops - develops themselves, creates a positive climate, develops subordinates, and stewards the profession
  3. Achieves - executes, adjusts, and gets results to accomplish tasks and missions on time and to standard
Indirect means of influence used to extend influence beyond the chain of command
  1. Diplomacy
  2. Negotiation
  3. Mediation
  4. Arbitration
  5. Partnering
  6. Conflict resolution
  7. Consensus building
  8. Coordination
Shared responsibility for developing leaders over time (DA PAM 350-58, para 1-6)
  1. The institutional Army (education or training institution)
  2. The operational force (organization or unit)
  3. The individual
GEN Stephen Townsend's leadership philosophy (the lesson's worked example)
  1. Keep your honor clean - live by the Army Values and Warrior Ethos
  2. Live on Amber - always be ready, physically and mentally
  3. Be active with disciplined initiative
  4. Lead by example - the American people do not know rank, just the uniform; they see a leader
The four subjects covered to reach the standard
  1. Explain the Army Leadership Requirements Model
  2. Define leader attributes
  3. Define core leader competencies
  4. Identify an individual leadership philosophy

Key terms

Army Leadership Requirements Model (LRM)
The model that identifies core competencies and attributes applicable to all types and echelons of Army organizations; it conveys expectations and establishes the capabilities needed of all Army leaders regardless of rank, grade, uniform, or attire.
Leadership
The activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization (ADP 6-22, para 1-74).
Attributes
What a leader is - the BE and KNOW of the model. Attributes are described by how an individual behaves and learns within an environment, and they are enduring personal characteristics molded through experience over time. They are grouped as character, presence, and intellect.
Competencies
What a leader does - the DO of the model. Competencies are groups of related actions the Army expects leaders to perform, and they are skills that can be trained and developed. They are grouped as leads, develops, and achieves.
Character
The moral and ethical qualities of the leader. Character is central to a leader's core identity: competence places an individual in position to lead; character makes that individual an effective leader.
Presence
How the leader is perceived by followers and others. A leader of presence has credibility, exudes confidence and competence, and builds trust; presence is conveyed through actions, appearance, demeanor, and words.
Intellect
The mental and social abilities the leader applies while leading - the conceptual capability to understand complex situations, determine what needs to be done, and interact with others to get it done.
Empathy
Caring about the feelings and beliefs of others; the propensity to experience something from another person's point of view and the ability to identify with and enter into another person's feelings and emotions, enabling clearer communication and better guidance.
Warrior Ethos
A creed embedded within the Soldier's Creed, to be lived by all Army leaders. "Ethos" means a distinguishing character or guiding belief - in this case the warrior spirit; it reflects a Soldier's selfless commitment to the Nation, mission, unit, and fellow Soldiers.
Discipline
The ability to control one's own behavior and to do the harder right over the easier wrong. Discipline is essential to character just as it is to an organization; doing tasks to the established Army standard without deviation reflects discipline, and leaders maintain it by enforcing standards impartially and consistently.
Humility
In its simplest form, the absence of arrogance - a sign of a leader being unselfish and working toward something more important than themselves. Humility is difficult to judge in oneself; it is largely determined by other people and is a subjective perception of the leader.
Military and professional bearing
Carrying oneself in a way that inspires confidence and conveys mental, emotional, and physical fitness appropriate to the profession - demonstrating character, competence, and commitment, setting the example, upholding standards, and projecting a professional image of authority.
Resilience
The tendency to recover quickly from setbacks, shock, injuries, adversity, and stress while maintaining mission and organizational focus. Resilient leaders learn and grow from difficult situations; resilience enables leaders and organizations to endure and ultimately prevail over hardship.
Mental agility
Flexibility of mind and the ability to break habitual thought patterns - anticipating or adapting to uncertain or changing situations and thinking through outcomes when current decisions or actions are not producing desired effects. Great militaries adapt to fight the enemy, not the plan.
Sound judgment
The capacity to assess situations accurately, draw rational conclusions, and make sensible decisions in a timely manner, including assessing the strengths and weaknesses of subordinates, peers, and enemies.
Innovation
The Army leader's ability to introduce something new for the first time when needed or when an opportunity exists - creativity in producing ideas and objects that are both novel and appropriate.
Interpersonal tact
The ability to understand and interact with others through self-awareness, self-control, balance, and stability - being aware of how others see you and sensing how to interact with them effectively.
Expertise
Knowing all aspects of your job, including tactical, technical, joint, cultural, and geo-political knowledge. Leaders have a moral obligation to those they lead to improve their expertise continuously.
Climate
How members feel about the organization now; it comes from shared perceptions and attitudes about the unit's daily functioning. Organizational and direct leaders shape climate.
Culture
The shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize the larger institution over time; longer lasting and more complex than climate, rooted in long-held beliefs and customs. Strategic leaders shape the Army's culture.

Testable points

  • The LRM is grounded in historical experience and determinations of what works best for the Army; it identifies core competencies and attributes applicable to all types and echelons of Army organizations (ADP 6-22, para 1-82).
  • Attributes are the BE and KNOW of a leader; competencies are the DO.
  • The major distinction: competencies are skills that can be trained and developed, while attributes are enduring personal characteristics molded through experience over time (ADP 6-22, para 1-85).
  • The three attribute categories are character, presence, and intellect; the three competency categories are leads, develops, and achieves.
  • Character represents the moral and ethical qualities of the leader, presence how the leader is perceived by followers and others, and intellect the mental and social abilities applied while leading.
  • In the Army profession, competence places an individual in position to lead; character makes that individual an effective leader.
  • The Army Values embody the practical application of the Army Ethic and guide leaders' decisions and actions in accomplishing missions, performing duty, and all aspects of life. There are seven, applicable to all Army individuals.
  • Presence is evaluated on the Officer Evaluation Report, but presence is not about passing the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) or looking trim - it is about the impression one makes. A leader who maxes the ACFT can have poor presence.
  • Fitness means being physically, morally, and spiritually fit to prepare for the hardships of deployments and combat; unit readiness begins with physically fit Soldiers.
  • Confidence is the sense of ability to make right decisions and take right action, tempered with humility and a sense of human limitations.
  • There are five competencies under leads: leads others, builds trust, extends influence beyond the chain of command, leads by example, and communicates.
  • Leads is the single most developed component of the competencies; communication is essential to all other leadership competencies.
  • Extending influence beyond the chain of command uses indirect means: diplomacy, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, partnering, conflict resolution, consensus building, and coordination.
  • Leaders influence using methods ranging from compliance to commitment: pressure, legitimating, exchange, personal appeals, collaboration, rational persuasion, apprising, inspirational appeals, and participation.
  • There are four competencies under develops: prepares self, creates a positive environment/fosters esprit de corps, develops others, and stewards the profession.
  • Achieves has one competency - gets results. It focuses on consistent and ethical task accomplishment through supervising, managing, monitoring, and controlling the work, and works by providing direction, guidance, and clear priorities.
  • Leader development is a deliberate, continuous, sequential, and progressive process grounded in the Army Values; it occurs through the lifelong synthesis of education, training, and experience.
  • Stewardship is the group of strategies, policies, principles, and beliefs pertaining to the purposeful management and sustainment of the resources, expertise, and time-honored traditions and customs that make up the profession. It requires prioritization and sacrifice.
  • Core leader competencies apply across all levels of the organization, across leader positions, and throughout careers - they are not confined to certain levels or to the start of a career.
  • Developing leaders over time is a shared responsibility between the institutional Army (education or training institution), the operational force (organization or unit), and the individual (DA PAM 350-58, para 1-6).
  • Leaders establish a climate consistent with the culture of the institution; strategic leaders shape the Army's culture while organizational and direct leaders shape the climate of units.
  • Competent leaders understand that excellence in leadership does not mean perfection; they tolerate honest mistakes that do not result from negligence and allow subordinates room to learn.
  • Assessment for this lesson is 10 multiple-choice questions with a passing score of 80 percent. A student who scores 80 percent or higher on the pre-test may skip the lecture; a student who does not must complete the lecture and then pass a post-test. Elements of the lesson also appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.
  • The lesson supports ALA 1, Leadership and the Army Profession, and GLO 2, demonstrate proficiency in the Army leader attributes and competencies as described in the LRM.
  • The concrete experience is retired GEN Colin Powell on the essence of leadership - trust; the worked example of a leadership philosophy is GEN Stephen Townsend's.

References

ADP 6-22FM 6-22AR 350-1AR 600-100DA PAM 350-58

Organizational Leadership 113-UCCAP109

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveExplain organizational leadership.

StandardExplain key components of organizational leadership to include the 3 levels of leadership, the 4 fundamentals of developing subordinates, and 3 principles of creating learning organizations, without error.

This three-hour lesson covers the shift from direct leadership (doing the work) to organizational leadership (leading through other leaders). It defines the three levels of Army leadership, explains how organizational leaders lead through subordinate leaders and across the six transition points, and describes the leader's responsibility to develop subordinates through the four fundamentals of developing leaders and the three developmental roles of counseling, coaching, and mentoring. It closes with creating learning organizations by supporting lifelong learning, developing self-awareness, and learning from mistakes. The concrete experience and case study use CPT Neumann, who is called away with only five minutes to delegate several urgent tasks; the point is that the leader cannot do any of it himself and must depend on others. Students must pass the exam at the end of the lesson with a score of 80 percent, and elements of the lesson also appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Three levels of Army leadership
  1. Direct
  2. Organizational
  3. Strategic
Factors determining a leadership level (ADP 6-22 Figure 1-5)
  1. The leader's relationship to a subordinate
  2. Number of subordinates
  3. Scope of responsibility
  4. Time horizons of missions
Four fundamentals of developing leaders (FM 6-22 para 3-4, Figure 3-1)
  1. Setting conditions for leader development
  2. Providing feedback on a leader's actions
  3. Enhancing learning
  4. Creating opportunities
Three principles of creating learning organizations
  1. Support the concept of lifelong learning
  2. Develop self-awareness
  3. Learn from mistakes
Three core domains that shape critical learning experiences
  1. Institutional
  2. Operational
  3. Self-development
Six transition points that apply to Army organizations (FM 6-22, Nov 2022, para 1-28)
  1. Leading at the direct level
  2. Leading organizations
  3. Leading functions
  4. Leading integration
  5. Leading large organizations
  6. Leading the enterprise
Three principal roles leaders use to develop others
  1. Counseling
  2. Coaching
  3. Mentoring
Steps for objectively assessing subordinates
  1. Observe and record performance in the core leader competencies
  2. Determine if the performances meet, exceed, or fall below expected standards
  3. Tell subordinates what was observed and give an opportunity to comment
Developmental activities (FM 6-22 Table 7-2)
  1. Feedback - sources and methods for obtaining feedback to guide self-development
  2. Study - topics and activities to learn more about a behavior
  3. Practice - actions to improve skill and comfort in performing a leader behavior
Diagnostic sections in the FM 6-22 Chapter 7 action tables
  1. Strength indicators - behaviors and actions that contribute to or support successful performance
  2. Need indicators - behaviors and actions that reduce or hinder successful performance
  3. Underlying causes - examples of why an individual may not be excelling at a leader behavior
Three most effective ways to develop leadership qualities, as ranked in leader development surveys (FM 6-22 para 3-3)
  1. Leading a unit
  2. Personal examples
  3. Mentoring
Lesson subjects required to meet the standard
  1. Define the levels of leadership
  2. Explain how to lead in organizations
  3. Describe how to develop subordinates
  4. Explain how to create learning organizations

Key terms

Direct leadership
Face-to-face or first-line leadership that generally occurs in organizations where subordinates see their leaders all the time, such as teams, squads, sections, platoons, departments, companies, batteries, and troops.
Organizational leadership
Leadership exercised through subordinate leaders who are responsible for leading the various organizations that make up the larger organization; organizational leaders establish a climate that supports their subordinate leaders.
Strategic leadership
Leadership exercised by military and civilian leaders at the major command through Department of Defense (DOD) levels; it guides and integrates multiple organizational-level units performing a wide range of functions, allocates resources, communicates strategic vision, and prepares commands and the Army for future missions.
Leader development
A deliberate, continuous, sequential, and progressive process founded in the Army Values that grows Soldiers into competent and confident leaders capable of directing teams and organizations to execute operations.
Institutional domain
The leader development domain covering education and training at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and other schools.
Operational domain
The leader development domain covering training and job experience gained during operational assignments.
Self-development domain
The leader development domain covering personal experience, college, and individual study.
Counseling
The process leaders use to guide subordinates to improve performance and develop potential; it occurs when a leader, serving as the subordinate's designated rater, reviews the subordinate's demonstrated performance and potential with them.
Coaching
The guidance of another person's development in new or existing skills during the practice of those skills; it relies primarily on open-ended questions that lead people to enhance or advance their own capabilities.
Mentorship
The voluntary developmental relationship between a person of greater experience and a person of lesser experience, characterized by mutual trust and respect; the mentor is often outside the chain of command.
Learning organization
An organization that harnesses the experience of its people to improve the way it operates, adopting new techniques and procedures that get the job done more efficiently or effectively and discarding procedures that have outlived their purpose.
Individual development plan (IDP)
Each member's personal roadmap to a successful career as that individual defines success; it is an effective means of developing and maintaining self-awareness.
Self-aware leader
A leader who understands the variety of personalities on the team and senses how others react to their actions, decisions, and image.
Army Coaching Program (ACP)
A non-attributional, Soldier-focused, confidential, and career-long program that addresses a Soldier's self-development and professional goals as well as their performance and potential; an ACP coach is a certified professional in a formal, time-bound relationship with the Soldier, unlike a mentor.
Enterprise leader
A leader at the sixth and final transition point; enterprise leaders are long-term, visionary thinkers who spend considerable time interacting with agencies beyond the military and must be willing to relinquish control of pieces of the enterprise to strategic and lower-level leaders.
Setting conditions for leader development
The fundamental in which leaders personally model behaviors that encourage leader development, create an environment that encourages on-duty learning, apply principles that accelerate learning, and get to know the leaders in the organization.
Providing feedback on a leader's actions
The fundamental in which leaders provide opportunities for observation, assessment, and feedback; immediate, short bursts of feedback on actual leader actions enhance development in operational assignments as well as regular counseling.
Enhancing learning
The fundamental in which leaders serve as role models and encourage mentoring, training, reflection, and study; learning from other leaders is one of the most effective and efficient methods of development.
Creating opportunities
The fundamental in which leaders modify position assignments to challenge leaders, act deliberately in the selection and succession of leaders, integrate leader development across day-to-day activities, and evaluate its effectiveness.

Testable points

  • The direct leader's span of influence may range from a few to dozens of people, and the leader's day-to-day involvement is important for successful unit performance.
  • Organizational leaders, particularly commanders, are responsible for communicating intent two echelons down and understanding intent two echelons up.
  • Subordinate units and organizations do not depend on daily guidance from their higher-level leaders to be successful.
  • Strategic leadership influences several thousand to hundreds of thousands of people.
  • Given the increased size of their organizations, organizational leaders influence indirectly more often than directly.
  • Organizational leaders' decisions have greater consequences for more people over a longer period of time than those of direct leaders, which requires them to spend more time coordinating, thinking, and reflecting.
  • Organizational leaders extend influence beyond their chain of command by working with liaisons from other nations, U.S. joint force staffs, and interagency representatives.
  • Direct leadership focuses primarily on short-range problems and immediate tasks, while organizational leadership focuses on long-term organizational objectives.
  • Direct leaders generally experience more certainty and less complexity, with more routine responsibilities, than organizational leaders.
  • Strategic leaders shape Army culture by ensuring their directives, policies, programs, and systems are ethical, effective, and efficient, and every strategic leader decision has the potential of affecting the entire Army.
  • At the second transition point, leading organizations, which begins at the company, battery, troop, and staff level, leaders become leaders of leaders and rarely perform individual tasks except in an emergency or an undermanned organization.
  • Functional leaders, who operate at the third transition point, typically include majors, mid-level warrant officers, and mid-level noncommissioned officers.
  • Humility is a desired characteristic of organizational and strategic leaders, who should recognize that others have specialized expertise indispensable to success.
  • Leaders can kill initiative by responding to subordinates' ideas only from their own viewpoint, and organizational climate is largely determined by the degree to which initiative and input are encouraged.
  • Leader development is achieved through the lifelong synthesis of knowledge, skills, and experiences gained in the institutional, operational, and self-development domains (AR 350-1).
  • Subordinates are active participants in counseling; with effective counseling no evaluation report, positive or negative, should be a surprise, and a counseling program includes all subordinates, not just those thought to have the most potential.
  • Coaching can occur between members of any organization with various levels of experience, and the person receiving coaching may not necessarily be subordinate to the coach.
  • Coaches should have pertinent knowledge in the area being coached but do not have to be an expert.
  • In mentorship the developing leader often initiates the relationship and seeks counsel, while the mentor takes the initiative to check on the mentee's well-being and development; mentorship enhances the development of both parties.
  • A zero-tolerance attitude toward mistakes inhibits initiative and risk-taking; as long as they are not catastrophic, mistakes are opportunities for growth.
  • The concept of lifelong learning applies to the collective organization as well as to the individual.
  • Leaders who lack self-awareness are often seen as arrogant and disconnected from their subordinates, which obstructs learning and adaptability.
  • Leaders must balance leader development against organizational requirements and mission performance, because development can occur concurrently with training and mission performance.
  • FM 6-22 Table 7-3 provides if-then logic for where to start development: seek feedback first if greater understanding is needed, study and then practice if the need is understood but not how to address it, and practice alone if only the practice activity is unknown.
  • Students must pass the exam at the end of this lesson with a score of 80 percent, and elements of the lesson also appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

References

ADP 6-22FM 6-22AR 350-1

Exert Influence as a Leader 113-UCCAP110

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveIdentify the principles of influence.

StandardIdentify the nine methods of influence that help a leader provide purpose, direction and motivation, without error.

This two-hour lesson teaches company-grade officers how to establish and exert influence in their units. It distinguishes formal leadership, which is granted by assignment to a position and backed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), from informal leadership, which arises from initiative, knowledge, or expertise regardless of rank, and it warns that informal leadership can undermine legitimate authority. It then places influence on a continuum that runs from compliance, the act of conforming to a requirement and based primarily on the leader's authority, to commitment, which changes attitudes and beliefs as well as behavior. The core of the lesson is the nine methods of influence from ADP 6-22, ordered from pressure at the compliance end to participation at the commitment end. It closes with how leaders supply purpose, direction, and motivation, including the use of commander's intent and the empowerment of subordinates. Students must pass the exam at the end of the module with a score of 80 percent, and elements of the lesson appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Nine methods of influence, in doctrinal order from compliance to commitment (ADP 6-22 para 5-9 to 5-18)
  1. Pressure
  2. Legitimating
  3. Exchange
  4. Personal appeals
  5. Collaboration
  6. Rational persuasion
  7. Apprising
  8. Inspirational appeals
  9. Participation
Sources of identification leaders reinforce to strengthen commitment (ADP 6-22 para 5-8)
  1. Nation (loyalty)
  2. Army (professionalism)
  3. Unit or organization (esprit de corps)
  4. Leadership of the unit (respect)
  5. The mission (duty)
Formal and informal teams organizational leaders must identify and interact with
  1. The traditional chain of command
  2. Coordination directing unified action partners
  3. Technical channels combining commanders and staff officers
What leaders provide when they influence
  1. Purpose
  2. Direction
  3. Motivation
Considerations when influencing followers (ADP 6-22 para 5-19 to 5-21)
  1. Objectives for the use of influence should align with the Army Values, ethics, the UCMJ, the Soldier's Creed, and the Army Civilian Creed
  2. Various influence techniques can be used to obtain compliance and commitment
  3. Compliance-seeking influence focuses on quickly meeting task demands
  4. Commitment-encouraging influence emphasizes empowerment and long-lasting trust
Lesson subjects required to meet the standard
  1. Define formal and informal leadership
  2. Explain how to gain compliance and commitment
  3. Describe methods of influence
  4. Describe how to provide purpose, direction and motivation

Key terms

Army leader
Anyone who, by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility, inspires and influences people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization (ADP 6-22 para 1-74).
Influencing
Persuading people to do what is necessary; it entails more than simply passing along orders, because through words and personal example leaders inspire purpose, provide direction, and, when required, motivation.
Formal leadership
Leadership granted to individuals by virtue of assignment to positions of responsibility, according to their rank and experience; the UCMJ supports formal leaders in positions of legitimate authority, and they exercise that authority through lawful orders and directives.
Informal leadership
Leadership found throughout an organization that is not exercised on the basis of rank or position in the organizational hierarchy; it stems from personal initiative, special knowledge, unique experiences, or technical expertise.
Compliance
The act of conforming to a requirement or demand; compliance-focused influence is based primarily on the leader's authority.
Commitment
Willing dedication or allegiance to a cause or organization; commitment-focused influence changes attitudes, beliefs, and behavior, not behavior alone.
Pressure
The influence method in which leaders use explicit demands to achieve compliance, such as setting deadlines for the completion of tasks and communicating negative consequences for those not met.
Legitimating
The influence method in which leaders establish their authority as the basis for a request when that authority may not be obvious; reference to one's position suggests to subordinates that there is potential for adverse action if the request is not completed.
Exchange
The influence method in which leaders offer incentives to gain a higher level of compliance with orders or instructions; the use of rewards should be impartial and as objective as possible.
Personal appeals
The influence method in which the leader asks for a subordinate's support based on their personal or longstanding professional relationship, generally out of loyalty.
Collaboration
The influence method in which the leader engages with subordinates or peers and applies influence by contributing to the outcome, such as stepping in to resolve problems, offering additional resources, or sharing in the work.
Rational persuasion
The influence method in which the leader provides a broader context, logical argument, or explanation showing how a request is relevant to the goal and why something should or must be done; it is more effective when others recognize the leader as an expert.
Apprising
The influence method in which the leader explains why an order or request will benefit a subordinate or team; unlike exchange, the benefits are generally beyond the direct control of the leader to provide.
Inspirational appeals
The influence method in which the leader creates enthusiasm for a request by arousing strong emotions in support of a decision the leader must make or has already made; it is best employed when the stakes are high and subordinates or peers understand what those stakes are.
Participation
The influence method in which the leader asks others to join in determining how best to address a problem or meet an objective; it increases subordinates' commitment to execute whatever is decided and contributes to shared understanding of the commander's intent.
Purpose
The reason a leader gives subordinates to achieve a desired outcome; leaders convey purpose through direct means such as requests, directives, or orders, and by instilling a higher purpose that rises above self-interest.
Direction
The element of influence that deals with how a goal, task, or mission is to be achieved; the skilled leader knows when to provide detailed guidance and when to focus only on purpose, motivation, or inspiration.
Motivation
The element of influence that supplies the will and initiative to do what is necessary to accomplish a mission; it comes from within, but the actions and words of others affect it.
Commander's intent
A clear, concise statement of what the force must do and the conditions the force must meet to succeed with respect to the enemy, terrain, and desired end state.

Testable points

  • The nine influence techniques fall along a continuum between compliance and commitment, ranging from pressure at the compliance end to participation at the commitment end.
  • Compliance affects only a follower's behavior, while commitment reaches deeper, changing attitudes, beliefs, and behavior, and produces longer-lasting and broader effects.
  • Active opposition to influence denotes resistance.
  • Compliance is appropriate for short-term, immediate requirements, for situations where little risk can be tolerated, and for those relatively unfamiliar with their tasks or unwilling or unable to commit fully.
  • Compliance-focused influence is not particularly effective when a leader's greatest aim is to create initiative within the team.
  • Compliance with legal and ethical orders, directives, and instructions is always required; willing and eager agreement is commitment.
  • Successful leaders depend upon both compliance and commitment, and in most situations there is a blend of the two among subordinates.
  • Informal leadership can undermine legitimate authority: an influential informal leader may reduce support for a formal leader's plan, and a disgruntled one can use disparaging comments to reduce respect for formal leaders.
  • As the final decision maker, the formal leader is ultimately responsible for legitimizing an informal leader's course of action.
  • Bypassing the chain of command should be by exception, focused on solving an urgent problem or guiding an organization back on track with the leader's original guidance.
  • Pressure is appropriate in two conditions: when emphasis is required to ensure compliance with previously unmet requirements and subordinates must reorder their priorities to meet higher-level intent, and during combat operations, when the pressure relates to the negative consequences likely to occur should subordinates fail.
  • Leaders should use pressure infrequently, particularly in garrison, because it tends to create subordinate resentment; when subordinates perceive that pressure originates from the leader's attempt to please superiors for personal recognition, resentment can quickly undermine morale, cohesion, and quality of performance.
  • Rational persuasion is often the first approach a leader takes to gain compliance or commitment, and it is often used in combination with other approaches, particularly collaboration.
  • Apprising differs from exchange in that the benefit is generally beyond the direct control of the leader to provide.
  • The commander's intent must be easy to remember and clearly understandable two echelons down, and it is typically three to five sentences long, the shorter the better.
  • Direct-level leaders often use compliance techniques to coordinate team activities expediently, while organizational leaders typically use indirect influence to build strong commitment.
  • Positive influence comes from leaders who do what is right for the Army, the mission, the team, and each individual Soldier; negative influence emanates from leaders who focus on personal gain and lack self-awareness.
  • Even honorable intentions, if wrongly perceived by followers as self-serving, will yield mere compliance and may trigger resentment and the deterioration of unit cohesion.
  • A leader's role in motivation is to understand the needs and desires of others, to align and elevate individual desires into team goals, and to inspire others to accomplish those larger goals.
  • Empowering subordinates means training them, providing task strategies, giving them resources, authority, and clear intent, and then stepping aside; it is a forceful statement of trust and one of the best ways of developing them as leaders, and it implies accepting responsibility for the freedom to create and act.
  • Indirect needs such as job satisfaction, sense of accomplishment, group belonging, and pride typically have broader-reaching effects than formal rewards and punishment.
  • Motivation is based on the individual, who contributes ability, personality, and values, and on the situation, which comprises the physical environment, task procedures and standards, social norms, culture, and organizational climate.
  • Students must pass the exam at the end of this module with a score of 80 percent, and elements of the lesson also appear on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

References

ADP 6-22FM 6-22

Counseling 113-UCCAP111

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the principles of counseling.

StandardDescribe the principles of counseling; to include the three types of counseling, the four stages of counseling, and how counseling relates to the Evaluation Reporting System; without error.

This two-hour lesson examines company-level unit counseling as the Army's most important tool for developing future leaders. It defines counseling as the process leaders use to review with a subordinate the subordinate's demonstrated performance and potential, and it covers the three major categories of developmental counseling - event, performance, and professional growth - along with the sub-types of event counseling, from reception and integration through adverse separation. It then works through the four-stage counseling process, the five counseling fundamentals, the three basic counseling skills, and the three approaches (nondirective, directive, and combined) with their techniques. It closes by tying counseling to the Evaluation Reporting System: initial counseling within the first 30 days of the rating period, quarterly follow-up counseling, and the split between the rater's focus on performance and the senior rater's focus on potential. Students are assessed with ten multiple-choice questions and must score 80 percent, with as many attempts as necessary, and lesson content also appears on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal currencyATP 6-22.1 was superseded on 13 February 2024. The course teaches the 1 July 2014 edition, and the exam is written from the course, so the taught column is the one to answer with. The four stages, the three approaches and the three categories are the same in both editions - only what is below actually differs.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • ATP 6-22.1, The Counseling Process (1 July 2014)
  • Three basic counseling skills: active listening, responding, appropriate questioning
  • Five counseling fundamentals, at Table 2-1
  • Four-stage process at paragraphs 2-24 to 2-50
Current - ATP 6-22.1 (13 February 2024)
  • ATP 6-22.1, Providing Feedback: Counseling-Coaching-Mentoring
  • Seven basic communication skills (para 1-24), including intentional responding, change talk, redirecting resistance and feedback receptiveness
  • Those five are "key characteristics" at para 2-25; Table 2-1 is a counseling preparation example
  • Four-stage process at paragraphs 2-28 to 2-61
  • OARS - open questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries (para 1-39)

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Lesson subjects required to meet the standard
  1. Describe the three types of counseling
  2. Describe the four stages of counseling
  3. Describe how counseling relates to the Evaluation Reporting System
Three major categories of developmental counseling
  1. Event counseling
  2. Performance counseling
  3. Professional growth counseling
Four-stage counseling process (ATP 6-22.1, Feb 2024, paras 2-28 to 2-61)
  1. Stage One: Identify the need for counseling
  2. Stage Two: Prepare for counseling
  3. Stage Three: Conduct the counseling session
  4. Stage Four: Follow-up
Preparation areas in Stage Two
  1. Select a suitable place
  2. Schedule the time
  3. Notify the subordinate well in advance
  4. Outline the components of the counseling session
  5. Organize information and draft a plan of action
  6. Plan the counseling strategy
  7. Establish the right atmosphere
Four basic components of a counseling session (Stage Three)
  1. Open the session
  2. Discuss the issues
  3. Develop a plan of action
  4. Record and close the session
Follow-up actions in Stage Four
  1. Implement the plan of action
  2. Assess the plan of action
Five key characteristics of an effective counselor (ATP 6-22.1, Feb 2024, para 2-25 - the course calls these the counseling fundamentals)
  1. Purpose - clearly define the purpose of the counseling
  2. Flexibility - adapt the counseling approach to each subordinate, situation, and relationship
  3. Respect - view subordinates as unique, complex individuals with distinct values, beliefs, and attitudes
  4. Communication - establish open, two-way communication using verbal and nonverbal actions, listening more than speaking
  5. Support - encourage subordinates through direction, guidance, and supportive actions
Three basic counseling skills (as taught - ATP 6-22.1, 2014)
  1. Active listening
  2. Responding
  3. Appropriate questioning
Three approaches to counseling
  1. Nondirective
  2. Directive
  3. Combined
Techniques used in the nondirective or combined approaches
  1. Suggesting alternatives
  2. Recommending
  3. Persuading
  4. Advising
Techniques used in the directive approach
  1. Corrective training
  2. Commanding
Event-oriented counseling situations
  1. Specific occasion of superior or substandard performance
  2. Reception and integration counseling
  3. Crisis counseling
  4. Referral counseling
  5. Promotion counseling
  6. Transition counseling
  7. Adverse separation counseling
Key elements of active listening
  1. Eye contact
  2. Body posture
  3. Head nods
  4. Facial expressions
  5. Verbal expressions
  6. Check for understanding
Nonverbal indicators of leader and subordinate attitude
  1. Interest, friendliness, and openness
  2. Self-confidence
  3. Anxiety
  4. Boredom
  5. Defensiveness
  6. Frustration
Opportunities regular counseling provides leaders
  1. Demonstrate genuine interest in subordinates
  2. Help subordinates understand their role in accomplishing the unit's mission
  3. Acknowledge and reinforce exceptional work or dedication
  4. Evaluate subordinates' potential for development
  5. Provide subordinates with assistance or resources to address issues or improve on strengths
  6. Empower subordinates to identify and solve issues on their own so they are more self-reliant
  7. Identify issues before they become significant problems
  8. Identify and pre-empt causes of substandard performance
Seven basic communication skills (ATP 6-22.1, Feb 2024, para 1-24)
  1. Self-awareness
  2. Active listening
  3. Intentional responding
  4. Appropriate questioning
  5. Recognizing and evoking change talk
  6. Redirecting resistance
  7. Feedback receptiveness
OARS - the basis of a disciplined listening and speaking style (ATP 6-22.1, Feb 2024, para 1-39)
  1. Open questions - ask for longer answers or elaboration, drawing out detail and encouraging thought
  2. Affirmations - recognise the subordinate's strengths and effort
  3. Reflections - say back what you heard, to check understanding and show you were listening
  4. Summaries - gather the thread of the conversation and confirm where it has got to

Key terms

Counseling
The process leaders use to review with a subordinate the subordinate's demonstrated performance and potential.
Developmental counseling
Counseling designed to improve a Soldier's performance, skills, abilities, or character; each session is tailored to the individual's needs and is a shared effort between leader and subordinate.
Event counseling
Counseling that involves a specific event or situation; it may precede events such as promotion boards, training courses, or deployment, or it may address noteworthy or substandard performance or a personal issue.
Performance counseling
A review of a subordinate's duty performance over a specified period, in which leader and subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and clear standards for the next period; it focuses on the subordinate's strengths, areas to improve, and potential.
Professional growth counseling
Forward-looking guidance intended to help the subordinate envision and achieve their personal and professional goals; documentation of the discussion results in an individual development plan.
Reception and integration counseling
Event counseling conducted for all new team members joining the organization; it alleviates concerns and familiarizes them with organizational history, standards, policies, the chain of command, and unit programs.
Crisis counseling
Event counseling that focuses on the subordinate's immediate short-term needs and assists them through a period of shock after receiving negative news.
Referral counseling
Counseling used when issues are beyond the capability or expertise of the subordinate's leaders; the leader refers the subordinate to appropriate outside resources such as Army Community Services, a chaplain, or an alcohol and drug counselor.
Promotion counseling
Counseling required for all specialists, corporals, and sergeants who are eligible for advancement without waivers; Soldiers not recommended for promotion must be counseled as to why and given plans of action to overcome the shortcomings (AR 600-8-19).
Transition counseling
Counseling that assists Soldiers who are demobilizing, separating, or retiring, preparing them for employment, education, and other post-service opportunities and benefits.
Adverse separation counseling
Counseling that may involve informing the Soldier of the administrative actions available to the commander if substandard performance continues; it is an administrative prerequisite to many administrative discharges (AR 635-200).
Plan of action
A statement that identifies a method and pathway for achieving a desired result; it specifies what the subordinate must do to reach the goals agreed upon during the counseling session and must be specific.
Active listening
Listening thoughtfully and deliberately to capture the nuances of the subordinate's language; it communicates that the leader values the subordinate and enables reception of the subordinate's message.
Responding
Reacting verbally and nonverbally to show understanding, by summarizing, interpreting, and clarifying the subordinate's message and by using eye contact and occasional gestures, so that the subordinate is encouraged to continue.
Appropriate questioning
Focused questioning used with caution; during professional growth counseling, questions should be open-ended, should evoke more than a yes or no answer, and should not lead toward a specific conclusion.
Directive approach
The counseling approach whose techniques are corrective training, in which the leader teaches and assists the subordinate in attaining and maintaining the standard, and commanding, in which the leader orders a course of action in clear, precise words.
Nondirective approach
The counseling approach whose techniques, shared with the combined approach, are suggesting alternatives, recommending, persuading, and advising; recommending and persuading leave the final decision to the subordinate.
Advising
The technique of telling a subordinate that a given course of action is best; it is the strongest form of influence that does not involve a command.
DA Form 4856 (Developmental Counseling Form)
The Army form that provides a useful framework for preparing for counseling and helps organize the relevant issues to discuss during counseling sessions.
Initial counseling
The face-to-face counseling the rater conducts with the rated Soldier within the first 30 days of the rating period, focused on duties, responsibilities, and performance objectives; it sets expectations and the evaluation baseline.

Testable points

  • Counseling is required of leaders and occurs at prescribed times, while coaching and mentoring are voluntary activities.
  • Regular developmental counseling is the Army's most important tool for developing future leaders at every level.
  • The three categories of developmental counseling are neither separate nor exhaustive: a session on resolving an issue may also address duty performance, and a performance session often includes professional growth.
  • Regardless of purpose or topic, leaders should follow a basic format of preparation, execution, and follow-up.
  • During performance counseling the leader and subordinate jointly establish performance objectives and standards for the next period, which ensures the subordinate's personal involvement in the evaluation process.
  • Counseling sessions should generally last less than an hour and should be conducted during the duty day when possible, because counseling after duty hours may be rushed or perceived as unfavorable.
  • Counseling tied to a specific event should happen as closely to the event as possible; for performance or professional development counseling, subordinates may need a week or more to prepare.
  • To establish the right atmosphere, the leader sits in a chair facing the subordinate, because a desk can act as a barrier; when correcting substandard performance, the leader seated behind a desk may direct the subordinate to remain standing to underscore the seriousness of the situation.
  • Effective counselors listen more than they speak, and the subordinate should do most of the talking during the discussion of issues.
  • When the issue is substandard performance, the leader must be clear about why the performance did not meet the standard and must prevent the subordinate from re-framing the issue as an unreasonable standard.
  • Documenting a counseling session, even an informal one, serves as a ready reference for the plan of action and supports later recommendations for schools, promotions, and evaluation reports.
  • The counseling process does not end with the initial session; leaders support implementation of the plan by teaching, coaching, mentoring, or providing time, referrals, and other resources, and the date of the initial assessment should be set during the counseling session.
  • Successful persuasion depends on the leader's credibility, the subordinate's willingness to listen, and mutual trust.
  • Advising is the strongest form of influence that does not involve a command, and a subordinate completes corrective training when the standard is consistently attained.
  • The nondirective approach requires the greatest counselor skill and encourages maturity, while the directive approach is the quickest method.
  • Too many questions can aggravate the power differential between leader and subordinate and place the subordinate in a passive or defensive mode.
  • With recurring, effective counseling no evaluation report, positive or negative, should be a surprise, and a consistent counseling program includes all subordinates, not just those thought to have the most potential.
  • AR 623-3 para 3-7(1a) requires the rater to conduct a face-to-face initial counseling with the rated Soldier within the first 30 days of the rating period, focused on duties, responsibilities, and performance objectives.
  • Quarterly, or periodic follow-up, counseling differs from the initial session in that its primary focus is informing rated individuals how well they are performing, how they can perform better, and updating duty descriptions as necessary (AR 623-3 para 3-7(2a)).
  • The rater focuses on professionalism, performance, and adherence to the attributes and core leader competencies of the Army Leadership Requirements Model, while the senior rater's focus is on potential.
  • Use of the officer evaluation report (OER) support form is mandatory for colonel and below; it aligns with the OER and AIM 2.0, focuses on attributes and competencies in accordance with ADP 6-22, and is initiated and completed in the Evaluation Entry System.
  • There is only one OER support form even though there are three versions of the OER, because attributes and competencies are not limited by grade.
  • Intermediate raters are included in a rating chain only when the rated officer is in a special branch - the Army Medical Department, the Judge Advocate General's Corps, or the Chaplain Corps - or is in a dual supervisory situation.
  • Developmental counseling may not apply when an individual has engaged in serious acts of misconduct; in those situations leaders should refer the matter to the commander and the servicing staff judge advocate.
  • Students are assessed by correctly answering 10 multiple-choice questions with a score of 80 percent, with as many attempts as necessary, and lesson content also appears on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.
  • ATP 6-22.1 was rewritten on 13 February 2024 and retitled. It is now Providing Feedback: Counseling-Coaching-Mentoring, and it supersedes the 1 July 2014 edition, The Counseling Process, which is what the course teaches from. Counseling is now Chapter 2 of three: coaching is Chapter 3 and mentoring Chapter 4.
  • The four-stage counseling process survives the 2024 rewrite unchanged - identify the need, prepare, conduct the session, follow up - as do the three approaches (nondirective, directive, combined) and the three categories of developmental counseling (event, performance, professional growth). The paragraph numbers moved: the process is now paragraphs 2-28 to 2-61.
  • The 2024 edition lists seven basic communication skills, not the three counseling skills of the 2014 edition. Active listening and appropriate questioning survive; "responding" becomes "intentional responding"; and self-awareness, recognizing and evoking change talk, redirecting resistance and feedback receptiveness are added.
  • OARS - open questions, affirmations, reflections and summaries - is new in the 2024 edition and runs through the whole publication. ATP 6-22.1 calls it the basis for "a disciplined listening and speaking style - the building blocks of productive conversations".
  • Watch the word "fundamentals" in the 2024 edition. Purpose, flexibility, respect, communication and support - what the course calls the five counseling fundamentals - are "key characteristics" at paragraph 2-25. "Fundamentals" at paragraph 2-22 now means something else: counseling concepts, counseling skills and counseling practices. Table 2-1 is no longer the fundamentals table either; it is a counseling preparation example.

