Mission Planning Flashcards
Step 1. Receipt of Mission
1) Alert the Staff and other key participants
a) Move to planning area
b) Ensure that each staff section gets their portion of the order
2) Gather the tools
a) Receive the in-brief (OPORD, mission tasking or guidance)
b) Get a copy of all orders and references
3) Update running estimates
4) Conduct Initial Assessment. How much time is needed to complete planning?
5) Issue Commander’s initial guidance
a) Issue Timeline
b) Review all critical information available at this time
6) Issue the Initial Warning Order
a) May be verbal
b) Ensure that all understand the Commander’s Intent two levels up
Step 2. Mission Analysis
2) Perform Initial Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB)
Too Long, Full IPB is missing from this card
4 Steps.
I put the main topics on the card
2) Perform Initial Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) (4 Steps)
a) Define the Operational Environment (Step 1 of IPB)
b) Analyze the Environmental Effects on Operations (Step 2 of IPB)
c) Evaluate the Threat (Step 3 of IPB)-How does the enemy conduct operations under similar circumstances (normal day-to-day activities)?
d) Determine the Threat COAs (Step 4 of IPB). These are the two Enemy COAs that will be wargamed in Step 4 COA Analysis.
Step 2. Mission Analysis
3) Determine Specified, Implied, and Essential Tasks
a) Specified Tasks-Tasks that are specifically assigned to the unit
b) Implied Tasks-Tasks that are not specifically stated in the order, but must be accomplished to satisfy the overall mission or any specified tasks
Step 2. Mission Analysis
4) Review available assets and identify resource shortfalls
a) Include a review of possible attachments, detachments, and supporting elements available to conduct the mission. Examples include-
(1) SOT-A
(2) SOT-B
(3) TACP
(4) CCT
(5) JTAC
(6) Intelligence assets
(7) Special Operations Weather Team
(8) Rotary and fixed wing aviation
(9) Fire support and platforms
(10) Waterborne platforms
(11) Civilian agencies
b) Special equipment necessary to accomplish the mission
(1) If the unit doesn’t have it, ask for it
(2) Prioritize and distinguish mission essential equipment
Step 2. Mission Analysis
5) Determine constraints. Constraints are factors that restrict freedom of action.
a) Requirements
(1) Instructions that the unit must comply with
(2) Similar to Specified Tasks
(3) Examples include-
(a) Ensure the SOTF receives collected PIRs NLT DTG
(b) Establishing communications with the SOTF once per day
(c) Determine suitable PRI and ALT DZs
b) Prohibitions
(1) Things that the unit is not authorized and cannot do
(2) Examples include-
(a) Do not execute an attack without an execute order from the SOTF
(b) Do not conduct cross-border operations
(c) Do not cause collateral damage to the hydroelectric dam
Step 2. Mission Analysis
6) Identify critical facts and develop assumptions
a) Facts-What is true or thought to be true at the time
(1) Known data concerning the situation and enemy and friendly dispositions
(2) Pertinent information that assists in making a decision
b) Assumptions- A supposition on the current situation or a presupposition on the future course of events, either or both assumed to be true in the absence of positive proof.
(1) Used in the absence of facts to facilitate continued planning
(2) Submit an RFI for every assumption that is valid and necessary
Step 2. Mission Analysis
7) Begin composite risk management
a) Initial assessment of operational risk
(1) Risk to the mission (success)
(2) Risk to the force (personnel and critical equipment)
b) Identify risk by each phase of the operation
(1) Areas presenting risk are identified and eliminated, reduced, or justified
(2) If unable to operate within risk guidance, must be addressed to higher
Step 2. Mission Analysis
8) Develop Initial Commander’s Critical Information Requirements (CCIR) and Essential Elements of Friendly Information (EEFI)
a) Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR)-Collect
(1) Critical information the commander needs to accomplish the mission
(2) PIR directly related to mission accomplishment
(3) Must pass the following requirements-
(a) Someone must be specifically responsible for answering it
(b) It must be collectable
(c) It must be tied to a friendly action or decision
(4) Examples include-
(a) The location of US prisoners
(b) The goals and priorities of a guerilla force
b) Friendly Forces Information Requirements (FFIR)
(1) Information requirements that pertain to friendly forces prior to and during mission execution
(2) Higher command will use this information to make appropriate decisions and maintain situational awareness
(3) Examples include-
(a) Code words sent during the mission
(b) Troops in Contact or mission compromise
(c) Friendly WIA or KIA
c) Essential Elements of Friendly Information (EEFI)-Protect
(1) Information given special emphasis or security measures to protect friendly forces
(2) Normally protected by compartmentalization or need-to-know basis
(3) May allow staff to begin planning for military deception or OPSEC
Step 2. Mission Analysis
9) Develop Initial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Synchronization Tools
a) Assess and adjust R&S activities as required
b) Ensure that the commander’s requirements drive R&S activities in time to influence decisions and operations
c) Synchronization includes organic, adjacent, or higher assets, RFIs, and intel reach that answer the CCIR
d) During R&S synchronization-
(1) Identify requirements and intel gaps
(2) Evaluate available assets (internal and external) to collect information
(3) Determine gaps in the use of those assets
(4) Recommends those reconnaissance and surveillance assets controlled by the organization to collect on the IRs.
