Mission Command Flashcards
mission command
Is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander’s intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations. Mission command is not only a philosophy but also a warfighting function. The commanders integrate and synchronize the other warfighting functions.
6 Principles of mission command
- Provide a clear commander’s intent
- Exercise disciplined initiative
- Create shared understanding
- Accept prudent risk
- Build cohesive teams through mutual trust
- Use mission orders
- Provide a clear commanders intent
a. A clear and concise expression of the operation and the desired military end state.
b. Helps subordinate and supporting CDRs to act to achieve the goal w/o further guidance
- Exercise disciplined initiative
a. Disciplined initiative is action in the absence of orders, when existing orders no longer fit the situation, or when unforeseen opportunities or threats arise.
i. Subordinates create opportunity by taking action to develop the situation
ii. Guided by CDR’s intent
- Create shared understanding
a. Operations require a shared understanding of:
i. Operational environment
ii. Problems and approaches to solving them
iii. Purpose of the operation
b. Shared understanding forms the basis for mutual trust
c. Requires continual collaboration and dialogue
d. Allow subordinates and partners to gain insight into commander’s leadership style, issues, and concerns
- Accept prudent risk
a. Is the deliberate exposure to potential injury or loss when the commander judges the outcome in terms of mission accomplishment as worth the cost.
i. Risk vs. reward
ii. Action worth the outcome
iii. Risk management (Determine risk, analyze and minimize, determine level or risk and how to mitigate it)
- Build cohesive teams through mutual trust
a. Empowering subordinates builds mutual trust and builds cohesion
b. Shared confidence among CDRs, subordinates, and partners
c. Demands unity of effort
- Use mission orders
a. They are used to assign tasks, allocated resources, and issue broad guidance.
DIRECT
Commanders direct the manner in which subordinate units cooperate to accomplish the mission through their concept of operations. The commander directs the warfighting functions (Mission command, Movemt & Maneuver, Intel, Fires, Sustainment, and Protection).
How does the commander direct?
Through plans and orders & branches and sequels
LEAD
CDRs provide purpose, direction, and motivation to subordinate commanders, their staff, and soldiers. In many instances, a commander’s physical presence is necessary to lead effectively. CDRS balance their time between leading the staff through the ops process and leading subordinate cdrs and soldiers away from the command post.
ASSESS
Cdrs continuously assess the situation to better understand current conditions and determine how the op is progressing.
Measurement of performance
are we doing tasks to standard
Measurement of Effectiveness
are we doing tasks achieving the effect to get us to endstate
Offense
offensive actions are combat ops conducted to defeat and destroy enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers. They impose the CDR’s will on the enemy.
four charac of offense
- Concentration
- Audacity
- Rapid Tempo
- Surprise
- Concentration
massing of overwhelming effects of combat power to achieve a single purpose
- Audacity
means boldly executing a simple plan of action
- Rapid Tempo
controlling or alternating the tempo retains the initiative (violence of action).
- Surprise
by attacking the enemy at a time or place the enemy does not expect or in a manner that the enemy is unprepared for
4 Tasks of Offense
- Movt to contact
- Attack
- Exploitation
- Pursuit
- Movt to contact
Offensive task designed to develop the situation and to establish or regain contact.
a. Search and attack
b. Cordon and search
- Attack
offensive task that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures terrain, or both.
a. Ambush
b. Counterattack
c. Spoiling attack (disrupt their attack)
d. Demonstration
e. Feint
f. Raid
- Exploitation
is an offensive task that usually follows the conduct of a successful attack and is designed to disorganize the enemy in depth
- Pursuit
is an offensive task designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to escape, with the aim of destroying it.
Defense
is a task conducted to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability tasks
Characteristics of Def
- Disruption
- Flexibility
- Maneuver
- Mass concentration
- Operations in depth
- Preparation
- Security
- Disruption
Preventing attacks from massing power
- Flexibility
CDRs add flexibility by designating supplementary positions, designing counterattack plans, and preparing to counterattack.
- Maneuver
though movt in combination with fire, it allows to achieve a position of advantage
- Mass concentration
mass the effect of overwhelming combat power
- Ops in depth
simultaneous application of combat power throughout the area of ops improves the chances for success
- Preparation
defender arrives in the area before attacker and uses available time to prepare.
- Security
CDRs secure their forces principally through protection, military deception, inform and influence activities, and cyber electromagnetic activities.
Defense Tasks
- Area Defense
- Mobile defense
- Retrograde
- area defense
defensive task that concentrates on denying enemy forces access to designated terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy outright
- mobile defense
defensive task that concentrates on the destruction or defeat of the enemy through a decisive attack by a striking force
- retrograde
defensive task that involves organized movt away from the enemy.
- retrograde / delaying op
is an op in which a force under pressure trades space for time by slowing down the enemy’s momentum
- retrograde / retirement
form of retrograde in which a force out of contact moves a way from the enemy
- retrograde / withdrawal
planned retrograde op in which a force in contact disengages from an enemy force and moves away
Stability - 4 priciples
Conflict transformation
Unity of effort
Legitimacy
Building partner capacity
Stability 5 tasks
Establish civil security Establish civil control Restore essential services Support to governance Support to economic and infrastructure development
Stability
Aims to create conditions in which the local police regards the situation as legitimate, acceptable, and predictable
