Military

(a)   Battalion Mission, Intent and Concept.   The platoon leader must understand the battalion commander's concept of the operation. He identifies the battalion's task and purpose, and how his company is contributing to the battalion's fight. The platoon leader must also understand the battalion commander's intent found in the friendly forces paragraph (paragraph 1b) of the company order.

(b)   Company Mission, Intent and Concept.   The platoon leader must understand the company's concept of the operation. He identifies the company's task and purpose, as well as his contribution to the company's fight. The platoon leader must clearly understand the commander's intent from the order. Additionally, the platoon leader identifies the task, purpose, and disposition for all adjacent maneuver elements under company control.

(c)   Platoon Mission.   The platoon leader finds his platoon mission in the company's concept of the operation paragraph. The purpose of the main effort platoon usually matches the purpose of the company. Similarly, supporting effort platoons' purposes must relate directly to the purpose of the main effort platoon. The platoon leader must understand how his purpose relates to the other platoons in the company. He determines the platoon's essential tactical task to successfully accomplish his given purpose. Finally, he must understand why the commander gave his platoon a particular tactical task and how it fits into the company's concept of the operation.

(d)   Constraints.   Constraints are restrictions placed on the platoon leader by the commander to dictate action or inaction, thus restricting the freedom of action the platoon leader has for planning by stating the things that must or must not be done. The platoon leader identifies all of the constraints the commander places on the unit's ability to execute its mission. The two types of constraints are: requirements for action (for example, maintain a squad in reserve) and prohibitions of action (for example, do not cross PL BULL until authorized).

(e)   Identification of Tasks.   The platoon leader must identify and understand the tasks required to accomplish the mission. There are three types of tasks: specified, implied and essential.

• Specified Tasks. These are tasks specifically assigned to a platoon by the commander. Paragraphs 2 and 3 from the company OPORD primarily state specified tasks. Specified tasks may also be found paragraphs 4 and 5, and in annexes and overlays.

• Implied Tasks. These are tasks that must be performed to accomplish a specified task, but which are not stated in the OPORD. Implied tasks are derived from a detailed analysis of the OPORD, the enemy situation, the courses of action, and the terrain. Analysis of the platoon's current location in relation to future areas of operation as well as the doctrinal requirements for each specified task also might provide implied tasks. SOP tasks are not considered implied tasks.

• Essential Task. An essential task is one that must be executed to accomplish the mission derived from a review of the specified and implied tasks.

(f)   Identification of Risks.   Risk is the chance of injury or death for individuals and damage to or loss of vehicles and equipment. Risk, or the potential for risk, is always present in every combat and training situation the platoon faces. Risk management must take place at all levels of the chain of command during every operation; it is an integral part of tactical planning. The platoon leader, his NCOs, and all other platoon soldiers must know how to use risk management, coupled with fratricide avoidance measures, to ensure that the mission is executed in the safest possible environment within mission constraints. (Refer to Appendix C for a detailed discussion of risk management and Appendix D for a detailed discussion of fratricide avoidance.)

(g)   Restated Platoon Mission Statement.   The platoon leader restates his mission statement (Figure 2-3) using the five W's: who, what, when, where, and why. The "who" is the platoon. The "what" is the type of operation and the platoon's essential tactical task. The "when" is given in the order. The "where" is the objective or location taken from the order. The "why" is the purpose for the platoon's essential tactical task taken from the commander's concept of the operations paragraph.

(a)   Terrain mobility is classified in one of three categories.

• Unrestricted. This is terrain free of any movement restrictions; no actions are required to enhance mobility. For mechanized forces, unrestricted terrain is typically flat or moderately sloped, with scattered or widely spaced obstacles such as trees or rocks. Unrestricted terrain generally allows wide maneuver and offers unlimited travel over well-developed road networks. Unrestricted terrain is an advantage in situations requiring rapid movement.

• Restricted. This terrain hinders movement to some degree, and units may need to detour frequently. Restricted terrain may cause difficulty in maintaining optimal speed, moving in some types of combat formations, or transitioning from one formation to another. This terrain typically encompasses moderate to steep slopes or moderate to dense spacing of obstacles such as trees, rocks, or buildings. The terrain may not require additional assets or time to traverse, but it may hinder movement to some degree due of increased security requirements. In instances when security is the paramount concern, both friendly and enemy elements may move in more restricted terrain that may provide more cover and concealment.

