Reference
On orders writing
Tac Planning Process: METT-TC —> EMLCOA —> CG/CV/EXP —> SOM —> FSP —> TASKS
Overlays: Friendly SOM, Enemy, Fire Support Plan
Orientation paragraph
Warn-o
Full combat order
Tac Planning Process
METT-TC:
Mission:
We are given specified tasks, our job is to figure out implied tasks (implied tasks can become tasking for subordinate leaders)
Defines overall purpose of “what winning looks like”
By part (part name, specified task, implied task, purpose)
Enemy:
C/D/S
TSUALE
Facts about the enemy, focus on what they were doing
Who can influence/affect us
Break down the enemy playbook
Caps/Lims
DRAW-D
Capable of
Limited by
Condition on which they will ___ is
Constantly asking
How?
Where?
With what?
How many enemies?
What may limit this?
Terrain and Weather:
Purpose is ultimately to know fr/en movement corridors
Cover/concealment/go-no-go tx/obstacles/key tx
Allows us to pull distances and directions btwn objs
OCOKAW
Observation and fields of fire
Inter-visibility lines (IV lines), terrain that inhibits observation from one point to another
Fields of Fire: friendly and enemy direct fire capabilities, to include max effective ranges, positions that enable IDF (LP/OP, FO), and conducting a physical reconnaissance
Study contour lines for elevation
Dead space, weapons can’t hit it
Cover and concealment
Low ground visibility?
High ground visibility?
Vegetation density and type?
Obstacles
Two general categories of obstacles are existing and reinforcing
Existing: natural terrain features, vegetation, bodies of water
Man-made: buildings, dams, ditches, hedgerows
Reinforcing: constructed, mine fields, anti tank ditches, wire obstacles, contamination, expedient
Key terrain: terrain that offers a marked advantage to the force that controls it, must have an objective use, not everything is fucking key terrain
Avenues of approach: movement routes to an objective or key terrain. Can permit friendly and enemy forces to advance/withdraw/enable CASEVAC/reinforcements
Weather: temperature/humidity, precipitation, wind, clouds, visibility
Astronomical data is often misunderstood and not tied to relevant actions or desired end state
Astronomical data sunrise, beginning morning nautical twilight (BMNT), sunset, end of evening nautical twilight
Troops and Fire Support
Attachments/Detachments
Who is supporting?
Location?
Priority of fires?
Support relationship?
Caps/Lims?
Time/Space/Logistics
We develop PIRs (priority intel requirements)
Time available vs. time required?
Space: understand the AO. Identify TCMs, Fire Support Coordination Measures, and Airspace control measures
Logistics: Chow, ammo, water, comm, marking kits, EPW kits, resupply (how and from where), transport
Civilian considerations
ASCOPE
Area
Structures
Capabilities
Organizations
People
Events
EMLCOA (Walk the Dog)
View the enemy as a system (LP/OPs, patrols, etc. exist to help enemy S2 build their own sight picture)
Three components:
Enemy Mission
Enemy current actions (disposition)
Enemy SOM (on contact)
Center of Gravity
Critical Vulnerability
Exploitation Plan
SOM:
Keyword DDFTC
Direction of attack (big blue arrow)
Distribution of forces (select ME, task SEs)
Form of maneuver (based on analysis, flanking attack)
TCMs (squad level TCMs, assault pos, attack position, LOD, limit of advance, trigger lines)
Actions at consolidation
Parts-Based SOM Guide —
SOM is sequential, wave-tops (deliberate, thorough dog walk reserved for after tasks)
Part number/title (part 1: clearance of A1)
Begins with (initiating action, reinforced with a mark or signal)
Ends with (terminating or last action of this part)
Critical events (deemed necessary for completion of this part, often become tasks)
Conditions set (observable condition that lets all elements know part X is done and ready to move onto part X+1)
As you brief, read off:
Part number/title
Begins with
Ends with
Tasks in order of execution by unit of action
Once tasks are done, walk the dog for this part in a sequential and thorough fashion
Then brief next part
Example:
Platoon in the Offense: 3 Parts
Part 1: Prep: movement to AA, final preparations PCC/PCIs, movement to LOD
Part 2: Conduct: Movement to ASLT Pos through the Objective, consolidation, repel En Counterattack
Part 3: Exploitation/pursuit: follows a successful attack that has created advantage or exposed enemy vulnerability. When appropriate, exploit an advantage by pursuing the enemy
Parts-Based Tasking:
Fire Support Plan:
Fire Support Plan:
Plain-speak word picture of my planned targets:
EFST for each planned target:
Target:
Trigger:
Location:
Observer:
Delivery System:
Attack Guidance:
Comm Net:
Tasks:
Who:
What (this should be a tactical task!):
When:
Where:
Why:
Drafted tasking statements for each of your subordinate units:
Overlays (Friendly SOM, Enemy, FSP)
Orientation (Box, Trace, Familiarize)
Time is now ____
T/O and Roll Call
Att/Det up front
Orient on the Tx Model, North is as depicted
Outline legend (yellow spraypaint is GTL, yarn, etc)
(A)
Box
Define AO from big to small — what position in the AO are we actually using?
