Cpl’s Course Tactical Planning: Exam Questions and Answers | Latest Update (GRADED)

RECONNAISSANCE AND COORDINATION Whether conducting a deliberate attack, establishing a refueling point, conducting a convoy, or any other similar task, every effort should be made to conduct a reconnaissance of the objective and enemy forces in the vicinity. Whenever possible, the leader makes a physical reconnaissance of the objective area and route. For certain missions, the unit may move closer to the objective area and conduct a leader's reconnaissance from there. • Leaders should leverage all available assets to gather information to support planning. •In addition to a physical recon, leaders should use other assets (imagery, air reconnaissance, etc.) available to help fill information gaps. •A successful reconnaissance should answer questions and validate assumptions made during your planning. 25. COMPLETE YOUR PLAN After conducting coordination and completing a reconnaissance, it is time to complete the plan. •Update your estimate of the situation (METT-T analysis) and revisit the tactical thought process using the new information you have gained. Do not fall in love with your plan. If your scheme of maneuver must be changed because the EMLCOA and exploitation plan were incorrect, change the plan. •Review your mission, as it was received from higher; ensure that your plan meets the requirements of the mission and stays within the framework of the commander's intent. •Prepare your five-paragraph order. If done properly, the preponderance of your order has been written through your execution of the tactical thought process. 13 / 33 •Finally, do not forget the nine Principles of War, which are useful tools to evaluate the strength of your plan, lend rigor and focus to the purely creative aspects of tactics, and provide a crucial link between theory and application of the tactical tenets. 26. ISSUE YOUR ORDER The order converts your decision into a plan of action and conveys the method of execution. Oral orders are the most direct method of communicating an order to subordinate units and is the most common method of issuing orders at the company level and below. When issuing a five-paragraph order, it is important to consider: -Technique -Format 27. Technique Clarity, simplicity, and timeliness are essentials of an operation order. Clear, concise sentences are most easily understood. •In the interest of simplicity, commanders and leaders at each echelon should closely evaluate and issue only those facts received from higher headquarters that are pertinent to their own subordinate unit leaders. •If possible, the leader issues the order to subordinate leaders from a vantage point overlooking the objective or on the defensive terrain. When this is not possible, they should use a terrain model or sketch. •The order must be issued in a timely fashion, sufficiently in advance of the time of execution to permit subordinate planning. 14 / 33 •Oral orders should be delivered in positive, direct, and confident tones using forceful and aggressive language. 28. Format Use of the standard five-paragraph order format: •Promotes clarity and brevity •Presents information and instruction in a logical, easily assimilated manner •Serves as a checklist to help ensure that no important information has been overlooked 29. SUPERVISE Supervision is continuous and occurs throughout the entire combat orders process. •The unit leader for that mission is ultimately responsible and accountable for mission accomplishment. •"Inspect what you expect." 30. PURPOSE OF COMBAT ORDERS The essential purpose of the combat order is to convey a mission and a plan to accomplish that mission. All combat orders are derived from the five-paragraph order which is structured to meet the needs of a small unit leader. The five-paragraph order is: •Structured for verbal presentation and can be used at all levels of command •Primarily used at the company level and below As an NCO, you will primarily use three 15 / 33 types of combat orders: 31. Warning Order A warning order is a preliminary notice of an impending order or action. A warning order is: •Issued by the leader upon receipt of an order from higher. It is issued at the outset of the troop leading steps (i.e., the "B" in BAMCIS) to allow subordinate leaders and Marines to maximize their preparation time. •At the conclusion of your initial planning, a warning order can be re-issued or updated. •Don't delay issuing a warning order because you don't have all the information you would like to have. Once more information is received, you can publish a second warning order or update the previously issued warning order. 32. Operation Order An operation order is a directive issued by a leader to subordinate leaders for the purpose of coordinating execution of an operation. •Operation orders are used by leaders at every level and can be issued orally or in writing. •Small unit operation orders are often referred to by the action they intend to produce. For example: - Squad attack order - Team patrol order - 16 / 33 Platoon attack order - Platoon defense order - Convoy order 33. Fragmentary Order A fragmentary order, or frag-o, is an abbreviated form of an operation order, usually issued on a daily basis, eliminating the need to restate information contained in a base operation order. A frag-o is issued after an operation order to change or modify that order, or to execute a branch or sequel to that order. •Fragmentary orders are often necessary due to enemy action. Remember: "No plan survives contact with the enemy." Frequently, the information changed pertains to enemy situation, mission, and execution of the plan. •Fragmentary orders can only be issued if a complete combat order (known as a base order) has been previously issued. Fragmentary orders should only cover the information that has changed since the issuance of the base order. 