(5) Submits requests for information for adjacent and higher collections support
(6) Submits information gathered during reconnaissance and surveillance synchronization to the S-3 (J-3) for integrating and developing the reconnaissance and surveillance plan
Step 2. Mission Analysis
10) Develop Initial Reconnaissance and Surveillance Plan
a) The S-3 can lead the staff through R&S integration to task available assets to satisfy IRs
b) The initial R&S synch plan is crucial to begin or adjust the collection effort to help answer IRs.
c) This is not normally done at the ODA level, however, based on the initial IPB and CCIR, the ODA can identify intel gaps and submit RFIs
d) ODAs can develop internal collection plan for collection efforts on the ground
Step 2. Mission Analysis
11) Update Plan for the Use of Available Time
a) As more information becomes available, refine the initial plan for the use of available time
b) Create schedule based on “backward planning”
c) Ensure that the timeline includes-
(1) Subject, time, and location of briefings
(2) Times for collaborative planning sessions
(3) Time, locations, and forms of rehearsals
Step 2. Mission Analysis
12) Develop initial information themes and messages
a) Faced with the many different actors (individuals, organizations, and publics) that are connected with the operations, commanders identify and engage those actors that matter most to their operational success
b) The S-7 develops initial information themes and messages for the unit and prepares to transmit these themes and messages to those key actors or the public whose perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors matter to the success of the operation
c) The S-7 will-
(1) Review the higher headquarters’ information themes and messages
(2) Review military information support operations approval guidelines
(3) Review internal design products, including the initial commander’s intent, mission narrative, and planning guidance
(4) Refine information themes and planning guidance as staffs develop, evaluate, and decide COAs
Step 2. Mission Analysis
13) Develop a proposed Problem Statement. Identify the right problem to solved by conducting the mission, and describe it clearly
a) Compare the current situation to the desired end state
b) Brainstorm and list issues that impede the Commander from achieving the desired end state
Step 2. Mission Analysis
14) Develop a proposed Mission Statement
a) Must emphasize the single task and purpose for the mission
b) Must be linked (nested) to achieving or supporting the higher headquarters’ commander’s intent: purpose
c) Who, what, where, when, why
Step 2. Mission Analysis
15) Present the Mission Analysis briefing
a) This is an informal and internal IPR. The goal is to get everyone up to date on the information to really begin the planning.
b) Ensures that the unit is going to begin mission planning from a common point and shared understanding of requirements.
c) The format for this briefing should include-
(1) Mission and Commander’s Intent of the headquarters 2 levels up
(2) Mission, Commander’s Intent, and concept of the operation of the headquarters 1 level up
(3) Review the SOTF Commander’s initial guidance
(4) Review initial IPB products
(5) Review Specified, Implied, and Essential Tasks
(6) Review pertinent Facts and Assumptions
(7) Review Constraints
(8) Review forces available and resource shortfalls
(9) Initial Risk Assessment
(10) Proposed information themes and messages
(11) Proposed CCIRs and EEFIs
(12) Initial Reconnaissance and surveillance plan
(13) A proposed Problem Statement
(14) A proposed Mission Statement
(15) Recommended timeline
Step 2. Mission Analysis
16) Develop and Issue Initial Commander’s Intent
a) Clear, concise statement
b) For SFWOAC, this will be written in paragraph form
c) Broken down to Expanded Purpose, Key Tasks, and Endstate
Step 2. Mission Analysis
17) Develop and Issue Initial Planning Guidance
a) Commander provides initial planning guidance
b) Commander can add focus to things that he wants the staff to consider
(1) How the staff will continue into COA development
(2) The number of planning cells to be formed and who will be in these cells
(3) How the staff will generate options for different COAs, usually with a time cut off for how long the staff will spend generating options
(4) Additional information that the commander wants the staff to consider
(5) The time plan
Step 2. Mission Analysis
18) Develop Course of Action (COA) Evaluation Criteria
a) Must pertain to the mission and is drawn from the commander’s guidance
b) Evaluation criteria address factors that affect success and those that can cause failure
c) These are the standards the commander and staff will later use to measure the relative effectiveness and efficiency of one COA relative to another COA.
