MDMP FC 1.txt

Substep 7.

Select a war-gaming method.

COA statements and sketches.

Critical events

A disciplined process, with rules and steps that attempt to visualize the flow of the operation, given the force's strengths and dispositions, enemy's capabilities and possible COAs, impact and requirements of civilians in the AO, and other aspects of the situation.

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 comparison is an objective process to evaluate COAs independently and against set evaluation criteria approved by the commander and staff.

• Conduct Advantages and Disadvantages Analysis
• Compare Courses of Action
• Conduct a Course of Action Decision Briefing

• The synchronization matrix technique
• The sketch note technique

A decision point is a point in space and time when the commander or staff anticipates making a key decision concerning a specific course of action (JP 5-0).

Events that trigger significant actions or decisions (such as commitment of an enemy reserve), complicated actions requiring detailed study (such as a passage of lines), and essential tasks.

• Belt: Objectives are in a selected slice across all lines of effort.
• Box: A specific objective along a line of effort.
• Avenue-in-depth: Objectives are in one line of effort.

A shaping operation is an operation at any echelon that creates and preserves conditions for the success of the decisive operation.

An operation that directly accomplish the mission.

An operation at any echelon that enables shaping and decisive operations by generating and maintaining combat power.

Using the action, reaction, and counteraction method.

A specific activity performed by a unit while executing a form of tactical operation or form of maneuver. It may be expressed as either an action by a friendly force or effects on an enemy force (FM 7-15).

• Facts.
• Assumptions.
• Friendly force status.
• Enemy activities and capabilities.
• Civil considerations.
• Conclusions and recommendations.

Parallel planning is two or more echelons planning for the same operation nearly simultaneously.

Collaborative planning is the real-time interaction among commanders and staffs at two or more echelons developing plans for a particular operation.

• Initial: Needed for planning
• Post-COA: Needed for decision

A fact is a statement of truth or a statement thought to be true at the time.

An assumption is 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, necessary to enable the commander in the process of planning to complete an estimate of the situation and make a decision on the course of action (JP 1-02).

• Alert the staff and other key participants
• Gather the tools
• Update running estimates
• Conduct initial assessment
• Issue the commander's initial guidance
• Issue the initial warning order

19

A unifying or dominant idea or image that expresses the purpose for military action.

A verbal, written, or electronic communications that supports an information theme focused on a specific actor or the public and in support of a specific action (task).

• Observation & Fields of Fire
• Avenues of Approach
• Key Terrain
• Obstacles
• Cover & Concealment

• Wind
• Atmospheric Pressure
• Temperature
• Cloud Cover
• Humidity
• Visibility
• Precipitation

• Define the operational environment.
• Describe the environmental effects on operations.
• Evaluate the threat.
• Determine threat courses of action.

• Areas
• Structures
• Capabilities
• Organizations
• People
• Events

• Receipt of Mission
• Mission Analysis
• Course of action (COA) Development
• COA Analysis (aka Wargaming)
• COA Comparison
• COA Approval
• Orders Production

An information requirement identified by the commander as being critical to facilitating timely decision making. It includes two key elements; Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR) and Friendly Force Information Requirements (FFIR).

An intelligence requirement, stated by the commander as a priority for intelligence support, which the commander needs to support decision making and to understand the area of interest or the threat.

Information the commander and staff need about the forces available for the operation. This includes personnel, maintenance, supply, ammunition, and petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) status, and experience and leadership capabilities.

They identify those elements of friendly force information that, if compromised, would jeopardize mission success. They have the same importance as CCIRs and must be approved by the commander.

A systematic process for analysing and visualiyzing portions of the Mission Variables, including threat, terrain, weather, and civil considerations, in a specific area of interest and for a specific mission. It is a continuous process that updates running estimates and supports MDMP.

• 3
• Step 1 - Receive the mission
• Step 2 - Mission analysis
• Step 6 - COA approval

The military decisionmaking process is an iterative planning methodology that integrates the activities of the commander, staff, subordinate headquarters, and other partners to understand the situation and mission; develop and compare courses of action; decide on a course of action that best accomplishes the mission; and produce an operation plan or order for execution (FM 5-0).

• Step 2 Mission Analsysis
• It is the foundation for all subsequent steps.

Mission variables (METT-TC)

A running estimate is the continuous assessment of the current situation used to determine if the current operation is proceeding according to the commander's intent and if planned future operations are supportable (FM 5-0).

• Organic
• Assigned
• Attached
• OPCON
• TACON

• Direct Support
• Reinforcing
• General Support-Reinforcing
• General Support

A task organization is a temporary grouping of forces designed to accomplish a particular mission (FM 3-0).

• A specified task: a task specifically assigned to a unit by its higher headquarters.
• An implied task: a task that must be performed to accomplish a specified task or mission but is not stated in the higher headquarters' order.
• An essential task: a specified or implied task that must be executed to accomplish the mission.

A constraint is a restriction placed on the command by a higher command. A constraint dictates an action or inaction,thus restricting the freedom of action of a subordinate commander.

Evaluation criteria are standards the commander and staff will later use to measure the relative effectiveness and efficiency of one COA relative to other COAs.

• Screening criteria defines the limits of an acceptable solution.
• Feasible
• Acceptable
• Suitable
• Distinguishable
• Complete