Plans, Orders and Annexes

Purpose

Purpose of this class is to provide the battle staff a detailed understanding of how Army Orders are constructed; and provide best practices for writing them.

Reference

Reference for this class is FM 5-0, the Operations Process.

The Staff and Orders Prep

CW3 Boggs-Born to

Intel

MAJ Thompson-

Born to Operations

LT Rivera-Born to Commo

LT Rispoli-born to Sustainment

Importance of Orders

“The success of military operations depends largely upon orders issued. The best plans and the most skillful combinations may fail if the commander or his staff cannot express them clearly.”

Helmut von Moltke

Chief of Staff

Imperial German Army Staff

FM 5-0 The Operations Process

FM 5-0 is the basis for all Army Planning and Orders production.

Two basic themes:• Commanders are responsible for planning• Planning supports mission command –

Mission Command is the conduct of military operations through decentralized execution based upon mission orders for mission

What is an Order

An order is a communication, written, oral, or by signal, which conveys instructions from a superior to a subordinate.

In a broad Sense, the terms “order” and “command” are synonymous.

However, an order implies discretion as to the details of execution whereas a command does not.

The US Army issues “Mission Type” Orders

What is a Plan

Planning is the process by which commanders (and the staff, if available) translate the commander’s visualization into a specific course of action for preparation and execution, focusing on the expected results.

Generally, a plan is developed well in advance of execution and is not executed until directed. A plan becomes an order when directed for execution based on a specific time or an event. Some planning results in written orders complete with attachments.

Example: “OPLAN Hurricane is now OPORD Hurricane.” A plan is the theoretical; an Order is NOW.

Operational Planning vs Tactical Planning

Operational-level planners need to define an operational area, estimate forces required, and evaluate operation requirements.

In contrast, tactical-level planning proceeds from an existing operational design.

Tactical-level planning revolves around how best to achieve objectives and accomplish tasks assigned by higher headquarters

Types of Orders

Administrative: cover normal administrative operations in garrison or in the field. They include general, specific, memorandum orders, court-martial orders, and bulletins, circulars, and other memoranda.

Combat: pertain to operations and their service support.

Combat Orders

Combat Orders Include:

• Operation Orders (OPORD)

• Warning Orders (WARNO)

• Fragmentary Orders. (FRAGO)

Operations Order

An Operation order (OPORD) is a directive issued by a commander to subordinate commanders for the purpose of effecting the coordinated execution of an operation.

OPORDs always specify an execution date and time.

Warning Orders

The warning order (WARNO) is a preliminary notice of an order or action that is to follow.

Warning orders help subordinate units and their staffs prepare for new missions. Warning orders:

• maximize subordinates' planning time• provide essential details of the impending

operation• detail major time-line events that accompany

mission execution

Fragmentary Orders

The fragmentary order (FRAGO) provides timely changes of existing orders, or new information to subordinate and supporting commanders while providing notification to higher and adjacent commands.

“Imperfect OPORDs are fixed with FRAGOs.”

Order Sequencing

Many times, Orders are combined in a unit.

Example: • WARNO 1/2/3 is issued to prepare the unit for

the receipt of OPORD Steel Rain that details how the unit conducts AT.

• FRAGO 1/2/3 make changes to the OPORD.• FRAGO 4/5/6 makes additional changes to the

OPORD, and may contain instructions on how to recover from AT and move to Home Station.

Plans and Order Characteristics

• Authoritative expression: reflects the commander’s intention and will.

• Simplicity: reduce all essential elements to their simplest form.

• Brevity: be concise, clear and to the point, and include only necessary details.

• Clarity: eliminate every opportunity for misunderstanding the commander intent

• Completeness: provide the commander’s will and provide the necessary information required for execution.

• Timeliness: send plan and orders to subordinates in time to allow them to adequately plan and prepare their own actions

OPORD Best PracticesPut in the OPORD what your subordinates need to know.

