MC110: Fundamentals Of Mission Command (Davis)

Question 1

What is mission command?

Answer 1

The Army’s APPROACH to command and control that empowers subordinate decision making and decentralized execution appropriate to the situation

Question 2

What is command and control?

Answer 2

The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attachment forces in the accomplishment of mission

Command and control is FUNDAMENTAL TO ALL OPERATIONS and a WARFIGHTING FUNCTION.

Question 3

Principles of mission command

Answer 3

1) competence
2) mutual trust
3) shared understanding
4) commander’s intent
5) mission orders
6) disciplined initiative
7) risk acceptance

Question 4

3 components to the Mission command approach

Answer 4

1) subordinate decision making
2) decentralized execution
3) levels of control (commanders have to account for different considerations when determining the appropriate level of control)

Question 5

Decentralized execution is essential to:

Answer 5

Seizing, retaining, and exploiting the operational initiative

Question 6

What is mutual trust?

Answer 6

Shared confidence among commanders, subordinates, and partners

Question 7

What is risk?

Answer 7

A deliberate exposure to potential injury or loss when the commander judges the outcome in terms of mission accomplishment as worth the cost

Question 8

Attributes of intellect

Answer 8

• mental agility
• sound judgment
• innovation

Question 9

Mental agility

Answer 9

• Flexibility of mind; the ability to break habitual thought patterns
• attribute of creative thinking

Question 10

Sound judgment

Answer 10

The capacity to assess situations shrewdly and draw sound conclusions

-attribute of critical thinking

Question 11

The ability to introduce new ideas based on opportunity or challenging circumstances

-attribute of creative thinking

Answer 11

Innovation

Question 12

Critical vs. creative thinking

Answer 12

Critical thinking = analyzing a problem

Creative thinking = coming up with new, innovative ways to solve the problem

Question 13

5 warfighting functions

Answer 13

1) Movement and manuever
2) intelligence
3) fires
4) sustainment
5) protection

Question 14

What is the movement and maneuver warfighting function?

Answer 14

The related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage over the enemy and other threats

Question 15

What is the intelligence warfighting function?

Answer 15

The related tasks and systems that facilitate understanding the enemy, terrain, weather, civil considerations, and other significant aspects of the operational environment

Question 16

What is the fires warfighting function?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What is the sustainment warfighting function?

Answer 17

The related tasks and systems that provide support and services to ensure freedom of action, extended operational reach, and prolong endurance

Question 18

What is the protection warfighting function?

Answer 18

The related tasks and systems that preserve the force so the commander can apply maximum combat power to accomplish the mission

Question 19

What is the command and control warfighting function?

Answer 19

The related tasks and a system that enables commanders to synchronize and coverge all elements of combat power

Question 20

Command and control warfighting function tasks

Answer 20

• command forces
• control operations
• drive the operations process
• establish the command and control system

Question 21

Study diagram: how the CDR drives the operation process (page 37)

Answer 21

• CDRs lead soldiers and organizations through purpose, motivation, and direction
• assess through continuous monitoring and evaluation
• understand an operational environment and the problem
• visualize the desired end state and operational approach
• describe the commander’s visualization in time, space, purpose, and resources
• direct forces and warfighting functions throughout preparation and execution