Operational Environment Flashcards
Identify the operational variables that make up PMESII-PT
Political, Military, Economic, Social, Information, Infrastructure, Physical Environment, Time
What is the Political OE variable
Institutions of governance, the ability to enforce the rule of law & those structures or elements which provide public services.
What is the Military OE variable
Equipment, manpower, military doctrine, training levels, resource constraints, & leadership issues. Military leadership is especially important.
What is the Economic OE variable
Individual behaviors related to the production, distribution, & consumption of material goods & services, through both formal & informal economies.
What is the Social OE variable
Traditional, religious, & ethnic composition within an OE. A social system consists of the people, groups, & institutions that exhibit shared identity, behaviors, values, & beliefs. Important characteristics of a social system include population demographics, migration trends, urbanization, standards of living.
What is the Information OE variable
Nature, scope, characteristics, & effects of individuals, organizations, & systems that collect, process, disseminate, or act on information. Information involves the access, use, manipulation, distribution, & reliance on data, media, & knowledge systems
What is the Infrastructure OE variable
Basic facilities, services, & installations needed for the functioning of a community or society
What is the Physical Environment OE variable
Physical circumstances & conditions that influence the execution of operations throughout the domains of air, land, sea, & space. The defining factors are complex terrain & urban settings (subsurface, surface, & super-surface features), weather, topography, hydrology, & environmental conditions.
What is the Time OE variable
Influences military operations in terms of the decision-cycles, operational tempo, & planning horizons. It may also influence endurance or protraction of operations since popular support for extended operations may diminish over time.
What is the Culture OE variable
Does not neatly fit within any of the PMESII-PT variables, but is just as important as all the other variables. The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, norms, &
material artifacts members of a society use to cope with their
physical & social environments.
Identify the cultural impacts of the OE
Influences how people make judgments about what is right & wrong, assess what is important & unimportant, categorize things, & deal with things that do not fit into existing categories. Provides framework for rational thought & decisions. May make mistakes that unintentionally offend the local
populace. The enemy will attempt to publicize these
unintentional offensive actions in order to solidify its own
people’s mistrust
Identify cultural norms that can be force multipliers
Local gestures, proper greetings, what is considered respectful/disrespectful, role of women, what is sacred, how to ask for things, personal space/eye contact.
Identify the combatant actors
An individual engaged in fighting during a war or military conflict.
What can combatants be subdivided into
Lawful & Unlawful
Lawful Combatants
individuals authorized by a government authority to engage in hostilities, & may be a member of a regular armed force or an irregular force. They must be commanded by a person responsible for subordinates, & must have fixed distinctive emblems recognizable at a distance, such as uniforms. Finally, they must carry arms openly, & conduct combat operations according to the Law of War (LOW). If captured, lawful combatants are entitled to Prisoner of War (POW) status & humane treatment in accordance with the articles of the Third Geneva Convention.
Unlawful Combatants
individuals who participate in hostilities without governmental authorization to do so. For example, civilians who attack a downed airman are unlawful combatants, just as are insurgents, terrorists, & criminals. Unlawful combatants who engage in hostilities violate the LOW & become lawful targets for engagement by U.S. forces in accordance with their rules-of-engagement (ROE). In addition to being wounded or killed, when captured, unlawful combatants may be tried as war criminals for their LOW violations.
Identify the non combatant actors
An individual in an area of combat operations, who is not armed & is not participating in any activity in support of any forces or factions involved in combat.
Identify the hybrid threats within OE
The
diverse & dynamic combination of regular & irregular
military forces along with terrorist, criminal, & cyber
elements all unified to achieve mutually benefiting effects.
Who do hybrid threats attack
May not only attack traditional military targets, but may also simultaneously attack social, economic, information, and infrastructure targets as well, using all available means at their disposal.
What weapons are included in future threat capabilities
Military grade and COTS: small arms, indirect fire, MANPODS, airborne weapon platforms. ISR, IED, EFP, CBRNE, EW, Cyber, etc.
DIME
Diplomatic, Informational, Military, Economic
What is Strategic Environment
The set of global conditions, circumstances, & influences that affect the employment of all elements of US national power. The SE contains multiple potential Oes.
What is Operational Environment
A composite of the conditions, circumstances, & influences that affect the employment of military forces & bear on the decisions of the unit commander. In short, the operational environment consists of all the conditions, circumstances, & influences that affect military operations.
5 Characteristics of future OE
- Increased velocity & momentum of human interaction & Events. 2. Potential for overmatch. 3. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. 4. Spread of advanced cyberspace & counter-space capabilities. 5. Demographics & operations among populations, in cities, & in complex terrain.