N, E, S, W boundaries are ____
N, E, S, W boundaries for our movement corridor more specifically are ____
Terrain is characterized by God, Man, Me
God = hills, rivers
Man = roads, buildings
Me = FSCMs, TCMs
Trace and familiarize simultaneously
Go TCM to TCM
Distance, direction, and time from each
OCOCA-W is a tool!
What is key terrain?
What are the catching features?
Example: from the AA to the ASLT Pos, we will be moving 273 degrees mag for 100M, while walking you’ll know you are on the right track because “insert description of terrain, eg. cross a river, soft bed underfoot,” you know you are there b/c “insert guiding feature on cardinal direction,” you’ll know you’ve gone too far if you hit “insert catching feature.”
Weather
Visibility
Wind
Precipitation
Cloud cover/ceiling
Temperature
Humidity
Sea state
Illumination:
Twilight/dawn
Moon phases
Influence on mission
So What? Air insert? UAS/optics battery life? How does weather/night inform enemy situation and SOM.
Warn-O
Full Combat Order
What are we adding to make the order complete?
Friendly situation:
Keyword HAS-A (Att/Det)
Higher: mission and intent (x1 level up)
Adjacent:
Where are they?
How do your missions affect one another?
Supported vs. Supporting
TED = maneuver
TING = SBF element
Who is ME?
Timeline? How are my NLT times tied to other missions?
What happens if I fail timeline?
Supporting (DS/GS)
Define relationship, location, priorities of support
DS = priority #1
GS = what number?
IDF agencies —> what is their location and range to target? What are geometries for stand-off?
Request for highest level but plan for most likely
Att/Det
Who?
When start? When end?
What capability do I gain when I have them? Lose without them?
Ex: ENG Sqd, time now, detach upon return to AA, gain breaching capability, organic sqd sized asset, rockets.
HAS-A affects our battle space geometries:
Axis of advance
SOM
Flank or frontal assault
Execution
Commander’s Intent
Purpose — why?
Method — how to win?
CG — EN bid for success:
Must be tangible (ex: if they are defending, then their pre-planned EA, grazing fire across FPL or PDF down a likely AoA, long-range fires, close protective fires, or FPF)
Must be tied to EN Mission
CV — gap that, if exploited, takes away the EN CG
Ex: suppress with IDF, occupy SBF hot by stealth, avoid their predetermined EA (they can’t defend everywhere)
EXP — how we will exploit their CV
Endstate — what winning looks like at all levels, need descriptions!
Friendly Endstate
Enemy Endstate
Terrain Endstate
Concept of Operations
Scheme of Maneuver — Walk the Dog
We don’t need to brief anonymous and sequential! This is opportunity to tell guys multiple times their role
Follow “DDFTC”
SOM is all parts-based
Part Name and #
BW — 1st FR Action
EW — actions that accomplish purpose
Critical Events — must take steps
Conditions Set — observable on the deck, know transitions when/how (tied to signal plan), not the same as BW/EW
SOM shows how we are setting conditions and sequencing events
On the TX Model:
What does suppression actually look like?
“You will cross a DFSCM here, which triggers X”
Fire Support Plan
Concept of fires: 1-2 sentences on how you will employ fires
If tasked to you, you will write the EFST (essential fire support task)
TASK: EN oriented (disrupt, delay, divert, limit)
PURPOSE: IOTA (friendly oriented)
METHOD:
If 1 firing agency, use TTLODAC
Target
Trigger
Location
Observer
Delivery agency
Attack guidance
Comms
If 2+ firing agencies, use QFP/SERIES
EFFECTS: destroy, neutralize, suppress, screen, obscure
Tasks
Brief by part
Brief by unit of action (MGs are 1st if they are 1st in unit of action)
Critical events captured
Include proper components of a tasking statement:
Condition (observable, not O/O or O/S)
Task (what subordinate unit must do
Purpose (TED/TING, the why)
Proper waterfall (nested tasking and purpose)
Must designate ME and ASLT, SEC, SUPPORT
Ex: 1st SQD, ME, (CONDITION), (TASK), IOT (PURPOSE), (BPT STATEMENT).
