Crisis Action PlanningCrisis Action Planning

01 January 2006

Commander’s Guidance and IntentCommander’s Guidance and Intent

UNCLASSIFIED

CTF Training

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Purpose

To understand commander’s guidance & intent and their

importance in crisis action planning

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References

JP 5-00.2 JTF Planning JP 5-00.2 JTF Planning Guidance & ProceduresGuidance & Procedures

MNF SOPMNF SOPMULTINATIONAL FORCE

STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES(MNF SOP)

Version 1.6February 2006

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Crisis Action Planning Process

CRISIS

ISituation

Development

IICrisis

Assessment

IVCourse of

ActionSelection

VExecutionPlanning

AND/OR

IIICourse of

ActionDevelopment

IMission Analysis/Restated Mission

IIIAnalysis of Opposing

Courses of Action

IICourse of Action

Development

Commander’s Estimate Process

OPORD

Deployment Data Base

VIExecution

PlanningOrder

AlertOrder

WarningOrder

ExecuteOrder

IVComparison of OwnCourses of Action V

Commander’sDecision

Initial guidance

Initial intentContinuing guidance/Intent...

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Overview

• Initial Commander Planning Guidance• Commander’s Intent• Subsequent Commander Guidance

CTF Staff Officer

Nothing provides focus to the

planning effort better than

Commander’s guidance.

This is especially true for

crisis action planning.

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Commanders intent and

guidance work in tandem to

facilitate planning and

execution of an operation

Commander’s Guidance and Intent

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Guidance Is Dynamic

• After msn analysis brief the commander approves the restated mission, he then provides initial planning guidance and intent to the staff

• The CTF commander refines guidance & intent as the staff considers staff estimates and completes the commander’s estimate

• Guidance may change or be modified later if assumptions or facts change

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Commander’s Initial Guidance

• The degree of guidance depends upon

– Time available

– Staff level of proficiency

– Flexibility

– Commander’s comfort zone

• General enough to allow ideas, initiative, and consideration of potentially important alternatives

• Provides the “start point” for course of action development

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• Priority of planning effort

• Sequencing guidance

• Command and control relationships

• Concept of operations

Initial Guidance Topics

UNCLASSIFIED

CTF Component Structure (Functional)

Sptd Sptd Strat CdrStrat Cdr

CCTFCCTF

Unity of

Effort

Organize by capabilities or functions

CFMCCCFMCC CFACC CSOTFCSOTFCFLCC CMOTFCMOTFCPOTFCPOTF

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Initial Guidance Topics (cont.)

• Battlespace geometry

• IO/IW guidance

• Initial commander’s intent

• Commander’s Critical

Information Requirements

(CCIRs)

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Initial Planning Guidance Example

• Deploy forces rapidly into the affected areas

• Quickly establish command and control capability to facilitate the deployment of committed forces

• Assist in humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts in all affected areas

Task Force HOPE

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The commander’s intent describes the desired end state. It is a concise expression of the purpose of the operation, not a summary of the concept of operations

Commander’s Intent

13Concept of Operations

Commander’s VisionAssess theater or area of operations Visualize path from current to future state

Commander’s Intent

Unifying focus:PurposeMethod of force operationIdentify desired end state

Commander’s Intent

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• Purpose of the operation• Method: How operations (the coalition/combined

force as a whole) will progress towards the end state

• Desired end state• May include:

– Posture of units at end state to facilitate transition

– Commander’s assessment of the enemy commander’s intent, or the threat

– Consider acceptable accept risk for mission success

– Force protection issues

Elements of Commander’s Intent

Reminder: Intent is not a summary of the concept of the operations

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Commander’s Mission Statement

On Order, TF HOPE will Assist the Disaster Response Task Groups (DRTGs) in Visayas and Mindanao in the conduct of large scale humanitarian assistance and disaster response in regions 6,7,10 and 13, in order to save lives, protect property and minimize damageWho, What, When, Where, Why

Task Force HOPE

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Commander's Commander's IntentIntent Example

My intent is to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines in HA/DR operations in the affected areas of the Central Philippines. We will conduct HA/DR combined operations and rehabilitation efforts. In other words, we will provide all available assistance to alleviate human suffering and restore normalcy

Task Force HOPE

Contrasted with guidance and intent statement…

PurposeMethodEndstate

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• Final msn statement approval• Final commander’s intent• More detailed concept of

operations– Main effort– Fires priority – Protection priorities– Component tasks– Lift priorities– CTF reserves– IO/EW– ROE etc.,

Subsequent Guidance Topics

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• Force capabilities priority• Branches/sequels guidance• Backbrief/rehearsal guidance• Termination guidance• Coordinate subsequent guidance

through– Warning orders, commanders’ mtgs,

etc.,

Subsequent Guidance Topics (cont)

Staff planners need frequent (face to face) guidance from the commander, even after the initial OPORD is published. Daily planning updates are recommended

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Review

• Commander’s Guidance:– Is given initially, and throughout

the planning process

– Is essential for timely and effective course of action development

– Guidance or future planning

• Commander’s Intent:– Begins with the commander’s

vision of the operation

– Should include: purpose, method of progressing towards that end state and desired end state

– Is not static; is refined as the situation evolves

Questions?

CTF Training

Enhancing Multinational OperationsEnhancing Multinational Operations

UNCLASSIFIED