• A picture (graphic) is worth a thousand words.

• If it’s in your SOP, don’t put it in the order, except to reference “see unit SOP.”

• Spell out acronyms the first time you use them, then only use the acronym.

• Use the cardinal directions instead of left and right, i.e. “East Flank” instead of “Right Flank.”

OPORD Best Practices, cont.

• Use attachments only when necessary. If the information that would be contained in an additional attachment is brief, put it in the base OPORD.

• Annexes amplify each other in a descending order. Appendixes amplify Annexes, Tabs amplify Appendixes, etc.

• When an attachment required by doctrine is unnecessary, indicate it by saying “not used”-i.e. “Annex R not used”

• Certain annexes do not follow the 5 paragraph format. Annex A (task org), Annex R (reports), Annex Z (distro), and Appendix 1 (Design concept to Annex C (Operations) do not follow this format.

Consequences of Unclear Orders

July 1, 1863: Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia is closing on the town of Gettysburg, PA.

Confederate General Ewell is moving against Federal Troops vic Cemetery ridge.

Lee issues an order to Ewell telling him to “push the Yankees, and take that hill (Cemetery Ridge) if practical.”

Consequences, cont.Ewell pushes back the Yankees, but then stops to regroup…does not

take Cemetery Ridge.

Union General Buford (US Cavalry) sees the opportunity and occupies Cemetery Ridge.

MG Reynolds arrives and strengthens Buford’s position. Buford holds, and the Confederate Corps under Gen Pickett is

decimated at “Pickett’s Charge.”

Lee is defeated and withdraws – never again to threaten the city of Washington, D.C., and changes the course of American History forever All for lack of clarity and authoritative expression in an order….

General Information

Show all paragraph heading on written orders.

• There is no need to place an entry under each heading except for Mission (paragraph 2) and Intent (paragraph 3).

• A paragraph heading with no text will state: “None,” or “See [attachment type] [attachment letter or number].”

BLUF: Always show ALL paragraphs, even if you have nothing to say…

Use of Abbreviations

Use abbreviations to save time and space if they do not cause confusion.

Do not sacrifice clarity for brevity.

Keep abbreviations consistent throughout any order and its attachments.

Always give the full wording first, followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis-then, use the abbreviation in all further text.

Designation of Places/Features

• HILL 553

• hill at NB369246

• AA PINE, OBJ THUNDER, or PL SILVER

• NAPERVILLE (LB6448)

• EITERFELD (NB5622)

The designation is always in CAPS.

Giving Directions in OPORDS

Date and Time

The effective time for implementing the order is the same as the date-time group of the order.

If the effective time of any portion of the order differs from that of the order, identify those portions at the beginning of the coordinating instructions.

OPLANS often become OPORDs. A typical reference would be: “OPLAN Steel Rain becomes OPORD Steel Rain as of 150900ZDEC2010.” At this time, the OPORD is in effect….or, text may say OPORD is in effect upon receipt in para 5.

Time Zones

Operations may reference different time zones. When an operation or AO spans different time zones, the time used is always Greenwich Mean Time or “Zulu.”

When an operation or AO is totally within one time zone, it may be references as “Local” or state the time zone..i.e. “Sierra”

Date and Time Designations

Date Definitions

In OPLANs or OPORDs, use one of six letters to designate unnamed dates:

• C-day. The day when a deployment operation begins (troops, cargo, and/or weapons systems).

• D-day. The day when an operation begins.• E-day. The day when a NATO exercise begins.• K-day. The day when a convoy system on a

particular convoy lane begins.• M-day. The day when full mobilization begins.

Time

The specific hour on D-day at which a particular operation will begin is H-hour.

• The highest headquarters planning an operation specifies the exact meaning of D-day and H-hour.

• Example: D-day is 6 June 1944, H-Hour is 060540LJUN1944.