References

ADP 6-22ATP 6-22.1AR 623-3AR 600-8-19AR 635-200AR 600-8FM 6-22

The Army Profession and the Army Professional Ethic 113-UCCAP106

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveIdentify the Army Profession and the Army Professional Ethic.

StandardIdentify the five characteristics of the Army Profession and the three roles of Army professionals, without error. In order to achieve this standard, this class will cover the following subjects: (1) define the Army Profession; (2) identify the five characteristics of the Army Profession; (3) define the Army Ethic; (4) identify the three roles of Army professionals; and (5) understand how trust, one of the principles of mission command, relates to organizational health (building trust and cohesion).

This two-hour lesson establishes what makes the Army a profession rather than merely a bureaucracy, and why trust is the foundation that keeps it one. It defines the Army Profession as a trusted vocation of Soldiers and Army civilians made up of two communities of practice, and it works through the five essential characteristics that identify the Army as a profession: trust, honorable service, military expertise, stewardship, and esprit de corps. It then defines the Army Ethic, sets out its legal and moral foundations, and describes the shared identity of trusted Army professionals expressed in three distinctive roles: honorable servants of the Nation, Army experts, and stewards of the Army Profession. The lesson closes by tying character, competence, and commitment - the certification criteria of the profession - to the building of internal and external trust, and by linking that trust to the principles of mission command. The desired outcome is that learners understand their roles within the Army Profession and apply professional ethics to their decisions as leaders and trusted Army professionals.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Five characteristics of the Army Profession (ADP 6-22 para 1-10)
  1. Trust
  2. Honorable service
  3. Military expertise
  4. Stewardship
  5. Esprit de corps
Two communities of practice of the Army Profession
  1. The Profession of Arms - the Soldiers of the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve
  2. The Army Civilian Corps - the Army civilians serving in the Department of the Army
Four fields of knowledge of military expertise (ADP 6-22 para 1-24)
  1. Leader and human development
  2. Moral-ethical
  3. Geo-cultural and political
  4. Military-technical
Three levels of stewardship
  1. Strategic stewardship
  2. Organizational stewardship
  3. Individual stewardship
Three roles of Army professionals (ADP 6-22 paras 1-56 and 1-58)
  1. Honorable servants of the Nation - professionals of character
  2. Army experts - competent professionals
  3. Stewards of the Army Profession - committed professionals, accountable to each other, the profession, and the American people
Certification criteria that build trust (ADP 6-22 Figure 1-2)
  1. Character - linked to the role of honorable servant
  2. Competence - linked to the role of Army expert
  3. Commitment - linked to the role of steward of the Army Profession
Foundations of the Army Ethic (ADP 6-22 Table 1-1)
  1. Legal foundation - the Constitution of the United States, United States Code, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), executive orders, and other orders and directives; these are the minimum standards for ethical conduct, and the motivation is compliance
  2. Moral foundation - the Declaration of Independence, the Army Values, and the Just War Tradition; these are not legally binding, and the motivation is aspiration to excellence in honorable service
Seven principles of mission command (ADP 6-0 para 1-26)
  1. Competence
  2. Mutual trust
  3. Shared understanding
  4. Commander's intent
  5. Mission orders
  6. Disciplined initiative
  7. Risk acceptance
Ways esprit de corps is reflected in Soldiers and Army civilians (ADP 6-22 paras 1-38 to 1-40)
  1. Shared understanding of their professional identity, the reasons why they serve, and the ways they serve the American people
  2. Motivation, discipline, striving for excellence, and good morale
  3. Pride in a job well done and a sense of accomplishment: 'Duty Well-Performed!'
Areas of in-depth knowledge required of military professionals (ADP 6-22 para 4-17)
  1. Tactical knowledge - accomplishing military objectives during operations
  2. Technical knowledge - specialized information associated with a function or system
  3. Joint knowledge - joint organizations, procedures, and roles in national defense
  4. Cultural and geopolitical knowledge - cultural, geographic, and political differences and sensitivities
Moral-ethical theories from Western philosophy
  1. Virtues - Virtue Ethics (Aristotle, Aquinas): an action is right if a virtuous person would perform it; the 'Rule of the Mean'
  2. Rules - Deontological Ethics (Immanuel Kant): an action is right if it falls under a rule that prescribes it
  3. Consequences - Utilitarian Ethics (John Stuart Mill): an action is right if it creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people

Key terms

Army Profession
A trusted vocation of Soldiers and Army civilians whose collective expertise is the ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower; serving under civilian authority; and entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people (ADP 6-22 para 1-8).
Profession of Arms
One of the Army Profession's two communities of practice; it comprises the Soldiers of the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve.
Army Civilian Corps
The Army Profession's second community of practice; it is composed of Army civilians serving in the Department of the Army.
Trust
Confidence in others - the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. Trust is the bedrock of the Army Profession and the foundation of the Army's relationship with the American people (ADP 6-22 para 1-11).
External trust
The confidence the American people have in the Army to serve the Nation ethically, effectively, and efficiently.
Internal trust
Reliance on the character, competence, and commitment of Army professionals to live by and uphold the Army Values; it is the trust Soldiers and Army civilians have for one another as members of the profession - trust 'right, left, up, down.'
Honorable service
Support and defense of the Constitution, the American people, and the national interest in a manner consistent with the Army Ethic; Army forces reject and report illegal, unethical, or immoral orders or actions (ADP 6-22 para 1-17).
Military expertise
The ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower, and the associated capabilities essential to accomplishing missions in defense of the American people (ADP 6-22 para 1-24).
Stewardship
The responsibility of Soldiers and Army civilians to strengthen the Army as a profession; it includes caring for the people and resources entrusted to them by the American people and ensuring Army forces are ready, now and in the future, to accomplish the Army's missions (ADP 6-22 para 1-32).
Esprit de corps
The Army's winning spirit - a collective ethos of camaraderie, mutual trust, and cohesive teamwork (ADP 6-22 para 1-38).
Army Ethic
The set of enduring moral principles, values, beliefs, and laws that guide the Army Profession and create the culture of trust essential to Army professionals in the conduct of missions, performance of duty, and all aspects of life (ADP 6-22 para 1-44).
Character
Dedication and adherence to the Army Ethic, including the Army Values, as consistently and faithfully demonstrated in decisions and actions; it is related to the distinctive role of being an honorable servant.
Competence
The demonstrated ability to successfully perform duty with discipline and to standard; it is related to the distinctive role of being an Army expert.
Commitment
The resolve to contribute honorable service to the Nation and accomplish the mission despite adversity, obstacles, and challenges; it is related to the distinctive role of being a steward of the Army Profession.
Strategic stewardship
Establishing the directives, policies, programs, and systems that provide for the purposeful development of people, resource management, and preparation for the future, while preserving the customs, courtesies, and traditions of the Army.
Organizational stewardship
Establishing a professional climate that fosters living by the Army Ethic, strengthens mutual trust, and builds cohesive teamwork, and ensuring that organizations are equipped, trained, and certified for current and future missions.
Individual stewardship
The responsibility to strive continuously for excellence in the performance of duty, to pursue lifelong learning, and to accomplish every mission.
Expertise
In-depth knowledge and skill developed from experience, training, and education.
Right decisions and actions
Decisions and actions that are ethical, effective, and efficient; the Army expects the mission to be accomplished, but in the right way.
Soldiers for Life
The concept Army professionals embrace when they return to society: they continue to be moral-ethical exemplars for their Families and communities and contribute to the well-being of the United States (ADP 6-22 para 1-56).

Testable points

  • The Army Profession is a trusted vocation of Soldiers and Army civilians whose collective expertise is the ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower; serving under civilian authority; and entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people (ADP 6-22 para 1-8).
  • The Army has a dual nature: it is both a military department of the US Government and a profession (ADP 6-22 para 1-3).
  • The Army is subordinate to civilian authority, a relationship established and codified in the US Constitution; the American people exercise oversight of the Army through their elected and appointed officials.
  • Army leaders provide military advice; civilian authority makes the final decisions on national strategy, resources, and policy.
  • The vital service the Army provides that the American people could not perform otherwise is defense of the Nation.
  • Army professionals confine their advisory role to the policy-making process, do not engage publicly in policy advocacy or dissent, and adhere to a strict ethic of political nonpartisanship.
  • The legitimacy of the Army Profession depends on healthy interaction with the news media; within the limits of operations security, Army professionals support and facilitate the media's legitimate function to inform the citizenry.
  • Trust is the bedrock of the Army Profession and the foundation of its relationship with the American people (ADP 6-22 para 1-11).
  • Without the confidence of the citizens, the Army could not maintain the all-volunteer force; without the confidence of the President and Congress, it could not maintain the readiness required to fight and win.
  • Trust is a two-way street: subordinates exercise more initiative when they believe the commander trusts them and will support the outcome, and commanders delegate greater authority to subordinates whose competence and judgment they trust.
  • Trust within the profession, based on a common understanding of doctrine, lets the Army rapidly task organize units and build teams where interpersonal relationships are not yet established.
  • Trust is earned and reinforced: subordinates, peers, and superiors lose trust in Soldiers whose conduct fails to meet the standards, and an even greater loss of mutual trust occurs when leadership does not set and enforce standards and discipline in a fair and consistent manner.
  • Soldiers are bound to obey the legal and moral orders of their superiors, must disobey an unlawful or immoral order, and are legally bound to report violations of the law of war to their chain of command.
  • If Army professionals perceive that an order is unlawful or immoral, they seek situational understanding of the order and its original intent, which may include asking the issuer for clarification.
  • Commitment to lifelong learning is an aspect of honorable service and a professional obligation that includes actively offering and accepting coaching, counseling, and mentoring.
  • Developing military-technical expertise is the foundation of competence, which is in turn a significant basis of professional trust within cohesive teams.
  • Stewardship is implied in the oath of enlistment: 'I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter' (ADP 6-22 para 1-33).
  • Mentorship is an often-overlooked aspect of stewardship; stewards must think beyond their current mission, team, and direct chain of command (FM 6-22 para 4-106).
  • Discipline allows Army professionals to choose the harder right over the easier wrong in the face of temptation, obstacles, and adversity.
  • The legal foundations of the Army Ethic are the minimum standards for ethical conduct; the moral foundations are not legally binding but provide the inspiration to strive for excellence in honorable service to the Nation.
  • In situations of uncertainty, where the rules do not provide clear courses of action, Army professionals base their decisions and actions on the moral principles of the Army Ethic.
  • The core of the Army Ethic is the ethical, effective, and efficient accomplishment of the mission (ADP 6-22 para 1-57).
  • Trust is built at the intersection of character, competence, and commitment - the certification criteria of the profession (ADP 6-22 Figure 1-2).
  • Mission command requires trust in both directions: superiors trust subordinates to accomplish missions within their intent, and subordinates trust superiors to give them freedom to execute and to support their decisions.
  • Without trust, leaders tend to micromanage and tie up resources with bureaucratic processes; with trust, leaders issue broad guidance and intent and subordinates accomplish missions with minimal supervision.
  • Trust builds over time through mutual respect, shared understanding, and common experiences; it increases readiness and is essential to the shared understanding of intent that facilitates initiative (ADP 6-22 para 5-44).

References

ADP 6-22ADP 6-0FM 6-22ADP 1

Army Ethical Standards 113-UCCAP108

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveApply Army ethical standards for decision-making.

StandardApply the ten steps of the Ethical Decision-Making Framework to both a hypothetical moral problem and an actual moral problem, without error. In order to achieve this standard, this class will cover the following subjects: (1) the steps of the Ethical Decision-Making Framework; and (2) the moral aspects of leadership and how they relate to ethical decision-making.

This two-hour lesson builds directly on the Army Profession lesson and moves from knowing the Army Ethic to using it. It teaches the ten-step Ethical Decision-Making Framework at DA PAM 165-19, Appendix D, which is taken from the Joint Ethics Regulation, and it teaches an ethical reasoning model built on three lenses - rules, outcomes, and virtues - drawn from Dr. Jack Kem's 'Ethical Triangle'. It classifies moral challenges as black-and-white, gray, or unseen, and it stresses that each lens taken alone has a characteristic failure mode. The second half covers the moral aspects of leadership: moral leadership, moral courage, the relationship between morals and ethics in Army doctrine, and how leaders build and sustain a climate of mutual trust. Learners apply the model to a running scenario (CPT Neumann and PVT Smith) and to two Center for Army Profession and Leadership (CAPL) video case studies, 'Collateral' and 'Social Media'.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Ten steps of the Ethical Decision-Making Framework (DA PAM 165-19, Appendix D)
  1. Define the problem
  2. Identify the goal(s)
  3. List applicable laws or regulations
  4. List the ethical values at stake
  5. Name all the stakeholders
  6. Gather additional information
  7. State all feasible solutions
  8. Eliminate unethical options
  9. Rank remaining solutions
  10. Commit to and implement the best ethical solution
Three ethical lenses (the Ethical Triangle)
  1. Rules - the formal and informal specifications a group agrees to follow
  2. Outcomes - the foreseeable results of an action or behavior
  3. Virtues - the dispositions that enable a person to think and feel in a morally skillful manner
Three types of moral challenge
  1. Black-and-white - the person knows the right thing to do but is tempted not to do it
  2. Gray (ethical dilemma) - the person does not know the right thing to do because moral principles compete and every option carries moral costs and benefits
  3. Unseen - the person's moral vision is impaired and he or she does not see the ethical aspect of the situation at all
Three ethical perspectives (DA PAM 165-19 para 2-1)
  1. The virtue perspective - desirable character traits such as courage, justice, and benevolence define what is ethical
  2. The deontological perspective - ethical outcomes derive from agreed-upon values and rules rather than from consequences
  3. The utilitarian perspective - the most favorable decision produces the greatest good and the best outcome for the greatest number
Moral-ethical theories and their philosophers
  1. Virtues - Virtue Ethics (Aristotle, Aquinas): an action is right if a virtuous person would perform it; the 'Rule of the Mean'
  2. Rules - Deontological Ethics (Immanuel Kant): an action is right if it falls under a rule that prescribes it
  3. Consequences - Utilitarian Ethics (John Stuart Mill): an action is right if it creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people
Three aspects of total force readiness supported by moral leadership (DA PAM 165-19 para 1-4c)
  1. Sustainment readiness - preparing mentally strong, resilient professionals and preventing moral injury
  2. Motivational readiness - integrating personal core beliefs with moral foundations to motivate effort toward Army missions
  3. Ethical readiness - accomplishing missions as an ethical force
Three components of the Builds Trust competency (FM 6-22 paras 7-16 to 7-18)
  1. Sets personal example for trust
  2. Takes direct actions to build trust
  3. Sustains a climate of trust
Six ways to strengthen mutual trust in your unit (derived from the leader competency and leader action tables in FM 6-22)
  1. Start with yourself - set the example, make decisions and take actions consistent with the Army Ethic, demonstrate the Army Values, demonstrate respect, and extend trust
  2. Create transparency - communicate openly and candidly, confront reality and state the truth, build consensus, and engage Soldiers in being part of the solution
  3. Provide clear intent - start with why, explain your identity and vision, and clarify expectations
  4. Keep commitments - match deeds to words, deliver results, balance subordinate needs with mission requirements, right wrongs, resolve conflict, and foster teamwork
  5. Listen - to subordinates, to peers, and to superiors, coaches, and mentors
  6. Demand accountability of yourself and others - set high standards, enforce them fairly and consistently, hold yourself to the same standards, and share hardship
Indicators of a professional climate and mutual trust (FM 6-22, Chapter 7)
  1. Teamwork, fair play, and information sharing
  2. Open, candid communication
  3. Soldier job satisfaction
  4. Attendance by Soldiers and Families at unit social and sports activities
  5. High reenlistment rates
  6. Clear priorities and goals
  7. A fair system of recognition, reward, and punishment
  8. Leaders who have the courage to admit when they are wrong
  9. Leaders who actively seek input from subordinates
  10. Leaders who act on the feedback they receive
  11. Leaders who have the authority to make decisions consistent with the commander's intent or guidance
  12. Leaders who lead by example and serve as good role models
  13. Leader behavior consistent with the Army Ethic and the Army Values
  14. Leaders who lead from the front and share hardship

Key terms

Ethical Decision-Making Framework
The ten-step model at DA PAM 165-19, Appendix D, taken from the Joint Ethics Regulation (DoD 5500.07-R, Section 65); it is recommended to ensure careful review of ethical consequences when all solutions seem proper under existing laws and regulations.
Ethical reasoning
The deliberate evaluation that decisions and actions conform to accepted standards of conduct (ADP 5-0 para 1-69); it must occur in everything leaders do - planning, preparing, executing, and assessing operations (ADP 6-22 paras 2-17 to 2-19).
Moral leadership
The process of influencing people by providing moral purpose, direction, or motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization consistent with the Army Ethic (DA PAM 165-19 para 2-5).
Moral courage
The commitment to do what is right despite risk, adversity, and fear; it empowers leaders to stand firm on values, principles, and convictions in taking responsibility for decisions and actions (DA PAM 165-19 para 2-5).
Morals
A sense of right and wrong in principles, values, and conduct; the term refers to general right and wrong in the broadest sense.
Ethics
A system of moral principles, or rules of conduct recognized in respect to a class of human actions, a particular group, or a culture; ethics reflects on how morality is practically applied within a community such as the Army.
Stakeholder
Anyone who is likely to be affected by a decision, including yourself and the people who may depend on you for support, both at work and at home.
Rules lens
The lens that asks whether a formal or informal specification the group has agreed to follow - a law, a regulation, a rule of engagement (ROE), or a policy - applies to the course of action (COA).
Outcomes lens
The lens that considers and compares the foreseeable results of an action or behavior; a COA benefiting the greatest number of affected persons may be the best solution.
Virtues lens
The lens that weighs a COA against professional and personal virtues - the components of 'moral and good' human beings that transcend most cultural differences between civilized societies. Unlike values, which reflect personal moral beliefs, virtues are dispositions that enable a person to think and feel in a morally skillful manner in any given situation.
Black-and-white moral challenge
A fairly simple challenge in which the person knows the right thing to do but is tempted not to do it out of self-interest, fear, doubt, or some other pressure.
Gray moral challenge (ethical dilemma)
An apparent conflict between moral principles in which following one would seem to violate another; the person does not know the right thing to do, and each option has moral costs and benefits.
Unseen moral challenge
A challenge in which the person's moral vision is impaired and he or she does not see the ethical aspects of the situation at all.
Guidance versus orders
The distinction the rules lens depends on. Guidance from a command is usually advice, constraints, or left and right limits rather than a set rule that must be followed without deviation; an order is an authoritative direction or instruction to do something, with much less room for deviation unless it conflicts with a higher-level order or is itself illegal, unethical, or immoral.
Constraint
In the context of planning, a requirement placed on the command by a higher command that dictates an action, thus restricting freedom of action (JP 1-02).
Restraint
In the context of planning, a requirement placed on the command by a higher command that prohibits an action, thus restricting freedom of action (JP 1-02).
End state
The set of required conditions that defines achievement of the commander's objectives (JP 1-02).
Spiritual dimension
An individual's core religious, philosophical, psychological, or personal values, which form that person's sense of identity, purpose, motivation, character, and integrity and enable him or her to build inner strength, behave ethically, and be resilient (DA PAM 165-19 para 2-3).

Testable points

  • The ten-step Ethical Decision-Making Framework is at DA PAM 165-19, Appendix D, and comes from the Joint Ethics Regulation framework at DoD 5500.07-R, Section 65.
  • The framework is recommended to ensure careful review of ethical consequences when all solutions seem proper under existing laws and regulations.
  • Until all relevant laws and regulations are considered, ethical decision-making is impossible; it is conceivable but rare that an ethical decision would violate a law or regulation.
  • Gathering additional information is a frequently overlooked step, because the stress of the problem urges speedy solutions and hasty decisions create problems of their own.
  • Short-term solutions are not worth sacrificing commitment to ethics; the long-term problems of unethical solutions outweigh the short-term advantages.
  • Solutions that are not clearly unethical but are questionable are weeded out by intuition or gut feeling and placed at the bottom of the list; the remaining solutions, all of them ethical, are then ranked by how closely they meet the goal and solve the problem.
  • Determining the best ethical solution is a meaningless exercise unless it is implemented; failing to implement it leaves the door wide open for others to implement unethical solutions.
  • Ethical reasoning is not a separate process used only when an ethical problem is discovered; it is part of making everyday decisions.
  • Leaders should not intentionally issue vague or ambiguous orders or instructions to avoid responsibility or accountability; they have a responsibility to research relevant orders, rules, and regulations and to demand clarification of orders that could lead to criminal misinterpretation or abuse.
  • Army leaders must accept responsibility for the consequences of their own actions and those of the subordinates who execute their orders.
  • Chaplains can provide confidential advice to leaders on difficult personal and professional ethical issues.
  • The three ethical lenses - rules, outcomes, and virtues - derive from Dr. Jack Kem's Command and General Staff College paper 'Ethical Decision Making: Using the Ethical Triangle' and from DA PAM 165-19 para E-2.
  • The rules lens is limited because rule-based morality alone cannot account for every situation, and because guidance is often misinterpreted as a rule.
  • The outcomes lens is limited because considering only results leads to an 'ends justify the means' mentality and is highly susceptible to bias and rationalization.
  • The virtues lens is limited because it assumes a common moral foundation for the community, which may not hold across different cultures.
  • Looking through all three lenses is required because each lens taken individually has limitations and the best option is often a blend of more than one.
  • In Army doctrine morals and ethics are synonymous terms, which is why ADP 6-22 para 1-24 lists 'moral-ethical' as one of the four broad categories of professional development rather than separating the two.
  • Character is composed of a person's moral dispositions and reveals who we are and how we perceive the world; it guides how a leader applies rules and laws to achieve moral outcomes.
  • Moral leadership supports three logically distinct aspects of total force readiness: sustainment readiness, motivational readiness, and ethical readiness (DA PAM 165-19 para 1-4c).
  • Ethical failures even at the lowest tactical levels can have devastating strategic impact on the mission and on the Army's standing with Americans and the international community.
  • The office Army professionals enter upon taking their oath is not a physical workspace; it is a moral workplace.
  • Where the laws of armed conflict and the rules of engagement fail to provide clear courses of action, decisions should conform to the moral aspects of the Army Ethic.
  • Setting a personal example for trust is the most powerful tool a leader has to shape the climate of the organization (FM 6-22 para 7-16).
  • Ultimately the responsibility to create and maintain an ethical climate rests with the leader (ADP 6-22 para 6-26).
  • In the 'Collateral' case study, the ethical conflict is whether to report the mistaken engagement - duty and integrity versus mission accomplishment - and the best decision is to report it, either at the time or immediately after completing the mission.
  • In the 'Social Media' case study, the ethical conflict is whether to correct the noncommissioned officers (NCOs) or let it go, and the best decision is to report the incident, either to their chain of command or to the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) office.

References

DA PAM 165-19ADP 6-22FM 6-22ADP 5-0DoD 5500.07-RJP 1-02

Think Critically and Creatively 113-UCCAP102

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveAnalyze a logical argument

StandardAnalyze a logical argument, as presented in a military journal, in terms of how it organizes facts and assumptions to reach a conclusion.

This three-hour lesson gives a framework for reasoning and then attacks the habits that corrupt it. It defines critical thinking as analyzing a problem and breaking it down into parts, and creative thinking as finding innovative ways to solve the problem, then maps both onto the Army's two logic models: the Military Problem Solving Process (MPSP) for non-tactical problems and the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) for tactical problems. It teaches the three-part structure of a logical argument - premise, inference and conclusion - and the hard distinction between facts and assumptions, then locates both kinds of thinking inside the leader attribute of Intellect through mental agility, sound judgment and innovation. Two families of barriers are covered: biases (confirmation, status quo and sunk cost) and logic fallacies (oversimplification, argumentum ad hominem and false dilemma). It closes with three techniques for stimulating creativity - Odd Man In, mind mapping and brainstorming - and a practical exercise dissecting the argument in "Preventable Casualties: Rommel's Flaw, Slim's Edge" from Military Review.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Six subjects the lesson covers to meet the standard
  1. Definitions of critical and creative thinking
  2. The Army's logic models
  3. Facts and assumptions
  4. Leader attribute of Intellect
  5. Barriers to critical thinking
  6. Tools to stimulate creative thinking
Three parts of a logical argument
  1. Premise (facts and assumptions)
  2. Inference
  3. Conclusion
Two categories of barriers to critical thinking
  1. Biases
  2. Logic fallacies
Three biases taught
  1. Confirmation bias
  2. Status quo bias
  3. Sunk-cost bias (loss aversion)
Three logic fallacies taught
  1. Oversimplification
  2. Argumentum ad hominem
  3. False dilemma
Aspects of the leader attribute of Intellect that align with critical and creative thinking
  1. Mental agility
  2. Sound judgment
  3. Innovation
Three tools to stimulate creative thinking
  1. Odd Man In
  2. Mind mapping
  3. Brainstorming
Seven rules of brainstorming
  1. Notice and expectations - announce the session in advance, state the problem, and issue read-ahead material
  2. Allow plenty of time - creative thinking takes time and cannot be turned on and off
  3. Appoint a note taker - name someone in advance rather than yourself or a volunteer
  4. Everyone takes notes - the note taker will miss things, so cross-check at the end of the meeting
  5. Gather lots of ideas - more is better, because ideas can be eliminated or modified later
  6. No judgments - criticizing ideas makes people shut down and stop participating
  7. Piggyback ideas - combine or more fully develop pieces of different ideas into workable solutions
Four takeaways from the opening brain-teaser exercise
  1. All of us are smarter than any one of us
  2. People look at the same problem from different perspectives
  3. Your background and experience may affect how you look at something
  4. Pressure makes it harder to think

Key terms

Critical thinking
Analyzing a problem and breaking it down into parts. It is a methodical process, closely related to the Army's logic models, that examines a problem in depth from multiple points of view.
Creative thinking
Finding innovative ways to solve the problem, thinking in innovative ways while capitalizing on imagination, insight and novel ideas. It is more free-flowing and harder to predict than critical thinking.
Logical argument
A structure with three parts - premise, inference and conclusion - used by both the Military Problem Solving Process and the Military Decision-Making Process, and by military writing and briefings.
Premise
A statement you believe to be true. Premises are made up of facts and assumptions.
Inference
How you reason through a set of facts and assumptions, looking for connections and patterns.
Conclusion
Your answer to the problem, the end product of running facts and assumptions through the funnel of reason.
Fact
Something that is true and observable. There is no such thing as a future fact.
Assumption
A statement about something that cannot yet be observed, typically in the future, accepted as true so that a decision can be made. Assumptions must be correct to be useful.
Bias
A pre-conceived inclination or point of view. Bringing a bias to problem solving skews the solution.
Confirmation bias
Looking for evidence that supports a conclusion already reached prematurely, and paying more attention to what fits our beliefs than to what challenges them. We are inclined to see what we expect to see.
Status quo bias
Being comfortable in the here and now, resisting change and finding ways to justify maintaining the current situation. The bias has a lot to do with fear.
Sunk-cost bias (loss aversion)
Persisting illogically in a course of action because of decisions already made. Continuing relieves the leader of having to admit that earlier decisions may have been made in error, so the bias becomes a failure to cut bait that reinforces failure instead of producing a new approach.
Logic fallacy
An error in reason that undermines the logic of an argument. Logic fallacies are often difficult to spot.
Oversimplification
A fallacy in which a person fails to account adequately for all the information surrounding a problem, omitting important facts and details.
Argumentum ad hominem
Literally "argument to the man": a fallacy that discredits an argument or solution because of some flaw in the person who offered it rather than on its merits.
False dilemma
A fallacy, also known as black-and-white thinking, in which a person omits consideration of more than two alternatives when more than two in fact exist.
Mental agility
The aspect of Intellect that combines flexibility - adapting quickly as the situation changes - with curiosity and the ability to look at a problem from several points of view, which helps isolate the main problem.
Sound judgment
The aspect of Intellect that draws on experience to assess problems quickly and accurately, to develop and compare possible solutions, and to foresee and account for the possible consequences of an action. It is acquired through practice and failure rather than being innate.
Odd Man In
A creativity technique in which an outsider from another organization is brought in to look at your problem; the questions the outsider asks bring a new perspective to the team.
Mind mapping
A creativity technique in which you draw the problem clearly in the center, draw every related element around the outside, and then draw lines between elements that may be connected, in order to reveal links and to test whether the problem was defined correctly.
Brainstorming
A group process used to produce new ideas or solve problems.

Testable points

  • Critical thinking is analyzing a problem and breaking it down into parts; creative thinking is finding innovative ways to solve the problem.
  • The lesson's definitions of critical and creative thinking come from "Planning for Action: Campaign Concepts and Tools," pages 9-12.
  • Critical and creative thinking are intricately intertwined; one simply does not function without the other.
  • The most important step in finding an appropriate solution is to isolate the main problem; if you identify the wrong problem, your solution will be skewed.
  • Critical thinking examines a problem in depth from multiple points of view, which is the advantage of working with a staff.
  • Curiosity is one of the primary motivators of creative thinking and a major reason to seek opportunities for self-development.
  • Critical thinking usually follows a set of logical steps; creative thinking is much more free-flowing and harder to predict.
  • We are each our own box, and the only way to think outside it is to bump into somebody else's box through reading, debating issues, and other contact with another person's thinking.
  • The Army's two logic models are the Military Problem Solving Process (MPSP) for non-tactical problems and the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) for tactical problems; the MDMP is the Warfighter's logic model.
  • In the MPSP, steps 1 through 3 are grouped under critical thinking and steps 4 through 6 under creative thinking.
  • In the MDMP, the first two steps emphasize critical thinking and steps 3 through 6 emphasize creative thinking; emphasizing one kind of thinking never means the other is absent.
  • In the MPSP, developing evaluation criteria is its own step; in the MDMP it is done as part of step 2, Mission Analysis.
  • MDMP steps 3, 4 and 5 rely heavily on staff members working together, which forces each of them to think outside their own box.
  • A logical argument has three parts: premise, inference and conclusion.
  • Premises are the statements you believe to be true, and those statements are your facts and your assumptions.
  • A fact is true and observable; anything you believe will happen in the future is an assumption, not a fact.
  • Most decisions rest on a combination of facts and assumptions, and you need both.
  • MDMP example: scouts observing the enemy digging defensive fighting positions on Objective (OBJ) HORN is a fact; that the enemy will continue to dig in there is an assumption.
  • MPSP example: "I make $1,000 a week" is a fact; "I will continue to make $1,000 a week" is the assumption needed to decide what car to buy.
  • The Candy, Dish and Shell logic game shows that a false assumption drawn from a true fact - a red herring - will mislead your conclusion.
  • Three aspects of the leader attribute of Intellect align with critical and creative thinking: mental agility, sound judgment and innovation. Mental agility and sound judgment align with elements of both, while innovation aligns more closely with creative thinking.
  • Sound judgment is not innate; acquiring it takes a great deal of practice and is often built on failure, which is another reason the Army studies military history.
  • The two general categories of barriers to critical thinking are biases and logic fallacies.
  • Confirmation bias is one of the primary reasons the MDMP is conducted by a staff rather than by one person.
  • LT John Parker advanced Gatling guns abreast of the attacking infantry at San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. This was the first use of machine guns in a close support role in the attack and the first step in developing the principle of fire and maneuver; doctrine at the time held that the Gatling gun was a defensive weapon, firing between 350 and 400 rounds per minute.
  • In the Army, brainstorming is done under another name at MDMP step 3, Course of Action Development (ATP 2-33.4, para 6-20 thru 6-22).
  • The practical-exercise article "Preventable Casualties: Rommel's Flaw, Slim's Edge" first appeared in ARMY Magazine (May 1990) and was republished in Military Review (May-June 2020) because it deals with mass casualties in large-scale combat operations. Its three parts are Afrika Korps casualties from illness and poor hygiene, Slim's corrections in Burma, and a call for more basic medical instruction in Army schools.
  • The deck cites the doctrinal anchors the lesson plan omits: critical thinking at ADP 6-22 paras 4-5 to 4-6, creative thinking at ADP 5-0 paras 1-67 to 1-68, mental agility at ADP 6-22 paras 4-4 to 4-6, sound judgment at paras 4-7 to 4-8, innovation at paras 4-9 to 4-10, the leader attribute of Intellect at ADP 6-22 page ix, barriers to critical thinking at ATP 2-33.4 pages B-9 to B-14, and techniques for stimulating creativity at ATP 2-33.4 pages 6-8 to 6-10.
  • Creative thinking involves thinking in innovative ways while capitalizing on imagination, insight and novel ideas.
  • Of the three aspects of Intellect, mental agility and sound judgment align with elements of both critical and creative thinking; innovation aligns more closely with creative thinking alone.
  • The deck quotes General of the Army Omar N. Bradley on judgment: judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgments.
  • Mind mapping matters because an important element of creativity is seeing connections between seemingly unconnected things.
  • The Odd Man In technique brings in an outsider from another organization to look at the problem; often the value is in the questions the outsider asks rather than in any answer they give.
  • The brain-teaser that opens the lesson is solved by critical thinking first and creative thinking second: analysing '$0 all all all all' into parts gives free, four and all, and recognising that as the phrase 'free for all' is the creative step.

References

ADP 5-0ADP 6-22ATP 2-33.4

The Military Problem Solving Process 113-UCCAP103

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the Military Problem Solving Process

Standard1. Describe the seven steps of the military problem solving process: a. Gather information and knowledge b. Identify the problem c. Develop criteria d. Generate possible solutions e. Analyze possible solutions f. Compare possible solutions g. Make and implement the decision. 2. Compare the Military problem solving process and the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP).

This two-hour lesson teaches the seven-step Military Problem Solving Process (MPSP), the Army's systematic method for the non-tactical problems that make up most of a captain's decisions - who gets promoted, who is assigned where, who gets a school slot, and how to plan a unit function. It is taught end to end through a running car-buying scenario. The central point is that step 2, identify the problem, is the most important step: a problem exists when the current state differs from or impedes achieving the desired end state, so solving the wrong problem guarantees a bad outcome no matter how good the rest of the work is. The lesson separates screening criteria (what you cannot do) from evaluation criteria (what you should do), builds a five-element evaluation criterion, and compares solutions in a weighted decision matrix. It closes by comparing the MPSP with the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP): both are logic models best executed by a group, the MPSP for non-tactical issues and the MDMP - which was built by expanding the MPSP - for tactical operations.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Seven steps of the Military Problem Solving Process
  1. Gather information and knowledge - FM 5-0 (4 November 2024) calls this step simply "Gather information"
  2. Identify the problem
  3. Develop criteria
  4. Generate possible solutions
  5. Analyze possible solutions
  6. Compare possible solutions
  7. Make and implement the decision
Three categories of information gathered in step 1, most to least reliable
  1. Facts
  2. Assumptions
  3. Opinions
Two kinds of criteria developed in step 3
  1. Screening criteria - what you cannot do
  2. Evaluation criteria - what you should do
Screening criteria named in the lesson
  1. Suitable - the solution is legal and ethical
  2. Feasible - the solution fits within available resources
  3. Acceptable - the gain is worth the risk
Five required elements of an evaluation criterion
  1. Name
  2. Definition
  3. Unit of measure
  4. Benchmark
  5. Formula
Six rules for brainstorming in step 4
  1. Make sure everybody understands the problem - if it is hard to state clearly, you may not have identified it correctly
  2. Appoint a recorder specifically, and do not take on that job yourself
  3. Do not mock or criticize anybody's idea
  4. Stay accepting and non-critical so everyone thinks independently, and ask each person for an opinion
  5. Expect some ideas to be obviously unworkable - you are not looking for quality yet
  6. Combine pieces of several different ideas into one
Three reasons to solve the problem as a group
  1. You may need their help implementing the solution, and they cooperate more readily if they helped create it
  2. All of us are smarter than any one of us
  3. It helps eliminate your own personal bias

Key terms

Military Problem Solving Process (MPSP)
A systematic seven-step method applicable to most general types of problem solving, used by the Army for non-tactical problems such as promotions, assignments and school selection.
Problem
"A problem exists when the current state or condition differs from or impedes achieving the desired end state or condition." (FM 6-0, para 4-15)
Fact
The most reliable and most useful category of information: something you can observe and see to be true and reliable.
Assumption
A statement about the future that is accepted as true so that a decision can be made. Assumptions are less reliable than facts but just as necessary, because problem solving is about fixing what is going to happen based on what has happened.
Opinion
The least reliable category of information, though it should not be discounted, because opinions from experts in a field can be very valuable to a decision.
Screening criteria
Criteria that tell you what you cannot do. A screening criterion absolutely must be met by a solution for you to consider it at all. Described in FM 6-0, page 4-4.
Evaluation criteria
Criteria that help you figure out what you should do. They identify the best solution among those that passed screening.
Suitable
A screening criterion: the solution must be legal and ethical.
Feasible
A screening criterion: the solution must fit within the resources available to you.
Acceptable
A screening criterion: the gain must be worth the risk incurred.
Benchmark
The element of an evaluation criterion that states the value you are aiming for - for example, a $20,000 purchase price, where less money is better.
Unit of measure
The element of an evaluation criterion that states how the criterion is measured. Tying it to a respected published standard helps eliminate bias.
Brainstorming
A collaboration technique in which you gather several people together to help develop ideas. It is the common method for generating possible solutions in step 4.
Decision matrix
The common tool for step 6: a table that lists the possible solutions down the left-hand column and the evaluation criteria across the top, with each row totaled to give that solution a numerical value.
Weighted criteria
Multiplying a criterion's scores to reflect that it matters more than the others. Changing the weights can change which solution wins.
Bias (in comparison)
The temptation to weight the evaluation criteria so as to produce the solution you already want. Working with a group is the way to eliminate it.
Decision paper / staff study
The written vehicle for presenting your research, findings and recommended solution to the decision maker. It is often paired with a decision briefing.
Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP)
The Army's logic model for tactical and military operations, used at battalion and above. It is based on the MPSP, expanded and altered to apply to operational problems.