d) May be weighted based on their relative importance to the mission
e) Examples include-
(1) Mission command
(2) Security
(3) Survivability
(4) Simplicity
(5) Flexibility
(6) Speed
(7) Redundancy
(8) Logistically sustainable
Step 2. Mission Analysis
19) Issue a Warning Order
a) Only needs to be issued if attachments, subordinate, or supporting units are not present.
b) At a minimum, it should contain:
(1) Approved Mission Statement
(2) Commander’s Intent
(3) Changes to Task Organization
(4) Unit AO
(5) CCIRs and EEFIs
(6) Risk guidance
Step 2. Mission Analysis
1) Analyze the Higher Headquarters’ Plan or Order
a) Commander’s Intent two levels up
b) Mission & Success criteria
c) CONOPs
d) Available assets and timeline
e) Missions of-
(1) Adjacent, supporting, and supported units
(2) Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, Multinational (JIIM), and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that work in the AO
f) Abort Criteria
g) E&R Criteria(establish areas for phasing and transitions to include AO boundaries)
h) Risk Guidance
i) Any other factors given
Step 3. Course of Action Development
All COAs must meet the following criteria:
• Suitable
a) Does it accomplish the mission?
b) Does it achieve the Commander’s Intent and planning guidance?
• Feasible
a) Is the unit capable and trained of doing the mission?
b) Can it be accomplished within the established time, space, and resources?
c) Does the unit require special skills?
• Acceptable
a) Do benefits outweigh the risk?
b) Is it legal?
c) Does it violate any of the higher commander’s prohibitions or requirements?
• Complete
a) Does it have stand-alone graphics?
b) Does it cover all phases of the operation?
c) Does it contain all elements of the COA?
(1) Task organization
(2) Commander’s intent
(3) Concept of the operation
(4) Critical sustainment requirements
(5) Concept of communications
(6) Are the correct graphics depicted?
(7) How does the decisive operation lead to mission accomplishment?
(8) How do shaping operations create and preserve conditions for success of the decisive operation?
(9) How do sustaining operations enable shaping and decisive operations or efforts?
(10) What tasks need to be performed and what conditions need to be achieved?
• Distinguishable
a) Is there a significant difference between COAs (scheme of maneuver, lines of effort, phasing, use of the reserve, task organization)?
b) Examples include-
(1) SR: split team(s), static surveillance positions, mobile recon positions, number of positions/recon teams, use of SOT-A teams.
(2) DA: insert onto target versus away from target, use of standoff weapons (sniper systems, TGO, CAS, etc.), use of demolitions/placement, number of assault teams, use of indigenous forces or personnel, sabotage, etc.
(3) FID: committee versus platoon trainers, split detachment operations, use of multiple training sites, etc.
(4) UW: train all guerillas versus creating a guerilla training cadre, use multiple training sites versus a fixed point, separate training camps and operational camps, etc.
Step 3. Course of Action Development
1) Assess relative combat power
a) Only if the unit intends to confront the enemy
b) Compare friendly strengths against enemy weaknesses, and vice versa. This comparison allows planners to gain insight into:
(1) Friendly capabilities that pertain to the mission
(2) The types of operations possible from both friendly and enemy perspective
(3) How and where the enemy may be vulnerable
(4) How and where friendly forces may be vulnerable
(5) Additional resources needed to execute the mission
(6) How to allocate existing resources
Step 3. Course of Action Development
2) Generate options
a) Open-minded and unbiased brainstorming
b) Must determine doctrinal requirements and tasks for each proposed operation
Step 3. Course of Action Development
3) Array Forces.
Determine the combat power required to accomplish each task (decisive operation, shaping operation, stability operation)