• Severely Restricted. This terrain severely hinders or slows movement in combat formations unless some effort is made to enhance mobility. It may require a commitment of engineer forces to improve mobility, or a deviation from doctrinal tactics, such as using a column rather than a wedge formation or moving at speeds much slower than otherwise preferred. Severely restricted terrain includes any terrain that requires equipment not organic to the unit to cross (for example, a large body of water and slopes requiring mountaineering equipment).

(b)   The platoon leader uses the military aspects of terrain to analyze the ground. The military aspects of terrain include observation and fields of fire, avenues of approach, key terrain, obstacles, and cover and concealment (Figure 2-4). The sequence used to analyze the military aspects of terrain can vary. The leader may prefer to determine obstacles first, avenues of approach second, key terrain third, observation and fields of fire fourth, and cover and concealment last. The platoon leader determines the effect of each military aspect of terrain on both enemy and friendly forces, and applies his conclusions to the enemy or friendly course of action.

• Obstacles. The platoon leader first identifies existing and reinforcing obstacles in his AO that limit his mobility with regards to the mission. Existing obstacles are typically natural terrain features present on the battlefield and may include: ravines; gaps, or ditches over 3 meters wide; tree stumps and large rocks over 18 inches high; forests with trees 8 inches or greater in diameter and with less than 4 meters between tree; and man-made obstacles such as towns or cities. Reinforcing obstacles are typically man-made obstacles that augment existing obstacles. These may include minefields, antitank ditches, road craters, abatis and log cribs, wire obstacles, and infantry strongpoints. Figure 2-5 lists several offensive and defensive considerations the platoon leader can include in his analysis of obstacles and restricted terrain.

• Avenues of Approach. An avenue of approach is an air or ground route of an attacking force leading to its objective or to key terrain. For each avenue of approach, the platoon leader determines the type (mounted, dismounted, air, or subterranean), size, and formation and speed of the largest unit that can travel along it, or the commander may give him this information. Mounted forces may move on avenues along unrestricted or restricted terrain (or both). Dismounted avenues and avenues used by reconnaissance elements normally include terrain that is restricted and, at times, severely restricted to mounted forces. The terrain analysis also must identify avenues of approach for both friendly and enemy units. Figure 2-6 lists several considerations for avenue of approach analysis.

• Key Terrain. Key terrain affords a marked advantage to the combatant who seizes, retains, or controls it. If not provided by the company team commander, the platoon leader identifies key terrain starting at the objective/main battle area and working backwards to his current position. It is a conclusion rather than an observation. The platoon leader must assess what terrain is key to accomplishing his mission. Key terrain may allow the platoon leader to apply direct fire or achieve observation of the objective (or avenue of approach).

— An example of key terrain for a platoon could be a tree line on a hillside that provides overwatch of a high-speed avenue of approach. Controlling this tree line may be critical in passing follow-on forces (main effort) to their objective. High ground is not necessarily key terrain. For example, a prominent hilltop overlooks an avenue of approach and offers clear observation and fields of fire, but if it is easily bypassed and offers nothing to the enemy, it is not key terrain.

— Although unlikely, the platoon leader may identify decisive terrain--key terrain that holds such importance that the seizure, retention, and control of it will be necessary for mission accomplishment and may decide the outcome of the battle. A technique for evaluating key terrain is to analyze the following two military aspects of terrain (observation and fields of fire, and cover and concealment) to each piece of key terrain. Figure 2-7) depicts operational considerations to use when analyzing key terrain.

• Observation and Fields of Fire. The platoon leader analyzes areas surrounding key terrain, objectives, avenues of approach, and obstacles to determine if they provide clear observation and fields of fire for both friendly and enemy forces. He locates intervisibility (IV) lines (terrain that inhibits observation from one point to another) that have not been identified by the commander and determines where visual contact between the two forces occurs. When analyzing fields of fire, the platoon leader focuses on both friendly and enemy direct fire capabilities. Additionally, he identifies positions that enable artillery observers to call for indirect fires and permit snipers to engage targets. Figure 2-8 provides considerations for analysis of observation and fields of fire. Whenever possible, the platoon leader conducts a ground reconnaissance from both the friendly and enemy perspective.