Testable points

  • The Military Problem Solving Process (MPSP) is a systematic method that can be applied to most general types of problem solving; the Army uses it for non-tactical problems.
  • At company level the Army uses troop leading procedures for combat operations; at battalion and above it uses the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP).
  • The seven steps must be continually reassessed - something discovered in step 4 may change what was determined in step 2, and you must not lock yourself into an idea that may turn out to be flawed.
  • Step 1 gathers three categories of information: facts, assumptions and opinions, in that order of reliability.
  • Facts are observable, true and reliable, and are the most useful information available.
  • Assumptions are less reliable than facts but just as necessary, because a decision about the future cannot be made without them.
  • Opinions are the least reliable information but should not be discounted; expert opinion can be very valuable to a decision.
  • "The sun will come up tomorrow" is an assumption because it is in the future and cannot be observed until it happens.
  • The first paragraph of the operation order (OPORD) is Situation rather than Mission because it sets the stage for and gives context to the problem; in the same way, you must understand the situation before you can understand your problem.
  • Step 2, identify the problem, is the single most important step of the MPSP - fail it and you will never be able to fix the situation.
  • FM 6-0, para 4-15 states that a problem exists when the current state or condition differs from or impedes achieving the desired end state or condition.
  • "Why" is usually one of the first questions to ask, because the problem you were handed may not be the problem that needs solving.
  • Step 3 develops two kinds of criteria: screening criteria and evaluation criteria.
  • Screening criteria tell you what you cannot do; evaluation criteria help you figure out what you should do among the options that survive screening.
  • The screening criteria named in the lesson are suitable (legal and ethical), feasible (fits available resources) and acceptable (the gain is worth the risk).
  • An evaluation criterion requires five elements: name, definition, unit of measure, benchmark and formula.
  • In the worked example a $30,000 cap is the screening criterion and $20,000 is the benchmark; the formula states that less money is better.
  • Step 4 commonly uses brainstorming, a collaboration technique that gathers several people together to develop ideas.
  • There are three reasons to generate solutions as a group: you may need their help implementing the solution and they will cooperate more readily, all of us are smarter than any one of us, and it eliminates your own personal bias.
  • In step 5 each solution is evaluated independently against the criteria; do not compare one solution to another, because comparison is step 6.
  • Solutions that violate a screening criterion are eliminated and not considered again.
  • Weighting a criterion changes the outcome: in the worked example Solution A wins with equal weights, but Solution C wins once maintenance cost is weighted three times as heavily as the others.
  • Weighting criteria to produce the answer you want is bias; working with a group counters it, at the cost of time.
  • If two solutions tie, refine the possible solutions so they are more distinguishable, or refine the evaluation criteria.
  • Step 7 presents the recommendation as a decision briefing, as a decision paper or staff study, or as both; the decision maker may give final guidance requiring refinement, and keeping him updated throughout minimizes last-minute changes.
  • No plan is perfect, so you will have to adjust as you go and must remain flexible.
  • The MPSP is for non-tactical issues and the MDMP for tactical and military operations; the MDMP is based on the MPSP, expanded and altered to apply to operational problems.
  • Both the MPSP and the MDMP should be conducted as a group or with a staff, in order to eliminate bias and bring subject-matter experts to the table.
  • The lesson's practical exercise has students "windowpane" the process, drawing a picture for each of the seven steps in one of seven panes, to force them to identify what matters most in each step.
  • The seven steps are current: FM 5-0 (4 November 2024), paragraph 1-53, lists them in the same order. FM 5-0 calls the method "Army problem solving" rather than the military problem solving process, and names step one "Gather information" without "and knowledge".
  • The deck states the seven steps in the same order and with the same names as the lesson plan: gather information, identify the problem, develop criteria, generate possible solutions, analyze possible solutions, compare possible solutions, and make and implement the decision.
  • In the deck's alignment, MPSP steps 1 through 3 are grouped under critical thinking and steps 4 through 6 under creative thinking - the same grouping the Think Critically and Creatively lesson uses.
  • The deck's own check on learning for the companion lesson asks which two elements make up the premise of a logical argument; the answer is facts and assumptions.

References

FM 5-0FM 6-0

Fundamentals of Mission Command 113-UCCMC101

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveAnalyze the Principles of Mission Command

StandardAnalyze military operations in terms of the Principles of Mission Command, Critical and Creative Thinking, and the Warfighting Function aspects of Command and Control (Commander Tasks).

A three-hour lesson introducing the philosophy of mission command and the seven principles required to employ it, taught through COL Joshua Chamberlain's defense of Little Round Top on 2 July 1863. Chamberlain's actions serve as the model students follow for the mission command analysis paper and briefing they submit later in the course. The lesson then links critical and creative thinking to the leader attribute of intellect, showing that critical thinking analyzes the problem while creative thinking generates the solution. It closes with the command and control warfighting function: its four tasks, and how commanders drive the operations process by understanding, visualizing, describing, directing, leading, and assessing. The doctrinal spine is ADP 6-0 chapter 1 (paragraphs 1-26 to 1-69) and chapter 2 (paragraphs 2-67 to 2-81), with the warfighting functions drawn from ADP 3-0.

Doctrinal currencyADP 6-0, Command and Control, was reissued on 7 July 2026, superseding the 31 July 2019 edition. That is two months old and the course material predates it, so expect the exam to use the 2019 answers - they are what is taught above. The seven principles of mission command did not change. What changed is below.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • C2 warfighting function tasks: command forces; control operations; drive the operations process; establish the C2 system (four)
  • C2 system: people, processes, networks, command posts
  • Title: ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces
Current - ADP 6-0 (7 July 2026)
  • C2 warfighting function tasks: command forces; control operations; organize and employ the C2 system (three, paragraph 4-3)
  • C2 system: people, processes, data and networks, and command and control nodes (paragraph 4-12)
  • Title: ADP 6-0, Command and Control
  • New terms: command and control node, data analytics, data literacy. Modified: command and control system, data, knowledge management

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Seven Principles of Mission Command (ADP 6-0)
  1. Competence
  2. Mutual trust
  3. Shared understanding
  4. Commander's intent
  5. Mission orders
  6. Disciplined initiative
  7. Risk acceptance
Command and Control Warfighting Function Tasks (as taught - ADP 6-0 2019)
  1. Command forces
  2. Control operations
  3. Drive the operations process
  4. Establish the command and control system
Three Essential Elements of Commander's Intent
  1. Purpose of the operation
  2. Key tasks
  3. Desired end state
Commander Activities That Drive the Operations Process
  1. Understand
  2. Visualize
  3. Describe
  4. Direct
  5. Lead
  6. Assess
The Operations Process (ADP 5-0)
  1. Planning
  2. Preparing
  3. Executing
  4. Continuously assessing
The Six Warfighting Functions (ADP 3-0)
  1. Movement and maneuver
  2. Intelligence
  3. Fires
  4. Sustainment
  5. Protection
  6. Command and control
How Commanders Describe Their Visualization
  1. Commander's intent
  2. Planning guidance, including an operational approach
  3. Commander's critical information requirements (CCIRs)
  4. Essential elements of friendly information (EEFI)
How Commanders Direct Forces Throughout the Operations Process
  1. Preparing and approving plans and orders
  2. Establishing command and support relationships
  3. Assigning and adjusting tasks, control measures, and task organization
  4. Positioning units to maximize combat power
  5. Positioning key leaders at critical places and times to ensure supervision
  6. Allocating resources to exploit opportunities and counter threats
  7. Committing the reserve, as required
The Mission Command Approach (ADP 6-0, paragraphs 1-17 to 1-25)
  1. Subordinate decision making: delegation allows subordinates to decide and act in specified areas
  2. Decentralized execution: essential to seizing, retaining, and exploiting the operational initiative
  3. Levels of control: commanders account for different considerations when determining the appropriate level of control
Chamberlain's Three Methods of Creating Shared Understanding
  1. Leader's huddle
  2. Common military terms
  3. Common analogies
Chamberlain's Three Options on Little Round Top
  1. Retreat
  2. Defend
  3. Attack

Key terms

Mission command approach
The way ADP 6-0 frames the employment of mission command, resting on three ideas: subordinate decision making, in which delegation lets subordinates decide and act in specified areas; decentralized execution, which is essential to seizing, retaining, and exploiting the operational initiative; and levels of control, for which commanders account for different considerations when determining the appropriate level (ADP 6-0, paragraphs 1-17 to 1-25).
Competence
The professional capability of commanders, subordinates, and teams that forms the basis of effective mission command. Training and education provide the experiences that allow achievement of professional competence, and continuous self-development supplements them. Commanders continually assess the competence of their subordinates and their organizations, and that assessment informs the degree of trust they place in them.
Mutual trust
Shared confidence among commanders, subordinates, and partners. It comes from successful shared experiences and training, is gained incidental to conducting operations, and must also be deliberately developed by the commander. Subordinates are more willing to exercise initiative when they believe their commander trusts them.
Shared understanding
The common appreciation of the operational environment, the operation's purpose, the problems, and the approaches to solving them that a commander builds across the force. Shared understanding and purpose form the basis for unity of effort and trust.
Commander's intent
A clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired military end state that supports mission command, provides focus to the staff, and helps subordinate and supporting commanders act to achieve the commander's desired results without further orders, even when the operation does not unfold as planned. Its three essential elements are purpose, key tasks, and desired end state, and each commander's intent nests within the higher commander's intent.
Mission orders
Orders that assign tasks, allocate resources, and issue broad guidance, telling subordinates what to do rather than how to do it and thereby providing maximum freedom of action. They are issued in the five-paragraph operation order (OPORD) format.
Disciplined initiative
Action taken in the absence of orders, when existing orders no longer fit the situation, or when unforeseen opportunities or threats arise. Leaders create opportunity by taking action to develop the situation, and the commander's intent defines the limits of that initiative.
Risk acceptance (prudent risk)
A deliberate exposure to potential injury or loss when the commander judges the outcome, in terms of mission accomplishment, to be worth the cost. Uncertainty exists in all military operations, and the willingness to accept prudent risk is often the key to exposing enemy weaknesses.
Warfighting function
A group of tasks and systems united by a common purpose that commanders use to accomplish missions and training objectives (ADP 3-0). The warfighting functions are the physical means that tactical commanders use to execute operations.
Command and control warfighting function
The related tasks and a system that enable commanders to synchronize and converge all elements of combat power (ADP 3-0). Its primary purpose is to assist commanders in integrating the other elements of combat power to achieve objectives and accomplish missions.
Movement and maneuver warfighting function
The related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy and other threats (ADP 3-0).
Intelligence warfighting function
The related tasks and systems that facilitate understanding the enemy, terrain, weather, civil considerations, and other significant aspects of the operational environment (ADP 3-0).
Fires warfighting function
The related tasks and systems that create and converge effects in all domains against the adversary or enemy to enable operations across the range of military operations (ADP 3-0).
Sustainment warfighting function
The related tasks and systems that provide support and services to ensure freedom of action, extended operational reach, and prolonged endurance (ADP 3-0).
Protection warfighting function
The related tasks and systems that preserve the force so the commander can apply maximum combat power to accomplish the mission (ADP 3-0).
Commander's visualization
The mental process of developing situational understanding, determining a desired end state, and envisioning an operational approach by which the force will achieve that end state.
Critical thinking
Examining a problem in depth from multiple points of view and determining whether adequate justification exists to accept conclusions as true, based on a given inference or argument (ADP 6-0, paragraph 2-21). In short, critical thinking is analyzing the problem.
Creative thinking
Thinking in new, innovative ways using imagination, insight, and different ideas (ADP 6-0, paragraph 2-22). In short, creative thinking is generating new, innovative ways to solve the problem.

Testable points

  • The seven principles of mission command, in doctrinal order, are competence, mutual trust, shared understanding, commander's intent, mission orders, disciplined initiative, and risk acceptance.
  • ADP 6-0 assigns each principle a paragraph block: competence 1-27 to 1-29; mutual trust 1-30 to 1-35; shared understanding 1-36 to 1-44; commander's intent 1-45 to 1-51; mission orders 1-52 to 1-58; disciplined initiative 1-59 to 1-65; and risk acceptance 1-66 to 1-69.
  • Commander's intent has exactly three essential elements: purpose of the operation, key tasks, and desired end state.
  • Each commander's intent nests within the higher commander's intent.
  • Mission orders assign tasks, allocate resources, and issue broad guidance in the five-paragraph operation order (OPORD) format, giving subordinates maximum freedom of action.
  • Mutual trust is both gained incidental to conducting operations and deliberately developed by the commander.
  • Chamberlain created shared understanding by three methods: a leader's huddle, common military terms, and common analogies (the left wing swinging 'like a barn door on a hinge').
  • COL Vincent's purpose was to defend the Union left flank and prevent the Confederates from placing cannons on Little Round Top; his key tasks were to set up a defensive position and repel the Confederates ('hold at all hazards'); and his desired end state was that the Union Army remain in possession of Cemetery Ridge and Little Round Top.
  • Of Chamberlain's three options (retreat, defend, and attack), only retreat would have violated COL Vincent's intent; defend and attack both fit within it.
  • Chamberlain chose to attack because the 20th Maine would be moving downhill, the charge offset his lack of ammunition, most Confederates would not have bayonets fixed, and the attack would achieve surprise.
  • Chamberlain thinned his two-rank line to one rank to extend his frontage, accepting fewer bullets per linear foot; the one-rank line covered twice the normal frontage and prevented his being flanked.
  • Chamberlain had been in the Army about nine months before Gettysburg and spent that time training with the 20th Maine; he was a college professor who joined out of a sense of moral duty to end slavery and save the nation.
  • The four command and control warfighting function tasks are command forces, control operations, drive the operations process, and establish the command and control system.
  • The command and control warfighting function integrates the other elements of combat power: movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, protection, information, and leadership.
  • Commanders drive the operations process through understanding, visualizing, describing, directing, leading, and assessing operations (ADP 6-0, figure 2-3, page 2-14).
  • Commanders describe their visualization in terms of commander's intent; planning guidance, including an operational approach; commander's critical information requirements (CCIRs); and essential elements of friendly information (EEFI).
  • Accurate and timely running estimates maintained by staffs assist commanders in understanding the situation and making decisions throughout the operations process.
  • Critical thinking aligns most closely with the intellect attribute of sound judgment, and creative thinking aligns most closely with mental agility and innovation (ADP 6-22, table 4-1).
  • ADP 6-0 paragraph 2-23 recognizes two general decision-making approaches: analytic and intuitive.
  • Chamberlain sent CPT Walter G. Morrill's B Company to guard his vulnerable left flank and 'act as the necessities of battle required'; Morrill's men, joined by 14 Soldiers of the 2d U.S. Sharpshooters, fired into the Confederate flank and rear at the decisive moment.
  • The 20th Maine's right flank tied in with the 83d Pennsylvania and its left anchored on a large boulder; the attacking Confederates were the 15th and 47th Alabama.
  • A third of the 20th Maine fell at Little Round Top: 130 men out of 386.
  • Students must analyze a historical battle against at least four of the seven principles and brief it in 9 to 11 minutes; the lesson supports ALA 2 (Exercise Mission Command) and GLO 3 (Demonstrate proficiency in the Principles of Mission Command).
  • Students must pass the end-of-lesson exam with a score of 80 percent, and material from this lesson also appears on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.
  • ADP 6-0 was reissued on 7 July 2026 and superseded the 31 July 2019 edition the course teaches from. It also lost "Mission Command" from its title - it is now simply Command and Control. The seven principles of mission command are unchanged, but the command and control warfighting function now has three tasks rather than four: command forces, control operations, and organize and employ the C2 system (paragraph 4-3). "Drive the operations process" is no longer listed as a C2 task.

References

ADP 6-0ADP 3-0ADP 5-0ADP 6-22ADRP 6-0FM 6-22FM 22-100FM 100-5JP 3-0

Command and Control 113-UCCMC103

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDefine the function of Command and Control

StandardIdentify the four elements of command and the four elements of control as they relate to combat operations.

A one-and-a-half hour lesson establishing mission command as the Army's approach to command and control, and separating command (more art than science, resting on intangibles that require judgment) from control (more science, the regulation of forces and warfighting functions to meet the commander's intent). Students learn the four elements of command (authority, responsibility, decision-making, and leadership) and the four elements of control (direction, feedback, information, and communication), then the four components of the command and control system: people, processes, networks, and command posts. Each element is illustrated with vignettes from the Army University Press virtual staff ride of the Battle of Stalingrad: Hitler relieving Field Marshal Wilhelm List and commanding Army Group A from thousands of miles away; LTG Schwerin delaying his attack on the Martenovskii Shop to reconnoiter; Chuikov commanding forward while Paulus stayed to the rear and lost his picture of the grain elevator fight; and three assault guns turning onto the wrong street at the Commissar's House. A companion practical exercise (113-UCCMC104) has staff groups work four grain-elevator mini-scenarios and brief them against ADP 6-0 concepts. The lesson's formal reference is ADP 6-0, chapter 1 paragraphs 1-74 to 1-90 and chapter 4.

Doctrinal currencyADP 6-0 was reissued on 7 July 2026, after this page was built. The four elements of command, the four elements of control and the guides to organizing for C2 are unchanged. The definition of the C2 system is not.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • Command and control system: people, processes, networks, command posts
Current - ADP 6-0 (7 July 2026), paragraph 4-12
  • Command and control system: people, processes, data and networks, and command and control nodes
  • "Command and control node" is a new defined term; command posts are one kind of node, not the centre of the system

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Four Elements of Command
  1. Authority
  2. Responsibility
  3. Decision-making
  4. Leadership
Four Elements of Control
  1. Direction
  2. Feedback
  3. Information
  4. Communication
Four Components of the Command and Control System (as taught - ADP 6-0 2019)
  1. People
  2. Processes
  3. Networks
  4. Command posts
People Component of the Command and Control System
  1. Commanders
  2. Seconds in command
  3. Command sergeants major
  4. Staffs
  5. Liaison officers
Processes Component of the Command and Control System
  1. Intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB)
  2. Information collection
  3. Targeting
  4. Risk management
  5. Knowledge management
  6. Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  7. Military decision-making process (MDMP)
Networks Component of the Command and Control System
  1. End-user applications
  2. Information services and data
  3. Network transport and management
Ways Commanders Establish Command Presence
  1. Being seen and heard
  2. Sharing risk and hardship
  3. Setting a good personal example
  4. Ensuring their commander's intent is widely understood
  5. Providing clear face-to-face commander's guidance
  6. Conducting backbriefs and rehearsals
What Commanders Apply Judgment To
  1. Identify, accept, and mitigate risk
  2. Delegate authority
  3. Prioritize resources
  4. Direct the staff
Categories of CCIR
  1. Priority intelligence requirement (PIR)
  2. Friendly force information requirement (FFIR)
Guides to Organizing for Command and Control
  1. Chain of command
  2. Span of control
  3. Unit integrity
  4. Degraded environments
Purposes for Which Commanders Organize a Command and Control System
  1. Support the commander's decision making
  2. Collect, create, and maintain relevant information and prepare products that support the commander's and leaders' understanding and visualization
  3. Prepare and communicate directives
Qualities of Relevant Information
  1. Accurate
  2. Timely
  3. Usable
  4. Complete
  5. Precise
  6. Reliable

Key terms

Command
The authority that a commander in the armed forces lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of rank or assignment (ADP 6-0, paragraph 1-80). Command is considered more art than science because it incorporates intangible elements that require judgment in application.
Control
The regulation of forces and warfighting functions to accomplish the mission in accordance with the commander's intent (ADP 6-0, paragraph 1-85). Control is the science of command and control; the staff assists the commander with it, but the commander remains the central figure.
Command and control
The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission (ADP 6-0, paragraph 1-74).
Mission command
The Army's approach to command and control that empowers subordinate decision making and decentralized execution appropriate to the situation (ADP 6-0, paragraph 1-14).
Authority
The right and power to judge, act, or command. Legal authority to enforce orders under the law is a key aspect of command and distinguishes military commanders from staff officers and civilian leaders. Personal authority arises from the commander's own actions and the trust and confidence those actions generate, and it reinforces legal authority.
Responsibility
The commander's accountability for decisions and for mission accomplishment, for the health, welfare, morale, and discipline of Soldiers, and for the use and maintenance of resources.
Decision-making
Selecting a course of action as the one most favorable to accomplish the mission, including making adjustments to plans during execution. It draws on understanding, critical and creative thinking, analytic and intuitive decision-making, and judgment.
Judgment
The ability to assess information, situations, or circumstances shrewdly and to draw feasible conclusions. Through good judgment, commanders form sound opinions and make sensible decisions.
Situational understanding
The product of applying analysis and judgment to relevant information to determine the relationships among the operational and mission variables. It allows commanders to make effective decisions and to assess operations accurately.
Analytic decision-making
A methodical, deliberate approach to decisions that allows for the breakdown of tasks.
Intuitive decision-making
An approach to decisions that focuses on assessment of the situation more than on comparing multiple options.
Leadership
Influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. It is the unifying and multiplying element of combat power, and as an element of command it covers command presence and the location of the commander.
Command presence
The influence commanders have on those around them through their personal demeanor, appearance, and conduct. It requires contact with others, both physically and through voice command and control systems, and it lets commanders assess intangibles such as morale.
Direction
The communication of information related to a decision that initiates and governs the actions of subordinate and supporting units. Commanders direct by establishing objectives, assigning tasks, and providing instruction on how forces will cooperate to accomplish the mission.
Feedback
Information commanders receive during operations and use to compare the actual situation with the plan and decide whether the plan requires changes or adjustments. It comes from subordinates, higher headquarters, and adjacent, supporting, and supported forces, and it arrives continuously, before, during, and after operations.
Relevant information
All information of importance to the commander and staff in the exercise of command and control. It provides the basis for creating and maintaining the common operational picture and for achieving situational understanding, and it should be accurate, timely, usable, complete, precise, and reliable.
Common operational picture (COP)
A single display of relevant information within a commander's area of interest, tailored to the user's requirements and based on common data and information shared by more than one command.
Commander's critical information requirement (CCIR)
An information requirement identified by the commander as being critical to facilitating timely decision making (JP 3-0). CCIRs are always promulgated by a plan or order; commanders limit their number and change them as the situation develops. Once approved, every CCIR falls into one of two categories, a PIR or an FFIR.
Communication
The disseminating and sharing of information among people, elements, and places by commanders and staffs. It is more than transmission: it is a means of exercising control over forces, because it links information to decisions and decisions to action.
Structure
A defined organization that establishes relationships and information flow and guides interactions among elements, including procedures for coordinating among an organization's groups and activities. Structure is both internal, such as a command post, and external, such as command and support relationships.
Command and control system
The arrangement of people, processes, networks, and command posts that enable commanders to conduct operations. ADP 6-0 (7 July 2026) changes this to "the arrangement of people, processes, data and networks, and command and control nodes that enable commanders to conduct operations".
Control measure
A means of regulating forces or warfighting functions.

Testable points

  • The four elements of command are authority, responsibility, decision-making, and leadership; the four elements of control are direction, feedback, information, and communication.
  • The four core definitions come from ADP 6-0 (July 2019) chapter 1: command paragraph 1-80, control paragraph 1-85, command and control paragraph 1-74, and mission command paragraph 1-14.
  • Command is more art than science because it relies on intangibles requiring judgment, while control is more science than art; the two concepts come together in the personality of the leader.
  • A commander's personal authority reinforces legal authority and is earned by upholding laws, adhering to the Army ethic, applying Army leadership principles, and demonstrating tactical and technical expertise.
  • Hitler had the legal authority to relieve Field Marshal Wilhelm List and take personal command of Army Group A from thousands of miles away; the teaching point is that having the authority to act does not mean a commander should act.
  • Commanders apply judgment to identify, accept, and mitigate risk; delegate authority; prioritize resources; and direct the staff.
  • LTG Schwerin, commanding the German 79th Infantry Division, delayed the assault on the Martenovskii Shop for reconnaissance, which revealed a boxcar barricade blocking the approach; the delay was good judgment, and the Germans then blasted through the boxcars with self-propelled assault guns and artillery, an example of creative thinking.
  • Commanders establish command presence by being seen and heard, sharing risk and hardship, setting a good personal example, ensuring their intent is widely understood, providing clear face-to-face guidance, and conducting backbriefs and rehearsals.
  • As far as conditions allow, commanders should command forward where they can be seen and heard to best influence the decisive operation or main effort, but commanding forward does not mean taking over a subordinate's responsibilities.
  • LTG Vasily Chuikov took command of the Soviet 62nd Army one day before the German assault on Stalingrad began and, being new to the command, went forward to assess the situation; he positioned his command post close to the fighting.
  • Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus stayed to the rear and communicated with front-line commanders by messenger and radio, degrading his common operational picture of the grain elevator fight; poor communications rearward delayed word of the elevator's capture reaching his command post.
  • Relevant information provides the basis for creating and maintaining the common operational picture and for achieving situational understanding, and it should be accurate, timely, usable, complete, precise, and reliable.
  • Once approved, a CCIR falls into one of only two categories: a priority intelligence requirement or a friendly force information requirement.
  • Communication links information to decisions and decisions to action; it is a means of exercising control rather than merely transmitting data.
  • At the Commissar's House, ten German assault guns were to turn left onto Lenin Prospect; three turned onto the wrong street instead, blocked the fire of the other seven, and were destroyed, a failure in how the plan was communicated to the vehicle commanders.
  • The command and control system has four components: people, processes, networks, and command posts.
  • People in the command and control system include commanders, seconds in command, command sergeants major, staffs, and liaison officers.
  • Processes in the command and control system include intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB), information collection, targeting, risk management, knowledge management, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and the military decision-making process (MDMP).
  • Networks in the command and control system comprise end-user applications, information services and data, and network transport and management.
  • Commanders organize a command and control system to support decision making; to collect, create, and maintain relevant information and prepare products that support understanding and visualization; and to prepare and communicate directives.
  • When organizing for command and control, commanders consider the chain of command, span of control, unit integrity, and degraded environments.
  • Information should flow vertically within the chain of command, laterally among adjacent, supported, and supporting units, informally and unofficially, and within both formal and informal channels.
  • Operational variables (political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time, known as PMESII-PT) and mission variables (mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations, known as METT-TC) are the framework for providing and analyzing relevant information.
  • Effective commanders accept that uncertainty can never be eliminated and train their staffs and subordinates to function in uncertain environments.
  • Students must pass the end-of-lesson exam with a score of 80 percent, and material from this lesson also appears on the Captains Career Course Common Core End of Course Exam.
  • ADP 6-0 (7 July 2026), paragraph 4-12, redefines the command and control system as the arrangement of people, processes, data and networks, and command and control nodes. The 2019 edition said people, processes, networks and command posts. The publication gives its reason plainly: because large static headquarters are vulnerable, "command posts are no longer the singular center point of command and control", so commanders disperse the C2 system across a series of C2 nodes.

References

ADP 6-0JP 3-0FM 3-0ATP 6-0.5

Command Post Operations 113-UCCOP102

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Command Post Operations.

StandardDescribe Command Post Operations in terms of types of Command Posts; Activities and Functions; Command Post Cells, Staff Sections, and Elements; and Command Post Operations, without error.

A three-hour introduction to the Operations Module covering how a headquarters is physically and functionally organized to command and control. It begins with the types of command post a headquarters fields: a main command post, a tactical command post and a command group for brigades, divisions and corps, plus combat trains and field trains command posts for combined arms battalions and a contingency command post for theater army. It then covers the eleven staff activities common to all command posts, and divides the headquarters two ways: into staff sections (coordinating, special, and personal staff) and into command post cells, which are either functional (organized by warfighting function) or integrating (organized by planning horizon). The last block covers command post operations proper: the battle rhythm as a deliberate daily cycle of meetings and briefings, and the distinctions between meetings, working groups, boards, bureaus, and centers, illustrated with the cyber electromagnetic activities working group led by the electronic warfare officer. The doctrinal spine is FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations, with ADP 6-0 as the second reference.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Types of Command Post
  1. Main command post
  2. Tactical command post
  3. Command group (brigades, divisions, and corps)
  4. Combat trains command post and field trains command post (combined arms battalions)
  5. Contingency command post (theater army headquarters)
Eleven Staff Activities Common to All Command Posts (FM 6-0, paragraph 1-3)
  1. Maintaining running estimates and the common operating picture
  2. Controlling operations
  3. Assessing operations
  4. Developing and disseminating orders
  5. Coordinating with higher, lower, and adjacent units
  6. Conducting knowledge management and information management
  7. Performing CP administration (displacing, security)
  8. Supporting the commander's decision making process
  9. Providing a facility for the commander to control operations, issue orders, and conduct rehearsals
  10. Maintaining a common operational picture
  11. Conducting network operations
Functional Cells
  1. Intelligence
  2. Movement and maneuver
  3. Fires
  4. Protection
  5. Sustainment
Integrating Cells (by planning horizon)
  1. Plans (long-range)
  2. Future operations (mid-range)
  3. Current operations (short-range planning and execution)
Three Planning Time Horizons
  1. Long-range: weeks and months; produces the initial OPLAN or OPORD
  2. Mid-range: weeks to days; produces refinements to the initial OPORD
  3. Short-range planning and execution: days and hours; produces FRAGORDs, WARNORDs, and OPORDs
Coordinating Staff
  1. Assistant chief of staff (ACOS), G-1 (S-1): personnel
  2. ACOS, G-2 (S-2): intelligence
  3. ACOS, G-3 (S-3): operations
  4. ACOS, G-4 (S-4): logistics
  5. ACOS, G-5: plans
  6. ACOS, G-6 (S-6): signal
  7. ACOS, G-8: financial management
  8. ACOS, G-9 (S-9): civil affairs operations
  9. Chief of fires
  10. Chief of protection
  11. Chief of sustainment
Personal Staff
  1. Aide-de-camp
  2. Chaplain
  3. Command sergeant major
  4. Inspector general
  5. Internal review officer
  6. Public affairs officer
  7. Safety officer
  8. Staff judge advocate
  9. Surgeon
What the Battle Rhythm Does
  1. Establishes a routine for staff interaction and coordination
  2. Facilitates interaction between the commander and staff
  3. Synchronizes the staff in time and purpose
  4. Facilitates planning by the staff and decision making by the commander
Battle Rhythm Considerations
  1. Higher headquarters' battle rhythm and report requirements
  2. Subordinate headquarters' battle rhythm and requirements
  3. The duration and intensity of the operation
  4. Integrating cells' planning requirements
Examples of Meetings
  1. Shift-change briefing
  2. Operations update and assessment meeting
  3. Operations synchronization meeting
  4. Planning meetings
  5. Working groups and boards
What Unit SOPs Establish for Each Board
  1. Purpose
  2. Frequency
  3. Required inputs
  4. Expected outputs
  5. Attendees
  6. Agenda

Key terms

Command post (CP)
A unit headquarters where the commander and staff perform their activities. The headquarters gives commanders a flexible mission command structure consisting of a main CP, a tactical CP, and a command group for brigades, divisions, and corps (FM 6-0, paragraph 1-2).
Main command post
A facility containing the majority of the staff, designed to control current operations, conduct detailed analysis, and plan future operations.
Tactical command post
A facility containing a tailored portion of a unit headquarters, designed to control portions of an operation for a limited time.
Command group
The commander and selected staff members who assist the commander in controlling operations away from a command post.
Command post cell
A grouping of personnel and equipment organized by warfighting function or by planning horizon to facilitate the exercise of mission command (FM 6-0, paragraph 1-29).
Functional cell
A command post cell that coordinates and synchronizes forces and activities by warfighting function. The functional cells are intelligence, movement and maneuver, fires, protection, and sustainment (FM 6-0, paragraph 1-30).
Integrating cell
A command post cell that coordinates and synchronizes forces and warfighting functions within a specified planning horizon. The integrating cells are the plans, future operations, and current operations cells (FM 6-0, paragraph 1-37).
Staff section
A grouping of staff members by area of expertise under a coordinating, special, or personal staff officer. A principal staff officer leads each staff section.
Coordinating staff officers
The commander's principal assistants, who advise, plan, and coordinate actions within their area of expertise or a warfighting function.
Personal staff officers
Officers who work under the immediate control of, and have direct access to, the commander. The commander sets the guidance on when they inform or coordinate with the chief of staff or executive officer.
Running estimate
A staff officer's ongoing assessment of how current operations are going and whether planned future operations are supportable. A good staff officer can provide an up-to-date running estimate on demand.
Common operational picture (COP)
A tailorable single display of relevant information that commanders and staffs develop to build situational understanding. It facilitates collaborative planning and helps commanders at all echelons achieve shared situational understanding, which subordinates use together with the commander's intent to guide their exercise of disciplined initiative.
Battle rhythm
A deliberate daily cycle of command, staff, and unit activities, primarily meetings and briefings, intended to synchronize current and future operations. It establishes a routine for staff interaction and coordination, facilitates commander and staff interaction, synchronizes the staff in time and purpose, and facilitates staff planning and commander decision making (FM 6-0, paragraphs 1-62 and 1-64).
Meeting
A gathering to present and exchange information, solve problems, coordinate action, and make decisions. Attendees are determined by the nature of the meeting, and meetings may be formal or informal.
Working group
A collaborative staff meeting that forms a major part of a command post's battle rhythm. Working groups are overseen by the chief of staff or executive officer and are scheduled and sequenced so that one group's outputs become the next group's inputs, with time allowed between meetings for analysis and preparation.
Board
A grouping of predetermined staff representatives with delegated decision authority for a particular purpose or function, similar to a working group except for that additional authority. The commander determines the subjects boards address and their membership.
Bureau
A long-standing functional organization with a supporting staff, designed to perform a specific function or activity within a joint force commander's headquarters. Examples are the Joint Visitor Bureau and the Joint Information Bureau.
Center
A command and control facility established for a specific purpose with a narrow focus. Examples are the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center of a joint task force, the Theater Materiel Management Center of an Army Service Component Command, and a Civil-Military Operations Center established by a civil affairs battalion.
Cyber electromagnetic activities (CEMA) working group
A collaborative staff meeting led by the electronic warfare officer to analyze, coordinate, and provide recommendations for a particular purpose, event, or function. When established, it is accountable for integrating cyber electromagnetic activities and related actions into the concept of operations, and it adds no additional structure to the existing organization.
Operational and mission variables
The two sets of variables displayed on the common operational picture. The operational variables are political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time (PMESII-PT); the mission variables are mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations (METT-TC).

Testable points

  • A command post is a unit headquarters where the commander and staff perform their activities; brigades, divisions, and corps field a main CP, a tactical CP, and a command group.
  • Combined arms battalions are also resourced with a combat trains CP and a field trains CP, and theater army headquarters are resourced with a main CP and a contingency CP.
  • Eleven staff activities are common to all command posts, running from maintaining running estimates and the common operating picture through to conducting network operations.
  • Command post cells are organized either by warfighting function, as functional cells, or by planning horizon, as integrating cells.
  • The five functional cells are intelligence, movement and maneuver, fires, protection, and sustainment.
  • The three integrating cells are plans, future operations, and current operations.
  • There is no mission command functional cell: the whole command post, meaning every functional and integrating cell plus the commander, deputy commanders, and command sergeants major, assists the commander with the mission command tasks.
  • Long-range planning covers weeks and months, produces the initial operation plan (OPLAN) or operation order (OPORD), and belongs to the plans cell.
  • Mid-range planning is measured in weeks to days, produces refinements to the initial OPORD, and belongs to the future operations cell.
  • Short-range planning and execution is measured in days and hours, produces fragmentary orders (FRAGORDs), warning orders (WARNORDs), and OPORDs as necessary, and belongs to the current operations integration cell.
  • A battalion command post has no plans cell and no future operations cell, so its current operations integration cell does the planning; a brigade has a plans cell and a current operations integration cell but no future operations cell; division and above maintain all cells.
  • The basic staff structure places a chief of staff or executive officer over the coordinating, special, and personal staff sections.
  • The fires cell is led by the fire support officer at brigade and below and is manned by fire support, U.S. Air Force, and electronic warfare staff elements; it coordinates Army indirect fires, joint fires, and cyber electromagnetic activities through the targeting process.
  • Neither the inspector general nor the public affairs officer resides in a functional or integrating cell; both are personal staff officers to the commander.
  • Doctrine is descriptive rather than prescriptive: units organize their command posts in a similar manner, but each has its own preferences.
  • The battle rhythm must account for the higher headquarters' battle rhythm and report requirements, the subordinate headquarters' battle rhythm and requirements, the duration and intensity of the operation, and the integrating cells' planning requirements.
  • Working groups must be sequenced so that one group's outputs become the next group's inputs, with time allowed between them; holding all major meetings in one morning may be efficient, but it will not be effective.
  • Boards differ from working groups only in having delegated decision authority, and unit standard operating procedures (SOPs) establish each board's purpose, frequency, required inputs, expected outputs, attendees, and agenda.
  • Common board subjects are targeting, facilities and real estate allocation, and materiel utilization; in the end the board decides who receives what.
  • The divisional cyber electromagnetic activities working group is led by the electronic warfare officer (O4), and its members include the S2, S3, S6, S7, S9, STO, KMO, LNOs, FSCOORD, JAG, ADAM/BAE, and Space, plus anyone whose operations use the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • The coordinating staff consists of the assistant chiefs of staff, G-1/S-1 (personnel), G-2/S-2 (intelligence), G-3/S-3 (operations), G-4/S-4 (logistics), G-5 (plans), G-6/S-6 (signal), G-8 (financial management), and G-9/S-9 (civil affairs operations), together with the chiefs of fires, protection, and sustainment.
  • The personal staff includes the aide-de-camp, chaplain, command sergeant major, inspector general, internal review officer, public affairs officer, safety officer, staff judge advocate, and surgeon.
  • Every Soldier is a CEMA operator: CEMA systems are only as effective as their operators, and CEMA must be incorporated into SOPs and training.
  • Students are assessed on this lesson by the Captains Career Common Core End of Course Exam.

References

FM 6-0ADP 6-0FM 3-90.5

The Operational Environment 113-UCCO103

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the Operational Environment (OE)

StandardDescribe the current Operational Environment, including threats and actors, and OE considerations that affect the employment of capabilities, without error. In order to achieve course standards, this class will cover the following topics. 1. Describe the current Operational Environment 2. Describe Threats and Actors 3. Describe Operational Environment considerations

This two-hour lesson gives commanders and staffs the framework for assessing an operational environment (OE), the actors within it, and the OE considerations that affect employment of capabilities across the range of military operations. It works from the top down: the four levels of warfare and the Army's role in supporting national objectives, then the five domains and three dimensions through which Army forces understand an OE, then the operational framework (assigned areas and the deep-close-rear-support construct). It closes with the two filters that turn raw information into situational understanding — the operational variables (PMESII-PT), which describe the OE, and the mission variables (METT-TC(I)), which capture the information needed to conduct a specific operation. The doctrinal point is that no two operational environments are alike, all of them continually change, and superior military capability alone does not create the desired effects, so framing the OE properly is what lets a commander visualize and describe the mission.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Levels of warfare
  1. National strategic
  2. Theater strategic
  3. Operational
  4. Tactical
Instruments of national power (DIME)
  1. Diplomacy
  2. Information
  3. Military
  4. Economy
The five domains
  1. Land
  2. Maritime
  3. Air
  4. Space
  5. Cyberspace
The three dimensions
  1. Physical dimension
  2. Information dimension
  3. Human dimension
Operational categories (the Army's role within the competition continuum)
  1. Large-scale combat operations (LSCO)
  2. Crisis response
  3. Limited contingency operations
  4. Support to security cooperation
Operational variables (PMESII-PT)
  1. Political
  2. Military
  3. Economic
  4. Social
  5. Information
  6. Infrastructure
  7. Physical environment
  8. Time
Mission variables (METT-TC(I))
  1. Mission
  2. Enemy
  3. Terrain and weather
  4. Troops and support available
  5. Time available
  6. Civil considerations
  7. Informational considerations
Three types of assigned areas
  1. Area of operations
  2. Zone
  3. Sector
The three operational framework models (FM 3-0, 3-136)
  1. Assigned areas
  2. Deep, close, and rear operations - determined by focus in time, space and purpose
  3. Main effort, supporting effort, and reserve
Purposes of control measures within assigned areas
  1. Assign responsibilities
  2. Prevent fratricide
  3. Facilitate command and control
  4. Coordinate fires
  5. Control maneuver
  6. Organize operations
Range of threat actors
  1. Near-peer state
  2. Regional state
  3. Failing state
  4. Insurgent, guerrilla, or militia
  5. Proxies
  6. Terrorists
  7. Transnational criminal organizations
Characteristics of the operational environment identified in step 1 of IPOE (ATP 2-01.3)
  1. Terrain — natural and man-made
  2. Weather and climate
  3. Civil considerations — infrastructure, institutions, attitudes and activities
  4. Enemy — known enemy and threats to the mission

Key terms

Operational environment
The aggregate of the conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the commander (FM 3-0 para 1-9; JP 3-0). An operational environment is both a physical location and a state of existing conditions.
Domain
A physically defined portion of an operational environment requiring a unique set of warfighting capabilities and skills (FM 3-0 para 1-82).
War
A state of armed conflict between different nations, state-like entities, or armed groups to achieve policy objectives.
Physical dimension
The material characteristics and capabilities, natural and manufactured, within an operational environment.
Information dimension
The content, data, and processes that individuals, groups, and information systems use to communicate.
Human dimension
People and the interaction between individuals and groups — how they understand information and events, make decisions, generate will, and act within an operational environment.
Operational framework
A cognitive tool used to assist commanders and staffs in visualizing and describing the application of combat power in time, space, purpose, and resources in the concept of operations (ADP 1-01; FM 3-0 para 3-127).
Area of operations (AO)
An operational area defined by a commander for the land or maritime force commander to accomplish their missions and protect their forces. A land AO does not include a volume of airspace to control.
Zone
An operational area assigned to a unit in the offense that only has rear and lateral boundaries.
Sector
An operational area assigned to a unit in the defense that has rear and lateral boundaries and interlocking fires.
Area of influence
An area inclusive of and extending beyond an operational area wherein a commander is capable of direct influence by maneuver, firepower, fire support, and information normally under the commander's command or control.
Area of interest
An area of concern to the commander, including the area of influence, areas adjacent to it, and extending into enemy territory. It includes aspects of the domains from which enemy forces can employ capabilities or other forms of contact.
Deep area
An area that extends beyond subordinate unit boundaries out to the limits of the commander's designated area of operations. Deep operations are designed to shape the future close area and protect rear areas (FM 3-94 para 2-75).
Close area
The portion of the commander's area of operations where the majority of subordinate maneuver forces conduct close combat and close operations, employing maneuver and fires to close with and destroy enemy forces.
Rear area
That area in a unit's area of operations extending from its rear boundary to the rear boundary of the area assigned to the next lowest level of command. Rear operations are tactical actions behind major subordinate maneuver forces that facilitate movement, extend operational reach, and maintain desired tempo.
Support area
The portion of the commander's area of operations, located within the rear area, that is designated to facilitate the positioning, employment, and protection of the base sustainment assets required to sustain, enable, and control operations. It is where most of the echelon's sustainment capabilities originate, and it includes lines of communication, bases, and base clusters.
Operational variables (PMESII-PT)
The eight fundamental elements that change and that, taken together, provide a thorough understanding of an operational environment for subsequent decision making. The operational variables describe the operational environment: political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time (ADP 6-0 para 3-17).
Mission variables (METT-TC(I))
The variables that describe the characteristics of the area of operations, focusing on how those characteristics might affect a mission. The mission variables are the information needed to conduct operations (ADP 6-0 para 3-18).

