Mission Planning Flashcards
What is the commanders role in planning?
UVDDLA
Understand: PMESII-PT
Visualize: METT-TC
Describe: commanders intent, planning guidance, operational approach, CCIR, and EEFI
Direct: plans, orders, Branch’s, and sequels
Lead
Assess
What is a specified task?
A task specially assigned to a unit by it’s higher HQ
Implied task
A task that must be performed to accomplish a specified task or mission but is not stated in higher HQs order
Essential task
A task that is specified or implied that must be completed to accomplish the mission. Essential tasks are always included in the units mission statement
What is the purpose of planning
To translate the commanders visualization into a COA
Why do we conduct a mission analysis brief?
To gain the appropriate level of understanding for the development of any COA, common operating picture. Must be achieved before beginning COA development.
COA screening criteria
SF ADC
Feasibility Acceptability Suitability Distinguishably Completeness
Purpose for COA screening criteria
To ensure each COA is valid
The Army’s three planning methodologies
Army design methodology
Military decision making process
Troop leading procedures
What is a COA
A broad potential solution to an identified problem
Constraints
Restrictions imposed by higher that restrict freedom of action
Examples: ROE, Time, phase lines boundaries, reporting requirements
What is a “turn”
A single cycle of action, reaction, counter action. During COA analysis
What are COAs compared against during COA comparison?
A set of criterion provided by the commander. Known as evaluation criteria and other COAs
What is the Army’s framework for exercising mission command?
The operations process
Seven steps of MDMP
Received the order Mission analysis COA development COA analysis COA comparison COA approval Orders production, dissemination and transaction
The synchronization matrix is?
used to record results of war gaming that helps synchronize a COA and time, space and purpose in relation to potential enemy and civil actions
War gaming methods
Box
Belt
Avenue in depth
During planning the COA analysis focus is on?
War gaming. A process with roles and steps that attempts to visualize the whole of the operation, given forces strength and disposition, the enemies capabilities and possible COAs and civilians
What are the 8 steps of COA ANALYSIS
Gather tools List all friendly forces List known critical events and decision point Select was gaming strategy Select a technique to record and display results War game the operation Assess the results Conduct a war game briefing
What is a decision point
A point in space and time needing a key decision concerning a specific COA
what war gaming method is best for Offensive and Defensive tasks on terrain divided into well-defined cross-compartments and is used during phased operations
Belt method
What war gaming method starts at the decisive point and is best for offensive COAs and canalizing terrain?
Avenue in depth
What war gaming method works in a time constrained environment?
Box
What are the two methods to record and display results of COA analysis/ war gaming?
Sketch note
Synchronization matrix
what is the goal during COA comparison ?
Identify strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages, and to identify most successful.
What is an action
Events initiated by the side with the initiative
What is a reaction
Opposing sides actions in response too the action
What is a counteraction
The initiating sides response to the reaction
When do you start targeting
Step 2 of MDMP, Step 2 of Mission analysis and Step 3 of IPB
What are elements of combat power
Leadership Information Movement and manuever Protection C2 Sustainment Fires intelligence
What is the purpose of MA
Gain situational understanding Understand the problem understand the OE ID what the command must accomplish ID the purpose of the operation
What makes up essential tasks
The what of the mission statement
Derived from implied and specified tasks
Must always be a doctrinal task/effect
Fact
A statement of truth or thought to be true
Define MDMP
An iterative planning methodology used to understand the situation and mission, Develop Course of Action, produce an OPORDER, facilitates collaborative planning, drives preparation activities.
What are the planning pitfalls
Attempting to forecast & dictate events too far into the future
Trying to plan in too much detail
Use the plan as a script for execution
Institutionalizing rigid planning methods
How long does a COA turn last?
Continues until the critical event is completed or commander decides to use another COA.
What is the purpose/importance of COA analysis?
COA analysis enables commanders and staffs to identify difficulties or coordination problems as well as probable consequences of planned actions for each COA being considered. COA analysis (war gaming) is a disciplined process. It includes rules and steps that help commanders and staffs visualize the flow of the operation. Each critical event within a proposed COA should be war-gamed using the Action-Reaction-Counteraction method of friendly and enemy forces interaction.
A good COA does what?
Defeats all the enemies ML/MDCOA, provides flexibility to meet unforeseen events, and position force for sequels.
During mission planning what tool is used to drive intel?
CCIRs
What tool do we use for COA comparison?
Sync Matrix
During MDMP when is targeting initiated?
MDMP step 2, MA step 2 IBP, IPB step 3 evaluate the threat
During COA Analysis what tools can you gather
Running estimates, maps, Threat templates, MCOO, Sync Matrix, Sketch note, completed COAs, COP
What are the aspects of Operational Art
endstate and conditions, CoG, A decisive point, Line of operations/line of effort, Phasing, transitions, basing, tempo, culmination, risk
steps of the operations process?
Planning, Prepare, Execute, Assessing
three valuable frameworks?
deep-close security, Main effort supporting effort, decisive shaping and sustaining
What is the difference between an “on order” and a “be prepared to”?
BPT mission is assigned and might happen and an on order mission will be executed at a non specified time.
What is a plan?
is developed well in advanced of executing, and not executed until directed.
What is an order?
is a plan that has been directed for execution at a specific time/event
Step 1 of MDMP
receipt of the mission:
commanders initial guidance, initial allocation of time, warning order
Step 2 of MDMP
Mission Analysis:
facts, assumptions, tasks, problem statement, mission statement
Step 3 of MDMP
COA Development:
wargaming
COA statements and sketches, Broad concept of operations
Step 4 of MDMP
COA Analysis:
refined COAs
potential decision points
wargaming results
Step 5 of MDMP
COA Comparison:
Step 6 of MDMP
COA approval:
commander approved COA
revised intent
Step 7 of MDMP
Orders Production:
OPORDER
What are the steps of IPB and their outputs?
Understand the operational environment, analyze the operational environment, evaluate the threat
What are the types of orders?
FRAGO, WARNO, OPORDER
What is key terrain
Terrain that must be controlled to accomplish the mission. When controlled it provides a marked advantage over an adversary