• Once a date or time line is established, directions may be given in reference to it…i.e. “it is now H-3”

Designation of Units

Terms Example• Dash - 1-16 AR• Minus Sign (-) 2-34 FA (-)• Plus Sign (+) 1-34 IN (+)• Task Force (TF) TF 1-33 Mech• Team (TM) TM A• Slash (/) (squad/platoon/company/battalion)

1/2/B/23d MI

Teams and Task Forces

Units that give up one of it’s subordinate commands are shown as “minus”

Units that have gained another subordinate command are shown as “plus”

Company sized units that have gained a platoon sized unit may be referred to as “Team.”

Battalion or higher units that have gained another subordinate company sized units are “Task Forces.”

Operations Orders

Operation Orders Contain the Following:

• Beginning or Header lines

• Five Paragraph Body

• Ending (official or signature line)

OPORD Format-HeaderCLASSIFICATION

Copy ## of ##copies Issuing headquarters Place of issue Date-time group of signature Message reference OPERATION PLAN/ORDER [number] [(code name)] [(classification of title

(U) References:

(U) Time Zone Used Throughout the OPLAN/OPORD

(U) Task Organization: Note, if task organization is simple, put it here and do not publish Annex A. If task org is complicated, or different from normal, insert “reference Annex A” and publish the annex.

Operation Order-Main Body1. (U) Situation. a. (U) Area of Interest. b. (U) Area of Operations. (1) (U) Terrain. (2) (U) Weather. c. (U) Enemy Forces. d. (U) Friendly Forces. (1) (U) Higher Headquarters’ Mission and Intent. (a) (U) [Higher Headquarters Two Levels Up]. 1 (U) Mission. 2 (U) Commander’s Intent. (b) (U) [Higher Headquarters]. 1 (U) Mission. 2 (U) Commander’s Intent. (2) (U) Missions of Adjacent Units. (3) (U) Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Nongovernmental Organizations. e. (U) Other. f. (U) Civil Considerations. g. (U) Attachments and Detachments. h. (U) Assumptions.

OPORD Main Body 2. (U) Mission. 3. (U) Execution. a. (U) Commander’s Intent. b. (U) Concept of Operations. c. (U) Movement and Maneuver. (1) (U) Scheme of Mobility and Countermobility. (2) (U) Scheme of Battlefield Obscuration. (3) (U) Scheme of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. d. (U) Scheme of Intelligence.

e. (U) Scheme of Fires. f. (U) Scheme of Protection. g. (U) Assessment. h. (U) Tasks to Subordinate Units. i. (U) Coordinating Instructions (1) (U) Time or condition when the OPORD becomes effective. (2) (U) Commander’s Critical Information Requirements. (3) (U) Essential Elements of Friendly Information. (4) (U) Minimum Essential Stability Tasks. (a) Civil Security. (b) Restoration of Essential Services. (c) Civil Control. (5) (U) Fire Support Coordination Measures. (6) (U) Airspace Coordination Measures. (7) (U) Rules of Engagement. (8) (U) Risk Reduction Control Measures. (9) (U) Personnel Recovery Coordination Measures. (10) (U) Environmental Considerations.

Operations Order Formati. (U) Coordinating Instructions (1) (U) Time or condition when the OPORD becomes effective. (2) (U) Commander’s Critical Information Requirements. (3) (U) Essential Elements of Friendly Information. (4) (U) Minimum Essential Stability Tasks. (a) Civil Security. (b) Restoration of Essential Services. (c) Civil Control. (5) (U) Fire Support Coordination Measures. (6) (U) Airspace Coordination Measures. (7) (U) Rules of Engagement. (8) (U) Risk Reduction Control Measures. (9) (U) Personnel Recovery Coordination Measures. (10) (U) Environmental Considerations. (11) (U) Other Coordinating Instructions.

Operations Order Format 4. (U) Sustainment. a. (U) Logistics. b. (U) Personnel. c. (U) Health Services Support.