Testable points

  • An operational environment is both a physical location and a state of existing conditions; no two are the same and all of them continually change.
  • Commanders at all levels have their own operational environments for their particular operations.
  • An operational environment continually evolves because of the complexity of human interaction and how people learn and adapt; some changes can be anticipated, while others cannot.
  • Commanders cannot presume that superior military capability alone creates the desired effects on an enemy; they must continually assess whether operations are influencing enemies and populations and eroding the enemy's will.
  • For Army forces, an operational environment includes portions of the land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace domains.
  • The three dimensions cross all five domains, and actions in one dimension influence factors in the other dimensions (FM 3-0 para 1-106).
  • The levels of warfare are a framework for defining and clarifying the relationships among national objectives, the operational approach, and tactical tasks.
  • The national strategic level determines how to use the instruments of national power: diplomacy, information, military, and economy (DIME).
  • The theater strategic level involves continuous theater campaigns conducted by combatant commands.
  • The operational level involves planning and conducting campaigns and major operations, while the tactical level involves planning and executing battles and engagements.
  • Battles are usually conducted at corps and division level; a battle consists of multiple engagements, which are combat operations normally conducted at brigade level and below.
  • Army forces shape operational environments, counter aggression on land during crisis, prevail during large-scale combat operations, and consolidate gains to maintain a position of relative advantage.
  • The Army's readiness focus remains on large-scale combat operations (LSCO) because they are the most lethal and complex of military operations; their complexity is compounded by information proliferation, technological advances, and expansion into dimensions and domains.
  • Each Service is expected to be expert in operations in a primary domain, to retain some capability in each domain, and to share an understanding of how to integrate capabilities into different domains.
  • Commanders assign areas to subordinates based on a range of factors, including the mission, friendly forces available, enemy situation, and terrain.
  • Units assigned a zone may subdivide it into subordinate areas of operations, zones, or sectors; units assigned a sector may subdivide it into subordinate areas of operations, sectors, or zones.
  • Assigned areas can be contiguous, non-contiguous, or both during operations.
  • Operational environments are larger than the assigned area, because units influence and are influenced by factors outside their unit boundaries, so commanders consider areas of influence and areas of interest.
  • FM 3-0 (October 2022) discusses deep, close, and rear in terms of operations, while FM 3-94 (July 2021) discusses deep, close, rear, and support in terms of areas.
  • Operational variables describe the operational environment, and mission variables are the information needed to conduct operations; both act as filters on everything known about the situation.
  • Incorporating analysis of the operational variables into METT-TC(I) ensures leaders consider the best available relevant information pertaining to the mission.
  • The (I) in METT-TC(I) is informational considerations: how our actions will be interpreted, what we are communicating, what we need to know, and who else needs to know.
  • Army leaders plan, prepare, execute, and assess operations by analyzing an operational environment in terms of the operational variables and mission variables (ADP 1-01 para 4-14).
  • Filtering information through the variables moves the staff from data to information to knowledge to wisdom by supplying context, meaning, and insight.
  • During step 1 of intelligence preparation of the operational environment (IPOE), the intelligence staff identifies the significant characteristics of, or activities within, the operational environment that may influence friendly and threat courses of action and command decisions, as well as the physical space the mission will occupy (ATP 2-01.3).
  • A large majority of projected crises stem from weak governance, and their relationship to U.S. and allied interests may not be immediately apparent; crisis containment or resolution may still require U.S. force involvement.
  • The operational framework has three models: assigned areas; deep, close and rear operations; and main effort, supporting effort and reserve (FM 3-0, 21 March 2025, paragraph 3-136). It is deep-close-rear - the older deep-close-support-consolidation wording is superseded, and "consolidation area" does not appear in FM 3-0 (2025) at all.

References

FM 3-0FM 3-94ADP 3-0ADP 1-01ADP 6-0ATP 2-01.3JP 3-0TRADOC Pam 525-3-1

Fundamentals of Army Operations 113-UCCO104

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveUnderstand key elements of Army Operations

StandardSummarize the principles and tenets that shape the Army's operational concept of unified land operations, and the components of the operations structure, that is comprised of combat power, the operations process, and the operational framework. In order to achieve this standard, this class will cover the following subjects. 1. Army Operational Concepts 2. Unified Land Operations 3. Operations Structure

This ninety-minute lesson introduces the doctrinal skeleton that the rest of the Common Core hangs on. The Army's operational concept is multidomain operations: the combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages, achieve objectives, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains on behalf of joint force commanders. It is characterized by four tenets - agility, convergence, endurance and depth - and ten imperatives. The lesson then works through operational art, the cognitive approach that links tactical actions to strategic objectives, and its elements, from end state and centers of gravity through basing, tempo, culmination and risk. It closes with the operations structure: the operations process, the operational framework (assigned areas; deep, close and rear operations; and main effort, supporting effort and reserve), and the six warfighting functions that organize combat power. The central idea is that Army forces, as part of a joint force, seize, retain and exploit the initiative to gain and maintain positions of relative advantage.

Doctrinal currencyThe lesson content below is written to FM 3-0 (21 March 2025), which supersedes the October 2022 edition and is in the Read Ahead folder as assigned reading. The learning standard quoted above still says 'unified land operations' because that is the wording in the course lesson plan, and it is left exactly as written - but that term does not appear in FM 3-0 2025 at all. The superseded column records what you will hear in class so you recognize it.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • Operational concept: multidomain operations
  • Tenets: agility, convergence, endurance, depth
  • Warfighting functions: C2 (not "mission command"), movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, protection
  • Framework: assigned areas; deep, close and rear; main effort, supporting effort and reserve
Superseded - what the course slides still say
  • Operational concept: unified land operations - the term does not appear in FM 3-0 2025 at all
  • Tenets: simultaneity, depth, synchronization, flexibility
  • Decisive action as the umbrella for offense/defense/stability/DSCA - the construct is gone
  • Framework: deep-close-support and decisive-shaping-sustaining - both gone

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Tenets of operations
  1. Agility - the ability to move forces and adjust their dispositions and activities more rapidly than the enemy
  2. Convergence - an outcome created by the concerted employment of capabilities against combinations of decisive points
  3. Endurance - the ability to persevere over time throughout the depth of an operational environment
  4. Depth - the extension of operations in time, space, or purpose to achieve definitive results
Imperatives of operations
  1. See yourself, see the enemy, and understand the operational environment
  2. Protect against constant observation and all forms of enemy contact
  3. Own the electromagnetic spectrum
  4. Create and exploit relative physical, information, and human advantages
  5. Make initial contact with sensors, unmanned systems, or the smallest element possible
  6. Impose multiple dilemmas on the enemy
  7. Anticipate, plan, and execute transitions
  8. Designate, weight, and sustain the main effort
  9. Consolidate gains continuously
  10. Understand and manage the effects of operations on units and Soldiers
Elements of operational art
  1. End state and conditions
  2. Centers of gravity
  3. Decisive points
  4. Lines of operations and lines of effort
  5. Operational reach
  6. Basing
  7. Tempo
  8. Phasing and transitions
  9. Culmination
  10. Risk
Types of operations
  1. Offense
  2. Defense
  3. Stability
  4. Defense support of civil authorities - conducted only in the homeland, and not one of the three that are inherent elements of warfare
Offensive tasks
  1. Movement to contact
  2. Attack
  3. Exploitation
  4. Pursuit
Defensive tasks
  1. Mobile defense
  2. Area defense
  3. Retrograde
Stability tasks
  1. Establish civil security
  2. Establish civil control
  3. Restore essential services
  4. Support to governance
  5. Support to economic and infrastructure development
Defense support of civil authorities tasks
  1. Provide support for domestic disasters
  2. Provide support for domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incidents
  3. Provide support for domestic civilian law enforcement agencies
  4. Provide other designated support
U.S. Army strategic roles in support of the joint force
  1. Shape the operational environment
  2. Prevent conflict
  3. Prevail in large-scale ground combat
  4. Consolidate gains
Warfighting functions
  1. Command and control (C2)
  2. Movement and maneuver
  3. Intelligence
  4. Fires
  5. Sustainment
  6. Protection
The operations process
  1. Plan (Army design methodology, the military decision-making process, and troop leading procedures)
  2. Prepare
  3. Execute
  4. Assess
Operational framework models
  1. Assigned areas
  2. Deep, close, and rear operations - determined by focus in time, space and purpose, not necessarily physical location
  3. Main effort, supporting effort, and reserve
Dynamics of combat power
  1. Leadership
  2. Firepower
  3. Information
  4. Mobility
  5. Survivability
Ends, ways, means, and risk questions of operational art
  1. What conditions, when established, constitute the desired end state (ends)?
  2. How will the force achieve these desired conditions (ways)?
  3. What sequence of actions helps attain these conditions (ways)?
  4. What resources are required to accomplish that sequence of actions (means)?
  5. What risks are associated with that sequence of actions and how can they be mitigated (risks)?

Key terms

Unified action
The synchronization, coordination, and/or integration of the activities of governmental and non-governmental entities with military operations to achieve unity of effort (JP 1).
Multidomain operations
The combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages to achieve objectives, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains on behalf of joint force commanders (ADP 3-0). Multidomain operations are the Army's operational concept and its contribution to joint campaigns, spanning the competition continuum.
Campaign
A series of related major operations aimed at achieving strategic and operational objectives within a given time and space (JP 5-0).
Operation
A sequence of tactical actions with a common purpose or unifying theme (ADP 3-0).
Operational art
The cognitive approach by commanders and staffs — supported by their skill, knowledge, experience, creativity, and judgment — to develop strategies, campaigns, and operations to organize and employ military forces by integrating ends, ways, and means (JP 3-0). It is the pursuit of strategic objectives through the arrangement of tactical actions in time, space, and purpose.
End state
A set of desired future conditions the commander wants to exist when an operation ends. A clearly defined end state promotes unity of effort, facilitates integration, synchronization, and disciplined initiative, and helps mitigate risk.
Center of gravity
The source of power that provides moral or physical strength, freedom of action, or will to act (JP 5-0). The loss of a center of gravity can ultimately result in defeat.
Decisive point
A geographic place, specific key event, critical factor, or function that, when acted upon, allows commanders to gain a marked advantage over an adversary or contribute materially to achieving success (JP 5-0).
Line of operations
A line that defines the directional orientation of a force in time and space in relation to the enemy and links the force with its base of operations and objectives.
Line of effort
A line that links multiple tasks using the logic of purpose rather than geographical reference to focus efforts toward establishing a desired end state.
Operational reach
The distance and duration across which a joint force can successfully employ military capabilities (JP 3-0). Operational reach is a tether and a function of intelligence, protection, sustainment, endurance, and relative combat power.
Base camp
An evolving military facility that supports the military operations of a deployed unit and provides the necessary support and services for sustained operations.
Tempo
The relative speed and rhythm of military operations over time with respect to the enemy.
Phase
A planning and execution tool used to divide an operation in duration or activity. A change in phase usually involves a change of mission, task organization, or rules of engagement.
Transition
A change of focus between phases, or between the ongoing operation and execution of a branch or sequel. The force is vulnerable during transitions.
Culminating point
The point at which a force no longer has the capability to continue its form of operations, offense or defense (JP 5-0). It is the limit of a unit's operational reach.
Risk
The probability and severity of loss linked to hazards (JP 5-0). Risk, uncertainty, and chance are inherent in all military operations.
Supporting effort
A designated subordinate unit with a mission that supports the success of the main effort (ADP 3-0). Commanders resource supporting efforts with the minimum assets necessary. A main effort in an earlier phase can be a supporting effort in a later one.
Consolidation of gains
Activities to make enduring any temporary operational success and to set the conditions for a sustainable security environment, allowing for a transition of control to other legitimate authorities (ADP 3-0 para 1-35).
Relative advantage
A location or condition, in any domain, relative to an adversary or enemy that provides an opportunity to progress towards or achieve an objective (ADP 3-0). Commanders seek and create relative advantages to exploit through action.
Deep, close, and rear operations
The model by which commanders organize operations within assigned areas in terms of time, space and purpose. An echelon's focus - not necessarily its physical location - determines whether an operation is deep, close or rear.
Reserve
That portion of a body of troops withheld from action at the beginning of an engagement to be available for a decisive movement (ADP 3-90). A reserve is uncommitted, and it becomes the echelon's main effort once committed.
Main effort
The designated subordinate unit whose mission at a given point in time is most critical to overall mission success. It is usually weighted with the preponderance of combat power and typically shifts one or more times during execution.
Measure of performance (MOP)
A criterion used to assess friendly actions that is tied to measuring task accomplishment (JP 3-0).
Measure of effectiveness (MOE)
A criterion used to assess changes in system behavior, capability, or operational environment that is tied to measuring the attainment of an end state, achievement of an objective, or creation of an effect (JP 3-0).

Testable points

  • The Army's operational concept is multidomain operations: the combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages, achieve objectives, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains on behalf of joint force commanders.
  • The central idea of operations is that, as part of a joint force, Army forces seize, retain, and exploit the initiative to gain and maintain a position of relative advantage in sustained land operations to prevent conflict, shape the operational environment, and win the Nation's wars as part of unified action.
  • Offense, defense and stability are inherent elements of both conventional and irregular warfare. Defense support of civil authorities is conducted only in the homeland and is not one of the three.
  • Operations conducted outside the United States simultaneously combine offense, defense, and stability; operations conducted within the United States simultaneously combine defense support of civil authorities, defense, and offense.
  • Offensive tasks defeat and destroy enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers.
  • Defensive tasks defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive and stability tasks.
  • Stability tasks are conducted outside the United States to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment and to provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief.
  • Operational art is not associated with a specific echelon or formation, nor is it exclusive to theater and joint force commanders.
  • Determining the overall objective is the most fundamental consideration in operational art, and the strategic objective is inextricably linked to the desired end state.
  • Centers of gravity may be physical or moral; physical ones can often be influenced solely by military means, while moral ones usually require the collective, integrated efforts of all instruments of national power.
  • Decisive points are not centers of gravity; they are key to attacking or protecting centers of gravity, and the loss of a decisive point weakens a center of gravity and may expose more decisive points.
  • Decisive points at the operational level typically provide direct leverage against a center of gravity, while decisive points at the tactical level are directly tied to mission accomplishment.
  • Lines of operations are oriented on physical linkages and lines of effort are oriented on logical linkages; combining them lets a commander include stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks in the long-term plan.
  • Interior lines are lines on which a force operates when its operations diverge from a central point; exterior lines are lines on which a force operates when its operations converge on the enemy.
  • The limit of a unit's operational reach is its culminating point, and operational reach balances the natural tension among endurance, momentum, and protection.
  • Culmination is relevant to both attackers and defenders at every level of warfare, and it is more difficult to identify when Army forces conduct stability tasks.
  • Phasing is used only when the force lacks the capability to accomplish the mission in a single action; each phase should focus effort, concentrate combat power in time and space at a decisive point, and achieve its objectives deliberately and logically.
  • Plans and orders that have no tolerance for friction or deviation are inherently higher risk than those that do.
  • In ADP 3-0 the deep area is the portion of the commander's area of operations (AO) that is not assigned to subordinate units, and the close area is the portion assigned to subordinate maneuver forces.
  • In a contiguous AO, adjacent subordinate unit AOs share boundaries and the higher headquarters allocates all of its assigned AO; in a noncontiguous AO, the higher headquarters retains responsibility for the unassigned portion.
  • An echelon's focus in time, space and purpose - not necessarily its physical location - determines whether an operation is deep, close or rear. A battery sitting in the rear area can be firing in support of close operations.
  • The three models commonly used to build an operational framework are assigned areas; deep, close and rear operations; and main effort, supporting effort and reserve. Commanders may combine them but must stay synchronized with their higher headquarters.
  • Combat power is delivered through five dynamics: leadership, firepower, information, mobility and survivability. C2 enables leadership, which FM 3-0 calls the most important qualitative aspect of combat power.
  • Early and effective consolidation of gains is a form of exploitation performed while other operations are ongoing.
  • The elements of operational art are not a rigid checklist or a set of planning steps; commanders use them selectively to help understand, visualize, and describe.

References

ADP 3-0FM 3-0ADP 1-01JP 1JP 3-0JP 5-0JP 1-04

Multi-Domain Operations 113-UCCO105

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveUnderstand key elements of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)

StandardExplain the tenets of Multi-Domain Operations and the impacts of Multi-Domain Operations in relation to Large Scale Combat Operations. In order to achieve this standard, this class will cover the following subjects. 1. Tenets of Multi-Domain Operations 2. Multi-Domain Operations as they relate to Large Scale Combat Operations

Multidomain operations are the Army's operational concept: the combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages, achieve objectives, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains on behalf of joint force commanders. This lesson is taught from TP 525-3-1, the 2018 concept paper written before MDO became doctrine, so the vocabulary in class - calibrated force posture, the five problem sets, an MDO-capable force by 2028 - is concept language rather than current doctrine. The doctrinal version now lives in FM 3-0 (21 March 2025), which frames MDO through four tenets and ten imperatives, and treats convergence as an outcome to be created rather than a force attribute. The content below is written to the FM; the concept-paper vocabulary is preserved separately so it is still recognizable in class.

Doctrinal currencyThe doctrinal content here is FM 3-0 (21 March 2025). The course teaches this lesson from TP 525-3-1, The U.S. Army in Multi-Domain Operations 2028 - a concept paper, not doctrine. Its vocabulary is kept below because you will hear it in class.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • MDO is the Army's operational concept now, not a 2028 goal
  • Tenets of operations: agility, convergence, endurance, depth
  • Convergence is an outcome created against decisive points, not an attribute a formation has
  • Ten imperatives replace the concept paper's problem-set framing
Concept-paper language - TP 525-3-1 (2018), still used in class
  • Tenets of MDO: calibrated force posture, multi-domain formations, convergence
  • Five problem sets: compete, penetrate, dis-integrate, exploit, re-compete
  • An MDO-capable force by 2028 and an MDO-ready force by 2035

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Tenets of operations
  1. Agility
  2. Convergence
  3. Endurance
  4. Depth
The five problem sets
  1. Compete
  2. Penetrate
  3. Dis-integrate
  4. Exploit
  5. Re-compete
Four interrelated trends shaping the future operational environment
  1. Contested in all domains
  2. Increasingly lethal and hyperactive battlefield
  3. Leverage of the competition space
  4. Multiple layers of stand-off
The three challenges posed by China and Russia
  1. Challenge in all domains (tactical)
  2. Employ multiple layers of stand-off (operational)
  3. Leverage the competition space to achieve operational and strategic objectives (strategic)
Categories of decisive points against which convergence is created
  1. Functions - including C2, intelligence, protection, fires, maneuver and sustainment
  2. Key terrain or formations - including position areas for artillery, airfields and troop concentrations
  3. Key events - including gap crossings, breaches, counterfires and resupply
  4. Critical factors - including morale, will to fight, cohesion, trust and other intangible factors
What convergence depends on
  1. Understanding the enemy's operational approach, capabilities, decision processes and vulnerabilities
  2. Determining the desired outcome and the effects that precipitate it
  3. Integrating Army and joint capabilities at the echelons where they are most effective
  4. Considering all domains and redundant methods of attack
  5. Synchronizing each capability and echelon to generate simultaneous, sequential and enduring effects
  6. Assessing effects and preparing to re-attack or adapt
Components of multi-domain formations
  1. Capacity
  2. Capability
  3. Endurance
Materiel contributors to resilience
  1. Advanced protection systems
  2. Reduced signatures
  3. Redundant channels for communications hardened against enemy interference
  4. Multiple sustainment networks
  5. Robust maneuver support capability and capacity
  6. Layered air defense
  7. Layered reconnaissance
  8. Multi-domain obscuration capabilities
Non-materiel contributors to resilience
  1. Flexible planning that accounts for enemy actions
  2. The ability to reorganize formations in conflict
  3. Leaders and staffs capable of operating in accord with intent
  4. Small, dispersed, cross-trained headquarters
Consolidating gains in Re-compete (three concurrent activities)
  1. Physically securing terrain and populations for sustainable outcomes
  2. Setting conditions for long-term deterrence
  3. Adapting force posture to the new security environment
MDO-capable force 2028/2035 options
  1. Do nothing, concede competitor actions, and readjust strategic objectives
  2. Expand the competitive space on favorable terms to deter enemy aggression (preferred method)
  3. Respond quickly to deny a fait accompli attack and achieve an operational position of advantage
  4. Win a protracted conflict by regaining the operational initiative and defeating enemy forces
Effects sought by military deception
  1. Causing delay and surprise through ambiguity, confusion, or misunderstanding
  2. Causing the enemy to misallocate personnel, fiscal, and materiel resources
  3. Causing the enemy to reveal strengths, weaknesses, dispositions, and intentions
  4. Causing the enemy to waste combat power and resources with inappropriate or delayed actions
The nine principles of war (ADP 3-0, table 2-1)
  1. Objective
  2. Offensive
  3. Mass
  4. Economy of force
  5. Maneuver
  6. Unity of command
  7. Security
  8. Surprise
  9. Simplicity

Key terms

Multi-domain operations (central idea)
Army forces, as an element of the Joint Force, conduct multi-domain operations to prevail in competition; when necessary, Army forces penetrate and dis-integrate enemy anti-access and area denial systems and exploit the resultant freedom of maneuver to achieve strategic objectives (win) and force a return to competition on favorable terms.
Stand-off
The separation of friendly forces politically, physically, and functionally. The threat creates stand-off by reducing the friendly speed of recognition, decision, and reaction.
Calibrated force posture
The combination of capacity, capability, position, and the ability to maneuver across strategic distances, achieved through forward presence forces, expeditionary forces, and national-level cyberspace capabilities, space-based platforms, and strike capabilities.
Multi-domain formations
Formations possessing the combination of capacity, capability, and endurance that generates the resilience necessary to operate across multiple domains. They conduct independent maneuver, employ cross-domain fires, and maximize human potential.
Convergence
An outcome created by the concerted employment of capabilities against combinations of decisive points in any domain to create effects against a system, formation, or decision maker, or in a specific geographic area (ADP 3-0). It is a top-down driven outcome from the senior Army tactical echelon, which holds the best understanding of the land tactical situation and access to scarce joint capabilities.
Decisive spaces
Locations in time and space — physical, virtual, and cognitive — where the full optimization of the employment of cross-domain capabilities generates a marked advantage over an enemy and greatly influences the outcome of an operation.
Cross-domain synergy
An evolution of combined arms maneuver in which complementary effects from across all domains, the EMS, and the information environment complicate the enemy's ability to act and produce an overall effect greater than the sum of the individual parts.
Battlefield Development Plan (BDP)
An ongoing analytical effort and regularly updated document that operationalizes multi-domain operations in ways that can be modeled and tested, conveys in specific actionable detail how future threat and friendly forces operate within an approved scenario, and provides a net assessment guiding prioritization for future force and capability development.
Plays
Multi-domain force packages and capability employment options that achieve specific effects.
Net assessment
A multidisciplinary assessment process used to provide a comparative evaluation of the balance of strengths and weaknesses.
Military deception (MILDEC)
Actions executed to deliberately mislead adversary military, paramilitary, or violent extremist organization decision makers, thereby causing the adversary to take specific actions or inactions that contribute to the accomplishment of the friendly mission.
Objective (principle of war)
Direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and attainable goal (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).
Offensive (principle of war)
Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).
Mass (principle of war)
Concentrate the effects of combat power at the most advantageous place and time to produce decisive results (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).
Economy of force (principle of war)
Expend minimum-essential combat power on secondary efforts to allocate the maximum possible combat power on primary efforts (ADP 3-0, table 2-1). It is the reciprocal of mass and requires accepting risk.
Maneuver (principle of war)
Place the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the flexible application of combat power (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).
Unity of command (principle of war)
Ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander for every objective (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).
Security (principle of war)
Prevent the enemy from acquiring an unexpected advantage (ADP 3-0, table 2-1). It comes from active and passive protective measures against surprise, observation, detection, or interference.
Surprise (principle of war)
Strike at a time or place or in a manner for which the enemy is unprepared (ADP 3-0, table 2-1). It is the corollary to security and a powerful but temporary combat multiplier.
Simplicity (principle of war)
Increase the probability that plans and operations will be executed as intended by preparing clear, uncomplicated plans and concise mission orders (ADP 3-0, table 2-1).

Testable points

  • The current strategic environment is typified by a state of continuous competition by great powers, notably China and Russia.
  • Multi-domain operations (MDO) uses Russia as the tactical and technological pacing threat and requires further analysis to address the tactical and technical applicability of China.
  • MDO accounts for the proliferation of anti-access and area denial concepts and capabilities to non-peer-state actors such as Iran, North Korea, and violent extremist organizations, and it allows "scoping" to a lesser threat.
  • Four interrelated trends shape the future operational environment, and the result is a diluted deterrence to aggression.
  • Combined arms armies employ organic long-, mid-, and short-range systems to create operational and tactical stand-off that requires attacking functions rather than formations.
  • Mid-range systems provide the majority of enemy fires, and massed multiple rocket launchers and cannon artillery present the greatest danger to friendly ground forces.
  • Russian long- and mid-range fires systems are its operational center of gravity in armed conflict, and these systems create the stand-off that enables a successful fait accompli attack.
  • Enemy short-range systems maneuver to occupy key terrain and create defensive positions that protect the long- and mid-range fires systems; in the offense they find and fix friendly forces for destruction by long- and mid-range fires.
  • The ability to employ all elements in a coordinated manner gives Russia an escalation advantage, in which any friendly reaction risks a more powerful response.
  • The three MDO tenets are mutually reinforcing and common to all multi-domain operations, though how they are realized varies by echelon and operational situation.
  • Multi-domain operations today rely on episodic synchronization measured in days and weeks; against a peer threat, convergence requires integrating capabilities within hours.
  • Convergence may take seconds to minutes, and in some cases months or years, to develop the situation and the ability to converge efforts at the right place and time.
  • Through convergence, capabilities are brought together in stimulate-see-strike or see-strike combinations that disrupt, degrade, destroy, or dis-integrate enemy systems or create windows of superiority.
  • Convergence complicates the enemy's attempts to conceal and defend its center of gravity by giving the Joint Force multiple options for attacking vulnerabilities at decisive spaces.
  • In the Penetrate problem set, Army forces neutralize enemy long-range systems, contest enemy maneuver forces, and maneuver from strategic and operational distances.
  • In the Dis-integrate problem set, Army forces at echelon employ cross-domain fires in the deep areas to defeat enemy long-range systems and begin neutralizing mid-range systems, while maneuver forces execute operational maneuver and deception.
  • In the Exploit problem set, Army forces employ deception and convergence to dislocate the enemy defense by physically, virtually, and cognitively isolating its subordinate elements.
  • Under MDO the focus of battle shifts from formations to systems, so defeating an enemy anti-access and area denial system matters more than defeating enemy infantry or armor units.
  • Under AirLand Battle the brigade was the unit of action, fought by divisions and controlled by corps; under MDO the division is the unit of action, fought by corps and controlled by theater-level headquarters with interagency cooperation.
  • AirLand Battle used only land and air components; MDO operates across all five domains plus the electromagnetic spectrum, and it replaces phases with problem sets across a continuum.
  • Each Battlefield Development Plan consists of three books: Threat Formations and Systems (Red Forces), Capability Sets (Blue Forces), and Plays (Blue versus Red).
  • Deception applies to all levels of warfare, across the range of military operations, and is conducted during all phases of military operations; integrated with operations security and other information-related capabilities, it can be decisive in altering how the enemy views, analyzes, decides, and acts.
  • Economy of force is the reciprocal of mass; by definition it means the commander is accepting risk at some point on the battlefield, which creates opportunities to exploit.
  • Surprise is the corollary to security; it is not essential to take an enemy completely unaware, only that the enemy become aware too late to react effectively.
  • In Operation Focus, 196 of Israel's 208 fighters struck Egyptian airfields, leaving only 12 to defend Israel; Egypt lost 204 aircraft by noon while Israel lost 19.
  • The Egyptian coalition operated on the basis of cooperation rather than command authority and pursued competing interests, while Israel had a centralized command structure, clear command relationships, and coordinated planning and execution.

References

TRADOC Pam 525-3-1FM 3-12FM 3-13FM 3-13.4ADP 3-0FM 3-0JP 3-0

Offensive Operations 113-UCCO106

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Offensive Operations

StandardDescribe the fundamentals, characteristics, forms of maneuver, and types of offensive operations as well as when and how to transition from offensive operations to defensive operations, without error.

This two-hour lesson covers the purpose, fundamentals, characteristics, forms of maneuver and types of offensive operations at company and battalion level. It opens with the art of tactics (the creative array of means, decision making under uncertainty, and understanding the effects of combat on Soldiers) and the science of tactics (measurable capabilities, techniques and procedures), then builds through the four characteristics of the offense, the five forms of maneuver, the four offensive tasks and their six subordinate forms of the attack. Combat formations and offensive control measures are taught as the means of enabling disciplined initiative. Enabling operations - reconnaissance, security operations, troop movement, relief in place, passage of lines and encirclement - are covered as the tactical tasks that make the offense possible, along with offensive cyberspace operations and space support. The lesson closes with the conditions that force a commander to halt the offense (victory, a culminating point, or a change of mission from higher headquarters) and transition to the defense. Assessment is the module exam at 80%, plus the Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Characteristics of the Offense
  1. Surprise
  2. Concentration
  3. Tempo
  4. Audacity
Types of Offensive Operations (Offensive Tasks)
  1. Movement to contact
  2. Attack
  3. Exploitation
  4. Pursuit
Forms of Maneuver (ADP 3-90, Jul 2019)
  1. Envelopment
  2. Turning movement
  3. Infiltration
  4. Penetration
  5. Frontal assault
Forms of the Attack
  1. Ambush
  2. Counterattack
  3. Demonstration
  4. Feint
  5. Raid
  6. Spoiling attack
Purposes of the Offense
  1. Defeat and destroy the enemy
  2. Seize terrain
  3. Seize resources
  4. Seize population centers
  5. Divert the enemy
  6. Develop intelligence
  7. Hold an enemy in position
Art of Tactics - Three Interrelated Aspects
  1. The creative and flexible array of means to accomplish assigned missions
  2. Decision making under conditions of uncertainty when faced with a thinking and adaptive enemy
  3. Understanding the effects of combat on Soldiers
Fundamentals of a Movement to Contact
  1. Focus all efforts on finding the enemy
  2. Make initial contact with the smallest force possible, consistent with protecting the force
  3. Avoid decisive engagement of the main body
  4. Task-organize the force and use movement formations to deploy and attack rapidly in any direction
  5. Keep subordinate forces within supporting distance to facilitate a flexible response
  6. Maintain contact regardless of the course of action adopted once contact is gained
Combat Formations
  1. Column
  2. Line
  3. Echelon
  4. Wedge
  5. Vee
  6. Box
Basic Offensive Control Measures
  1. Limit of advance
  2. Line of departure
  3. Objective
  4. Position area for artillery
  5. Rally point
  6. Support by fire position
Enabling Operations
  1. Reconnaissance
  2. Security operations
  3. Troop movement
  4. Relief in place
  5. Passage of lines
  6. Encirclement operations
Forms of Reconnaissance
  1. Route
  2. Zone
  3. Area
  4. Reconnaissance in force
  5. Special reconnaissance
Security Operations - Four Tasks
  1. Screen
  2. Guard
  3. Cover
  4. Area security
Five Fundamentals of Security Operations
  1. Provide early and accurate warning
  2. Provide reaction time and maneuver space
  3. Orient on the force or facility to be secured
  4. Perform continuous reconnaissance
  5. Maintain enemy contact
Types of Troop Movement
  1. Administrative movement
  2. Tactical road march
  3. Approach march
Causes of a Culminating Point
  1. Loss of momentum against heavily defended areas that cannot be bypassed
  2. Failure of resupply of fuel, ammunition, supplies or repair parts to keep up with expenditures
  3. Soldier exhaustion, rising casualties and equipment loss
Reasons to Transition from Offense to Defense
  1. The offense achieves victory
  2. The offense reaches a culminating point
  3. Higher headquarters changes the mission

Key terms

Offense
The decisive form of war and the ultimate means commanders have of imposing their will on enemy forces; Army forces conduct the offense to defeat and destroy enemy forces and to gain control of terrain, resources and population centers.
Art of tactics
The aspect of tactics that military professionals invoke to solve tactical problems within the commander's intent; it consists of three interrelated aspects: the creative and flexible array of means to accomplish assigned missions, decision making under conditions of uncertainty when faced with a thinking and adaptive enemy, and understanding the effects of combat on Soldiers.
Science of tactics
The understanding of those military aspects of tactics - capabilities, techniques and procedures - that can be measured and codified.
Forms of maneuver
Distinct tactical combinations of fire and movement with a unique set of doctrinal characteristics that differ primarily in the relationship between the maneuvering force and the enemy.
Envelopment
A form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to avoid the principal enemy defenses by seizing objectives behind those defenses that allow the targeted enemy force to be destroyed in its current positions.
Turning movement
A form of maneuver in which the attacking force seeks to avoid the enemy's principal defensive positions by seizing objectives to the enemy's rear, causing the enemy force to move out of its current positions or to divert major forces to meet the threat.
Infiltration
A form of maneuver in which an attacking force conducts undetected movement through or into an area occupied by enemy forces to occupy a position of advantage behind those positions while exposing only small elements to enemy defensive fires.
Penetration
A form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to rupture enemy defenses on a narrow front in order to disrupt the defensive system.
Frontal assault
A form of maneuver in which an attacking force seeks to destroy a weaker enemy force or to fix a larger enemy force in place over a broad front.
Movement to contact
A type of offensive operation designed to develop the situation and to establish or regain contact; it also creates favorable conditions for subsequent tactical actions.
Attack
A type of offensive operation that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures terrain, or both.
Exploitation
A type of offensive operation that usually follows a successful attack and is designed to disorganize the enemy in depth.
Pursuit
A type of offensive operation designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape, with the aim of destroying it.
Ambush
A form of the attack by fire or other destructive means from concealed positions on a moving or temporarily halted enemy.
Counterattack
A form of the attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, with the general objective of denying the enemy the goal of the attack.
Demonstration
A form of the attack designed to deceive the enemy as to the location or time of the decisive operation by a display of force; the demonstrating force does not seek contact with the enemy.
Feint
A form of the attack used to deceive the enemy as to the location or time of the actual decisive operation; the feinting force seeks direct fire contact with the enemy but avoids decisive engagement.
Raid
A form of the attack conducted to temporarily seize an area in order to secure information, confuse an adversary, capture personnel or equipment, or destroy a capability, culminating in a planned withdrawal.
Spoiling attack
A form of the attack that preempts or seriously impairs an enemy attack while the enemy is in the process of planning or preparing to attack.
Culminating point
The point at which a unit can no longer continue its mission, caused by loss of momentum against a heavily defended area that cannot be bypassed, by resupply failing to keep up with expenditure, or by Soldier exhaustion with rising casualties and equipment loss.
Combat formation
An ordered arrangement of forces for a specific purpose that describes the general configuration of a unit on the ground.
Wedge formation
A combat formation that arranges forces to attack an enemy appearing to the front and flanks; a commander uses it when contact is possible or expected but the enemy's location and dispositions are vague.
Security operations
Operations undertaken by a commander to provide early and accurate warning of enemy operations, to provide the force being protected with time and maneuver space within which to react, and to develop the situation so that the commander can effectively use the protected force.