34. DECIDE, COMMUNICATE, ACT Delivering combat orders, like decision- making, is an art. To be effective, leaders must frequently practice making decisions and articulating orders. •Combat orders express the will of the leader. •A decision, however promising, will fail if the leader cannot effectively communicate it to subordinates. •Effective orders allow the leader to effectively communicate and act. 17 / 33 35. SPEED OVER TECHNIQUE According to MCDP 5, Planning, "The more urgent the situation, the greater need for brevity and simplicity." •Ensure that your orders reach your Marines in time to affect their actions. •Orders must be executed in a timely manner. General Patton observed, "...that a good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." •Do not develop long, complicated orders. Speed is more important than technique. 36. TRANSFER OF INFORMATION Team leaders must generate an order primarily from the information provided by the squad leader's order. •While some items transfer directly (e.g., orientation), other elements need to be modified to make them relevant to a particular team. •For example, the task to first team in the squad leader's order becomes that team's mission. •The arrows indicate the manner in which elements of information generally transfer. 37. CONTENT, CLARITY, AND CONCISENESS Combat orders used by all U.S. armed forces and NATO allies are based on the five-paragraph format. The five paragraphs can be remembered by using the acronym SMEAC, where each letter is the first letter in each of the five paragraphs: 1. Situation 2. Mission 3. Execution 4. Administration and Logistics 18 / 33 5. Command and Signal One of the Principles of War is "Simplicity." •A short, simple order that efficiently conveys your will is superior to a lengthy, complicated order that invites ambiguity. •Do not allow your decision to become lost in a series of paragraphs, subparagraphs, alpha-numerics, and acronyms. •As it clearly states in Planning (MCDP 5), "...content, clarity, and conciseness are more important than format." 38. ORIENTATION The orientation is a general overview that serves two purposes. •To define and describe the battlespace where the unit will operate. Much of this information comes from the analysis of terrain and weather gleaned from the leader's estimate of the situation. •To orient Marines to the medium by which the order will be issued—whether it is a terrain model, a whiteboard, a sand table, etc. This facilitates subordinate understanding during delivery of the order. To accomplish these goals, there are several critical elements of information included in the orientation: current location, direction of north, key terrain, tactical control measures within the area of operation, weather, illumination, visibility, a local history of the area/population, enemy positions, and direction of attack. 39. 19 / 33 FIVE-PARAGRAPH ORDERS -Situation -Mission -Execution -Administration & Logistics -Command & signal 40. SITUATION Briefly provide the general picture so that your Marines will understand the current situation under the following subheadings: 41. Enemy Situation This subparagraph provides information concerning the enemy's composition, estimated strengths, identification, disposition, current location, anticipated movement, and capabilities, along with an assessment of intentions. If you are a fireteam leader issuing an order to your Marines, include the following in this paragraph: •The assets that the enemy brings to the fight and what they are currently doing •The enemy capabilities and the conditions needed to achieve these actions •Most importantly, the enemy's most likely current course of action and their action upon contact with your unit 42. Friendly Situation This subparagraph provides information concerning friendly forces that should directly affect the actions of your Marines. These forces include those whose presence on a flank or other adjacent area is of interest. Include information on such forces that Marines need to know to accomplish their tasks. This includes the mission and intent of the higher unit. 20 / 33 If you are a fireteam leader issuing an order to your Marines, you should include the following in this paragraph: •The squad's mission and the squad leader's intent (typically the "why" of the squad mission) so that all actions of your Marines properly nest within your guidance and the squad leader's intent •The tasks assigned to the other teams of your squad and other friendly units operating adjacent to your team •Any available fire support assets and their priority of fires 43. Attachments/Detachments This subparagraph identifies any unit that a higher command has attached to your unit or direction to detach a part of your unit to some other function. Attached personnel must be included in your administrative reports and supported with chow, water, etc. Attached units should be tasked by you in paragraph three: execution. Since the fireteam is the smallest unit in the Marine Corps, units will rarely be attached to, or detached from, a fireteam. 44. MISSION A mission statement is composed of two parts: a task and its purpose. •This mission statement must include the answers to the "5 W's": Who, What, When, Where, and Why. •The "Why" provides the purpose and is the most important part of the statement because it informs subordinates of the reason the task must be accomplished. 21 / 33 As a team leader issuing an order to your Marines, the mission statement will normally be identical to the task statement issued to you by your squad leader.. Cpl’s Course Tactical Planning: Exam Questions and Answers | Latest Update (GRADED).