5. (U) Command and Control. a. (U) Command. (1) (U) Location of Commander. (2) (U) Succession of Command. (3) (U) Liaison Requirements. b. (U) Control. (1) (U) Command Posts. (2) (U) Reports c. (U) Information Themes and Messages. d. (U) Communications and Information Network.

OPORD EndingACKNOWLEDGE: Requires the unit to acknowledge receipt of the order, if it was not

distributed in person, as at an orders brief.

OFFICIAL: List the person certifying the order if it was not signed by the Commander personally.

ANNEXES: List all Annexes

Notes: If the commander personally signs the order, it does not have the official line.

If a unit receives the entire order in person, the Acknowledge line is omitted. This is in effect a “receipt” for the order…subsequent FRAGOs however, may require the Acknowledge line…

Annexes• A – Task Organization • B – Intelligence • C – Operations • D – Logistics • E – Personnel• F – Public Affairs • G – Civil Affairs • H – Fires• I – not used • J – Protection • K – Network Operations • L – Environmental Considerations • M – Assessment • N – Space Operations • O – not used • P – Host-Nation Support • Q – Health Service Support • R – Reports • S – not used • T – not used • U – Inspector General • V – Interagency Coordination • W – not used • X – not used• Y - not used• Z - Distribution

ALL Annexes are listed, even if theyare not used. This ensures the recipientthat the annex was not left out by mistake

Annexes

Note: Annexes are required to be listed. If the annex is not to be published, it is so indicated….Annex Z Distribution (Not published)

If the Annex is not ready for publishing, it will be so noted…Annex F Sustainment, (TBP)

Annex Formats

ANNEX

Appendix

Tab

Exhibit

Annex A Task Organization

Task Organization: A temporary grouping of forces designed to accomplish a particular mission is task organization.

Task Organization may be organic, or it may contain additions to the unit.

Task Organization Sequence

Sequence:• 1 Maneuver units (task force (teams), infantry, light

infantry, mechanized, motorized, air assault, airborne, armor, aviation, cavalry: armored and air

• 2. Artillery units (firing batteries: tube (self propelled), tube (towed), rockets and target acquisition.

• 3. Sustainment units by size of command echelon, then numerically, and then alphabetically.

Task Organization Example

MVR Units

Fires

Other units

Sustainment

Task Organization Matrix

Mission

MISSION. Enter the restated mission resulting from mission analysis. This statement covers the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY of the operation

TF 2-77 conducts a passage of lines and attacks 130530Z September 2005 to seize OBJ BLUE vic HILL 295 (NB251369) and OBJ RED vic HILL 301 (NB296384), and prepares to continue the attack to the east on order in order to facilitate the movement of the main effort.

WHO WHAT

WHEN

WHERE

WHY

Writing Tasks

Like Mission, Tasks always have:

• Who accomplishes the task

• What is the unit required to do

• When is the task to be accomplished

• Where is the task to be accomplished

• Why (purpose) is the unit accomplishing this task-what broader context does it serve.

Nesting Concepts

Nesting is a process whereby subordinate units and tasks are interwoven to accomplish a broader concept.

Tasks are never nested, purposes always are.

Every subordinate unit has a purpose for the tasks it is accomplishing…these purposes all feed the commanders over all purpose or intent; however, there may be many different tasks by other units that will bring this intent about…

Nesting ExamplesBattalion Mission and Intent: 1-124 IN conducts stability operations within AO Hurricane, in order

to provide a safe and secure environment in which the host nation government can develop.

A/1-124 IN conducts police mentoring operations within AO Tempest to develop professionalism and proficiency in the HN police forces, so as to provide a safe and secure environment in which the host nation government can develop.

B/1-124 IN conducts infrastructure repairs and improvements to HN water supply within AO Cyclone to provide a safe and secure environment in which the host nation government can develop.

Different Tasks but they all go together to accomplish the Commanders Purpose

Always Remember…

“A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” G.S.P.

"Perfection is the enemy of Good Enough," Voltaire

Questions?