Testable points

  • The offense is the decisive form of war and the ultimate means commanders have of imposing their will on enemy forces.
  • The four characteristics of the offense are surprise, concentration, tempo and audacity; surprise is a reaction in the mind of the adversary rather than a concrete action.
  • The four types of offensive operations, also called the offensive tasks, are movement to contact, attack, exploitation and pursuit.
  • ADP 3-90 (Jul 2019) reduced the forms of maneuver from six to five: flanking attack was eliminated and frontal attack was renamed frontal assault. FM 3-90-1 still lists six, so the two publications do not agree.
  • Forms of maneuver differ primarily in the relationship between the maneuvering force and the enemy.
  • In a single envelopment the commander organizes two forces: a fixing force conducting shaping operations, normally by frontal assault, and an enveloping force, which normally conducts the decisive operation against an assailable flank.
  • A commander directing a turning movement task-organizes available resources for three main tasks: conduct the turning movement, conduct shaping operations and conduct reserve operations.
  • A turning movement forces the enemy to fight in an undesirable direction, such as to the rear of an established defense.
  • The turning force normally operates outside the supporting range - and possibly outside the supporting distance - of the main body, so it must be able to operate independently for a specified period.
  • A commander uses a penetration when there is no accessible flank, when the defense is overextended with detectable weak spots, or when there is not enough time to conduct an envelopment.
  • Penetrating a well-organized position requires overwhelming combat power at the point of penetration and combat superiority to continue the momentum of the attack.
  • A penetration is a sharp, pinpoint attack designed to rupture a position, while a frontal assault maintains continuous pressure along the entire front until a breach occurs or the enemy is pushed back.
  • A commander conducting a frontal assault organizes the unit into four elements: a reconnaissance element, a security element, a main body and a reserve.
  • The infiltrating force must avoid detection until it reaches its objective rally point, so its size, strength and composition should be fairly small.
  • The six forms of the attack, also called special purpose attacks, are ambush, counterattack, demonstration, feint, raid and spoiling attack.
  • A feint seeks direct fire contact but avoids decisive engagement, while a demonstration achieves deception by a display of force and does not seek contact.
  • A raid culminates in a planned withdrawal.
  • Every offensive action not restricted by higher authority or by lack of resources should be followed without delay by bold exploitation.
  • Unlike an exploitation, which may focus on seizing key or decisive terrain, a pursuit always focuses on destroying the fleeing enemy's ability and will to resist.
  • A pursuit begins when the enemy attempts to conduct retrograde operations; once it begins, the commander maintains contact and pursues without further orders.
  • Control measures enable commanders to maximize effects, minimize risk to the mission and synchronize effects, which allows subordinates to exercise disciplined initiative.
  • Reconnaissance orients on the enemy and the terrain, while security operations orient on the force or facility being protected.
  • The five forms of reconnaissance are route, zone, area, reconnaissance in force and special reconnaissance.
  • Security operations encompass screen, guard, cover and area security, each containing an increasing level of combat power.
  • A relief in place may be conducted sequentially, simultaneously or in a staggered manner.
  • Offensive cyberspace operations create denial effects through degradation, disruption, destruction and manipulation.
  • Jamming of satellite communications (SATCOM) and of the Global Positioning System (GPS) is the greatest threat to Army ground formations; units build a primary, alternate, contingency and emergency (PACE) plan for space-enabled equipment, rehearse operating in a denied, degraded and disrupted space operational environment (D3SOE), and report electromagnetic interference in accordance with the unit standard operating procedure.
  • A commander halts the offense when it achieves victory, when it reaches a culminating point, or when higher headquarters changes the mission.

References

ADP 3-90FM 3-90ADP 3-0ADRP 3-90FM 3-90-1FM 3-90-2

Defensive Operations 113-UCCO107

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Defensive Operations

StandardDescribe the fundamentals, characteristics, forms of defense, and defensive planning considerations as well as when to transition from defensive operations to offensive operations, without error.

This two-hour lesson covers the purposes and characteristics of the defense, the three types of defensive operations, the three forms of defense, battle positions, engagement area development, and the transition from defense to offense. It is framed around the Korean War battle of Chipyong-ni, which is used to show why a commander chooses an area defense, why the 23rd Regimental Combat Team had to establish a perimeter when it could not tie in with adjacent units, and how a reverse slope defense denies the enemy the topographical crest. Defensive actions alone normally cannot ensure victory: the purpose of the defense is to create the conditions for a counteroffensive that lets Army forces regain the initiative. The lesson also covers cyberspace and electronic attack threats with their proactive tactics, techniques and procedures, indicators and reactions, and space support to defensive operations. Assessment is a 10-question exam requiring a score of 80%, plus the Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Purposes of the Defense
  1. Deter or defeat the enemy offense
  2. Gain time
  3. Achieve economy of force
  4. Retain key terrain
  5. Protect the populace, critical assets and infrastructure
  6. Develop intelligence
Characteristics of the Defense
  1. Disruption
  2. Flexibility
  3. Maneuver
  4. Mass and concentration
  5. Depth - engaging multiple enemy echelons, enemy long-range fires, sustainment and C2
  6. Preparation
  7. Security
Types of Defensive Operations (Basic Defensive Tasks)
  1. Area defense
  2. Mobile defense
  3. Retrograde
Forms of Defense
  1. Defense of a linear obstacle
  2. Defense of a perimeter
  3. Reverse slope defense
Forms of Retrograde
  1. Delay
  2. Withdrawal
  3. Retirement
Seven-Step Engagement Area Development
  1. Identify all likely enemy avenues of approach
  2. Determine likely enemy schemes of maneuver
  3. Determine where to kill the enemy
  4. Emplace weapon systems
  5. Plan and integrate obstacles
  6. Plan and integrate indirect fires
  7. Rehearse
Five Kinds of Battle Positions
  1. Primary
  2. Alternate
  3. Supplementary
  4. Subsequent
  5. Strong point
Conditions for an Area Defense
  1. When directed to defend or retain specified terrain
  2. When a commander cannot resource a striking force
  3. When available forces have less mobility than the enemy
  4. When terrain affords natural lines of resistance and limits the enemy to a few well-defined avenues of approach
  5. When there is enough time to organize the position
  6. When terrain constraints and lack of friendly air superiority limit a striking force's options in a mobile defense
  7. When conditions require preservation of forces transitioning from offensive to stability actions, or when offensive action is superfluous
Efforts That Must Accompany a Transition to Retrograde
  1. Reduce enemy strength and combat power
  2. Provide friendly reinforcements
  3. Concentrate forces elsewhere for the attack
  4. Prepare stronger defenses elsewhere within the area of operations
  5. Lure or force part or all of the enemy force into areas where it can be counterattacked
Considerations for Retrograde Operations
  1. Gain time without fighting a decisive engagement
  2. Adjust the defensive scheme to secure more favorable terrain
  3. Position the force for use elsewhere in other missions
  4. Draw the enemy into an unfavorable situation that extends the enemy's lines of communication
Commander Actions When Transitioning to the Offense
  1. Establish a line of departure for the offensive operation
  2. Maintain contact with the enemy
  3. Redeploy the combined arms team, such as field artillery and air defense artillery
  4. Maintain or regain contact with adjacent units in a contiguous area of operations and remain capable of mutual support in a noncontiguous area of operations
  5. Transition the engineer effort from countermobility and survivability to mobility
Two Basic Techniques for Transition to the Offense
  1. Attack using forces not previously committed to the defense, which is the preferred technique
  2. Attack using the currently defending forces, which react faster but may lack the stamina to continue
Favorable Terrain for the Defense
  1. Parallel ridges across the line of the enemy's advance
  2. Unfordable streams and other obstacles in the area of operations
  3. High ground with good observation
  4. Long-range fields of fire
  5. Concealed movement routes behind defensive positions
  6. A limited road network in front of the line of contact

Key terms

Area defense
A type of defensive operation that denies enemy forces access to designated terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy outright, limiting enemy freedom of maneuver and channeling the enemy into killing areas.
Mobile defense
A force-oriented type of defensive operation that destroys or defeats the enemy through a decisive attack by a striking force; it focuses on destruction of the enemy rather than retention of terrain.
Retrograde
A type of defensive operation consisting of organized movement away from the enemy - any movement of a command to the rear or away from the enemy - which may be forced by the enemy or conducted voluntarily.
Delay
A retrograde in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged.
Withdrawal
A planned retrograde in which a force in contact disengages from an enemy force and moves in a direction away from the enemy; it may or may not be conducted under enemy pressure.
Retirement
A retrograde in which a force out of contact moves away from the enemy; a retiring unit organizes for combat but does not anticipate interference from enemy ground forces.
Striking force
The dedicated counterattack force in a mobile defense, constituted with the bulk of available combat power; it is considered committed throughout the operation and conducts the decisive operation, which is the counterattack.
Fixing force
The force in a mobile defense that supplements the striking force by conducting shaping operations to control the depth and breadth of the enemy's advance and by retaining the terrain required for the striking force's counterattack.
Forms of defense
Distinct tactical combinations of unique doctrinal characteristics that differ primarily in the relationship between the maneuvering force, the terrain, the operational objectives and the enemy.
Defense of a linear obstacle
A form of defense conducted along or behind a linear obstacle such as a mountain range or a river line; commanders normally prefer an area defense here because it accepts less risk by not allowing the enemy to cross the obstacle.
Defense of a perimeter
A form of defense oriented in all directions, used in base and base cluster defense; its prerequisites are aggressive patrolling and security operations outside the perimeter.
Reverse slope defense
A form of defense organized on the portion of a terrain feature or slope with a topographical crest that masks the main defensive positions from enemy observation and direct fire; success is based on denying the enemy the topographical crest.
Primary position
The battle position that covers the enemy's most likely avenue of approach into the area of operations (AO); it is the best position from which to accomplish the assigned mission.
Alternate position
A battle position that covers the same area as the primary position and is occupied when the primary position becomes untenable or unsuitable for carrying out the assigned task.
Supplementary position
A battle position that covers the best sectors of fire and defensive terrain along an avenue of approach that is not the primary avenue of attack.
Subsequent position
A battle position that a unit expects to move to during the course of the battle; it can have its own primary, alternate and supplementary positions.
Strong point
A heavily fortified battle position tied to a natural or reinforcing obstacle in order to create an anchor for the defense or to deny the enemy decisive or key terrain.
Engagement area
An area in which the commander intends to contain and destroy an enemy force with the massed effects of all available weapons and supporting systems.
Disruption
The characteristic of the defense by which defenders prevent the enemy from massing combat power, using methods such as misdirecting or destroying enemy reconnaissance, breaking up formations, isolating units, mounting spoiling attacks and counterattacking before the enemy can consolidate gains.
Operations in depth
The characteristic of the defense in which quick, violent and simultaneous action throughout the depth of the defender's area of operations prevents the enemy from gaining momentum in the attack.

Testable points

  • Defensive actions alone normally cannot ensure victory; the purpose of the defense is to create the conditions for a counteroffensive that allows Army forces to regain the initiative.
  • Other reasons to defend are to retain decisive terrain or deny a vital area, to attrit or fix the enemy as a prelude to the offense, to respond to surprise enemy action, and to increase the enemy's vulnerability by forcing the enemy to concentrate forces.
  • The seven characteristics of the defense are disruption, flexibility, maneuver, mass and concentration, operations in depth, preparation and security.
  • The three basic defensive tasks, also called the types of defensive operations, are area defense, mobile defense and retrograde.
  • The three forms of defense are defense of a linear obstacle, defense of a perimeter and reverse slope defense.
  • An area defense denies terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy; the bulk of the force combines static positions, engagement areas and small mobile reserves to retain ground.
  • The most common defense in an urban area is the area defense.
  • A mobile defense requires the defender to have greater mobility than the attacker, and the commander commits the minimum force to purely defensive tasks.
  • The striking force typically consists of one-half to two-thirds of the defender's combat power and conducts the decisive operation, which is the counterattack; a reserve is designated to exploit its success.
  • Brigade combat teams and smaller units generally conduct an area defense or a delay as part of the fixing force, or they attack as part of the striking force.
  • The three forms of retrograde are delay, withdrawal and retirement: a delay trades space for time, a withdrawal disengages a force in contact, and a retirement moves a force not in contact away from the enemy.
  • The complexity and fluidity of a retrograde require detailed, centralized planning and decentralized execution.
  • Retrogrades can affect Soldiers' attitudes more negatively than any other type of operation because Soldiers may view them as a defeat; a commander must not allow a retrograde to reduce or destroy unit morale.
  • The five kinds of battle positions are primary, alternate, supplementary, subsequent and strong point; the commander always designates the primary position and adds the others as time, resources and terrain permit.
  • An alternate position covers the same area as the primary position, whereas a supplementary position covers a different avenue of approach from the one on which the enemy is expected to attack.
  • Engagement area development is a seven-step process that begins with identifying all likely enemy avenues of approach and ends with rehearsal.
  • The purpose of an engagement area is to contain and destroy the enemy by massing the effects of all available weapons and supporting systems.
  • Along a linear obstacle, commanders normally prefer an area defense because it accepts less risk by not allowing the enemy to cross the obstacle; linear obstacles generally favor a forward defense.
  • It is extremely difficult to deploy in strength along the entire length of a linear obstacle, so the commander must conduct economy of force measures in some areas.
  • The prerequisites for a successful perimeter defense are aggressive patrolling and security operations outside the perimeter; a major characteristic is a secure inner area with most of the combat power located on the perimeter.
  • A commander establishes a perimeter defense when the unit must hold critical terrain or must defend where it cannot tie in with adjacent units; it is ideal when operating behind enemy lines, when securing an isolated objective, or when the unit has been bypassed and isolated.
  • Success in a reverse slope defense is based on denying the enemy the topographical crest; even when the crest is not occupied in strength, controlling it by fire is essential.
  • The disadvantages of a reverse slope defense include a limited effective range for direct fire weapons, difficulty in observing the enemy, and the enemy's advantage of attacking downhill.
  • If the defense is successful, the commander transitions to the offense; if it is unsuccessful, the commander transitions to retrograde operations.
  • Attacking with forces not previously committed to the defense is the preferred transition technique; the currently defending forces react faster but may lack the stamina to continue.
  • In a defensive plan, defenders combine natural and manmade obstacles to canalize attacking forces into engagement areas. Preparation multiplies the effectiveness of the defense.
  • In defensive operations, positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), provided by the Global Positioning System (GPS), lets the commander see the battlefield relative to friendly forces and identify enemy avenues of approach; satellite communications (SATCOM) provide connectivity for the warfighting functions; missile warning gives timely launch warning; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites identify enemy technical capabilities and support engagement area and named area of interest development.
  • FM 3-0 (21 March 2025), paragraph 6-190, names the seven characteristics of the defense as disruption, flexibility, maneuver, mass and concentration, depth, preparation and security. The course wording "operations in depth" is the older phrasing of the same characteristic.

References

ADP 3-90FM 3-90ADP 3-0ATP 3-21.10FM 3-21.10FM 3-0

Stability Operations 113-UCCO108

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of stability operations

StandardDescribe stability tasks and sectors, stability mechanisms, and planning considerations for stability operations, without error.

This two-hour lesson examines stability operations within the context of Army operations, covering stability tasks and sectors, stability mechanisms, lines of effort, assessment, and space and cyberspace support. Stability ultimately aims to create a condition that the local populace regards as legitimate, acceptable and predictable, and stabilization is the process of identifying and mitigating the underlying sources of instability. The Department of State coordinates US Government stabilization and reconstruction efforts through five stability sectors, which the Army's six primary stability tasks support. Commanders visualize the effort using four stability mechanisms - compel, control, influence and support - organized along lines of effort and assessed through measures of performance and measures of effectiveness. Because these operations are conducted among the population and under international scrutiny, information operations, and particularly Soldier and leader engagement, are central. Assessment is a 10-question multiple-choice exam requiring a score of 80%, plus the Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Purposes of Stability Operations
  1. Provide a secure environment
  2. Secure land areas
  3. Meet the critical needs of the populace
  4. Gain support for the host-nation government
  5. Shape the environment for interagency and host-nation success
Six Primary Army Stability Tasks
  1. Establish civil security
  2. Support civil control
  3. Restore essential services
  4. Support to governance
  5. Support to economic and infrastructure development
  6. Conduct security cooperation
Five Stability Sectors (Department of State)
  1. Security
  2. Justice and reconciliation
  3. Humanitarian assistance and social well-being
  4. Governance and participation
  5. Economic stabilization and infrastructure
Four Stability Mechanisms
  1. Compel
  2. Control
  3. Influence
  4. Support
Sources of Instability
  1. Decreased support for the government based on what locals actually expect of their government
  2. Increased support for anti-government elements, which usually occurs when locals see spoilers as helping to solve the priority grievance
  3. Undermining of the normal functioning of society, where the emphasis must be on a return to established norms
Inform and Influence Activities Tasks
  1. Assess the media capability and capacity of the host nation and tailor the strategy to its ability to receive messages
  2. Identify or establish outlets for international, national and local news media
  3. Provide factual, accurate information to the media to control rumors and misinformation
  4. Issue effective press releases and prompt information in local languages
  5. Assist transitional civil or military authorities with public information programs
  6. Synchronize messages with operations and ensure that messages are consistent with actions
  7. Integrate cultural understanding with the strategy of inform and influence activities
Space-Based Mission Areas Supporting Stability
  1. Satellite communications
  2. Positioning, navigation and timing, including GPS
  3. Imagery
  4. Environmental monitoring
  5. Incident awareness data

Key terms

Stability
The aim of stability operations: a condition that the local populace regards as legitimate, acceptable and predictable, measured by the level of violence, the functioning of governmental, economic and societal institutions, and general adherence to local laws, rules and norms of behavior.
Stabilization
A process in which personnel identify and mitigate underlying sources of instability in order to establish the conditions for long-term stability.
Stability sectors
The five broad technical areas across which the essential stability task matrix divides tasks; similar in purpose and application to lines of effort, they focus and unify reconstruction and stabilization efforts within specific functional areas of society.
Establish civil security
The Army stability task of providing for the safety of the host nation and its population, including protection from internal and external threats; it is essential to providing a safe and secure environment.
Support civil control
The Army stability task that centers on justice reform and the rule of law, supported by efforts to rebuild the host-nation judiciary, police and corrections systems.
Restore essential services
The Army stability task in which Army forces establish or restore the most basic services and protect them until a civil authority or the host nation can provide them.
Support to governance
The Army stability task of restoring public administration and resuming public services while fostering long-term efforts to establish a functional, effective system of political governance.
Support to economic and infrastructure development
The Army stability task that focuses on the physical aspects of the society that enable the state's economic viability.
Conduct security cooperation
The Army stability task of establishing or reestablishing competent host-nation security forces, which is fundamental to providing lasting safety and security for the host nation and its population.
Stability mechanism
The primary method through which friendly forces focus efforts to attain conditions that support establishing a lasting, stable peace; commanders use stability mechanisms to visualize how to employ the stability element of an operation.
Compel
The stability mechanism of using, or threatening to use, lethal force to establish control and dominance, effect behavioral change, or enforce compliance with mandates, agreements or civil authority.
Control
The stability mechanism of imposing civil order by securing borders, routes, sensitive sites, population centers and individuals and by physically occupying key terrain and facilities; it also includes disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and security sector reform.
Influence
The stability mechanism of imposing the will of friendly forces on the situation through information engagement, presence and conduct; it aims at affecting behavioral change through nonlethal means.
Support
The stability mechanism of establishing, reinforcing, or setting the conditions necessary for the other instruments of national power to function effectively.
Line of effort
A planning construct that links multiple tasks and missions using the logic of purpose - cause and effect - to focus efforts toward establishing operational and strategic conditions.
Measure of performance (MOP)
An indicator used to measure a friendly action that is tied to measuring task accomplishment (JP 5-0); it answers the question, 'Is the task we are doing getting done?'
Measure of effectiveness (MOE)
An indicator used to measure a current system state, with change indicated by comparing multiple observations over time (JP 5-0); it answers the question, 'Is the task we are doing helping us reach the end state?'
Information operations
The integration of designated information-related capabilities in order to synchronize themes, messages and actions with operations, so as to inform US and global audiences, influence foreign audiences, and affect adversary and enemy decision making.
Soldier and leader engagement
The component of information operations that, in operations stressing stability tasks, often proves the most critical.

Testable points

  • Stability ultimately aims to create a condition that the local populace regards as legitimate, acceptable and predictable.
  • Those conditions consist of the level of violence, the functioning of governmental, economic and societal institutions, and general adherence to local laws, rules and norms of behavior.
  • Stabilization is the process by which personnel identify and mitigate underlying sources of instability in order to establish the conditions for long-term stability.
  • Stability tasks focus on identifying and targeting the root causes of instability and on building the capacity of local institutions.
  • Sources of instability manifest themselves locally: decreased support for the government based on what locals actually expect of it; increased support for anti-government elements when locals see spoilers as solving the priority grievance; and undermining of the normal functioning of society.
  • The Department of State is designated to coordinate US Government efforts in stabilization and reconstruction activities, and it developed the essential stability task matrix.
  • The essential stability task matrix divides tasks and their relative time frame for execution across five broad technical areas, referred to as stability sectors.
  • Stability sectors are similar in purpose and application to lines of effort.
  • Efforts in the security sector are the foundation for broader success across all of the other sectors.
  • Army forces perform six primary stability tasks, which support the five Department of State stability sectors.
  • No Army stability task is performed in isolation; integrated within their complementary sectors, the tasks form a cohesive effort to reestablish the institutions that provide for civil participation, livelihood and well-being.
  • The four stability mechanisms are compel, control, influence and support.
  • Combinations of stability mechanisms produce complementary and reinforcing effects that accomplish the mission more effectively and efficiently than single mechanisms alone.
  • Both the direct and the indirect approach use stability mechanisms; the specific combination is mission determined, and stability mechanisms complement center of gravity analysis.
  • Lines of effort are essential to long-term planning when positional references to an enemy or adversary have little relevance, and they may be the only way to link tasks, effects, conditions and the desired end state.
  • Combining lines of operations with lines of effort allows commanders to include nonmilitary activities in their long-term plan.
  • Measures of performance track the implementation of an activity and answer the question, 'Is the task getting done?'; measures of effectiveness focus on the results or consequences of task performance and answer the question, 'Is the task helping us reach the end state?'
  • Stability operation timelines are based on results rather than on set timelines.
  • Military forces must go beyond defeating the enemy; they must secure the trust and confidence of the population, which requires mastery of inform and influence activities.
  • In operations stressing stability tasks, Soldier and leader engagement often proves the most critical component of information operations.
  • Commanders synchronize themes, messages and actions with operations and ensure that messages are consistent with actions, because the actions of Soldiers communicate American values more effectively than words alone.
  • Military information support forces advise the commander and staff on the psychological effects of operations, provide public information to support humanitarian assistance, and assess adversary propaganda.
  • Space support to stability includes satellite communications (SATCOM), which can use Iridium handsets when terrestrial networks are down; positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) provided by the Global Positioning System (GPS); imagery; environmental monitoring; and incident awareness data.
  • Units must be prepared to operate in a denied, degraded and disrupted space operational environment (D3SOE), and they must develop a primary, alternate, contingency and emergency (PACE) plan for space-reliant equipment before conducting stability operations.
  • Stability operations are more the norm than offensive or defensive operations, and the frequency with which the Army conducts them makes it likely that a leader will conduct them during a career.

References

ADP 3-07FM 3-07FM 3-13FM 3-0ADP 3-0JP 5-0

Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF) 113-UCCO112

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Army Special Operations Forces

StandardDescribe ARSOF capabilities, core competencies, and limitations, without error.

This one-hour lesson introduces Army special operations forces (ARSOF) - which are not just Special Forces - so that future company commanders and battalion and brigade staff officers understand ARSOF considerations during the mission planning process. It defines ARSOF and the component organizations assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), describes the two building-block units a conventional staff will most often work with (the 12-man Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha and the four-Soldier Civil Affairs Team), and works through the thirteen special operations forces (SOF) core activities from unconventional warfare to counterinsurgency. Those activities are then sorted under the two ARSOF core competencies, special warfare and surgical strike, with direct action and preparation of the environment transitioning across both. The lesson closes with ARSOF limitations - most importantly that SOF are not a substitute for conventional forces, that they cannot be quickly replaced or expanded, and that most special operations missions require non-SOF support. Assessment is the module exam at 80%, plus the Common Core End of Course Exam.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

SOF Core Activities
  1. Unconventional warfare (UW)
  2. Direct action (DA)
  3. Special reconnaissance (SR)
  4. Countering weapons of mass destruction
  5. Counterterrorism (CT)
  6. Foreign internal defense (FID)
  7. Security force assistance (SFA)
  8. Hostage rescue and recovery
  9. Foreign humanitarian assistance (FHA)
  10. Military information support operations (MISO)
  11. Civil affairs operations (CAO)
  12. Preparation of the environment (PE)
  13. Counterinsurgency (COIN)
ARSOF Core Competencies
  1. Special warfare
  2. Surgical strike
Special Warfare Activities
  1. Unconventional warfare
  2. Foreign internal defense
  3. Counterinsurgency
  4. Special reconnaissance
  5. Security force assistance
  6. Stability tasks
Surgical Strike Activities
  1. Counterterrorism
  2. Hostage rescue and recovery
  3. Countering weapons of mass destruction
ARSOF Components
  1. Civil Affairs
  2. Psychological Operations
  3. Rangers
  4. Special Forces
  5. Special Mission Units
  6. Army special operations aviation forces
ARSOF Limitations
  1. ARSOF have limited organic sustainment elements
  2. ARSOF are vulnerable to larger, more heavily armed or more mobile forces
  3. ARSOF skills and capabilities take a long time to develop
  4. ARSOF cannot be quickly replaced or reconstituted, nor can their capabilities be rapidly expanded
  5. ARSOF are not a substitute for conventional forces
  6. Most special operations missions require non-SOF support
  7. Improper employment risks rapidly depleting SOF resources
Functions of a Special Forces ODA
  1. Plan and conduct Special Forces operations separately or as part of a larger force
  2. Infiltrate and exfiltrate specified operational areas by air, land and sea
  3. Conduct operations in remote or denied areas for extended periods with a minimum of external direction and support
  4. Develop, organize, equip, train, and advise or direct indigenous forces up to battalion size
  5. Train, advise and assist other US and multinational forces and agencies
  6. Plan and conduct unilateral Special Forces operations
  7. Perform other special operations activities as directed by higher authority
Functions of a Civil Affairs Team
  1. Conduct civil reconnaissance
  2. Conduct key leader engagement within the team's area of operations
  3. Plan, coordinate and enable civil affairs operations and project management
  4. Provide civil information to the supported unit and the civil-military operations center for the commander's common operational picture
  5. Provide cross-cultural communications and elementary linguistic capabilities to the supported maneuver commander
Categories of Foreign Internal Defense
  1. Indirect support
  2. Direct support not involving combat operations
  3. US combat operations
Common Civil Affairs Organizational Elements
  1. Civil-Military Operations Center
  2. Civil Affairs Planning Team
  3. Civil Liaison Team
  4. Civil Information Management Cell
  5. Civil Affairs Team

Key terms

Army special operations forces (ARSOF)
Those Active and Reserve Component Army forces designated by the Secretary of Defense that are specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct and support special operations.
Special warfare
One of the two ARSOF core competencies, executed by Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations (PSYOP) and Special Forces; it includes unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, counterinsurgency, special reconnaissance and security force assistance, as well as stability tasks.
Surgical strike
One of the two ARSOF core competencies, executed by the National Mission Force, the Rangers and the Commanders' Crisis Response Force; it includes counterterrorism, hostage rescue and recovery, and countering weapons of mass destruction, and it is the Army's contribution to the national mission.
Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA)
The primary Special Forces operational unit and the building block for Special Forces operations, composed of 12 men; all other Special Forces organizations are designed to command, control and support the ODA.
Civil Affairs Team (CAT)
The basic Civil Affairs building block, composed of four Soldiers; it conducts civil reconnaissance and key leader engagement, enables civil affairs operations, and provides civil information and cross-cultural communication to the supported commander.
Unconventional warfare (UW)
Activities conducted to enable a resistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary and guerrilla force in a denied area.
Direct action (DA)
Short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied or diplomatically sensitive environments, employing specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover or damage designated targets.
Special reconnaissance (SR)
Reconnaissance and surveillance actions conducted as a special operation in hostile, denied or diplomatically or politically sensitive environments to collect or verify information of strategic or operational significance, employing military capabilities not normally found in conventional forces.
Countering weapons of mass destruction
Efforts against actors of concern to curtail the conceptualization, development, possession, proliferation, use and effects of weapons of mass destruction, related expertise, materials, technologies and means of delivery.
Counterterrorism (CT)
Activities and operations taken to neutralize terrorists and their organizations and networks in order to render them incapable of using violence to instill fear and to coerce governments or societies to achieve their goals.
Foreign internal defense (FID)
Participation by civilian and military agencies of a government in any of the action programs taken by another government or other designated organization to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, insurgency, terrorism and other threats to its security.
Internal defense and development (IDAD)
The host nation's own internal defense and development program; supporting that program is the focus of all US foreign internal defense efforts.
Security force assistance (SFA)
Department of Defense (DOD) activities that contribute to unified action by the US Government to support the development of the capacity and capability of foreign security forces and their supporting institutions.
Hostage rescue and recovery
Sensitive crisis response missions conducted in response to terrorist threats and incidents; supporting offensive operations can include the recapture of US facilities, installations and sensitive material overseas.
Foreign humanitarian assistance (FHA)
A range of Department of Defense humanitarian activities conducted outside the United States and its territories to relieve or reduce human suffering, disease, hunger or privation.
Military information support operations (MISO)
Planned operations to convey selected information and indicators to foreign audiences in order to influence their emotions, motives, objective reasoning and ultimately the behavior of foreign governments, organizations, groups and individuals in a manner favorable to the originator's objectives.
Civil affairs operations (CAO)
Actions planned, executed and assessed by Civil Affairs that enhance the operational environment, identify and mitigate underlying causes of instability within civil society, or involve the application of functional specialty skills normally the responsibility of civil government.
Preparation of the environment (PE)
An umbrella term for actions taken by or in support of SOF to develop an environment for current or future operations and activities; SOF conduct it in support of geographic combatant commander plans and orders to create conditions conducive to the success of military operations.
Counterinsurgency (COIN)
A comprehensive civilian and military effort designed to simultaneously defeat and contain an insurgency and address its root causes; successful counterinsurgency is population-focused because the population is the center of gravity for an insurgency.

Testable points

  • ARSOF are Active and Reserve Component Army forces designated by the Secretary of Defense and specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct and support special operations.
  • ARSOF comprises Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, Rangers, Special Forces, Special Mission Units and Army special operations aviation forces assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command, all supported by the 528th Sustainment Brigade.
  • The two ARSOF core competencies are special warfare and surgical strike.
  • Special warfare is executed by Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations and Special Forces and covers unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, counterinsurgency, special reconnaissance and security force assistance, as well as stability tasks.
  • Surgical strike is executed by the National Mission Force, the Rangers and the Commanders' Crisis Response Force and covers counterterrorism, hostage rescue and recovery, and countering weapons of mass destruction; surgical strike is the Army's contribution to the national mission.
  • The activities of direct action and preparation of the environment transition across both core competencies.
  • Military information support operations and civil affairs operations are executed as part of both special warfare and surgical strike, enhancing the effect of both core competencies.
  • The Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha is composed of 12 men, commanded by a captain, with a Special Forces warrant officer as the assistant detachment commander and a master sergeant as the operations sergeant.
  • The detachment has one intelligence sergeant and two specialists in each of the four primary Special Forces functional areas: weapons, engineer, medical and communications.
  • A Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha can develop, organize, equip, train, and advise or direct indigenous forces up to battalion size, and it can operate in remote or denied areas for extended periods with minimum external direction and support.
  • The Civil Affairs Team is the basic Civil Affairs building block and is composed of four Soldiers.
  • The US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School is the US Army Special Operations Center of Excellence and the proponent for the Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations and Special Forces branches.
  • The 528th Sustainment Brigade provides operational logistics mission command, signal, intelligence and role 2 medical care in support of ARSOF, and it trains, resources and equips the 112th Signal Battalion and the 1st Special Forces Command Military Intelligence Battalion.
  • ARSOF sustainment planners frequently plan, coordinate and provide support for their own forces from battalion level to the theater or joint level, so they must be knowledgeable of joint operations.
  • The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) is the Army's tactically operational special operations aviation unit; special operations aviation gives the joint force special operations component commander the capability to infiltrate, resupply and exfiltrate SOF elements.
  • Direct action differs from other offensive actions in the level of diplomatic or political risk, the operational techniques employed, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force.
  • The three categories of foreign internal defense are indirect support, direct support not involving combat operations, and US combat operations; foreign internal defense programs are tailored to the individual host nation.
  • The focus of all US foreign internal defense efforts is to support the host nation's own program of internal defense and development.
  • Security force assistance is one of the five security cooperation activities and supports the primary stability tasks of establishing civil security, establishing civil control and conducting security cooperation.
  • In counterinsurgency the population is the center of gravity for the insurgency; SOF are particularly adept at the indirect approach and should complement rather than replace coalition forces in a direct approach.
  • Civil affairs operations are what Civil Affairs units do; civil-military operations are what the ground commander is responsible to do.
  • US military forces are not the primary US Government means of providing humanitarian assistance; SOF, and particularly Civil Affairs, supplement or complement the lead departments and agencies.
  • Special reconnaissance complements national and theater intelligence collection and depends on manned and unmanned assets, with essential support from signals intelligence and human intelligence.
  • SOF should plan military information support operations to support all phases of operations and campaigns; in peacetime and limited crisis response, these operations are usually planned and coordinated through the theater special operations command.

References

ADP 3-05FM 3-18

Fundamentals of the Operations Process 113-UCCOP101

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key aspects of the Army's operations process.

StandardDescribe key aspects of the Army's operations process in terms of the Army's doctrinal and operational art concepts, without error. To achieve course standards, the class covers four topics: describe the nature of operations; describe the operations process framework; describe how the commander drives the operations process; and describe the command and control activities of the operations process. Conditions: in a classroom environment; given facilitator-guided instruction; and awareness of operational environment (OE) variables, factors, and cultural practices.

This one-hour lesson introduces the Army operations process. It covers chapters 1 through 5 of ADP 5-0, which is the primary reference; FM 6-0 treats the operations process in greater detail, but ADP 5-0 governs this lesson. The lesson first establishes the nature of operations: military operations are human endeavors, conducted in dynamic and uncertain operational environments, and designed to achieve a political purpose. It then defines the operations process as the Army's framework for putting command and control into action - planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation - and separates what the unit does (the four command and control activities) from what the commander personally does to drive them (understand, visualize, describe, direct, lead, and assess). Each activity is then developed: planning and the three Army planning methodologies (troop leading procedures, the military decision-making process, and Army design methodology), the five functions of preparation, the fundamentals and decisions of execution, and the fundamentals, activities, and six-step assessment plan. The framework matters because every later planning lesson - the MDMP, command post operations, and the STAFFEX - assumes it.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Nature of Operations (Military Operations Are)
  1. Human endeavors
  2. Conducted in dynamic and uncertain environments
  3. Designed to achieve a political purpose
Command and Control Activities of the Operations Process
  1. Plan
  2. Prepare
  3. Execute
  4. Assess
Commander's Activities to Drive the Operations Process
  1. Understand
  2. Visualize
  3. Describe
  4. Direct
  5. Lead
  6. Assess
How Commanders Describe Their Visualization
  1. Commander's intent
  2. Planning guidance, including an operational approach
  3. Commander's critical information requirements (CCIRs)
  4. Essential elements of friendly information (EEFI)
How Commanders Direct Forces
  1. Preparing and approving plans and orders
  2. Establishing command and support relationships
  3. Assigning and adjusting tasks, control measures, and task organization
  4. Positioning units to maximize combat power
  5. Positioning key leaders at critical places and times to ensure supervision
  6. Allocating resources to exploit opportunities and counter threats
  7. Committing the reserve
Army Planning Methodologies
  1. Troop leading procedures (TLP) - a detailed procedure used at company level and below
  2. The military decision-making process (MDMP) - normally used at battalion level or above
  3. Army design methodology (ADM) - normally used at higher command levels as an aid to conceptual planning
Troop Leading Procedures (8 steps)
  1. Receive the mission
  2. Issue a warning order (WARNORD)
  3. Make a tentative plan
  4. Initiate movement
  5. Conduct reconnaissance
  6. Complete the plan
  7. Issue the plan
  8. Supervise and refine
Steps of the MDMP (7 steps)
  1. Receipt of mission
  2. Mission analysis
  3. Course of action development
  4. Course of action analysis
  5. Course of action comparison
  6. Course of action approval
  7. Orders production, dissemination, and transition
Key Components of a Plan
  1. Mission statement
  2. Commander's intent
  3. Concept of operations
Functions of Preparation (5 functions)
  1. Improve situational understanding
  2. Develop a common understanding of the plan
  3. Train and become proficient on critical tasks
  4. Task-organize and integrate the force
  5. Ensure forces and resources are positioned
Major Activities of Execution
  1. Assessment
  2. Decision making (execution decisions and adjustment decisions)
  3. Directing action
Forms an Adjustment May Take
  1. Reallocating resources
  2. Changing the concept of operations
  3. Changing the mission
Assessment Activities
  1. Monitoring the current situation to collect relevant information
  2. Evaluating progress toward attaining end state conditions, achieving objectives, and performing tasks
  3. Recommending or directing action for improvement
Questions Assessment Helps Answer
  1. Where are we?
  2. What happened?
  3. Why do we think it happened?
  4. So what?
  5. What are the likely future opportunities and risks?
  6. What do we need to do?
Six Steps That Guide Development of an Effective Assessment Plan
  1. Develop the assessment approach (planning)
  2. Develop the assessment plan (planning)
  3. Collect information and intelligence (preparation and execution)
  4. Analyze information and intelligence (preparation and execution)
  5. Communicate feedback and recommendations (preparation and execution)
  6. Adapt plans or operations (planning and execution)

Key terms

Operations process
The Army's framework for organizing and putting command and control into action: the major command and control activities performed during operations - planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation. (ADP 5-0, p 1-4)
Operational approach
A broad description of the mission, operational concepts, tasks, and actions required to accomplish the mission. (JP 5-0)
Operational problem
A discrepancy between the current state of an operational environment and the desired end state, including those issues that impede commanders from accomplishing missions, achieving objectives, and attaining the desired end state.
Operational environment
"The aggregate of the conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect the employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the commander" (JP 3-0). It encompasses the physical areas of the air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains as well as the information environment, the electromagnetic spectrum, and other factors.
Planning
The art and science of understanding a situation, envisioning a desired future, and laying out effective ways of bringing that future about. (ADP 5-0, 1-6)
Conceptual planning
Planning that develops an understanding of an operational environment, frames the problem, defines a desired end state, and develops an operational approach to achieve that end state.
Detailed planning
Planning that generally corresponds to the science of operations and encompasses the specifics of implementation.
Preparation
Those activities performed by units and Soldiers to improve their ability to execute an operation. (ADP 5-0, 3-1)
Execution
The act of putting a plan into action by applying combat power to accomplish the mission and adjusting operations based on changes in the situation. (ADP 5-0, 4-1)
Assessment
The determination of the progress toward accomplishing a task, creating an effect, or achieving an objective. (JP 3-0)
Monitoring
The continuous observation of those conditions relevant to the current operation; it allows commanders and staffs to improve their understanding of the situation.
Evaluation
The use of indicators to measure change in the situation and judge progress; it allows commanders to identify variances, their significance, and whether a decision is required to alter the plan.
Execution decision
A decision that implements a planned action under circumstances anticipated in the order, such as changing a boundary, committing the reserve, or executing a branch plan.
Adjustment decision
A decision that modifies the operation to respond to unanticipated opportunities and threats; it often requires implementing unanticipated operations and resynchronizing the warfighting functions.
Mission
The task, together with the purpose, that clearly indicates the action to be taken and the reason therefore. (JP 3-0)
Essential task
The task that, when executed, accomplishes the mission; it results from the commander's analysis of the higher commander's intent, specified tasks, and implied tasks.
Commander's intent
A succinct description of what constitutes success for the operation; it includes the operation's purpose, key tasks, and the conditions that define the end state.
Concept of operations
A statement that directs the manner in which subordinate units cooperate to accomplish the mission and establishes the sequence of actions the force will use to achieve the end state; at a minimum it includes a scheme of maneuver and a scheme of fires.
Army design methodology (ADM)
A planning methodology normally used at higher command levels; it is particularly useful as an aid to conceptual planning, but it must be integrated with detailed planning to produce orders.

