SGTS COURSE TACTICAL PLANNING EXAMS
PAPER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Economy of Force - ✔✔The reciprocal of the principle of mass, economy of force
allocates minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts. The commander
allocates the minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts, requiring the
acceptance of prudent risks in selected areas to achieve superiority at the decisive time
and location with the main effort.
✔✔Maneuver - ✔✔Maneuver is the flexible application of combat power to achieve a
position of advantage with respect to the enemy to accomplish the mission. Maneuver is
the employment of forces in any dimension, whether temporal (operate at a tempo
greater that the enemy's), psychological (destroy the enemy's will to fight), technological
(superior equipment), or spatial (a positional disadvantage) to gain an advantage.
✔✔Unity of Command - ✔✔Unity of command requires unity of effort for every objective
under one responsible commander. The goal of unity of command is unity of effort.
✔✔Surprise - ✔✔Strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner that he is
unprepared for. It is not essential that the enemy be taken when unaware, but that the
enemy becomes aware too late to react effectively.
, ✔✔Security - ✔✔The goal of security is to never permit the enemy to acquire an
unexpected advantage. Security measures are designed to prevent surprise, ensure
freedom of action, and deny the enemy information about friendly forces, capabilities,
and plans. It does not imply the over-application of caution to eliminate risk, but rather
seeks to enhance our operations through bold maneuver and acceptance of calculated
risk.
✔✔Art of Tactics - ✔✔The art of tactics lies in how we creatively form and apply military
force in a given situation. It involves the creation, positioning, and maneuver of combat
power. For example, understanding tactics allows us to answer questions such as
"When do we attack the enemy using a frontal, flanking, or enveloping attack?" This
creativity is a developed capacity acquired through education, practice, and experience.
✔✔The Science of Tactics - ✔✔The science of tactics lies in the technical application of
combat power. It includes mastering the techniques and procedures that contribute to
the warfighting skills such as marksmanship, gunnery, land navigation, and close air
support. The execution of these techniques and procedures must become second
nature to us, requiring intensive and continuous training. Without mastery of basic
warfighting skills, artistry and creativity in their application are impossible. We must
always strive for "brilliance in the basics" at all levels to ensure success.
✔✔Successful execution of Marine Corps tactics concepts - ✔✔Achieving a decision
•Gaining advantage
•Being faster
•Adapting
•Cooperating
•Exploiting success
✔✔Tactics is defined as __________. - ✔✔The art and science of winning
engagements and battles
✔✔Analytical Decision Making - ✔✔If time is available to analyze situations deliberately
and to consider multiple options, leaders should make the most of it. Comparing several
options and selecting the best one is known as analytical decision- making.
✔✔Intuitive Decision-Making - ✔✔Once engaged, however, the leader will find that time
is short and the need for speed paramount. In some cases, speeding up the analytical
decision-making process may be sufficient; however, in most cases intuitive decision-
making is needed to generate and maintain tempo. Intuitive decision-making relies on a
leader's intuitive ability to recognize the key elements of a particular problem and arrive
at the proper decision without having to compare multiple options.
✔✔Acting Decisively - ✔✔Identify Enemy Critical Vulnerabilities
Shape the battlefield to our advantage
PAPER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Economy of Force - ✔✔The reciprocal of the principle of mass, economy of force
allocates minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts. The commander
allocates the minimum essential combat power to secondary efforts, requiring the
acceptance of prudent risks in selected areas to achieve superiority at the decisive time
and location with the main effort.
✔✔Maneuver - ✔✔Maneuver is the flexible application of combat power to achieve a
position of advantage with respect to the enemy to accomplish the mission. Maneuver is
the employment of forces in any dimension, whether temporal (operate at a tempo
greater that the enemy's), psychological (destroy the enemy's will to fight), technological
(superior equipment), or spatial (a positional disadvantage) to gain an advantage.
✔✔Unity of Command - ✔✔Unity of command requires unity of effort for every objective
under one responsible commander. The goal of unity of command is unity of effort.
✔✔Surprise - ✔✔Strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner that he is
unprepared for. It is not essential that the enemy be taken when unaware, but that the
enemy becomes aware too late to react effectively.
, ✔✔Security - ✔✔The goal of security is to never permit the enemy to acquire an
unexpected advantage. Security measures are designed to prevent surprise, ensure
freedom of action, and deny the enemy information about friendly forces, capabilities,
and plans. It does not imply the over-application of caution to eliminate risk, but rather
seeks to enhance our operations through bold maneuver and acceptance of calculated
risk.
✔✔Art of Tactics - ✔✔The art of tactics lies in how we creatively form and apply military
force in a given situation. It involves the creation, positioning, and maneuver of combat
power. For example, understanding tactics allows us to answer questions such as
"When do we attack the enemy using a frontal, flanking, or enveloping attack?" This
creativity is a developed capacity acquired through education, practice, and experience.
✔✔The Science of Tactics - ✔✔The science of tactics lies in the technical application of
combat power. It includes mastering the techniques and procedures that contribute to
the warfighting skills such as marksmanship, gunnery, land navigation, and close air
support. The execution of these techniques and procedures must become second
nature to us, requiring intensive and continuous training. Without mastery of basic
warfighting skills, artistry and creativity in their application are impossible. We must
always strive for "brilliance in the basics" at all levels to ensure success.
✔✔Successful execution of Marine Corps tactics concepts - ✔✔Achieving a decision
•Gaining advantage
•Being faster
•Adapting
•Cooperating
•Exploiting success
✔✔Tactics is defined as __________. - ✔✔The art and science of winning
engagements and battles
✔✔Analytical Decision Making - ✔✔If time is available to analyze situations deliberately
and to consider multiple options, leaders should make the most of it. Comparing several
options and selecting the best one is known as analytical decision- making.
✔✔Intuitive Decision-Making - ✔✔Once engaged, however, the leader will find that time
is short and the need for speed paramount. In some cases, speeding up the analytical
decision-making process may be sufficient; however, in most cases intuitive decision-
making is needed to generate and maintain tempo. Intuitive decision-making relies on a
leader's intuitive ability to recognize the key elements of a particular problem and arrive
at the proper decision without having to compare multiple options.
✔✔Acting Decisively - ✔✔Identify Enemy Critical Vulnerabilities
Shape the battlefield to our advantage