• Cover and Concealment. Cover is protection from the effects of fires. Concealment is protection from observation, but not direct fire or indirect fires. Figure 2-9 provides considerations for analysis of cover and concealment. Consideration of these elements leads the platoon leader to identify areas that can, at best, achieve both facets. The platoon leader looks at the terrain, foliage, structures, and other features on the key terrain, objective, and avenues of approach to identify sites that offer cover and concealment.

(c)   There are five military aspects of weather (Figure 2-10). The platoon leader must go beyond merely making observations; he must arrive at significant conclusions about how the weather will affect the visibility, mobility, and survivability of his platoon and of the enemy. He receives conclusions from the commander and identifies his own critical conclusions about the five military aspects of weather. Most importantly, the platoon leader must apply these conclusions when he develops friendly and enemy COAs.

• Visibility. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about visibility factors (such as light data, fog, and smog) and battlefield obscurants (such as smoke and dust). Some visibility considerations are:

  — Light Data. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about beginning morning nautical twilight (BMNT), sunrise, sunset, end of evening nautical twilight (EENT), moonrise, moonset, and percentage of illumination. Some light data considerations are:

  — Will the sun rise behind my attack? Will I attack toward the sunrise?

  — How can I take advantage of the limited illumination?

  — How will this effect friendly and enemy target acquisition?

  — Will the current weather favor the use of smoke to obscure during breaching?

  — Will fog affect friendly and enemy target acquisition?

• Winds. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about wind factors (such as direction and speed) Some wind considerations are:

— Will wind speed cause smoke to dissipate quickly?

— Will wind speed and direction favor enemy use of smoke?

• Precipitation. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about precipitation factors (such as type, amount, and duration). Some precipitation considerations are:

— How will precipitation affect mobility?

— How can precipitation add to the platoon achieving surprise?

• Cloud Cover. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about cloud cover (such as limits on illumination and solar heating of targets).

— How will cloud cover effect platoon operations at night? How will it affect the enemy?

— How will cloud cover effect the target acquisition of thermal sights?

• Temperature and Humidity. The platoon leader identifies critical conclusions about temperature factors (such as high and low temperatures, and infrared crossover times) and battlefield factors (such as use of smoke or chemicals). Some temperature considerations are:

— How will temperature (hot or cold) and humidity affect the dismounted rate of march for the platoon?

— How will temperature (hot or cold) and humidity affect the soldiers and equipment?

— Will temperatures and humidity favor the use of nonpersistent chemicals?

(a)   Composition.   The platoon leader's analysis must determine the number and types of threat vehicles, soldiers, and equipment that could be used against his platoon. He gets this information from paragraph 1a of the company team order or intelligence updates. His analysis must also examine how the enemy organizes for combat to include the possible use of a reserve.

(b)   Disposition.   From the commander's information, the platoon leader identifies how the enemy, that his platoon will fight, is arrayed. Much of this information is gained through a detailed company OPORD and intelligence updates.

(c)   Strength.   The platoon leader identifies the strength of the enemy. It is imperative that the platoon leader determines the actual numbers of equipment and personnel that his platoon is expected to fight or that may affect his platoon. Again, much of this information is gained through a detailed OPORD and intelligence updates.

(d)   Capabilities.   Based on the commander's assessment, and the enemy's doctrine and current location, the platoon leader must determine what the enemy is capable of doing against his platoon during the mission. Such an analysis must include the planning ranges for each threat weapon system that the platoon may encounter.

(e)   Enemy Courses of Action.   To identify potential enemy COAs, the platoon leader weighs the result of his initial analysis of terrain and weather against the enemy's composition, capabilities, and doctrinal objectives, then uses this, if necessary, to refine his commander's situational template (SITTEMP). The end product is a platoon visual or graphic depiction of how he believes the enemy will fight under the specific conditions expected on the battlefield. Much of this information will be gained from the commander's analysis and intelligence updates.