Testable points

  • ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019), is the primary reference for this lesson, which covers chapters 1 through 5 of that publication.
  • FM 6-0 covers the operations process in greater detail, but ADP 5-0 is the primary reference for this lesson.
  • Military operations are human endeavors, conducted in dynamic and uncertain operational environments, and designed to achieve a political purpose.
  • Military operations must always be subordinate to policy and serve as a way to a political end.
  • All U.S. military operations share a common fundamental purpose - to achieve or contribute to national objectives.
  • The commander is responsible for ensuring the unit accomplishes the four command and control activities but does not perform them personally.
  • Commanders are the most important participants in the operations process; staffs perform essential functions that amplify the effectiveness of operations.
  • In building their visualization, commanders first seek to understand the conditions that represent the current situation, next envision the desired end state, and then conceptualize an operational approach.
  • During planning, commanders focus more on understanding, visualizing, and describing; during execution, they focus more on directing, leading, and assessing, while improving their understanding and modifying their visualization as needed.
  • Where a commander locates within an area of operations is an important consideration for effective mission command.
  • Assessment is continuous, precedes and guides the other activities of the operations process, and concludes each operation or phase of an operation.
  • The activities of the operations process are not discrete; they overlap and recur as circumstances demand.
  • Commanders must organize and train their staffs and subordinates as an integrated team to conduct conceptual planning, detailed planning, preparation, execution, and assessment simultaneously.
  • Planning does not stop with the production of an order; after the initial order the commander and staff continuously revise the plan based on changing circumstances.
  • Preparation for a specific mission begins early in planning and continues for some subordinate units during execution.
  • Successful planning requires the integration of both conceptual and detailed thinking; leaders determine the appropriate mix of methodologies based on the scope of the problem, the time available, and the availability of a staff.
  • Establishing information collection to understand the enemy and terrain is not one of the five functions of preparation.
  • The plans-to-operations transition is a preparation activity that occurs within the headquarters.
  • During execution, subordinate commanders need maximum latitude to take advantage of situations and to meet the higher commander's intent when the original order no longer applies.
  • When modifying the plan, commanders and staffs seek to make the fewest changes possible and to facilitate future operations.
  • During large-scale combat, assessment tends to be rapid and focused on the level of destruction of enemy units, terrain gained or lost, objectives secured, and the status of the friendly force including sustainment.
  • There is no single way to conduct assessment; every situation has its own distinctive challenges, which makes every assessment unique.
  • The commander's intent does not restate the "why" of the mission statement; it describes the broader purpose of the unit's operation in relationship to the higher commander's intent and concept of operations.
  • The commander's intent focuses on the end state, while the concept of operations focuses on the method by which the operation uses and synchronizes the warfighting functions.
  • Accurate and timely running estimates maintained by the staff assist commanders in understanding situations and making decisions.
  • An operational environment continually evolves because of the complexity of human interaction and how people learn and adapt; commanders cannot presume that superior military capability alone creates the desired effects on an enemy. (ADP 3-0)
  • Flexibility is a critical ingredient of mission analysis, plans, and operations. (ADP 3-0)

References

ADP 5-0ADP 6-0ADP 3-0ADP 6-22ADRP 5-0FM 6-0JP 3-0JP 5-0

The Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) 113-UCCOP103 through 113-UCCOP110

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the steps of the military decision-making process (MDMP).

StandardOverview lesson (113-UCCOP103): describe the fundamentals of planning as they relate to the MDMP, and the seven steps of the military decision-making process, without error. To achieve the standard, the class covers two subjects: describe the fundamentals of planning, and describe the steps of the MDMP. Each sub-lesson standard likewise ends "without error": describe the key inputs, process steps, and outputs of MDMP Step 1, Receipt of Mission (OP104); Step 2, Mission Analysis (OP105); Step 3, COA Development (OP106); Step 4, COA Analysis (OP107); and Step 5, COA Comparison (OP108); describe the process of transforming a course of action (COA) into an operations order (OP109); and describe how to conduct a rehearsal in terms of rehearsal types, rehearsal methods, rehearsal responsibilities, and rehearsal details (OP110). Conditions for all: in a classroom environment; given facilitator-guided instruction; and awareness of operational environment (OE) variables, factors, and cultural practices.

This block teaches the full seven-step military decision-making process (MDMP) plus rehearsals, with FM 6-0, chapter 9, as the governing reference. Every step is taught the same way - key inputs, process steps, key outputs - so the exam-critical skill is knowing which product belongs to which step and which warning order carries it. Mission analysis is the most important lesson in the series, because no amount of subsequent planning can solve an insufficiently understood problem. The later steps convert understanding into options (COA development), stress-test those options (COA analysis, or war-gaming), rank them (COA comparison), obtain a decision (COA approval), and turn the approved COA into an order and a handover to the current operations cell. Rehearsals close the block: they practice the selected COA and do not replace war-gaming.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Seven Steps of the MDMP
  1. Receipt of mission
  2. Mission analysis
  3. Course of action development
  4. Course of action analysis (war-game)
  5. Course of action comparison
  6. Course of action approval
  7. Orders production, dissemination, and transition
Step 1, Receipt of Mission - Key Input
  1. A plan received from higher headquarters, an order received from higher headquarters, or a new mission the commander anticipates
Step 1 - Process Steps
  1. Alert the staff and other key participants
  2. Gather the tools
  3. Update running estimates
  4. Conduct an initial assessment
  5. Issue the commander's initial guidance
  6. Issue the initial warning order (WARNORD #1)
Step 1 - Key Outputs
  1. Commander's initial guidance
  2. Initial planning timeline (initial allocation of time)
  3. Warning order (WARNORD #1)
Commander's Initial Guidance
  1. Initial time allocations
  2. A decision to initiate Army design methodology or go straight into the MDMP
  3. How to abbreviate the MDMP, if required
  4. Necessary coordination to exchange liaison officers
  5. Authorized movements and initiation of information collection
  6. Collaborative planning times and locations
  7. Initial information requirements
  8. Additional staff tasks
WARNORD #1 - Minimum Content
  1. The type of operation
  2. The general location of the operation
  3. An initial timeline
  4. Any movement or information collection to initiate
Step 2, Mission Analysis - Key Inputs
  1. Commander's initial guidance
  2. Higher headquarters' plan or order
  3. Higher headquarters' intelligence and knowledge products
  4. Knowledge products from other organizations
  5. Running estimates
  6. Army design methodology products
Step 2 - Process Steps
  1. Analyze the higher headquarters' plan or order
  2. Perform the initial IPOE
  3. Determine specified, implied, and essential tasks
  4. Review available assets and identify resource shortfalls
  5. Determine constraints
  6. Identify facts and develop assumptions
  7. Begin risk assessment and management
  8. Develop initial CCIRs and EEFIs
  9. Develop the initial information collection plan
  10. Update operational and planning timelines
  11. Develop a proposed problem statement
  12. Develop a proposed mission statement
  13. Present the mission analysis briefing
  14. Issue initial commander's intent and revised commander's planning guidance
  15. Develop COA evaluation criteria
  16. Issue a warning order (WARNORD #2)
Step 2 - Key Outputs
  1. Problem statement
  2. Mission statement
  3. Initial commander's intent
  4. Revised commander's planning guidance
  5. Initial CCIRs and EEFIs
  6. Updated IPOE and running estimates
  7. Facts, assumptions, and constraints
  8. Evaluation criteria for COAs
  9. List of forces available
  10. Specified, implied, and essential tasks
  11. Initial information collection plan
  12. Updated operations and planning timelines
  13. Warning order (WARNORD #2)
Four Steps of Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB, also written IPOE)
  1. Define the operational environment
  2. Describe environmental effects on operations
  3. Evaluate the threat
  4. Determine threat course of action
Army Risk Management Process (5 steps)
  1. Identify the hazards
  2. Assess the hazards
  3. Develop controls and make risk decisions
  4. Implement controls
  5. Supervise and evaluate
Five Elements of a Mission Statement
  1. Who will execute the operation (unit or organization)
  2. What is the unit's essential task (tactical mission task)
  3. When will the operation begin (by time or event), or what is its duration
  4. Where will the operation occur (area of operations, objective, grid)
  5. Why will the force conduct the operation (purpose)
WARNORD #2 Content
  1. The approved mission statement
  2. The commander's intent
  3. Changes to task organization
  4. The unit area of operations (sketch, overlay, or other description)
  5. CCIRs and EEFIs
  6. Risk guidance
  7. Priorities by warfighting function
  8. Military deception guidance
  9. Essential stability tasks
  10. Initial information collection plan
  11. Specific priorities
  12. Updated operational timeline
  13. Movements
Step 3, COA Development - Key Inputs
  1. Mission statement
  2. Commander's intent
  3. Approved CCIRs and EEFIs
  4. Revised commander's planning guidance
  5. IPOE products and running estimates
  6. Specified, implied, and essential tasks
  7. Updated assumptions
Step 3 - Process Steps
  1. Assess relative combat power
  2. Generate options
  3. Array forces
  4. Develop a broad concept
  5. Assign headquarters
  6. Prepare COA statements and sketches
  7. Conduct a COA briefing
  8. Select or modify COAs and issue updated planning guidance
Step 3 - Key Outputs
  1. COA statements and sketches (tentative task organization; broad concept of operations)
  2. Revised commander's planning guidance
  3. Updated IPOE and running estimates
  4. Updated assumptions
COA Screening Criteria
  1. Feasible
  2. Acceptable
  3. Suitable
  4. Distinguishable
  5. Complete
Operational framework models
  1. Assigned areas
  2. Deep, close, and rear operations
  3. Main effort, supporting effort, and reserve
Historical Planning Ratios (friendly : enemy)
  1. Delay - 1:6
  2. Defend, prepared or fortified - 1:3
  3. Defend, hasty - 1:2.5
  4. Attack, prepared or fortified - 3:1
  5. Attack, hasty - 2.5:1
  6. Counterattack, flank - 1:1
Step 4, COA Analysis - Key Inputs
  1. Updated running estimates
  2. Revised commander's planning guidance
  3. COA statements and sketches
  4. Updated assumptions
Step 4 - Process Steps
  1. Gather the tools
  2. List all friendly forces
  3. List assumptions
  4. List known critical events and decision points
  5. Issue guidance
  6. Execute COA analysis and assess the results
  7. Conduct a COA analysis briefing (optional)
Step 4 - Key Outputs
  1. Refined COAs
  2. Potential decision points
  3. COA analysis (war-game) results
  4. COA synchronization matrix
  5. Initial assessment measures
  6. Updated running estimates
  7. Updated assumptions
War-Gaming Methods
  1. Belt - divides the area of operations into belts running its width; best for terrain divided into well-defined cross-compartments, for phased operations, or when the enemy is deployed in clearly defined belts
  2. Avenue-in-depth - analyzes one avenue of approach at a time, beginning with the decisive operation; good for offensive COAs, or for the defense where canalizing terrain inhibits mutual support
  3. Box - conducts detailed analysis of a critical area focused on the most decisive point; works best in a time-constrained environment, assuming subordinates handle operations outside the box
Techniques for Recording War-Game Results
  1. Synchronization matrix
  2. Sketch note
Step 5, COA Comparison - Key Inputs
  1. Updated running estimates
  2. Refined COAs
  3. Evaluation criteria
  4. War-game results
  5. Updated assumptions
Step 5 - Process Steps
  1. Conduct advantages and disadvantages analysis
  2. Compare courses of action
  3. Conduct a COA decision briefing
Step 5 - Key Outputs
  1. Evaluated COAs
  2. Recommended COAs
  3. Updated running estimates
  4. Updated assumptions
Step 6, COA Approval - Key Inputs
  1. Updated running estimates
  2. Evaluated COAs
  3. Recommended COA
  4. Updated assumptions
Step 6 - Process Step
  1. The commander approves a COA
Step 6 - Key Outputs
  1. Commander-approved COA and any modifications
  2. Refined commander's intent, CCIRs, and EEFIs
  3. Updated assumptions
Step 7, Orders Production, Dissemination, and Transition - Key Inputs
  1. Commander-approved COA and any modifications
  2. Refined commander's intent, CCIRs, and EEFIs
  3. Updated assumptions
Step 7 - Process Steps
  1. Produce and disseminate orders
  2. Transition from planning to operations
Step 7 - Key Outputs
  1. Approved operation plan or order
  2. Subordinates understand the plan or order
WARNORD #3 Content
  1. The area of operations
  2. The mission
  3. The commander's intent
  4. Updated CCIRs and EEFIs
  5. The concept of operations
  6. Principal tasks assigned to subordinate units
  7. Preparation and rehearsal instructions not included in SOPs
  8. A final timeline for the operation
Rehearsal Types
  1. Confirmation brief - normally conducted immediately following an operation order (OPORD) or fragmentary order (FRAGORD); ensures subordinate commanders understand the intent, task, purpose, and overall framework. It is not strictly a rehearsal type; it links the issuing of the order to the rehearsal process
  2. Backbrief - conducted throughout the MDMP; lets the higher commander learn how subordinates intend to accomplish their mission and identifies problems in their concept of operations
  3. Combined arms rehearsal - conducted by the maneuver unit headquarters after subordinates have issued their OPORDs; ensures subordinates' plans are synchronized and meet the higher commander's intent
  4. Support rehearsal - conducted by one or more related systems, such as fire support or sustainment; synchronizes a warfighting function with the overall operation
  5. Battle drill or standard operating procedure (SOP) rehearsal - ensures all participants understand a specific technique; normally conducted at platoon level and below
Rehearsal Methods
  1. Full dress - produces the most detailed understanding; consumes more time than any other method; most difficult at higher echelons
  2. Key leader - involves key leaders only; normally requires less time and presents less OPSEC risk than a full-dress rehearsal
  3. Terrain model - the most popular method; constructing the model usually consumes the most time
  4. Digital terrain model - a virtual representation of the area of operations; best suits small units
  5. Sketch map - usable almost anywhere, day or night; takes less time than a terrain model and more than a map
  6. Map - uses a map and operation overlay at the scale used to plan the operation; normally the easiest technique to set up
  7. Network - conducted over wide-area or local area networks; lends itself to multi-echelon rehearsals
Six Rehearsal Steps (During the Rehearsal)
  1. Enemy forces deployed
  2. Friendly forces deployed
  3. Initiate action
  4. Decision points
  5. End state reached
  6. Reset
Rehearsal Responsibilities
  1. Planning - commanders and chiefs of staff plan rehearsals
  2. Preparation - everyone involved in executing or supporting the rehearsal has responsibilities
  3. Execution - the commander, chief of staff (or executive officer), assistants, subordinate leaders, the recorder, and the conducting headquarters staff have specific responsibilities
  4. Assessment - the commander establishes the standard, and the commander (or the rehearsal director in the commander's absence) assesses and critiques all parts of the rehearsal

Key terms

Military decision-making process (MDMP)
An iterative planning method used to understand the situation and mission, develop a course of action, and produce an operation plan or order; an orderly, analytical process that integrates the activities of the commander, staff, and subordinate headquarters.
Running estimate
The continuous assessment of the current situation used to determine whether the current operation is proceeding according to the commander's intent and whether planned future operations are supportable. The commander and each staff element maintain one.
Specified task
A task specifically assigned to a unit by its higher headquarters. Specified tasks are found in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the higher headquarters' order, with some in paragraphs 4 and 5; they may also be listed in annexes or assigned verbally during collaborative planning.
Implied task
A task that must be performed in order to accomplish a specified task or the mission but that is not stated in the higher headquarters' order; it is derived from a detailed analysis of that order.
Essential task
A specified or implied task that must be executed to accomplish the mission. An essential task is always included in the unit's mission statement, and there can be more than one.
Constraint
A restriction placed on the command by a higher command that dictates an action or inaction, thereby restricting the freedom of action of a subordinate commander. Constraints are found in paragraph 3 of the operation order and may also appear in annexes, verbal guidance, warning orders, or policy memoranda.
Fact
A statement of truth or a statement thought to be true at the time. Facts about the operational and mission variables are the basis for situational understanding, continued planning, and assessing progress.
Assumption
A supposition about the current situation or a presupposition about the future course of events, assumed to be true in the absence of positive proof, that is necessary to enable the commander to complete an estimate of the situation and make a decision on the course of action.
Intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB)
The continuous, four-step process of defining the operational environment, describing environmental effects on operations, evaluating the threat, and determining threat courses of action. It is led by the staff's intelligence officer (S-2), but the entire staff participates. The lesson materials also abbreviate it IPOE.
Commander's critical information requirement (CCIR)
An information requirement identified by the commander as being critical to facilitating timely decision-making. A CCIR is specified by a commander for a specific operation, applies only to that commander, is situation dependent, and is time-sensitive. Its two categories are the priority intelligence requirement and the friendly force information requirement.
Priority intelligence requirement (PIR)
An intelligence requirement, stated as a priority for intelligence support, that the commander and staff need in order to understand the adversary or the operational environment. A PIR is a category of CCIR.
Friendly force information requirement (FFIR)
Information the commander and staff need in order to understand the status of friendly forces and supporting capabilities. An FFIR is a category of CCIR.
Essential element of friendly information (EEFI)
An element of information to protect rather than one to collect. EEFIs identify friendly force information that, if compromised, would jeopardize mission success. EEFIs are not CCIRs.
Mission statement
A statement of the organization's essential task or tasks and purpose, containing the elements who, what, when, where, and why.
Problem statement
A description of the primary issue or issues that may impede commanders from achieving their desired end states. The staff develops it for the commander's approval, usually during Army design methodology or, if ADM was not initiated, during mission analysis.
Evaluation criteria
Standards the commander and staff will later use to measure the relative effectiveness and efficiency of one course of action against the others. They are developed during mission analysis in order to eliminate a source of bias prior to COA analysis and comparison.
Combat power
The total means of destructive, constructive, and information capabilities that a military unit or formation can apply at a given time; it is the effect created by combining the elements of the warfighting functions, information, and leadership.
Critical event
An event that directly influences mission accomplishment. Critical events include events that trigger significant actions or decisions, complicated actions requiring detailed study, and essential tasks.
Decision point
A point in space and time at which the commander or staff anticipates making a key decision concerning a specific course of action. It does not dictate what the decision is, only that one must be made and when and where.
COA comparison
An objective process to evaluate courses of action independently and against set evaluation criteria approved by the commander and staff, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and enable selection of the course of action with the highest probability of success.
Rehearsal
A coordination event, not an analysis, that lets leaders and Soldiers practice key aspects of the concept of operations. It is the commander's tool to ensure that staffs and subordinates understand the commander's intent and the concept of operations, and it does not replace war-gaming.

Testable points

  • FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations, chapter 9, is the governing reference for the MDMP; chapter 12 covers rehearsals, and Appendix C contains the base order formats.
  • Commanders initiate the MDMP on receipt of a plan from higher headquarters, on receipt of an order from higher headquarters, or when they anticipate a new mission.
  • The current operations integration cell (called the current operations section in the S-3 in some units) alerts the staff of the pending planning requirement and also notifies other military, civilian, and host-nation organizations as required.
  • As a rule, commanders allocate a minimum of two-thirds of available time to subordinate units for their planning and preparation, keeping one-third for themselves and their staffs.
  • Time, more than any other factor, determines the detail to which the commander and staff can plan.
  • The executive officer develops the staff planning timeline from the commander's allocation of time; it is the staff's roadmap through completion of the MDMP and includes times and locations for meetings and briefings.
  • The initial assessment determines the planning and preparation time for the headquarters and subordinates, guidance on Army design methodology and abbreviating the MDMP, which outside agencies to contact, and the staff's experience, cohesiveness, and level of rest or stress.
  • The initial information collection plan belongs to WARNORD #2, not WARNORD #1; WARNORD #1 names only the movement or information collection to initiate.
  • The commander's initial guidance is a key output of receipt of mission and a key input to mission analysis; the initial planning guidance is a key output of mission analysis, not an input to it.
  • The higher headquarters' order is received in step 1 but analyzed in step 2, which makes the entire order a key input to mission analysis.
  • Mission analysis is the most important lesson in the MDMP series, because no amount of subsequent planning can solve an insufficiently understood problem.
  • IPOE is led by the S-2, but all staff sections participate, and it is a continuous process.
  • During mission analysis the commander and staff focus on the first two risk management steps - identify the hazards and assess the hazards; the chief of protection (or the operations officer where there is no protection cell), with the safety officer, integrates risk management into the MDMP.
  • Typically commanders identify ten or fewer CCIRs; minimizing the number assists in prioritizing the allocation of limited resources.
  • The intelligence staff creates the requirements management tools, but the operations staff is responsible for the information collection plan, which is incorporated into Annex L of the order.
  • Developing initial themes and messages is a process step of mission analysis, and proposed themes and messages are presented at the mission analysis briefing.
  • Only the proposed mission statement is presented at the mission analysis briefing; the commander approves or modifies it at the end of the brief.
  • Evaluation criteria are developed separately for every iteration of the MDMP.
  • Relative combat power assessment begins with a rough estimate of maneuver units two echelons below the unit's own; force ratios alone must not drive COA selection.
  • A sound COA presents an overall combined arms idea that accomplishes the mission; a good COA can defeat all feasible enemy COAs and is in line with the commander's intent.
  • The span of control for a headquarters is between two and five subordinate units.
  • One COA sketch is required per COA to be analyzed.
  • The war-game follows an action-reaction-counteraction cycle: the side with the initiative begins each turn with the action, the opposing side reacts, and the initiating side closes with a counteraction.
  • Updating assumptions is a key output of COA analysis, not one of its process steps.
  • On the decision matrix the best COA is ranked "1", ranks are multiplied by their weights, and the lowest total is the recommended COA; judgment nonetheless remains a critical factor, and staffs cannot rely solely on the matrix.
  • If the staff cannot reach a decision, the executive officer decides which COA to recommend.
  • The commander may approve, reject, modify, or create a COA and is not bound by the staff's recommendation; the commander states the risk they are willing to accept in the final planning guidance.
  • The COA statement becomes the concept of operations, and the COA sketch becomes the basis for the operation overlay.
  • Commanders sign the base order but do not generally sign annexes, appendices, or tabs; the S-3 may be delegated authority to sign on the commander's behalf, and subordinates immediately acknowledge receipt.
  • In the plans-to-operations transition, responsibility for maintaining and developing the plan shifts from the plans or future operations cell to the current operations cell, which then controls execution.
  • The commander establishes the standard for a successful rehearsal, and the chief of staff or executive officer is normally the rehearsal director.
  • Commanders avoid making major changes to OPORDs during rehearsals, making only those changes essential to mission success and risk mitigation.
  • All changes to a published OPORD made at a rehearsal are in effect verbal FRAGORDs and must be published as a written FRAGORD as soon as possible.

References

FM 6-0ADP 5-0ATP 2-01.3FM 1-02.2

Command Administrative Issues for Signal Leaders 113-SCCCA02

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDefine Administrative & Operational Procedures in a command environment.

StandardDefine a Commander's common administrative challenges & solutions in a clear and concise manner, without error. Define a Commander's maintenance responsibilities in a clear and concise manner, without error. Define a Commander's supply responsibilities in a clear and concise manner, without error. Identify best operational practices for a Signal Commander in a clear and concise manner, without error.

A 4.0-hour lesson covering the concerns and responsibilities that arise during a company command tenure, taught in four learning steps: administrative challenges and solutions, maintenance responsibilities, supply responsibilities, and best operational practices for a Signal commander. The administrative block covers evaluations, awards, the commander's legal responsibilities under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), medical readiness, personnel actions and separations, leaves and passes, financial liability and emergency financial assistance, investigations and reporting, and unit-level programs and reporting (the Unit Prevention Leader, the Unit Command Finance Report and the Soldier Family Readiness Group). The maintenance block covers rolling stock, signal maintenance, readiness reporting systems, test, measurement and diagnostic equipment (TMDE), weapons and CBRNE maintenance, GCSS-Army, and the Equipment Status Report. The supply block is built on the Command Supply Discipline Program and the inventory types a commander owns: change of command, cyclic, and special items, plus lateral transfers, turn-ins, ordering shortages, bill of material (BOM) updates and supply support activity (SSA) runs. The recurring theme is that a commander is not expected to be a legal or logistics expert but must recognize the issue, consult the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) or the appropriate specialist, and document accurately and on time.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Commander's core legal responsibilities
  1. Upholding the UCMJ
  2. Due process
  3. Legal compliance
  4. Reporting requirements
  5. Protecting Soldier rights
  6. Command influence prevention
Commander's legal responsibilities - specific areas of focus
  1. Discipline
  2. Investigations
  3. Administrative separations
  4. Claims and legal assistance
  5. Fiscal responsibility
Key elements of the Command Supply Discipline Program
  1. Commander's responsibility
  2. Preventative measures
  3. Continuous monitoring
  4. Accountability at all levels
  5. Integration with operations
Types of investigations a commander initiates
  1. 15-6 investigation
  2. Article 32 investigation
  3. Command investigation
Reporting requirements
  1. Serious Incident Reporting (SIR)
  2. Equal Opportunity (EO) complaints
  3. Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Program (SHARP)
Change of command inventory key areas
  1. Personnel and administration
  2. Financial and property
  3. Operations and readiness
  4. Information technology
Information technology portion of the change of command inventory
  1. Hardware inventory
  2. Software licenses
  3. Network accounts
  4. Data backups
  5. Cybersecurity status
ETS separation key steps
  1. Initiation (6-12 months prior)
  2. Counseling (mandatory, documented on DA Form 4856)
  3. Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
  4. Final outprocessing
Administrative separation key steps
  1. Notice of intent
  2. Opportunity to respond
  3. Separation authority decision
  4. Outprocessing
General considerations for all separations
  1. Accuracy
  2. Timeliness
  3. Legal review (SJA)
  4. Soldier support
Categories of TMDE
  1. Test equipment
  2. Measurement equipment
  3. Diagnostic equipment
  4. Calibration equipment
  5. Specialized test sets
  6. Software-based TMDE
Unit Prevention Leader (UPL) key areas
  1. Risk reduction and prevention
  2. Early intervention and support
  3. Discipline and good order
  4. Training and education
  5. Liaison and coordination
Unit Command Finance Report (UCFR) key areas
  1. Fund Site Number (FSN) and Budget Category Codes (BCC)
  2. Budget Authority (BA)
  3. Expenditure details broken down by BCC
  4. Explanation of variances
  5. Commander's certification
  6. Supporting documentation
Soldier Family Readiness Group (SFRG) key areas
  1. Communication and information dissemination
  2. Deployment support
  3. Family support and advocacy
  4. Unit support
  5. Training and readiness

Key terms

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
10 U.S.C. 47. Federal law governing the U.S. armed forces: it defines military offenses and establishes a court system. It applies to active-duty personnel, reservists on duty, and in some circumstances retirees.
Article 15 (Non-Judicial Punishment)
Authorizes commanders to impose non-judicial punishment for minor offenses committed by Soldiers under their command; a streamlined disciplinary process without the formality of a court-martial, often referred to as administrative punishment.
Article 86
Absence Without Leave: any unauthorized absence of a service member from their assigned duty location or place of confinement. Desertion is the more severe offense involving intent to permanently abandon military service.
Article 92
Failure to obey a lawful order from a superior officer; successful prosecution hinges on demonstrating the order was lawful and properly given.
Article 107
False official statements: making a false representation in official documentation. It covers falsified records, inaccurate reports and intentional omission of crucial information, not only lies told to investigators.
Article 134
The general 'catch-all' article prohibiting conduct unbecoming and offenses not specifically defined by other articles that violate good order and discipline. It is also the authority under which a commander addresses financial responsibility for lost government property.
Referral authority
The commander's decision whether to refer charges to a court-martial or dispose of them non-judicially under Article 15.
Unauthorized Absence (UA)
A Soldier absent from the duty location without proper authorization but intending to return; usually short. Report within 24 hours of discovering the absence and attempt to contact the Soldier to determine the reason.
Absent Without Leave (AWOL)
A Soldier absent from the duty location without authorization and with intent to remain away permanently or for an extended period. Report immediately, initiate an investigation, and consider disciplinary action. The key difference from UA is intent.
15-6 investigation
A formal inquiry to investigate allegations of misconduct, determine the facts and recommend action; used for incidents that do not warrant court-martial. Scope covers fraud, waste, abuse and regulatory violations. The commander initiates it, appoints an investigating officer, gives guidance and reviews the final report.
Article 32 investigation
A pre-trial investigation to determine whether there is probable cause to believe a crime was committed and that the accused committed it - a preliminary hearing before a court-martial. The report goes to the convening authority, who decides on referral.
Command investigation
An investigation of minor infractions or policy violations (e.g., minor safety violations, SOP breaches) that do not require the formality of a 15-6 or Article 32; limited in scope, led directly by the commander.
Serious Incident Report (SIR)
Report of significant incidents that could negatively affect the Army - criminal activity, accidental deaths, serious injuries, significant property loss or damage, and adverse media coverage. Generally submitted within 24-72 hours of discovery through the chain of command.
Army Emergency Relief (AER)
The primary source of financial assistance for Soldiers and their families. The commander's role is to be aware, counsel and refer - never to provide personal loans to Soldiers.
Recoupment
The primary method of debt collection - deducting a portion of the Soldier's pay. Strict limits apply to protect the Soldier's basic financial needs, and the SJA is consulted before any substantial debt action.
Command Supply Discipline Program (CSDP)
A comprehensive, commander-driven system to ensure responsible management and accountability of all classes of supply - proactive prevention rather than reaction, building a culture of ownership and control over resources.
Cyclic inventory
Regularly scheduled, small-scale inventories of specific items or groups of items, designed to detect loss, damage or discrepancies before they become major problems. Typically all items are covered within 12 months, more often for high-risk items.
Special Items Inventory (SII)
An on-demand inventory directed by higher headquarters (brigade or division) because of the nature of the property. Triggers include change of command, loss or theft investigations, audits, deployment/redeployment, and significant mission change. It requires 100% physical verification - no sampling.
Lateral transfer
Redistribution of equipment between units to meet changing operational needs, fill shortages or balance workloads; requires pre-transfer inspection, NSN and serial number verification, hand receipts both ways, a joint inventory at the point of transfer, and property book updates in both units.
GCSS-Army
Global Combat Support System - Army: the web-based system integrating supply chain management, maintenance, property accountability and financial management, replacing multiple legacy systems as a single source of truth for equipment and logistics data. Modules include Property Book Online, Supply, Maintenance, Total Cost of Ownership, Financials and Reporting.
Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE)
The specialized equipment used to test, measure, diagnose, calibrate and repair Army systems - not the equipment being maintained, but the tools used to maintain it.
Equipment Status Report (ESR)
The readiness report listing assigned equipment and its status codes, maintenance actions, shortages and remarks. GCSS-Army generates it automatically; unit personnel validate it and submit it electronically.
ESR status codes
FMC (fully operational), FMC/SM (fully capable but scheduled maintenance due), PMC (limitations but still performs its primary function), NMC-UR (needs immediate repair), NMC-RC (repair as part of a scheduled cycle), NA (unavailable, e.g. overhaul or awaiting parts).
ORILS
Organizational Readiness Information Logistics System: as taught in this lesson, the Army's web-based system for equipment visibility, maintenance management, readiness reporting and digital inspection, which integrates with GCSS-Army. Caution: this system name is used only in this lesson's own material and is not a recognized Army system elsewhere, so learn it for this lesson and do not carry it outside.
Rolling stock
All self-propelled vehicles and trailers used by the Army to transport personnel, equipment and supplies.

Testable points

  • The lesson is 4.0 hours and is organized into four learning steps: administrative challenges and solutions, maintenance responsibilities, supply responsibilities, and best operational practices for a Signal commander.
  • The UCMJ was enacted by Congress in 1950 and currently comprises 146 articles; the Manual for Courts-Martial provides the rules and procedures for investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating offenses.
  • The UCMJ court system consists of summary court-martial (minor offenses), special court-martial (more serious), general court-martial (most serious), the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces as the highest military appellate court.
  • Commanders are not expected to be legal experts; their responsibility is to recognize legal issues, seek Staff Judge Advocate guidance, and implement legal advice - 'when in doubt, consult counsel'.
  • Article 15 is intended as the commander's primary tool for most disciplinary issues; a court-martial should not be the automatic default. The Soldier still gets written notice of charges, an opportunity to present a defense, and the ability to request witnesses.
  • UA is reported within 24 hours of discovering the absence; AWOL is reported immediately with no waiting period.
  • Intent is the single distinguishing factor between UA and AWOL: UA implies intent to return, AWOL implies intent to stay away.
  • A commander must never provide a personal loan to a Soldier; the correct action is to counsel and refer the Soldier to Army Emergency Relief or other appropriate organizations.
  • Establishing financial liability requires proving that government property was lost, damaged or destroyed; that the Soldier was responsible for it; and that the loss was caused by the Soldier's negligence or willful misconduct.
  • Recoupment - deducting a portion of pay - is the primary method of debt collection, and there are strict limits on how much can be recouped to protect the Soldier's basic financial needs.
  • ETS separation begins 6-12 months prior to the ETS date and follows four steps: initiation, mandatory counseling, Transition Assistance Program, and final outprocessing.
  • The DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the Soldier's official record of service and must be reviewed for accuracy before departure; errors affect VA benefits eligibility.
  • Medical separation runs through medical evaluation, the Physical Evaluation Board (which determines fitness for duty), notification and counseling, then outprocessing.
  • Administrative separation begins with a written Notice of Intent; the Soldier has the right to respond and present a defense before the commander makes the final decision.
  • Reenlistment and extension must be completely voluntary; coercion or undue pressure is prohibited and Soldiers have an absolute right to refuse without fear of reprisal.
  • Leave is requested on DA Form 31 through the chain of command under AR 600-8-10; unit SOPs may be more restrictive but cannot contradict the regulation. Emergency leave uses DA Form 31 with 'Emergency' clearly marked to expedite processing.
  • Medical readiness is a command responsibility, split into Individual Medical Readiness (IMR) and Unit Medical Readiness (UMR), with deployment readiness overlapping both.
  • Equal Opportunity complaints must be reported to the EO advisor and tracked through established reporting systems; the commander must ensure a fair and impartial process and take corrective action.
  • SHARP reports may be made through restricted or unrestricted reporting; immediate reporting is critical and the commander must avoid any action that could discourage reporting or retaliate against victims.
  • The commander holds ultimate accountability for property even though supply duties are delegated; a robust property accountability system is treated as a direct indicator of the commander's leadership effectiveness.
  • A Special Items Inventory requires 100% physical verification with no sampling allowed, and COMSEC accountability receives the highest level of scrutiny.
  • Any inventory discrepancy - overage, shortage or incorrect condition code - is reported on a DD Form 200, which initiates the investigation process.
  • The ESR is generated automatically by GCSS-Army from unit maintenance records, supply transactions, calibration data and operator input; the maintenance officer or NCOIC validates it before electronic submission. Submission frequency varies with unit status and mission.
  • The main ongoing challenges with TMDE are cost of purchase, maintenance and calibration; obsolescence; calibration management; training; and the supply chain for spare parts.
  • In the best-practices block the lesson makes two points: an accurate points-of-contact list saves a commander valuable time on sensitive issues, and TTPs and lessons learned must be considered when making key decisions.

References

AR 15-6AR 27-1AR 27-3AR 27-10AR 40-502DA PAM 40-502AR 190-45AR 600-8-10AR 600-8-22AR 600-8-105AR 600-20AR 600-85DA PAM 600-85AR 601-280AR 623-3DA PAM 623-3AR 635-8AR 672-20AR 710-2AR 710-3AR 710-4DA PAM 710-2-210 U.S.C. 47 (UCMJ)

Operations in a Nuclear Environment 031-CCC CNI

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveUnderstand how nuclear weapons employment may affect operations in BN and BDE formations.

StandardIdentify BN and BDE formation vulnerabilities to nuclear weapons effects. Understand impacts of the post-nuclear strike environment to operations in support of tactical objectives at the BN and BDE level.

A 2-hour CUI lesson analyzing current Army doctrine for operating in a nuclear environment, taught in three learning steps: preparing for a friendly nuclear strike, nuclear hazard analysis requirements in the operations order, and tactical opportunities in the post-strike environment. It teaches the four prompt effects (blast, thermal radiation, prompt nuclear radiation and EMP) plus the delayed effect of fallout, and models them against a 10 kT detonation to show how far each effect reaches. The central argument is that tactical formations are surprisingly survivable: two 100 kT weapons would cause significant company and battalion damage but an ABCT in combat posture could likely continue its attack. Fallout is a hazard area requiring protective measures and a few days of planning, not an obstacle that denies terrain. The lesson then walks warfighting-function considerations, the OEG/RES system for managing radiation exposure, minimum safe distances and the STRIKWARN/CBRN 3 reports, and a battalion attack scenario on NTC terrain where the unit executes React to Nuclear Attack and the Rapid Decision-Making and Synchronization Process. The concluding point is that applying time, distance and shielding must enable aggressive maneuver, so that the enemy does not win simply by using a nuclear weapon.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

The five hazards of a nuclear detonation
  1. Blast
  2. Thermal radiation
  3. Prompt (initial) nuclear radiation
  4. Electro-magnetic pulse (EMP)
  5. Fallout (residual nuclear radiation)
Means of achieving nuclear survivability
  1. Avoidance - using mobility, concealment, dispersion and deception to avoid attack
  2. Mitigation - using field-expedient techniques units can readily employ with what is available
  3. Reconstitution - the ability to repair or replace equipment on the battlefield in time to complete the mission
  4. Redundancy - proliferating enough dispersed systems and components that losing a few does not affect the mission
Fundamentals of radiation protection
  1. Time - reduce time in contaminated areas; survey to establish extent, conduct dose monitoring at all levels, decontaminate
  2. Distance - dispersion and contamination avoidance
  3. Shielding - appropriate PPE, constructing and hardening shelters, armored vehicles, wetting down or compacting defensive positions, using natural terrain
Warfighting function considerations for operations in a nuclear environment
  1. Command and control
  2. Intelligence
  3. Movement and maneuver
  4. Fires
  5. Protection
  6. Sustainment
Tasks and processes the lesson references
  1. 03-BDE-0065 Prepare for Operations Under CBRN Conditions
  2. 03-BDE-0066 Prepare for a Nuclear Attack (Brigade / Command Level)
  3. 03-BDE-0067 Prepare for a Friendly Nuclear Strike (Brigade / Command Level)
  4. React to Nuclear Attack (CO-DIV)
  5. Rapid Decision-Making and Synchronization Process (RDSP)

Key terms

Prompt effects
The most catastrophic nuclear effects, which occur and are complete within about one minute of detonation: blast, thermal radiation, initial (prompt) nuclear radiation, and electro-magnetic pulse.
Blast
Creates overpressure (crushing) and dynamic pressure (winds), plus cratering and ground shock that can affect underground facilities. Blast travels at the speed of sound, so there is some time to take a protective posture after seeing the flash.
Thermal radiation
Generates tremendous heat that creates fires and burns personnel, and produces very bright light that can temporarily or permanently blind personnel. It travels near the speed of light, so whatever protective posture you are in at detonation is the protection you get.
Initial (prompt) nuclear radiation
Radiation created by the nuclear event itself; an invisible threat that creates biological effects manifesting over time. Like thermal radiation, it arrives at about the speed of light.
Electro-magnetic pulse (EMP)
Strong electromagnetic fields in the atmosphere that interact with antennas and electronics and can damage electrical equipment. It is the least consequential prompt effect for a tactical unit.
Fallout
The delayed effect occurring after one minute. If the fireball touches the ground, vaporized soil mixes with radioactive fission products, condenses into small radioactive dust-like particles, is carried downwind and falls to the ground as a radiation hazard.
Militarily significant fallout
Fallout at levels that matter to operations. Nuclear weapons can be employed at a fallout-safe height of burst so the fireball never consumes ground material - the technique used in both U.S. nuclear attacks in World War II.
Height of burst (HOB)
The altitude of the detonation. In the lesson's 10 kT model the HOB is 138 m, the height that maximizes blast effect distances - a deliberate worst case for troops in the open. A separate consideration is whether the HOB is fallout-safe, which depends on the fireball not touching the ground.
Nuclear survivability
The capability of a system or infrastructure to withstand exposure to nuclear environments without losing the ability to accomplish its designated mission throughout its life cycle.
Hardening
The employment of any design or manufacturing technique to an item, system or infrastructure that allows it to resist temporary or permanent malfunction and degraded performance.
Operational Exposure Guidance (OEG)
The commander's guidance limiting radiation exposure - the maximum amount of nuclear/external ionizing radiation the operational (theater) commander considers a unit may receive while performing a particular mission. Effectively a 'this much and no more' limit.
Radiation Exposure Status (RES)
The administrative category a unit is placed in once exposed to radiation; the method commanders use to track unit dose and the operational impact of that exposure. For combat operations RES 1 runs from 0.05 cGy to 75 cGy.
STRIKWARN
A NATO standard Strike Warning report issued by theater commanders to tell friendly forces the time, location and minimum safe distances of friendly nuclear strikes. It also identifies fallout-producing strikes.
CBRN 3 (NUC) report
The US/NATO standard report required for a fallout-producing strike, indicating where fallout is predicted given current weather. Radiation reconnaissance later establishes the actual contaminated areas.
Minimum Safe Distance (MSD)
The distance beyond which there is 99% assurance that less than 1% of forces in a given protective posture will receive incapacitating injuries. MSD 1 is for trained forces in a warned and protected posture (the equivalent of open foxholes); MSD 2 is for trained forces unwarned and unprotected. MSDs are disseminated in the STRIKWARN.
Rapid Decision-Making and Synchronization Process (RDSP)
A staff battle drill, used alongside or instead of MDMP, that a unit enters after a nuclear attack radically alters terrain or causes heavy attrition of combat power.
Mobility (M) kill / catastrophic (K) kill
The two effect ranges used to depict nuclear damage to armored vehicles - a mobility kill immobilizes the vehicle, a catastrophic kill destroys it.
Flashblindness and retinal burn
Thermal-radiation injuries from the extremely bright light of a detonation; flashblindness is temporary, retinal burn is permanent damage, and both can occur beyond the range of blast injury.