Ex: Part 1 (Staging):
1st Sqd, upon cross LOD, seize SBF Cold IOT allow 2nd Sqd to occupy Aslt Pos
2nd sqd, upon 1st Sqd seizing SBF COLD, occupy ASLT pos IOT allow 3rd Sqd to occupy ASLT pos
3rd sqd, ME, upon 2nd sqd seizing ASLT pos, seize ASLT pos IOT allow 1st Sqd to suppress Co Obj A.
Coordinating Instructions
LMP
By part and by unit
Lost unit plan
By part and by unit
Engagement/disengagement criteria
By part
Tgt Precedence
By part
Go/No Go
By part
Timeline
Priority of rehearsals
Marking plan
Bump plan
No comm plan
By part
What is plan to reestablish comm by each waveform (VHF, HF, SATCOM)?
How long can we take to try and reestablish?
Internal and external comm nets?
If time-drift, what is L/U plan with COC?
If drop crypto, what is plan?
On compromise plan
Admin and Logistics
Admin
CASEVAC Plan
By precedence and part
If urgent (2-4 hours or less)
If priority (6 hours or less)
If routine (24 hours or less)
CCP Points
Locations
Rolling or planned
Evacuation site
L/U point
POC/method of evac (primary and alternate, eg. AIR, GROUND CASEVAC)
Destination for treatment? By triage level?
EPW Plan
By part
Logistics
Mission essential gear
Resupply times/locations/priority of units/how?
Special equipment needed
Level determining if ready or not for follow on operations? Location/number/measurement to determine combat ineffective.
Command and Signal
Signal (original, appropriate, redundant)
Primary and alternate challenge/pass
Primary, alternate, tertiary radio frequencies
Primary, alternate, and tertiary signals plan (From? To? Action? & tied to Condition + Task)
During movement to TCMS (discrete signals: glow belt, air panel, connecting file)
During ASLT (pyro)
Requesting LROD (Maneuver element signals)
PRI: maneuver just outside MSD (min safe distance)
ALT: comm
TERT: WSC for request
Confirming LROD (from firing agency)
PRI: Last round impacts, maneuver just outside MSD
Alt: comm
TERT: GSC to cross FSCM
CEOI locations
Command
Location of key leaders by part
PC, PS, Att TLs (MG, Engineers)
Location of Corpsman by part
Succession of command by part and location
Who has situational awareness to lead?
Example: Platoon Defense Coordinating Instructions to include:
Timeline Leader’s
Recon Patrol t/o
Priorities of Reconnaissance for Leader’s Recon
Method for Marking
Squad Release Point
Squad BPs
Command Post
Casualty Collection Point
Enemy Prisoner of War Collection Ponit
Latrine
Priorities of Work
Security Plan
Patrol Plan
Obstacle Plan
Target Precedence
Engagement Criteria
Immediate Action Drills
Actions on enemy contact during occupation
Actions on enemy contact during departure / re-entry of friendly lines by a patrol
Plan for employment of least engaged unit
MOPP Level
ROE
Platoon Insertion Plan (Helos, trucks, AAVs, etc…)
Platoon Extraction Plan (Helos, trucks, AAVs, etc…)
Lost Marine Plan
Missing Marine Plan
Tactical Control Measures
Assembly Area
Tentative ORP
SRP
Tentative primary defensive position
TRPs (tentative)
Trigger Lines (tentative)
Engagement Criteria example — parts-based decision matrix during a movement to contact:
Example SOMs — Motorized Operations:
Use acronym: DRMATT
Distribution of forces (lead security, main body, rear security)
Route (primary and alternate)
Movement of formations
Actions on the objective
Task organization (leads security, main body, rear security)
TCMs
METT-TC Route Selection Matrix:
Route:
Mission:
Troops/FS:
Terrain/Weather:
Enemy
Time/Space/Logistics
Civilian
IA Drills in Motorized Operations:
Hasty defense
360 security
Hasty attack
Hasty assault
Response to IDF
Dismount: short halt
Dismount: long halt
Danger areas
Hasty recovery
React to Contact