Ch. 1 Fundamentals of Planning

Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Planning

• Operations are contests of wills characterized by violence and continuous adaptation. Friendly forces try to impose their will, while enemies resist and seek to impose their will.
• Military operations are dynamic and uncertain due to the complexity of forces, terrain, weather, and interactions. Chance and friction introduce uncertainty and difficulty.
• Planning is the art and science of understanding a situation, envisioning a desired future, and determining effective ways to bring that future about.
• Planning helps leaders direct, coordinate, and synchronize activities, prioritizing efforts, and anticipating events.

The Nature of Operations

• Operations are human endeavors, not just a contest of forces, but a contest of wills.
• Enemy forces are constantly adapting, with varying agendas.
• Military operations involve both friendly and enemy forces, as well as civilian groups. Their agendas affect each other.
• The scale, scope, tempo, and lethality of operations make precise determinations difficult or delayed.
• Planning's goal is to create a framework for action in an uncertain environment.

Planning

• Planning is a continuous activity in the operations process (planning, preparing, executing, and assessing).
• Plans and orders are directives for future action, using a five-paragraph format (situation, mission, execution, sustainment, command and signal). Plans synchronize actions to achieve objectives.
• Planning horizons vary by echelon and circumstances. Some plan for months or years, others for hours or days.
• The science of planning involves quantifiable aspects (e.g., movement rates, weapon effects). The art of planning focuses on the combination of forces, tactics, and arrangement of activities.
• Several resources are available to planners including tables of organization, sustainment planning factors, and threat models.

Planning and Mission Command

• Effective planning incorporates mission command principles, empowering subordinate decision-making.
• Planning is not about eliminating uncertainty but developing flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Mission command emphasizes competence, understanding, mutual trust, mission orders, commander's intent, disciplined initiative, and risk acceptance.

The Science and Art of Planning

• Planning is both a science and an art, encompassing quantifiable and non-quantifiable aspects of military operations.
• Physical capabilities of friendly and enemy forces are quantifiable scientific elements, while force combinations and tactics are part of the art.
• Planners use scientific resources, military publications, and planning tools like tables of organization, force management, and sustainment tools to formulate their plans.

Functions of Planning

• No plan can perfectly predict the future, but the understanding and learning during planning are valuable.
• Planning helps build situational understanding, identify, and develop solutions to problems.
• Planning helps commanders understand, describe, and accept risk, direct, coordinate, and synchronize action, and prioritize efforts and anticipate events.
• Commanders and staffs continually refine plans during preparation and execution, adjusting to the situation.

Build Situational Understanding

• Situational understanding is critical for informed decision-making in operations.
• Planning helps develop this understanding of the operational environment (OE), encompassing aspects of political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time.

Direct, Coordinate, and Synchronize Actions

• Plans and orders are the principal means for guiding subordinates. These show what they need to do and why, leaving the method up to the subordinates.
• Control measures (e.g., fire and maneuver) establish guidelines for actions. They are essential to coordinate subordinates' actions.
• Plans and orders communicate and synchronize the actions of forces in time and space.

Task-Organize the Force and Prioritize Efforts

• Planning involves understanding a commander's concept of operations and the supporting operations to accomplish a mission.
• Task-organizing is designing forces and assets for specific tasks.
• Commanders establish priorities of support to ensure that subordinate units have the capabilities and resources required.

Anticipate Events

• Planning involves anticipating future events and exploring options for responses.
• Flexible plans enable adaptation to changing circumstances, while planning in too much detail can stifle initiative.
• Leaders use tools like decision points, branches, and sequels to incorporate flexibility.

Integrated Planning

• Planning activities range from conceptual to granular, with commanders focusing on concepts and staffs managing specific execution particulars.
• Conceptual planning establishes objectives, a broad approach, and commander's intent.
• Detailed planning focuses on execution, specifics, and measures.
• Integrated planning requires combining conceptual and detailed aspects and combining the work of staffs and commanders.

Army Problem-Solving Methodology

• Army problem solving, ADM, MDMP, and RDSP are analytical processes to understand and solve problems and develop solutions in garrison or operations.

Troop Leading Procedures

• TLP is a planning process for small-unit leaders, focusing on analyzing missions, developing plans, and preparing for operations.
• TLP features eight steps: receive the mission, issue a warning order, make a tentative plan, initiate movement, conduct reconnaissance, complete the plan, issue the order, and supervise and refine.

Plans and Orders

• Mission orders, a crucial planning output, focus on results (what to do and why) for subordinates.

Key Components of a Plan or Order

• Mission statement: tasks and reason.
• Commander's intent: operation's purpose, key tasks, and end conditions.
• Concept of operations: sequence of actions to accomplish objectives, using operational elements like area, purpose, and prioritization.
• Accurate running estimates are a key aspect in effective planning as they provide insight into the status of objectives while in the midst of operations.
• Running estimates are ongoing assessments to maintain track of the situation, progress, and effectiveness.

Guides to Effective Planning

• Commanders play a crucial role in planning.
• Commanders incorporate critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and dialogue.
• The right planning horizon (short, mid, long range) is important to adapt to the levels of certainty relative to the situation. Optimizing available planning time and balancing the need for thoroughness with flexibility are key.
• Planning requires understanding an operational environment (OE), visualizing the desired end state, and describing the approach.

Develop and Maintain Accurate Running Estimates

• Commanders use factors (facts, assumptions, and priorities about current and future events) to develop their estimates.
• Running estimates provide an essential overview of the current situation, allowing commanders to assess progress, make decisions, and ensure operation supports commanders' intent.
• Accurate running estimates are critical for adaptability and ongoing updates.

Develop Simple, Flexible Plans and Orders

• Concise plans and orders are useful and easier to execute.
• Planning flexibility allows for adaptation and helps accommodate unexpected events.
• Appropriate detail and balance are necessary for efficient plans and orders, preventing undue complexity.