Testable points

  • A nuclear detonation produces five hazards: blast, thermal radiation, prompt nuclear radiation, electro-magnetic pulse, and fallout (residual radiation).
  • Four of the five effects are prompt - complete within about one minute; only fallout is delayed and it remains on the battlefield for days.
  • Thermal radiation travels near the speed of light and blast at the speed of sound, which is why Soldiers can react to the flash but not to the heat.
  • For a 10 kT weapon detonated at 138 m over flat terrain with unprotected troops, personnel within about 2 km receive third-degree burns and the limit of second-degree burns is about 2.7 km.
  • For the same detonation, blast pressure has significant effects out to about 1.7 km where eardrums could rupture; within 500 m more than half of Soldiers will be combat ineffective from pressure and winds exceed 300 mph.
  • Prompt nuclear radiation in that model arrives at about the speed of light; personnel within about 1.7 km may become casualties and at 1.4 km receive a lethal dose. Overall, significant effects on personnel are limited to about 2 km.
  • Protection changes those distances dramatically - troops in prepared earthworks, foxholes, an armored vehicle or on the reverse slope of a hill would be affected at much shorter ranges.
  • EMP is the least consequential prompt effect for tactical units: at ranges where EMP would destroy a radio, blast and thermal effects would already have crushed and burned it.
  • Fallout forms only if the fireball touches the ground and vaporizes surface material; if it does not, the radioactive particles stay very small, rise into the high atmosphere and disperse on prevailing winds.
  • Fallout does not create an obstacle that denies terrain - it creates a hazard area requiring protective measures and some planning adjustment, likely for a couple of days.
  • Radiation dose depends on arrival time and stay time: a person arriving one hour after detonation and staying 48 hours faces a far larger hazard than one arriving at 12, 24 or 48 hours and staying only eight.
  • At 75 cGy about 1 in 10 Soldiers can be expected to have degraded performance within six hours, with about 1 in 100 requiring medical evacuation; at 125 cGy about 1 in 4 may fall out, with a smaller fraction needing evacuation. 75 cGy is effectively the lower limit for reporting an increase in radiation exposure.
  • In the green (negligible) fallout band more than 1 in 10 of personnel may fall out from radiation sickness within six hours; in the yellow (emergency) band more than 1 in 4; in the red band more than half would die within 30 days if untreated. Blue is the civilian lifesaving band.
  • The protective mask and JSLIST do practically nothing to protect troops from nuclear radiation; the mask's value is preventing inhalation of contaminated dust, and the filter should be discarded after transiting a fallout area.
  • Decontamination after fallout means removing dust - it needs bulk water or brooms, not necessarily a CBRN unit.
  • Evacuation from a fallout area should be paramount; if evacuation is not possible, radiation monitoring becomes the primary requirement.
  • A Joint Staff study modeled two 100 kT weapons, detonated at a fallout-safe height of burst, against an ABCT arrayed for an attack: significant impacts at company and battalion level, but the ABCT could likely continue operations if trained and able to react.
  • In the battalion scenario, a 10 kT weapon produced 2 MBTs and 1 BFV destroyed, 3 MBTs and 3 BFVs requiring repair, and 18 KIA and 18 WIA.
  • Radiation effects take time to develop - the onset of combat ineffectiveness from radiation sickness comes roughly 4 to 8 hours after detonation - so monitoring radiation and educating Soldiers minimizes combat power lost to Soldiers who are merely worried about exposure.
  • Command and control degradation after a detonation stems from EMP, atmospheric ionization, dust and affected receivers and transmitters, but the battle drill to re-establish communications is the same one units already train.
  • Nuclear-specific tasks are a minority of what a struck formation does; most tasks - RDSP, casualty evacuation, react to contact, route planning, vehicle recovery - are already practiced for LSCO.
  • STRIKWARN and CBRN 3 reports should be CCIR in every formation, because receiving them indicates an imminent nuclear strike in theater.
  • For a friendly strike, the force knows when, where and with what - so the staff can predict obstacles from planned yields, heights of burst and strike times and plan to exploit the advantage, most likely through RDSP rather than a full MDMP cycle.
  • Commander decisions in the face of a nuclear-capable enemy include dispersing forces (at the cost of massing and line-of-sight communications), changing the scheme of maneuver if key terrain or mobility corridors are affected, and task organizing a larger reserve at higher echelons.
  • There is a time-for-risk trade available - delaying to reduce exposure - but it cedes the initiative to the enemy.

References

ATP 3-72JP 3-72JP 3-11ATP 3-11.32ATP 3-11.36ATP 3-37.34FM 3-11ADP 3-0ADP 5-0FM 5-0ADRP 1-02TM 3-11.322022 Nuclear Posture Review

Training Management 113-UCCT101

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDefine a unit training program

StandardDefine a unit training program by defining the METL development process, identifying the steps for developing a unit training plan, identifying the steps for developing a unit training brief, defining the process for conducting a training event, and defining the process for evaluating a training event - each in a clear and concise manner, without error.

The largest lesson in Module A and the one that runs across the whole training management cycle: prioritize, plan and prepare, execute, evaluate and assess. It is taught in five parts under one terminal objective - METL development, developing a unit training plan, developing a training brief, conducting a training event, and evaluating one - and two of those parts carry practical exercises with their own action, condition and standard: develop a battalion-level training plan, and develop a battalion-level annual training brief. The site's coverage is built from two independent sources: the released 208-slide lesson deck, which supplies the doctrine, and appendices A through N of practical exercise 701T-SCCT103, which supply the worked battalion example - CATS, the approved METL, the Training and Evaluation Outlines, the long-range training plan worksheets and a brigade training-guidance base order.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Training Event Development Worksheet - eight steps
  1. Determine Mission Essential Tasks from the Standardized METL or Assigned Mission METL, using one MET per worksheet
  2. Find the collective task number for the MET
  3. Find the task sets associated with the MET using the CATS Viewer on ATN or the CATS Planning Tool in DTMS
  4. Enter the task set number related to the task set name
  5. Enter all recommended CATS crawl, walk and run events with their relevant information
  6. Repeat on a separate worksheet for all METs
  7. Analyze events - based on training days available and current MET assessments, determine which CATS events to select for the long-range planning calendar
  8. Enter events onto the sketch/concept calendar using backward planning, leaving ample white space for subordinate units to develop their own UTP
Contents of a CATS event description
  1. Execution guidance for the event
  2. Number of iterations and suggested duration
  3. TADSS to be used to create the needed training conditions
  4. Training audience
  5. Gates
  6. Ammunition
  7. Fuel (time or mileage)
  8. Training land, ranges and facilities
  9. Training support personnel
Commander's Dialogue topics
  1. The essential tasks to train
  2. The commander's current assessment of these tasks
  3. Planning horizon (time available to train)
  4. The operational environment the commander will create to replicate the OE
  5. Any training readiness issues
Approved METL - Combined Arms Battalion (ABCT)
  1. 17-BN-1074 Conduct a Movement to Contact - CAB (ABCT)
  2. 17-BN-1094 Conduct an Attack - CAB (ABCT)
  3. 17-BN-1030 Conduct an Area Defense - CAB (ABCT)
  4. 55-BN-4800 Conduct Expeditionary Deployment Operations at the Battalion Level
  5. 07-BN-1272 Conduct Area Security - Battalion
The five parts of the lesson standard
  1. Define the METL development process
  2. Identify the steps for developing a unit training plan
  3. Identify the steps for developing a unit training brief
  4. Define the process for conducting a training event
  5. Define the process for evaluating a training event
The four phases of the training management cycle
  1. Prioritizing training
  2. Planning and preparation
  3. Execution
  4. Evaluation and assessment
The commander's four principal inputs to the cycle
  1. Prioritized mission-essential tasks
  2. Weapons qualification
  3. Collective live-fire tasks
  4. The commander's assessment of the unit's training proficiencies
The three collective task proficiency ratings
  1. Trained (T) - advanced task proficiency, shortcomings require minimal training to meet the standard
  2. Practiced (P) - basic task proficiency with shortcomings that may require significant training
  3. Untrained (U) - the unit cannot perform the task and requires complete training on it
The three steps of a task crosswalk
  1. Step 1 - select the higher echelon task
  2. Step 2 - select subordinate collective tasks
  3. Step 3 - select the supporting individual tasks
Allocation of training by echelon in a typical brigade
  1. 70-80 percent at platoon level and below
  2. 10-15 percent at company
  3. 5-10 percent at battalion and brigade
The three planning horizons
  1. Long range - annual, beginning 1 October, published as annual training guidance with a long-range calendar
  2. Mid range - semi-annual and quarterly guidance and briefs (SATG/QTG, SATB/QTB) refining the annual guidance
  3. Short range - the T-Week, with training schedules published at T-6
The 8-step training model
  1. Plan the training event
  2. Train and certify leaders
  3. Recon training sites
  4. Issue the operations order
  5. Rehearse
  6. Train
  7. Conduct after action reviews
  8. Retrain
Training battle rhythm activities
  1. Training resource synchronization conferences
  2. Publishing formal training guidance (ATG, SATG, QTG)
  3. Training briefings (ATB, SATB, QTB)
  4. Training meetings
  5. Commander-to-commander dialogues
  6. Publishing company training schedules
  7. T-Week coordination
Crawl, walk, run events as the deck categorises them
  1. Run - FTX, live-fires
  2. Walk - STX, CPX, STAFFEX
  3. Crawl, if necessary - classes, lanes
Approval authority for changes to a published company training schedule
  1. T-6 to T-4 - battalion commander
  2. T-3 to T-2 - brigade commander
  3. Inside T-1 - division commander
What the commander two levels up approves
  1. Current unit training proficiencies
  2. MET priority, weapons qualification guidance and collective live-fire requirements
  3. The long-range plan - nested with higher, resourced appropriately, able to reach the desired end state
  4. Which lower priority tasks will not be trained until a later date

Key terms

Combined Arms Training Strategy (CATS)
Descriptive, task-based and event-driven unit training strategies that give AA and RC commanders a strategy for developing training plans that build or sustain unit training readiness throughout the SRM cycle. Each CATS is a menu of task sets providing a base strategy, developed from a thorough review of mission, doctrine and organization.
Task Set (TS)
A grouping of collective tasks from the Unit Task List that are logically trained together to achieve proficiency in a mission, function or capability. Task set numbers always contain 'TS' (for example 17-TS-1007, Conduct a Movement to Contact - Combined Arms Battalion (ABCT)).
Unit Task List (UTL)
The proponent-approved list of all collective tasks a unit can be required to perform; CATS uses all of them to create a holistic task-based, event-driven strategy.
Mission Essential Task (MET)
A task on the approved METL, expressed as a collective task number and title (for example 17-BN-1094, Conduct an Attack - CAB (ABCT)).
Supporting Collective Task (SCT)
A collective task listed under a MET that must be trained to enable that MET (for example 71-BN-5100, Conduct the Mission Command Operations Process for Battalions, supports every MET on the CAB METL).
Training and Evaluation Outline (T&EO)
The document contained in each task of a task set that identifies the task, conditions, standards, performance steps and measures.
Proficiency ratings
As used in the CATS events and T&EOs: T is complete task proficiency, which the T&EO calls fully trained; P is basic proficiency; P- is limited proficiency. Crawl events typically target P-, walk events P, and run events T.
Digital Training Management System (DTMS)
The system, containing the CATS Planning Tool, that commanders and leaders use to create a specific unit training plan for reaching and sustaining proficiency.
Army Training Network (ATN)
The web location of the CATS page and CATS Viewer, used with DTMS to find the task sets associated with a MET.
TADSS
Training aids, devices, simulators and simulations - material resources CATS incorporates to create the conditions a training event requires.
Crawl, walk, run
The levels of fidelity at which CATS events train the tasks in a task set, based on the training audience and the assumed proficiency at the SRM aim point. Each event carries a 'Condition' field naming its level.
Culminating Training Event (CTE)
The event a training strategy builds toward; in the base-order scenario the brigade's decisive operation for the unit training plan is a brigade collective training event at the National Training Center, entered only after subordinate units reach essential task proficiency.
Unit Training Plan (UTP)
The plan developed to achieve essential task proficiency within the brigade planning horizon; the base order directs MDMP complete and battalion UTP OPORDs issued by a set date.
Commander's Dialogue
The scheduled discussion between commander and higher commander covering the essential tasks to train, the current assessment of those tasks, the planning horizon, the operational environment to be replicated, and any training readiness issues.
Quarterly Training Brief (QTB)
The recurring brief battalions plan and coordinate in order to provide assessments on training events and training gate achievement.
Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE)
The training scenario model used to replicate the operational environment, described using the operational variables of PMESII-PT and used to resource OPFOR requirements.
Dynamic operational environment
As stated in the T&EO conditions: three or more operational and two or more mission variables change during execution of the assessed task.
Complex operational environment
As stated in the T&EO conditions: changes to four or more operational variables impact the chosen friendly course of action or mission.
Hybrid threat
As stated in the T&EO conditions: a diverse and dynamic combination of regular forces, irregular forces and criminal elements unified to achieve mutually benefiting effects.
Training gates
A field in every CATS event ('Training Gates / Action Gates') specifying the gates a unit must clear before that event - for example a TEWT gating a STAFFEX. Gate achievement is one of the things assessed and reported at the quarterly training brief.
Mission-essential task (MET)
A collective task on which an organization trains to be proficient in its designed capabilities or assigned mission.
Mission-essential task list (METL)
A tailored group of mission-essential tasks.
Standard METL
The METL most deployable company-level and above units have. It is proponent-developed and approved by Headquarters, Department of the Army, and reflects the unit's design capabilities. A MET assessment does not rely on the listed supporting collective tasks - the assessment of the MET stands on its own T&EO.
Assigned mission METL
Where the Army assigns a brigade or higher echelon a mission that does not fit neatly within its Department of the Army standard METL, mission analysis and commander's dialogue may identify additional METs critical to that mission. Generally associated with a regional deployment or an exercise with tasks assigned by a regional commander.
Battle task
A platoon or lower echelon collective task that is crucial to the successful accomplishment of a company, battery or troop mission-essential task. Platoons and below do not have METs or a METL, but they do have battle tasks.
Staff battle task
The staff collective and individual tasks that battalion and higher staffs select in the same manner as battle tasks, because they support the unit's METs. The senior member of each staff section approves them.
High-payoff task
A task that supports more than one of the organization's METs or battle tasks. Skills and proficiencies gained training a high-payoff task transfer to the other METs or battle tasks it supports, which is what makes it key to multi-echelon training.
Task crosswalk
The process of linking higher echelon tasks to lower echelon tasks based on mission requirements, so that units prioritize the tasks most important to train at each echelon. Individual tasks must link to a team, crew or squad battle task; squad battle tasks to a platoon battle task; platoon battle tasks to a company MET.
Trained (T)
Advanced task proficiency. The unit is trained; it has attained advanced task proficiency free of significant shortcomings, and its shortcomings require minimal training to meet the Army standard.
Practiced (P)
Basic task proficiency. The unit has attained basic task proficiency with shortcomings, and those shortcomings may require significant training to meet the Army standard.
Untrained (U)
Cannot perform the task. The unit requires complete training on the task to achieve the Army standard. Commanders should specify which tasks are to remain untrained, so subordinates know what risk their senior leaders have accepted.
Task mastery
A training concept that entails successfully executing multiple iterations of a task under the most challenging, changing and dynamic conditions while adjusting for changes in the operational environment. There is no proficiency rating for task mastery - it is a goal beyond fully trained, not a fourth rating.
Training management cycle
The process of prioritizing training, planning and preparation, execution, and the evaluation and assessment of training. The commander drives it by prioritizing training and assessing unit training proficiencies.
Time management system
A method of protecting allocated training time and resources for subordinate units. The most common one in the Army is the green-amber-red cycle.
Green cycle
Units in the green cycle have training resource priority and focus on unit collective training. Higher commanders protect them from taskings and training distracters.
Amber cycle
Amber cycle units have training resource priority behind green cycle units, and focus training on individual, leader and battle task proficiency.
White space
Time deliberately left available on the training calendar for subordinate units to develop their own crawl-walk-run events and unit training plans. Also called green space.
Annual training guidance (ATG)
The formal document a unit publishes once its long-range training plan is approved, carrying a training calendar that sequences training events with resources over time to reach the desired proficiency. Publication is top-down, on a fiscal-year framework beginning 1 October.
Semi-annual and quarterly training guidance (SATG/QTG)
Mid-range guidance that refines the execution of the annual training guidance, on a semi-annual or quarterly cycle.
Training briefing (ATB/SATB/QTB)
The briefing that provides approval of long-range training plans and periodic updates of subordinate unit training progress to senior commanders. Annual, semi-annual and quarterly training briefings are given to the commander two levels above; Reserve Component annual training briefings go to the next higher commander.
Training battle rhythm
The sequence of training activities, meetings, briefings, conferences and reports a commander establishes to integrate and synchronize training and to regulate the flow and sharing of training information across the command.
T-Week
A planning technique that identifies the critical actions and activities to accomplish prior to each training event. T-Week is the week of execution; T-6 is six weeks prior. Units develop and tailor their own T-Week actions and timelines to local command requirements.
8-step training model
A logical framework of activities and actions to plan and execute small unit - platoon and below - training that is not complex and does not require extensive resourcing or long-range planning. Training models are developed by the unit; the new FM 7-0 presents no graphic for it.
Training objective
A statement that specifies the desired outcome of a training event. Commanders define one by clearly identifying the tasks, conditions and standards and the expected outcomes; it describes the purpose - the why - of each event, is tied to each task's T&EO conditions and standards, and builds progressively over the planning horizon.
Situational training exercise (STX)
An exercise conducted in a simulated tactical environment to train mission-based collective tasks. An STX usually contains multiple collective tasks linked into a realistic scenario of a military operation, sometimes with free play, and provides immediate feedback through integrated after action reviews.
Field training exercise (FTX)
A multi-echelon exercise conducted under simulated tactical operations in a live field environment, exercising command and control, communications, movement and operations against an actual or simulated OPFOR. FTXs include all organic and attached personnel and units and are resource intensive.
Command post exercise (CPX)
A multi-echelon exercise focused on tasks supporting communications, command and control systems and procedures, conducted in garrison or the field using a tactical scenario. It physically replicates actual operational distances between command posts as far as practicable, and trains and evaluates staff battle task proficiency.
Staff exercise (STAFFEX)
A battalion and above exercise that trains unit staffs to perform tasks essential to command and control planning, coordination, integration, synchronization and control under simulated operational conditions. Used to evaluate staff battle task proficiency.
External evaluation (EXEVAL)
A scenario-driven evaluation of a unit's training proficiency conducted by leaders from outside the evaluated unit's chain of command. The commander two levels above the evaluated unit directs and resources it.

Testable points

  • The terminal learning objective action is to define a unit training program. The standard breaks that into five parts: define the METL development process, identify the steps for developing a unit training plan, identify the steps for developing a unit training brief, define the process for conducting a training event, and define the process for evaluating a training event.
  • The lesson carries two practical exercises with their own objectives. The first is to develop a battalion-level training plan that includes a long-range training calendar, a training priorities worksheet, a training objectives worksheet, a training event development worksheet and a training assessment slide. The second is to develop an annual training brief that includes commander's training guidance, a current training proficiency assessment, training priorities, training objectives and any known training challenges, using the long-range training calendar.
  • A mission-essential task is a collective task on which an organization trains to be proficient in its designed capabilities or assigned mission; a mission-essential task list is a tailored group of mission-essential tasks.
  • Most deployable company-level and above units have a standard METL, which is proponent-developed and approved by Headquarters, Department of the Army and reflects the unit's design capabilities. Units without one must create one.
  • A MET assessment does not rely on the listed supporting collective tasks - the assessment of the MET stands on its own T&EO. Each collective task is evaluated on its own training and evaluation outline.
  • Where no published standard exists for a task the unit performs, the unit coordinates with the proponent to develop and approve it.
  • An assigned mission METL arises where the Army assigns a brigade or higher echelon a mission that does not fit neatly within its DA standard METL; mission analysis and commander's dialogue may identify additional METs critical to that mission.
  • Platoons and lower echelons do not have METs or a METL, but they do have battle tasks. A battle task is a platoon or lower echelon collective task crucial to the successful accomplishment of a company, battery or troop MET, and may include high-payoff tasks or battle drills.
  • Battle tasks are developed by company leadership and approved by the commander. The process continues to lower echelons, with NCOs determining the battle tasks that apply to their squad, team or crew. Company commanders are responsible for the proper nesting of battle tasks to METs.
  • Battalion and higher staffs select staff battle tasks in the same manner, and the senior member of each staff section approves them.
  • Supporting collective tasks are collective tasks that support other collective tasks. Units may train them alongside METs and battle tasks, but leaders do not consider them when determining the MET or battle task proficiency rating.
  • In a typical brigade, 70 to 80 percent of training should occur at platoon level and below, 10 to 15 percent at company, and 5 to 10 percent at battalion and brigade. The deck's check on learning asks for the platoon-and-below figure: 70-80 percent.
  • Collective task proficiency has three ratings and no more: Trained (T), Practiced (P) and Untrained (U).
  • Trained (T) is advanced task proficiency free of significant shortcomings, whose shortcomings require minimal training to meet the Army standard. Practiced (P) is basic task proficiency with shortcomings that may require significant training to meet the standard. Untrained (U) means the unit cannot perform the task and requires complete training on it.
  • Commanders should specify which tasks are to remain Untrained, so that subordinates are given the risks their senior leaders have accepted.
  • Task mastery is executing multiple iterations of a task under the most challenging and dynamic conditions. There is no proficiency rating for task mastery - leaders are told not to settle for fully trained on priority tasks but to strive for mastery.
  • A task crosswalk links higher echelon tasks to lower echelon tasks based on mission requirements: individual tasks link to a team, crew or squad battle task; squad battle tasks to a platoon battle task; platoon battle tasks to a company MET.
  • The task crosswalk has three steps: select the higher echelon task, select subordinate collective tasks, then select the supporting individual tasks. Table B-1 of FM 7-0 lists the resources for it.
  • A high-payoff task supports more than one of the organization's METs or battle tasks; where practical, leaders select them, because the skills and proficiencies gained transfer to the other tasks the high-payoff task supports.
  • The training management cycle is the process of prioritizing training, planning and preparation, execution, and the evaluation and assessment of training.
  • The commander drives the training management cycle by prioritizing training and assessing unit training proficiencies, and provides four principal inputs: prioritized mission-essential tasks, weapons qualification, collective live-fire tasks, and the commander's assessment of the unit's training proficiencies.
  • The commander plans training one echelon down and ensures training two echelons down is evaluated.
  • A commander initially identifies training requirements in dialogue with the next higher echelon commander, determining the priorities for each proficiency - mission-essential tasks, weapons qualification and collective live-fire tasks - based on mission requirements (FM 7-0 para 2-1).
  • Prioritization of training determines what to train and to what proficiency. It acknowledges that units cannot achieve or sustain fully trained proficiency on every task simultaneously because of limits on time and resources.
  • Weapons qualification priority is driven by the qualification frequency specified in AR 350-1, the current qualification status of the unit's organic weapons systems, and the unit mission. All Soldiers are expected to qualify on their assigned weapons, and Soldiers whose primary weapon is a system such as a radar or sensor must qualify on that system.
  • The most common time management system in the Army is the green-amber-red cycle. Green cycle units have training resource priority and focus on unit collective training, and higher commanders protect them from taskings and training distracters; amber cycle units have priority behind green and focus on individual, leader and battle task proficiency.
  • Long-range training planning is a division-to-company effort on a fiscal year that determines who, what, when and where to train and synchronizes resources with requirements. Once approved, the plan is published as the annual training guidance.
  • The long-range training plan consists of training events that train mission-essential tasks, weapons qualification (individual, crew-served and platform) and collective live-fire tasks; a written plan with the details for execution; a long-range calendar; and initial training objectives for each major event.
  • Events are posted to the calendar by backward planning: begin at the culminating training event and work backwards to the beginning of the planning horizon, sequencing from complex to simple.
  • White space - also called green space - is time left available on the training calendar for subordinate units to develop their own crawl-walk-run events. The deck's check on learning states this as true.
  • Run events are FTXs and live-fires; walk events are STXs, CPXs and STAFFEXes; crawl events, if necessary, are classes and lanes. Proficiency is built in sequence: maneuver, then weapons, then live-fire.
  • Company training schedules are approved by the battalion commander and published no later than week T-6 for the Regular Army, or T-90 days for the Reserve Component.
  • Changes to a published company training schedule escalate by how late they are: between T-6 and T-4 they require battalion commander approval, between T-3 and T-2 brigade commander approval, and inside T-1 division commander approval.
  • At a minimum a company training schedule includes the date and time of training, attendees, tasks trained, the primary and alternate trainer, uniform and equipment, and the location.
  • The three planning horizons are long range (annual, beginning 1 October, published as the ATG), mid range (semi-annual and quarterly guidance and briefs refining the ATG), and short range (the T-Week, with training schedules published at T-6).
  • The fiscal year framework places a common parameter on planning horizons across echelons, which lets subordinate long-range planning and preparation proceed on higher echelon guidance delivered in a timely and predictable fashion.
  • The commander two levels up approves a subordinate unit's current training proficiencies, its MET priority, weapons qualification guidance and collective live-fire requirements, and its long-range plan - ensuring the plan is nested with the higher unit's, resourced appropriately, and able to accomplish the desired end state.
  • The approved plan becomes a contract between commanders: the subordinate commander agrees to execute it as training guidance, and the higher commander agrees to protect and resource it.
  • Commander's training guidance says what is trained, when, who is trained and why - task and purpose. It should be prioritized tasks with target proficiency, time to accomplish, the commander's intent for training and other guidance; it should not be philosophical, vague or unfocused on the mission.
  • Training guidance is issued annually (ATG), semi-annually (SATG) and quarterly (QTG). Reserve Component senior leaders communicate training guidance annually.
  • Brigades and battalions conduct training meetings twice monthly, refining mid-range training guidance, plans and calendars, ensuring subordinate training is resourced, and discussing potential training distracters.
  • Company training meetings are conducted weekly, at the same time every week, and are posted to the company training schedule. Training, and only training, is discussed.
  • Company training meetings cover the previous week's training and the commander's assessment of it, short-range planning and preparation from T-6 to T, the commander's short-range training guidance, and mid-range planning and preparation from T-7 to T-16.
  • Platoon leaders conduct platoon training meetings every week - every month in the Reserve Component - before the company training meeting, generally lasting no more than 30 minutes. Attendees are the platoon leader, platoon sergeant, squad leaders and section, team or crew leaders.
  • The 8-step training model provides a logical framework to plan and execute small unit training at platoon and below that is not complex and does not require extensive resourcing or long-range planning. Training models are developed by the unit.
  • The eight steps are: plan the training; train and certify leaders; recon training sites; issue the OPORD; rehearse; train; conduct after action reviews; retrain. The deck's check on learning asks for step 3 - recon training sites - and the last step - retrain.
  • Step 8, retrain, is what makes the model a loop: tasks not performed to standard are retrained and re-evaluated until the standard is achieved. The Commanding General, US Army Forces Command is quoted in the deck: train to standard, not to time, which means commanders must make time for subordinate units to retrain.
  • A situational training exercise is conducted in a simulated tactical environment to train mission-based collective tasks, usually linking multiple collective tasks into a realistic scenario with immediate feedback through integrated AARs. The deck's check on learning calls STX scenario-driven training.
  • An external evaluation is a scenario-driven evaluation of a unit's training proficiency conducted by leaders from outside the evaluated unit's chain of command, directed and resourced by the commander two levels above.
  • A field training exercise is a multi-echelon exercise under simulated tactical operations in a live field environment, including all organic and attached personnel and units, exercising command and control, communications, movement and operations against an actual or simulated OPFOR.
  • A command post exercise is a multi-echelon exercise focused on communications, command and control systems and procedures, replicating actual operational distances between command posts as far as practicable, and is used to train and evaluate staff battle task proficiency.
  • A staff exercise is a battalion and above exercise that trains staffs in command and control planning, coordination, integration, synchronization and control under simulated conditions, and is used to evaluate staff battle task proficiency.
  • Long-lead training resources to identify early include ranges, training areas and facilities, Class V forecasting, airspace requirements, TADSS, transportation, OPFOR and observer-controller support, and additional enablers and slice elements such as FIST, field artillery and mortars.
  • Unit OPTEMPO factors that shape a plan include personnel turnover, subordinate leader changes, crew turnover, change of command, schools, modernization, equipment operational readiness rates, deployment of subordinate units and supported unit training events.
  • Mandatory training requirements come from AR 350-1 Appendix F and local requirements; the deck's example of a local requirement is the 12-mile road march.

References

ADP 7-0FM 7-0FM 3-98ATP 3-20.96ATP 3-21.20ATP 3-90.5FM 3-90-1FM 3-96TC 3-20.10ATP 3-35ATP 3-34.5

Tactical Sustainment 113-UCCO109

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Tactical Sustainment

StandardDescribe sustainment considerations using the principles and elements of sustainment at echelon, without error.

A two-hour lesson integrating sustainment as a warfighting function in support of multidomain operations, taught in four learning steps: the principles and elements of sustainment, echelons of support, methods of resupply, and the Command Supply Discipline Program. Tactical sustainment is the provision of logistics, financial management, personnel services and health service support necessary to maintain operations until successful mission completion. The lesson frames sustainment against the shift from stability operations to large-scale combat, then works down the echelons from the division sustainment brigade through the DSSB and BSB to the forward support company, showing what each can and cannot do. It covers the Army Maintenance System and its two levels, the Command Maintenance Discipline Program, distribution methods, sustainment planning considerations for offense, defense, consolidation of gains, stability and DSCA, operational contract support, logistics estimate planning factors, and the commander's supply discipline and property responsibility. Students are expected to integrate these considerations into the operations process and the STAFFEX.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Principles of sustainment (ADP 4-0)
  1. Integration
  2. Anticipation
  3. Responsiveness
  4. Simplicity
  5. Economy
  6. Survivability
  7. Continuity
  8. Improvisation
Elements of sustainment
  1. Logistics
  2. Financial management
  3. Personnel services
  4. Health service support
Sub-functions of sustainment (16)
  1. Maintenance
  2. Transportation
  3. Supply
  4. Field services
  5. Distribution
  6. Operational contract support
  7. General engineering support
  8. Finance operations
  9. Resource management
  10. Human resources support
  11. Legal support
  12. Religious support
  13. Band (music) support
  14. Casualty care
  15. Medical evacuation
  16. Medical logistics
Maintenance principles
  1. Commanders are responsible for establishing a command climate that ensures all assigned equipment is maintained IAW technical manuals and AR 750-1
  2. Preventive maintenance checks and services are the foundation of materiel readiness
  3. Commanders are responsible for providing resources, assigning responsibility, and training Soldiers to achieve maintenance standards
  4. Expeditious return of not-mission-capable equipment back to operational status
  5. Field level maintenance forward, sustainment level maintenance at echelons above brigade
  6. Commanders are responsible for the readiness and safety of equipment
Distribution methods supporting resupply
  1. Throughput distribution
  2. Unit distribution
  3. Supply point distribution
  4. Refuel on the Move (ROM)
  5. Aerial resupply (fixed-wing and rotary-wing)
  6. Emergency (immediate) resupply
Operational contract support functions
  1. Contract support integration
  2. Contracting support
  3. Contractor management
Types of contract support
  1. Theater support
  2. External support
  3. Systems support
Types of property responsibility
  1. Command responsibility
  2. Direct responsibility
  3. Supervisory responsibility
  4. Custodial responsibility
  5. Personal responsibility
Enforcement of the CSDP
  1. Leadership
  2. Command emphasis
  3. Training
  4. Administrative measures
  5. Disciplinary measures
  6. CSDP evaluations
BSA location considerations
  1. Cover and concealment (natural terrain or man-made structures)
  2. Room for dispersion
  3. Level, firm ground to support vehicle traffic and sustainment operations
  4. Suitable helicopter landing sites
  5. Distance from known or templated enemy indirect fire assets
  6. Good road or trail networks
  7. Good routes in and out of the area, preferably separate routes in and out
  8. Access to lateral routes
  9. Good access to or a position along the main supply route
  10. A position away from likely enemy avenues of approach

Key terms

Tactical sustainment
The provision of logistics, financial management, personnel services, and health service support necessary to maintain operations until successful mission completion.
Elements of sustainment
Interrelated functions that sustainment commanders must carefully plan, manage and synchronize to accomplish responsive and efficient delivery of logistics: logistics, financial management, personnel services and health service support, supported by 16 sub-functions.
Logistics
Planning and executing the movement and support of forces, including design and development, acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance and disposition of materiel; acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation and disposition of facilities; and acquisition or furnishing of services.
Division Sustainment Brigade (DSB)
Assigned to a division; employs sustainment capabilities to create desired effects in support of the division commander's objectives, can command up to seven battalions, provides direct support to all assigned and attached units, and coordinates and synchronizes tactical-level sustainment for current and future operations.
Division Sustainment Support Battalion (DSSB)
Organic to the division sustainment brigade; conducts maintenance, transportation, supply, field services and distribution, and synchronizes and executes logistics support to BCTs and multifunctional support brigades attached to the division. It holds capabilities the BSB lacks, such as HETs and water purification.
Brigade Support Battalion (BSB)
Provides direct support to a BCT; capable of operating a supply support activity and ammunition transfer and holding point, conducting field maintenance, performing distribution operations and providing Role 2 medical care. It establishes the brigade support area and is 100 percent mobile with organic transportation.
Forward Support Company (FSC)
Organic to the BSB but supporting its associated maneuver battalion, and may be attached or OPCON to it. Provides field feeding, bulk fuel, general supply, ammunition and field maintenance. The FSC commander advises the supported battalion S4 and XO on logistics planning and executes the logistics plan.
Brigade Support Area (BSA)
The support area established by the BSB, roughly 4 km by 7 km, sited by METT-TC with the BCT S-3 and BSB commander: close enough for responsive support, near an MSR, outside enemy medium artillery range and away from likely enemy avenues of approach. Occupants include the BSB, FSCs (-), battalion field trains, HHC BCT and potentially the BCT main CP sustainment cell.
Distribution company
The primary supply and transportation hub of the BCT; plans, directs and supervises distribution of supplies to the brigade and conducts daily receipt, storage and issue of classes I, II, III, IV, V and IX.
Field maintenance company
Provides field maintenance support to the BSB, the brigade engineer battalion and units in the BSA, plus limited support to FSCs and supported maneuver battalions. Its maintenance control section manages all field maintenance and recovery within the BSA.
Brigade Support Medical Company (BSMC)
Provides Army Health System support to units in the BSA, operates a Role 2 medical facility on an area basis for BCT units without organic medical assets, provides ground evacuation, medical supply, dental, preventive medicine and combat stress control, and can support up to 20 patients with a 72-hour expected return to duty. Roughly a third of the company sits forward as the evacuation platoon.
Field maintenance
'On system' maintenance - repairs and returns equipment to the operator or user; the 'replace forward' half of the Army Maintenance System, performed by operators, crews and field mechanics, and usually involving only a maintenance transaction.
Sustainment maintenance
'Off system' maintenance - primarily repairs and returns equipment and components to the supply system; the 'repair rear' half, performed at tactical, installation, depot and contractor activities, and usually involving a supply transaction.
Army Maintenance Standard
The Army Field Maintenance Standard is fully mission capable with required parts on valid requisitions.
Command Maintenance Discipline Program (CMDP)
A commander's program designed to evaluate unit maintenance programs on a day-to-day basis, establishing maintenance discipline as regulatory guidance and serving as a checklist for internal management controls.
Throughput distribution
A method of distribution which bypasses one or more intermediate supply echelons in the supply system to avoid multiple handling.
Unit distribution
A method of distributing supplies by which the receiving unit is issued supplies in its own area, with transportation furnished by the issuing agency.
Supply point distribution
A method of distributing supplies to the receiving unit at a supply point.
Refuel on the Move (ROM)
A refuel method where vehicles enter a site, receive a predetermined (usually timed) amount of fuel and move out to rejoin their convoy or formation. Its doctrinal purpose is to extend the time ground maneuver forces can spend on the objective; it most often supports extended moves to or from a tactical assembly area before an attack or a retrograde.
Operational Contract Support (OCS)
The process of planning for and obtaining supplies, services and construction from commercial sources in support of joint operations, including contract support integration, contracting support and contractor management.
Command Supply Discipline Program (CSDP)
A commander's program about combat power, readiness and discipline, directed at ensuring compliance with HQDA supply policies and procedures; a mandatory program at all levels of command that is not to be used solely as an inspection program.

