Mission Command Flashcards
What is the nature of war
War is a human endeavor - a clash of wills characterized
by the threat or application of force and violence, often
fought among populations. It is not a mechanical process that
can be precisely controlled by machines, calculations, or
processes. Nor is it conducted in carefully controlled and
predictable
environments. War, especially land combat, is inherently
dynamic and uncertain.
What are military operations
Human endeavors, Conducted in dynamic and uncertain environments, Designed to achieve a political purpose.
Describe the competition continuum that military operations fall along
Spans between cooperation and war. These relationships include
economic competition, political or ideological tension, and at
times armed conflict. Violent power struggles in failed states,
along with the emergence of major regional powers like
Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea seeking to gain strategic
positions of advantage, present challenges to the joint force.
What is the Army’s operational concept
Unified Land Operations (ULO)
What is ULO
Unified land operations is the simultaneous execution of offense, defense, stability, and defense support of civil authorities across multiple domains to shape operational environments, prevent conflict, prevail in largescale ground combat, and consolidate gains as part of unified action (ADP 3-0). The goal of unified land operations is to achieve the joint force commander?s end state by applying landpower as part of unified action.
What is Mission Command
Army?s approach to command and control that empowers subordinate decision making and decentralized execution appropriate to the situation. Mission command supports the Army?s operational concept of unified land operations and its emphasis on seizing, retaining, and exploiting the initiative.
What is the Army’s view on war
That war is inherently chaotic and uncertain. No plan can account for every possibility, and most plans must change rapidly during execution to account for changes in the situation. No single person is ever sufficiently informed to make every important decision, nor can a single person keep up with the number of decisions that need to be made during combat.
What is decentralized execution
The delegation of decision-making authority to subordinates, so they may make and implement decisions and adjust their assigned tasks in fluid and rapidly changing situations.
What are the7 Principles of Mission Command
a. Competence b. Mutual Trust c. Shared Understanding d. Commander’s Intent e. Mission Orders f. Disciplined Initiative g. Risk Acceptance
Competence
Tactically and technically competent commanders, subordinates, and teams are the basis of effective mission command. Achieved through training, education, assignment experience, and professional development.
Mutual Trust
Shared confidence between commanders, subordinates, and partners that they can be relied on and are competent in performing their assigned tasks. Achieved through upholding the Army values, exercising leadership consistent with
Army leadership principles, and most effectively
instilled by the leader?s personal example.
Shared Understanding
Starts with the Army?s doctrine and professional military education that instills a common approach to the conduct of operations, a common professional language, and a common understanding of the principles of mission command. Collabortion above just coordination. Creates open dialogue.
Commander’s Intent
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 (JP 3-0). The commander’s intent succinctly describes what constitutes success for the operation. States the operation’s purpose, key tasks, and conditions that define the end state.
Mission Orders
The results directives that emphasize to subordinates to be attained, not how they are to achieve them. Mission orders enable subordinates to understand the situation, their commander?s mission and intent, and their own tasks.
Disciplined Initiative
Duty individual subordinates have to exercise initiative within the constraints of the commander?s intent to achieve the desired end state. Simply put, disciplined initiative is when subordinates have the discipline to follow their orders and adhere to the plan until they realize their orders and the plan are no longer suitable for the situation in which they find themselves.