• Included in this depiction is the range fan of the enemy's weapons and any tactical and protective obstacles, either identified or merely templated. After the platoon leader briefs the enemy analysis to his subordinates, he must ensure they understand what is known, what is suspected, and what is merely templated (educated guess). The platoon leader's visual or graphic depiction of the enemy may show the commander's SITTEMP in a different manner or depict individual soldier and weapons positions, a refinement of the commander's SITTEMP.

• In conjunction with his visual or graphic depiction of the enemy, the platoon leader considers the factors of METT-TC from the enemy's perspective to develop the details of possible enemy COAs. The following points can assist in this process:

— Understand the enemy's mission. What will the enemy's likely mission be based on threat doctrine and knowledge of the situation, and the enemy's capabilities? This may be difficult to determine if the enemy has no established order of battle. Enemy analysis must consider situational reports of enemy patterns and intelligence updates. When does the enemy strike, and where? Where does the enemy get logistical support and fire support? What cultural or religious factors are involved?

— Why is the enemy conducting this operation?

— What are the enemy's goals?

— What are the enemy's capabilities?

— What are the enemy's objectives? Based on the commander's SITTEMP and the projected threat mission, what are the enemy's march objectives (offense) or the terrain or force he intends to protect (defense)? The commander normally provides this information.

— Terrain and weather. If the enemy is attacking, which avenues will he use to reach his objectives in executing his COAs, and why?

— How will terrain affect his speed and formations?

— How will he use key terrain and locations with clear observation and fields of fire?

— Does the weather aid or hinder the enemy in accomplishing his mission or does the weather degrade the enemy's weapons or equipment effectiveness?

— Enemy obstacles. Known locations give the platoon leader insights into how the enemy is trying to accomplish his mission.

(a)   He must be able to assess the impact of limited visibility conditions on the troop leading procedures.

(b)   He must know how long it takes to conduct certain tasks such as order preparation, rehearsals, back-briefs, and other time-sensitive preparations for subordinate elements.

(c)   He must understand how long it takes to deploy a support by fire element, probably the weapons squad (maybe the mounted element), and determine the amount of ammunition needed to sustain the support for a specific period of time.

(d)   He must know how long it takes to assemble a bangalore torpedo and to breach a wire obstacle.

(e)   Most importantly, as events occur the platoon leader must adjust his analysis of time available to him, and assess the impact on what he wants to accomplish.

(f)   Finally, he must update previous timelines for his subordinates listing all events that affect the platoon.

(a)   The next and most important action is to identify a decisive point in order to progress with COA development. The decisive point may be given to the platoon leader by the company commander or determined by the platoon leader through his relative combat power analysis.

(b)   The platoon leader then determines the main effort's purpose. The main effort's purpose is nested to the platoon's purpose and is achieved at the platoon leader's decisive point.

(c)   The platoon leader next identifies the supporting efforts' purposes. The supporting efforts' purposes are nested to the main effort's purpose by setting the conditions for success of the main effort.

(d)   The platoon leader then specifies the essential tactical tasks that will enable the main and supporting efforts to achieve their purpose.

(a)   Map Rehearsal.   A map rehearsal is usually conducted as part of a confirmation brief involving subordinate leaders or portions of their elements. The leader uses the map and overlay to guide participants as they brief their role in the operation. If necessary, he can use a sketch map. A sketch map provides the same information as a terrain model and can be used at any time.

(b)   Sand Table or Terrain Model.   This reduced-force or full-force technique employs a small-scale sand table or model that depicts graphic control measures and important terrain features for reference and orientation. Participants walk or move "micro" armor around the sand table or model to practice the actions of their own elements or vehicles in relation to other members of the platoon.

(c)   Radio/Tactical Internet (Digital) Rehearsal.   This is a reduced-force or full-force rehearsal conducted when the situation does not allow the platoon to gather at one location. Subordinate elements check their communications systems and rehearse key elements of the platoon plan.

(d)   Reduced-Force Rehearsal.   In this rehearsal, leaders discuss the mission while moving over key terrain or similar terrain in vehicles or dismounted.

(e)   Full-Force Mounted and Dismounted Rehearsal.   This is used during a full-force rehearsal. Rehearsals begin in good visibility over open terrain then become increasingly realistic until conditions approximate those expected in the area of operations.