Testable points

  • The lesson uses FM 3-0 to contrast the stability-operations mindset of Iraq and Afghanistan with the demands of large-scale combat operations.
  • ADP 4-0 lists eight principles of sustainment: integration, anticipation, responsiveness, simplicity, economy, survivability, continuity and improvisation.
  • Anticipation is the ability to forecast operational requirements and initiate necessary actions without waiting for OPORDs or fragmentary orders, shaped by professional judgment from experience, training, education, intelligence and intuition.
  • Survivability covers protecting personnel, weapons and supplies while simultaneously deceiving the enemy.
  • The 16 sub-functions of sustainment span maintenance, transportation, supply, field services, distribution, operational contract support, general engineering, finance operations, resource management, human resources support, legal support, religious support, band support, casualty care, medical evacuation and medical logistics.
  • There are two levels of maintenance - field and sustainment - and there are 10 classes of supply.
  • The four sub-functions of transportation are movement control, intermodal operations, mode operations and theater distribution.
  • The sub-functions of field services are shower and laundry, field feeding, water production and distribution, aerial delivery and mortuary affairs.
  • ADP 4-0 now treats corps and divisions as tactical formations employing capabilities rather than simply headquarters, which is why the division sustainment brigade exists.
  • The DSSB is equipped with an organic composite supply company, composite truck company and support maintenance company, with other capabilities task organized by the division commander.
  • The distribution company - and therefore the BSB and BCT - has no Heavy Equipment Transport Systems and no water purification capability; both come from the DSSB.
  • The field maintenance company has zero tank mechanics, so an M1 short of catastrophic loss should not be dragged back to the BSA for the BSB to repair.
  • The FSC does not provide human resources support, religious support or Army Health System support.
  • A BSA defense must be able to defeat a Level I threat; additional capabilities are needed to defeat Level II and Level III threats.
  • The BSMC has surgical capability only when a Forward Resuscitation and Surgical Team is attached, which makes it Role 2E - Role 2 Enhanced.
  • Three of the six maintenance principles reinforce commander responsibility: establishing the command climate for maintenance IAW technical manuals and AR 750-1, providing resources and training, and owning readiness and safety.
  • PMCS is the foundation of materiel readiness and is operator-level maintenance conducted by the Soldiers using the equipment.
  • The maintenance rule of thumb is field-level maintenance forward and sustainment-level maintenance at echelons above brigade, with expeditious return of NMC equipment to operational status.
  • Maintenance time trigger points are METT-TC dependent and should not be confused with the previous four-level maintenance doctrine.
  • In the offense, expect higher fuel consumption, lower ammunition expenditure but critical responsive resupply, maximum use of throughput, higher casualty rates, extended lines of communication, maintenance priorities focused on major weapon systems, and proficiency in Battle Damage Assessment and Repair with recovery of damaged vehicles from MSRs.
  • In the defense, preposition classes I, water, IIIB/P, IV, V, VIII and IX centrally and well forward, expect increased demand for CBRN equipment and classes IV, V and VIII, conduct resupply during limited visibility, and plan heavy equipment and troop transportation for the retrograde.
  • Army units are expected to be self-sustaining during civil support operations and should deploy with 72 hours of basic sustainment commodities.
  • Operational contract support consists of three complementary functions: contract support integration, contracting support and contractor management.
  • The three types of contract support are theater support (awarded in the operational area by deployed contracting officers), external support (contracting authority external to the operational command, such as LOGCAP and DLA prime vendor contracts) and systems support (funded by directed appropriations and managed through program executive officers).
  • Emergency resupply, also called immediate resupply, is the least preferred method of distribution.
  • Aerial delivery includes airdrop, airland and sling-load operations and acts as a combat multiplier by bypassing enemy activity and reducing route clearance requirements.
  • The logistics estimate planning factor for one Soldier in an arid environment is 7.9 gallons of water per day: 3 for drinking, 1.7 for personal hygiene, 2.8 for field feeding and 0.4 for heat injury treatment and PMCS; the Soldier consumes three quality meals a day from UGRs and individual operational rations.
  • Vehicle planning factors given in the lesson: an M1 consumes about 60 gallons of fuel per hour at a 20 mph rate of march and 30 gallons per hour at tactical idle, with an operating range of 215 miles; a Bradley consumes 18 gallons per hour cross country, holds 175 gallons and ranges 250 miles; a UH-60 holds 360 gallons, ranges 220 miles without external tanks and can sling-load 11,000 pounds; a Stryker ICV holds 53 gallons and ranges 330 miles at 40 mph on hard-surfaced roads.
  • Command responsibility is inherent in command and cannot be delegated.
  • CSDP is a four-fold program covering commander and supervisor responsibilities to instill supply discipline, guidance for evaluating supply discipline, feedback through command and technical channels, and follow-up to ensure discipline is maintained.
  • Supply discipline is enforced through leadership, command emphasis, training, administrative measures under AR 735-5, and disciplinary measures including reprimands, adverse efficiency reports and UCMJ action.
  • Administrative measures for lost, damaged or destroyed property exist to obtain relief from accountability and recoup value; they are not intended as corrective or disciplinary action.

References

ADP 4-0FM 4-0FM 3-0FM 3-96ATP 4-90ATP 4-33ATP 4-10ATP 4-11JP 4-10AR 735-5AR 710-2AR 710-4AR 750-1DA PAM 750-1

Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities 113-UCCO110

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe key elements of Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) operations

StandardDescribe key elements of Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA), to include METT-TC and DSCA, core tasks of DSCA operations as they relate to the life cycle of a disaster, differences between DSCA and homeland defense, and the laws and military policies related to DSCA, without error.

A doctrine-based lesson on how the Department of Defense operates inside the United States. It is built around one distinction - homeland defense against external threats, where DOD is the lead agency, versus defense support of civil authorities, where DOD supports somebody else and only when asked - and then works outward from it: METT-TC applied to a domestic operation, the life cycle of a disaster from local first responders up to a NORTHCOM deployment, the four DSCA core tasks, the three duty statuses of Army forces in domestic operations, and the federal laws that constrain all of it. The single most important practical fact in the lesson is that DSCA is always conducted at the request of a civil authority; the Department of Defense is prohibited by law in most cases from offering unsolicited assistance.

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Learning steps of the lesson
  1. Describe METT-TC and DSCA
  2. Describe the life cycle of a disaster
  3. Describe the difference between DSCA and homeland defense
  4. Describe the core tasks of DSCA operations
  5. Describe the legal considerations of DSCA
The four DSCA core tasks
  1. Provide support for domestic disasters, natural and man-made
  2. Provide support for domestic CBRN incidents, including those caused by terrorists, pandemics or industrial accidents
  3. Provide support for domestic civilian law enforcement agencies - fighting terrorism, quelling civil disturbances, securing the borders
  4. Provide other designated domestic support - special events, critical infrastructure protection, augmentation of federal agencies
The DSCA mission - what Army forces supporting civil authorities are there to do
  1. Save lives
  2. Restore essential services
  3. Maintain or restore law and order
  4. Protect infrastructure and property
  5. Support the maintenance or restoration of local government
  6. Shape the environment for intergovernmental success
The three duty statuses of Army forces in domestic operations
  1. State active duty - National Guard in state service, commanded by the governor, funded by the state
  2. Title 32 - National Guard in state service, commanded by the governor, federally funded through the state
  3. Title 10 - Regular Army, activated Army Reserve and National Guard in federal service, commanded by the President
The life cycle of a disaster, in five steps
  1. Local response - first responders, intra-state mutual aid agreements
  2. State response - state EOC, TAG notifies governor, governor declares a state of emergency, ARNG called out
  3. Inter-state support - emergency mutual aid agreement with a neighbouring state, requesting state pays
  4. Federal declaration - governor asks the President, DHS and FEMA activate, joint field office and PFO stood up, ERT-A deploys
  5. DOD support - JFO request routed through ASD(HD) and JDOMS, SECDEF approves, NORTHCOM coordinates with the DCO
The five types of presidential declaration or action under the Stafford Act
  1. Major disaster - issued after request by a governor
  2. Emergency declaration - before or after an incident, damage less severe than a major disaster
  3. Federal primary responsibility authority - no governor's request needed
  4. DOD ten-day emergency work authority - federal military forces to preserve life and property, not to exceed ten days
  5. Accelerated federal assistance - unrequested federal assistance under limited critical circumstances, added in 2006 after Katrina
The five federal laws taught as legal considerations for DSCA
  1. The Stafford Act
  2. The Posse Comitatus Act
  3. The Insurrection Act
  4. The Economy Act
  5. Title 10, United States Code (reserve components)
Immediate response authority - the criteria
  1. Purpose is to save lives, prevent human suffering, or mitigate great property damage
  2. Conditions are imminently serious
  3. Time does not permit approval from higher headquarters
  4. A request from a civil authority is still required
  5. Law enforcement functions may not be performed
  6. Support is provided on a cost-reimbursable basis
Commander's considerations before using immediate response authority
  1. Will my actions degrade my own mission accomplishment?
  2. Have I previously agreed to support this through a memorandum of agreement?
  3. Is the request from a legally competent authority?
  4. Does the request meet the criteria - save lives, prevent human suffering, mitigate great property damage?
  5. Can the local community accomplish this without me?
  6. How will this affect community relations, and local dependence on the military?
  7. Is reimbursement an option, or a necessity?
  8. Are my military personnel and their families affected?
  9. How will I disengage once I am engaged?
METT-TC applied to a DSCA operation
  1. Mission - save lives, restore essential services, maintain or restore law and order, protect infrastructure and property
  2. Enemy - criminal activity, terrorists, or the environmental factor that caused the request
  3. Terrain and weather - flooding, debris, damaged infrastructure, fall-out, civil disturbances, animal disease
  4. Time - little to no advance notice; use NIMS and the NRF in a time-constrained environment
  5. Troops - state active duty, Title 32 and Title 10 forces
  6. Civil considerations - unity of effort with partners, legal considerations, and a mission to support the American population

Key terms

Homeland defense (HD)
The protection of United States sovereignty, territory, domestic population and critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression, or other threats as directed by the President (JP 3-27). DOD is the lead agency.
Defense support of civil authorities (DSCA)
Support provided by US federal military forces, DOD civilians, DOD contract personnel, DOD component assets and National Guard forces (when the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the governors of the affected states, elects and requests to use those forces in Title 32 status) in response to requests for assistance from civil authorities for domestic emergencies, law enforcement support and other domestic activities, or from qualifying entities for special events.
State active duty (SAD)
National Guard in state service, commanded by the governor, funded by the state government, disciplined under the state military code. Missions are assigned by the governor under state law and include law enforcement and emergency incident response.
Title 32 status
National Guard in state service under federal funding administered by the state. Still commanded by the governor and still under the state military code, but performing DOD missions such as annual training, drills and exercises alongside governor-directed disaster response and law enforcement missions.
Title 10 status
Regular Army, activated Army Reserve and National Guard in federal service, commanded by the President, funded federally, disciplined under the UCMJ, employable worldwide - and strictly limited to indirect support of civilian law enforcement, consistent with the Posse Comitatus Act.
Immediate response authority
The authority under DoDD 3025.18 for a local military commander to take action to save lives, prevent human suffering or mitigate great property damage under imminently serious conditions when time does not permit approval from higher headquarters. It is authorised but is not an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act.
Request for assistance (RFA)
The formal route by which the military becomes involved in a domestic incident, running from the joint field office through the Department of Defense to the Secretary of Defense for approval. The other route is immediate response authority.
Defense Coordinating Officer (DCO)
The Department of Defense single point of contact for domestic emergencies, assigned to a joint field office to process requirements for military support, forward mission assignments through proper channels, and assign military liaisons to activated emergency support functions. One is assigned to each of the ten FEMA regions, typically an O-6, as their primary duty.
Joint field office (JFO)
The FEMA-activated coordinating structure for a declared incident. It is where the DCO sits and where requests for assistance are forwarded to DOD.
Principal Federal Official (PFO)
The official FEMA designates when it activates a joint field office for a declared federal disaster.
Emergency Response Team-Alpha (ERT-A)
The FEMA team sent to an incident site to make an estimate of the situation. In the lesson's scenario the ERT-A is what determines a CBRNE event has occurred and that specialised assistance will be required.
Mutual aid agreement (MOA)
An intra-state agreement between cities and counties to provide assistance beyond those of the jurisdiction in which the incident occurs. The first level of escalation in the life cycle of a disaster.
Emergency mutual aid agreement (EMAA)
A formal inter-state agreement to provide aid in the event of an emergency. The requesting state agrees to pay the cost of the responding agency or asset.
The Adjutant General (TAG)
The state officer who notifies the governor of a requirement, calls out elements of the National Guard to assist local authorities, assesses the incident and determines what the state cannot provide.
National Incident Management System (NIMS)
National emergency preparedness doctrine that, with the NRF, lets Army forces build cohesive teams and create shared understanding with civil agencies in a time-constrained environment.
National Response Framework (NRF)
The companion national policy to NIMS, applied to mitigate the very limited time available in a DSCA response.
Stafford Act
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288 as amended. It authorises the President to issue major disaster declarations and federal agencies to assist states overwhelmed by disasters; administration is delegated to FEMA by executive order and funds flow through the Disaster Relief Fund. It is the primary legal authority for federal emergency and disaster assistance to state and local governments.
Posse Comitatus Act (18 USC 1385)
Prohibits the use of federal troops for civil law enforcement. It names the Army and the Air Force; the Navy and Marine Corps are included by DOD policy rather than by the statute itself.
Insurrection Act (10 USC 331-335)
Enacted as an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act. It allows the President to use US military personnel at the request of a state legislature or governor to suppress insurrections, and to use federal troops to enforce federal laws when rebellion makes it impracticable to enforce them. It can be invoked with or without the consent of the governor, depending on the situation.
Economy Act (31 USC 1535)
Authorises federal agencies to provide supplies and services to each other and mandates cost reimbursement. For DOD this is full reimbursement, including pay and allowances.
Major disaster declaration
Issued by the President after a request by a governor. The governor must state that the state lacks the capacity or resources for an effective response, furnish information on mitigation measures taken, and certify compliance with the Act's cost-sharing provisions.
Emergency declaration
A presidential declaration issued either before or following an incident necessitating federal assistance, where the anticipated or actual damage is less severe than for a major disaster. The governor of the affected state must still request it.
Federal primary responsibility authority
The President, with or without a request from a governor, issues an emergency declaration because the federal government holds primary responsibility for the area or facility affected under the Constitution or a federal statute.
DoD 10 Day Emergency Work Authority
The President may direct the Secretary of Defense to send federal military forces on an emergency basis to preserve life and property for a period not to exceed ten days (42 USC 5170b(c)).
Accelerated federal assistance
Allows the President to provide unrequested federal assistance under limited critical circumstances. Added in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina, to allow rapid deployment of critical resources where a major disaster or emergency declaration had already been issued.
USNORTHCOM
US Northern Command - defends the homeland, and conducts homeland defense and DSCA operations within its assigned area of responsibility to defend, protect and secure the United States and its interests. Co-located with NORAD at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, and commanded by the same individual.
JTF Civil Support (JTF-CS)
The joint task force deployed in the lesson's scenario once SECDEF approves the request for assistance, working with the Defense Coordinating Officer and the joint field office.
72 Hour Guideline
An unwritten rule of thumb, not official policy, for disengaging from immediate response support. After the first 72 hours the commander should reassess whether the assistance still qualifies as an immediate response, and guidance or approval from higher headquarters is highly encouraged.

Testable points

  • DSCA operations are always conducted at the request of some civil authority; the Department of Defense is prohibited by law in most cases from offering unsolicited assistance.
  • The fundamental difference between homeland defense and DSCA is the nature of the threat. Homeland defense answers external threats and aggression, and DOD is the lead agency; DSCA is support to a civil authority that is leading.
  • In DSCA the mission is to save lives, restore essential services, maintain or restore law and order, protect infrastructure and property, support the maintenance or restoration of local government, and shape the environment for intergovernmental success.
  • The 'enemy' in a DSCA METT-TC analysis may be criminal activity, terrorism, or the environmental factor that caused the request for support - and the distinction between an internal and an external threat is precisely what separates DSCA from homeland defense.
  • Terrain and weather may be the biggest threat factor in a DSCA mission: flooding, debris, damaged infrastructure, fall-out, civil disturbances, and animal or crop disease.
  • DSCA situations often arise with little or no advance notice; the limited time available is mitigated by applying NIMS and the NRF.
  • Troops available in domestic operations fall into three duty statuses: state active duty, Title 32, and Title 10. The governor commands National Guard civil support in SAD and Title 32 status; the President commands all Regular Army, Army Reserve and National Guard in Title 10 status.
  • Forces in state active duty and Title 32 status may perform missions within their home state or territory, or in a neighboring state under an emergency management assistance compact or state-to-state memorandum of agreement. Title 10 forces are employable worldwide.
  • State active duty and Title 32 forces are disciplined under the state military code; Title 10 forces are under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
  • State active duty and Title 32 forces may give direct and indirect support to civilian law enforcement as authorised by the supported governor. Title 10 forces are strictly limited to indirect support, consistent with the Posse Comitatus Act, standing execute orders, and DOD directives and instructions.
  • There are two primary methods by which the military provides support: a request for assistance, and immediate response authority, where the commander responds on their own authority.
  • Life cycle of a disaster, step 1: local first responders arrive, and the local government invokes intra-state mutual aid agreements with neighbouring jurisdictions.
  • Life cycle of a disaster, step 2: the county emergency management office contacts the state emergency operations center; the TAG and state emergency manager notify the governor; the governor declares a state emergency and authorises the TAG to deploy state assets, including the National Guard.
  • Life cycle of a disaster, step 3: the TAG notifies the governor that an emergency mutual aid agreement with a neighbouring state is required - a formal inter-state agreement in which the requesting state agrees to pay the cost of the responding asset.
  • Life cycle of a disaster, step 4: the governor asks the President to declare a federal disaster area, which allows DHS and FEMA to activate their resources. FEMA activates a joint field office, designates a Principal Federal Official, and sends an Emergency Response Team-Alpha to estimate the situation.
  • Life cycle of a disaster, step 5: the joint field office forwards its request for assistance to DOD, which routes it through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and the Joint Director of Military Support. SECDEF approves and the request goes to NORTHCOM, which coordinates directly with the Defense Coordinating Officer from the relevant FEMA region.
  • Both DHS and FEMA monitor a developing situation but take no official action until the governor makes the official request.
  • Every civil support mission is planned at the operational level, approved at the strategic level, and executed at the tactical level.
  • The four DSCA core tasks are: provide support for domestic disasters; provide support for domestic CBRN incidents; provide support for domestic civilian law enforcement agencies; and provide other designated domestic support.
  • Support for domestic disasters covers both natural and man-made disasters. Support for domestic CBRN incidents includes those caused by terrorists, pandemics or industrial accidents. Law enforcement support covers fighting terrorism, quelling civil disturbances and securing the nation's borders. Other designated domestic support consists of special events, critical infrastructure protection and the augmentation of federal agencies.
  • USNORTHCOM and NORAD are both at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, and are commanded by the same individual. Many homeland defense functions are NORAD's responsibility; the homeland security functions for DOD are USNORTHCOM's.
  • There is a Defense Coordinating Officer assigned to each of the ten FEMA regions. It is that officer's primary duty, typically an O-6, and the point of the assignment is to build relationships with local and state officials before an event occurs.
  • Immediate response authority comes from DoDD 3025.18 and authorises a local commander to save lives, prevent human suffering or mitigate great property damage. It requires imminently serious conditions where time does not permit approval from higher headquarters.
  • Under immediate response authority military members cannot perform law enforcement functions, and the authority is not an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act.
  • Support under immediate response authority is provided on a cost-reimbursable basis, and may include rescue, evacuation, emergency treatment of casualties, emergency restoration of power, water and transportation, and food distribution.
  • Immediate response authority still requires a request from a civil authority; requests usually go directly from local civilian authorities to local military commanders.
  • Under immediate response, commanders are authorized to respond without a disaster declaration.
  • The 72-hour figure is a rule of thumb rather than official policy. After 72 hours the emergency nature of the situation is reassessed to determine whether the assistance still qualifies as an immediate response; other civilian responders should have arrived by then unless the capability is one only the military has, such as WMD or CBRN response.
  • Immediate response support begins with disengagement in mind. The goal is to return the mission to civil agencies as soon as possible, and disengagement is described in the lesson as the hardest and most abused part of the process.
  • Missions involving rescue, feeding, billeting and mortuary affairs are difficult to divest quickly.
  • Reimbursement should be sought from local and state authorities, but support is not withheld while awaiting determination or resolution.
  • The Stafford Act was the most important legislation for DSCA, giving the President the authority to plan for and respond to emergencies and laying out the process for bringing the federal government to the aid of the states, when requested.
  • There are five types of presidential declarations or actions under the Stafford Act: major disaster, emergency declaration, federal primary responsibility authority, DOD ten-day emergency work authority, and accelerated federal assistance.
  • A governor must request a declaration from the President. DHS and FEMA assess the situation - usually before the governor's request - and recommend the type of declaration based on the scope of the disaster and the state's capability to cope with it.
  • Federal primary responsibility authority is the one declaration route that does not require a governor's request: the President acts unilaterally where the federal government has primary responsibility for the area or facility under the Constitution or a federal statute.
  • The Posse Comitatus Act was originally enacted to keep federal troops away from polling places in former Confederate states after the Civil War. The Air Force was added to the original language in 1956; the Navy and Marine Corps were made subject to it by DOD regulation rather than by statute.
  • National Guard forces operating under state authority in Title 32 status are exempt from Posse Comitatus Act restrictions.
  • The annual DOD Authorization Act creates a drug exception to the Posse Comitatus Act, allowing the Army to provide equipment, training and expert military advice to civilian law enforcement as part of the total effort in the war on drugs.
  • The Coast Guard is exempt from the Posse Comitatus Act during peacetime.
  • Under the Insurrection Act, 10 USC 331 authorises the President to use the military to suppress an insurrection at the request of a state government; 332 authorises use of the armed forces where unlawful obstructions or rebellion make it impracticable to enforce federal law; and 333 permits use of the armed forces to suppress insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination or conspiracy where local law enforcement is unable to protect individuals - and section 333 does not require the request or even the permission of the governor.
  • The Economy Act requires each federal agency to budget for its own programs and to pay other federal agencies for services received; airlift is the most notable example.
  • Reserve component members may be ordered to active duty without their consent for not more than 15 days a year, and may be retained with consent at any time. They may be ordered to active duty for a national emergency for not more than 24 consecutive months.
  • No reserve units or members may be ordered to active duty for a disaster, accident or catastrophe - with one exception: responding to an emergency involving the use or threatened use of a weapon of mass destruction.
  • The governor must consent to federalization of the National Guard, except where the President calls the Guard into federal service because the United States or its territories is invaded or in danger of invasion, there is rebellion or danger of rebellion against the authority of the government, or the President is unable to execute the laws of the United States with the regular forces.
  • Check on learning: the process for how the military gets involved when a disaster occurs is a request for assistance, or immediate response authority where the commander responds on their own authority.
  • The lesson is doctrine-based against ADP 3-0 (July 2019) paragraphs 3-15 to 3-17 and ADP 3-28 (31 July 2019), and carries a Foreign Disclosure Rating of FD1.
  • USNORTHCOM uses the phases shape, anticipate, respond, operate, stabilize and transition; shape and anticipate occur before a disaster event (ADP 3-28, Figure 4-8).
  • The Waldo Canyon Wildfire of June 2012 is the lesson's worked example of mutual aid: Peterson AFB opened space for up to 450 evacuees, moved over 180 cots from the Air Force Academy with 17 pallets of MREs, and supplied 52,927 gallons of fuel for C-130 MAFFS aircraft. Commanders used NIMS and the NRF to achieve unity of effort, and ensured their decisions complied with US and state laws and regulations.

References

ADP 3-0ADP 3-28JP 3-27DoDD 3025.18Stafford Act (PL 93-288)18 USC 138510 USC 331-33531 USC 1535AR 350-1

Joint Operations 113-UCCO111

Learning objective and standard

Learning objectiveDescribe the characteristics of joint force operations.

StandardDescribe Joint Operations in terms of aspects of Joint Warfare, principles of Joint Operations, Levels of War, Operational Variables, and Combatant Commands, without error.

A one-and-a-half hour lesson introducing joint operations at the strategic and operational levels. It covers five subjects in order: the aspects of joint warfare (traditional and irregular), the twelve principles of joint operations, the three levels of war, the joint operational variables, and the combatant commands. The through-line is that the Army does not fight alone - the deck opens by asking exactly that - and that unified action is how military operations are synchronised with everything else an instrument of national power brings. It is an integral part of the core foundation for introductory joint warfighting within Joint Professional Military Education.

Doctrinal currencyThe deck's combatant command list has not been updated since before 2018 and is now two changes behind. The exam is written from the course, so answer the taught column - but the list on the slide is not the list of combatant commands that exists today, and the difference is easy to check.

What this course teaches — answer this on the exam
  • Six geographic combatant commands: CENTCOM, EUCOM, PACOM, SOUTHCOM, AFRICOM, NORTHCOM
  • Four functional combatant commands: SOCOM, STRATCOM, TRANSCOM, CYBERCOM
  • Ten combatant commands in total
  • PACOM carries the additional homeland defense and pandemic influenza responsibilities
Current - Unified Command Plan as it stands today
  • US Pacific Command was redesignated US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) on 30 May 2018
  • US Space Command (USSPACECOM) was re-established on 29 August 2019 and is not on the slide at all
  • Seven geographic commands: AFRICOM, CENTCOM, EUCOM, INDOPACOM, NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, SPACECOM
  • Four functional commands: CYBERCOM, SOCOM, STRATCOM, TRANSCOM - eleven in total

Doctrinal sets to know cold

Learning steps of the lesson
  1. Describe aspects of joint warfare
  2. Describe the principles of joint operations
  3. Describe the levels of war
  4. Describe the joint operational variables
  5. Describe combatant commands
Participants in unified action
  1. US joint forces - Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines
  2. US government departments and agencies
  3. Multinational forces
  4. Intergovernmental organizations
  5. Nongovernmental organizations
  6. Private sector and others
The nine principles of war - MOUSE MOSS
  1. Maneuver
  2. Objective
  3. Unity of command
  4. Security
  5. Economy of force
  6. Mass
  7. Offensive
  8. Surprise
  9. Simplicity
The three added to make the twelve principles of joint operations - LPR
  1. Legitimacy
  2. Perseverance
  3. Restraint
Characteristics of traditional warfare
  1. Nation states fight each other
  2. Military operations focus on the adversary's military in order to influence the adversary's government
  3. Victory is defeating the adversary's military, destroying its war-making capability, or seizing territory
  4. The populace are assumed not to be belligerents
  5. Conventional military capability and methods, including by non-state actors who adopt them
  6. Near-term results are evident: win, lose or stalemate
Characteristics of irregular warfare
  1. State and non-state actors struggle for legitimacy and influence over a relevant population
  2. Military options are rarely the sole solution
  3. Less powerful actors seek to disrupt the military strength of a more powerful adversary
  4. Protracted conflicts aim to exhaust the will of the opponent
The three groups across the range of military operations
  1. Military engagement, security cooperation and deterrence activities
  2. Crisis response and limited contingency operations
  3. Major operations and campaigns
The levels of war, and what sits at each
  1. Strategic - national policy and theater strategy
  2. Operational - campaigns and major operations
  3. Tactical - battles, engagements, and small unit and crew actions
The six joint operational variables - PMESII
  1. Political
  2. Military
  3. Economic
  4. Social
  5. Information
  6. Infrastructure
Geographic combatant commands as taught by the deck
  1. US Central Command (CENTCOM)
  2. US European Command (EUCOM)
  3. US Pacific Command (PACOM)
  4. US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)
  5. US Africa Command (AFRICOM)
  6. US Northern Command (NORTHCOM)
Functional combatant commands as taught by the deck
  1. US Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
  2. US Strategic Command (STRATCOM)
  3. US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM)
  4. US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM)
Who may designate a joint task force
  1. The Secretary of Defense
  2. A combatant commander
  3. A subordinate unified command commander
  4. An existing commander, joint task force
Constructs through which the lesson explains joint mission command
  1. Combatant commands (COCOMs)
  2. Major commands (MACOMs)
  3. Areas of responsibility (AORs)

Key terms

Joint operations
A general term describing military actions conducted by joint forces and those Service forces employed in specified command relationships with each other which, of themselves, do not establish joint forces. It is the primary way the Department of Defense employs two or more Services from two Military Departments in a single operation.
Joint force
A force composed of significant elements, assigned or attached, of two or more Military Departments operating under a single joint force commander (JFC).
Unified action
A comprehensive approach that synchronizes, coordinates and integrates military operations with the activities of other governmental and nongovernmental organizations to achieve unity of effort. The common operating precept is to achieve and maintain unity of effort within the joint force and between the joint force and inter-organizational partners.
Unity of effort
Coordination and cooperation toward common objectives, even if the participants are not necessarily part of the same command or organization. It is the product of successful unified action, and it is what is sought when unity of command is not achievable.
Traditional warfare
A violent struggle for domination between nation-states or coalitions and alliances of nation-states. Called traditional because it has been the preeminent form of warfare in the West since the Peace of Westphalia (1648) reserved to the nation-state alone a monopoly on the legitimate use of force.
Irregular warfare (IW)
A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations. Called irregular to highlight its non-Westphalian context. Its strategic point is to gain or maintain control or influence over, and the support of, a relevant population.
Range of military operations
The span across which military operations vary in scope, purpose and conflict intensity - from military engagement, security cooperation and deterrence activities, through crisis response and limited contingency operations, to major operations and campaigns.
Principles of joint operations
The nine principles of war plus restraint, perseverance and legitimacy - twelve in all. The three additions are relevant to how the Armed Forces use combat power across the range of military operations.
Principles of war
Objective, offensive, mass, maneuver, economy of force, unity of command, security, surprise and simplicity. Nine principles, which the principles of joint operations are formed around.
Levels of war
Strategic, operational and tactical. A framework for relating national policy to action on the ground; the lesson's Desert Storm example runs from national policy down to a single M1A1 engaging six T-72s.
Strategic level of war
The level at which national policy and theater strategy are set. In the lesson's chain it runs from the President and Secretary of Defense through the CJCS to the combatant commanders.
Operational level of war
The level that links the tactical employment of forces to the achievement of strategic objectives. Campaigns and major operations are conducted here.
Tactical level of war
The level of battles, engagements, and small unit and crew actions.
Operational art
The employment of military forces to attain strategic objectives through the design, organization, integration and conduct of strategies, campaigns, major operations and battles (JP 1-02 and JP 3-0). Without it, operations devolve into a series of disconnected tactical engagements with relative attrition the only measure of success.
Ends, ways and means
The construct operational art integrates across the levels of war. In the Desert Storm example, restoring the government of Kuwait is the end, destroying the Iraqi Army south of the Euphrates a way, and the forces committed the means.
Combatant command (CCMD)
A unified command with a broad continuing mission under a single commander. Combatant commands are either geographic, with an assigned area of responsibility, or functional, with transregional responsibilities.
Geographic combatant commander (GCC)
A combatant commander assigned a geographic area of responsibility under the President's Unified Command Plan, responsible for the missions within that AOR and the single point of contact on military matters within it.
Functional combatant commander (FCC)
A combatant commander with transregional responsibilities who normally supports geographic combatant commander activities within an AOR. The lesson names SOCOM, STRATCOM, TRANSCOM and CYBERCOM.
Area of responsibility (AOR)
The geographic area assigned to a geographic combatant commander by the Unified Command Plan, within which that commander accomplishes missions with assigned and attached forces.
Unified Command Plan (UCP)
The Presidential document that assigns each geographic combatant commander an area of responsibility and establishes the combatant commands' missions and responsibilities.
Joint task force (JTF)
A joint force constituted and designated to accomplish missions with specific, limited objectives and which do not require centralized control of logistics. A JTF may have a geographical or a functional basis.
Joint force commander (JFC)
The single commander under whom the significant elements of two or more Military Departments operate - the defining feature of a joint force.
Operational variables (PMESII)
Political, military, economic, social, information and infrastructure - the six variables used to describe the operational environment at the joint level. At the operational level, and at the tactical level during stability operations, the variables are called operational variables.
PMESII-PT
The Army's eight-variable version of PMESII, adding physical environment and time to the joint six.
Mission variables (METT-TC)
Mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops available, time available and civil considerations - the variables most company-grade officers are already familiar with, and the tactical counterpart to the operational variables.
Systems perspective
An approach to the operational environment that seeks understanding of interrelated systems relevant to a specific joint operation without regard to geographic boundaries, and of how those relationships change over time.
Joint Professional Military Education (JPME)
The joint education framework this lesson supports. The lesson plan calls the class an integral part of the core foundation for an introduction to joint warfighting within JPME.

Testable points

  • The fundamental purpose of military power is to deter or wage war in support of national policy; in that capacity military power is a coercive instrument, designed to achieve by force or the threat of force what other means have not (JP 3-0, Chapter 1, para 5a).
  • A joint force is one composed of significant elements, assigned or attached, of two or more Military Departments operating under a single joint force commander. Two Services from the same Military Department do not make a joint force.
  • Unified action reaches beyond the four Services: US joint forces, US government departments and agencies, multinational forces, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector and others.
  • Traditional warfare's strategic purpose is the imposition of a nation's will on its adversary nation-state, and the avoidance of its will being imposed upon us.
  • In traditional warfare, military operations typically focus on the adversary's armed forces in order to influence the adversary's government.
  • The typical mechanisms of victory in traditional warfare are defeat of the adversary's armed forces, destruction of the adversary's war-making capacity, and/or seizure of territory.
  • Traditional warfare typically assumes the indigenous population is not belligerent and will accept the political outcome, and its near-term results are evident: win, lose or stalemate.
  • Traditional warfare encompasses non-state actors who adopt conventional military capabilities and methods - the form of warfare is defined by how it is fought, not only by who fights it.
  • In irregular warfare, military options alone rarely resolve the conflict; less powerful state or non-state actors seek to disrupt the military capabilities of a more powerful adversary, and protracted conflict is used to exhaust the will of the opponent.
  • Joint doctrine has a foundation that combines offensive, defensive and stability operations; which predominates depends on factors such as the capability and nature of the enemy.
  • The principles of joint operations are the nine principles of war plus restraint, perseverance and legitimacy - twelve in all. The deck teaches the mnemonic MOUSE MOSS plus LPR.
  • Objective: direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive and achievable goal.
  • Offensive: seize, retain and exploit the initiative. Offensive action is the most effective and decisive way to achieve a clearly defined objective.
  • Mass: concentrate the effects of combat power at the most advantageous place and time to produce decisive results. Mass must often be sustained to have the desired effect.
  • Maneuver: place the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the flexible application of combat power - movement of forces in relation to the enemy to secure or retain positional advantage.
  • Economy of force: expend minimum essential combat power on secondary efforts in order to allocate the maximum possible combat power on primary efforts.
  • Unity of command: ensure unity of effort under one responsible commander for every objective. In multinational operations and interagency coordination unity of command may not be possible, and the requirement for unity of effort becomes paramount.
  • Security: prevent the enemy from acquiring unexpected advantage. Applying this principle includes prudent risk management, not undue caution.
  • Surprise: strike at a time or place or in a manner for which the enemy is unprepared.
  • Simplicity: increase the probability that plans and operations will be executed as intended by preparing clear, uncomplicated plans and concise orders. When other factors are equal, the simplest plan is preferable.
  • Restraint: limit collateral damage and prevent the unnecessary use of force. Excessive force antagonizes those involved and damages the legitimacy of the organization that uses it.
  • Perseverance: ensure the commitment necessary to attain the national strategic end state. Some joint operations may require years to reach the termination criteria.
  • Legitimacy: maintain legal and moral authority in the conduct of operations, based on the actual and perceived legality, morality and rightness of the actions from the perspectives of interested audiences.
  • The operational level of war links the tactical employment of forces to the achievement of strategic objectives; campaigns and major operations are conducted there.
  • Without operational art, operations devolve into a series of disconnected tactical engagements with relative attrition the only measure of success.
  • The Desert Storm worked example: national policy is to restore the government of Kuwait using military force; the theater strategy is to destroy the Iraqi Army south of the Euphrates; the operational level is Third Army attacking to destroy the Republican Guard within Operation Desert Storm; the tactical level runs from VII Corps attacking the Iraqi 12th Corps, to 2d ACR engaging the Tawakalna Division at 73 Easting, to an M1A1 engaging and destroying six T-72s.
  • Geographic combatant commanders have an assigned AOR based on the President's Unified Command Plan and are responsible for the missions within it. Functional combatant commanders have transregional responsibilities and normally support GCC activities within an AOR.
  • GCC responsibilities include: detect, deter and prevent attacks against the US, its territories and bases, and employ appropriate force should deterrence fail; carry out assigned missions and plan and execute military operations as directed; maintain security and carry out force protection and personnel recovery; plan, conduct and assess security cooperation activities; plan and conduct evacuation and protection of US citizens; provide US military representation to international and US national agencies; and provide the single point of contact on military matters within the AOR.
  • NORTHCOM carries two additional responsibilities: providing support to civil authorities as directed, and providing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear consequence management assistance and support to US and allied partner authorities within US territories and protectorates and the NORTHCOM AOR.
  • PACOM carries many of the same additional tasks as NORTHCOM but in its own AOR, and adds planning, organizing and executing homeland defense operations and synchronizing DoD efforts in response to pandemic influenza.
  • SOCOM is the special operations forces joint force provider; it synchronizes global operations planning against terrorist networks and trains the special operations force.
  • STRATCOM has primary responsibility to support strategic deterrence, provides global strike planning and synchronizes planning for global missile defense.
  • TRANSCOM is the mobility joint force provider, providing air, land and maritime transportation, terminal management and aerial refueling in support of global US force efforts.
  • CYBERCOM provides direction of cyberspace operations, strengthens DoD cyberspace capabilities, and integrates and bolsters DoD cyber expertise.
  • A joint task force may be designated by the Secretary of Defense, a combatant commander, a subordinate unified command commander, or an existing commander of a joint task force. A combatant command is one joint force option; establishing a JTF is another.
  • Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), originally chartered as JTF-6, is the lesson's example of a JTF with a geographical basis. JTF-6 had a counter-drug mission along the southwest border, and its geographic area of responsibility later expanded to include the continental United States.
  • The six joint operational variables are political, military, economic, social, information and infrastructure - PMESII. The Army adds PT, physical environment and time, to make PMESII-PT.
  • Operational variables are what the variables are called at the operational level, and at the tactical level during stability operations. Mission variables - METT-TC - are the set most company-grade officers already know.
  • A systems perspective of the operational environment strives to provide an understanding of interrelated systems relevant to a specific joint operation without regard to geographic boundaries. Understanding how those system relationships change over time increases the joint force commander's knowledge of how actions within one system can affect other components, and helps intelligence analysts identify potential sources of indications and warning.
  • The tactical level focuses on the employment, ordered arrangement and directed actions of forces in relation to each other. An engagement can include a wide variety of noncombat tasks and activities, and combat between opposing forces is normally of short duration; a battle consists of a set of related engagements, typically lasts longer, involves larger forces, and has greater potential to affect the course of an operation or campaign.
  • Check on learning: the form of warfare whose strategic point is to gain or maintain control or influence over, and the support of, a relevant population is irregular warfare.
  • Check on learning: the three levels of warfare are strategic, operational and tactical. Technical is not one of them.
  • The deck's Action verb is "Define the characteristics of joint force operations"; the approved CRM lesson plan says "Describe". The five subjects of the standard are identical in both.
  • The deck's own summary slide lists only seven principles of war and ten principles of joint operations, dropping objective and offensive from both. The preceding slide - the one that teaches the material - lists all nine and all twelve, with the MOUSE MOSS plus LPR mnemonic. Answer twelve.
  • Assigned reading is JP 3-0 (22 October 2018) Chapter 1 pages I-1 through I-14 (14 pages, 25 minutes), Chapter IV section e pages IV-4 through IV-9 (7 pages, 12 minutes), and Appendix A (4 pages, 4 minutes).
  • The lesson is scheduled for 1 hour 25 minutes of academic time, taught by facilitated small or large group discussion in resident instruction, and carries a Foreign Disclosure Rating of FD3.
  • Students are assessed on this lesson through the Captains Career Common Core end-of-course exam in addition to in-class discussion.

References

JP 3-0ADP 3-0Joint Doctrine and Publications (DTIC)Joint Training and Joint Knowledge Online (JKO)