Tag: Leadership

Having sketched a rough overview of all eight Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs), we now focus our attention on the third and most in-depth of these: making a tentative plan. As noted previously, this plan is considered tentative because new information; such as gained from reconnaissance, rehearsals, informants, etc.; may necessitate a change to this plan. It should also be reiterated that the TLPs in toto, including making a tentative plan and the Operation Order (OPORD) format, could be applied with minimal modification to planning and preparing for virtually any activity, whether a military action, a camping trip, a formal ball or a tourist excursion.

As presented here, the process of making a tentative plan has six steps,[1] the first two of which involve analyzing (1) the mission at hand and (2) various major facets of the situation. The different variables of this two-step analysis can more easily be remembered with the acronym METT-TC (Mission, Enemy, Terrain and Weather, Troops, Time, Civilians). The last four steps of making a tentative plan involve developing courses of action (COAs), then analyzing as well as comparing them, and ultimately deciding on the best among them, or in other words, the one most likely to accomplish the mission.

1- Mission Analysis (M)

Identify specified and implied tasks: The mission or action(s) to be performed already include certain rather specific or “specified tasks” to be accomplished, but there may also be other implied tasks which are necessary to achieve in order to accomplish the clearly specified task(s).

Examples of specified tasks for our purposes here include:

                -Reaching a safe place

                -Getting help

Implied tasks for such a mission might be:

                -Navigate

                -Maintain security

                -Breach/cross obstacles

                -Resupply food and water

                -Establish a patrol base

Once both specified and implied tasks have been identified, it is necessary to determine which among these are “mission essential tasks,” that is, which tasks are so pivotal that the overall mission cannot be accomplished without them. These mission essential tasks should be included in the mission statement as well as the maneuver portion of the execution paragraph of the OPORD, discussed in another article.

Restated Mission: The Warning Order (WARNO) should have already included a tentative mission statement, but after more deliberate analysis, this statement may need to be modified. The mission statement is a single, clear and concise sentence that includes the who, what, when, where and why of the action(s) to be accomplished. The “what” comprises the just determined mission essential tasks, whereas the “why” elucidates the purpose for doing so. An example of a mission statement could be: “We (the entire group) will travel undetected to and request assistance at the police station at 18 Baker Street before sunset at 19:15 in order to elude hostile elements and any harm they might intend before dark falls.”

2- Situation Analysis (ETT-TC)

Analyzing the situation includes taking into consideration the Enemy, Terrain and Weather, Troops and Time available, as well as the impact of third-party Civilians on the mission. It is hoped that the reader can sense just some of the significance of the name of this website here (Ten-Chi-Jin, “Heaven-Earth-Humankind”). We now consider in turn each of these considerations.

Enemy: How many adversaries are there? What are their objectives? What are their motivations? How committed are they? What weapons might they have? What is their level of mobility, such as physical fitness or whether they have vehicles?

What is their current or last known disposition? That is, are they stationary or moving? Are they actively seeking to engage with you, or will they only do so if they happen to encounter you?

What are their recent or significant past activities? These may indicate future actions.

What is their MLCOA (Most Likely Course of Action)? Also consider their MDCOA (Most Dangerous Course of Action), even if unlikely.

Terrain and Weather: The analysis of terrain and weather will be the topic of an entirely separate article. Thus, we restrict ourselves here to enumerating the major considerations. When analyzing terrain, the acronym OCOKA (Observation, Cover and Concealment, Obstacles, Key Terrain, Avenues of Approach) serves as a helpful reminder of the main points. As for weather, the five most important aspects are visibility, winds, precipitation, cloud cover, and temperature and humidity.

Troops: What members of your group are taking part in this activity, all of them or just select individuals or teams? What is their level of training? Physical fitness? Current state of morale? Degree of restedness? Emotional constitution and resolve? Maturity level?

Time: What time constraints exist, such as regarding sunset or sunrise due to illumination concerns, the closing times of potential sanctuaries (like a shopping mall) or any injuries requiring timely medical evacuation?

Civilians: Could third-party individuals or groups be a help or a hindrance to the accomplishment of your mission?

3- Develop COAs

Identify the different options or possible COAs available for accomplishing the mission.

4- Analyze COAs (Wargame)

Play out each potential COA vis-à-vis the enemy’s most likely COA.

5- Compare COAs

Compare each COA, weighing the pros and cons, costs and benefits, including in light of the insights gained from wargaming.

6- Decide

Choose the best COA, that is, the one most likely to accomplish the mission.

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[1] In Army doctrine, the steps of making a tentative plan are called an “Estimate of the Situation,” and this is comprised of five steps. Here, we have divided the second step of “Analyze the Situation and Develop COAs” into two, for a total of six steps.

The eight steps of what in the US Army are called Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs) outline a process that leaders use to prepare their units for combat operations. Yet these steps are not limited to use in combat and could basically be applied to anything involving collective action, or even individual action. One might use these TLPs to prepare a group for simply going out on a camping trip, or alternatively, for escaping an adversary and reaching a safe place should the need arise. As an Army officer candidate attending university, we used these steps to plan formal military balls (catering, DJ, photographer, etc.) and later, when on leave from deployments and backpacking around the world, I would use these steps to plan my own activities as a tourist. The potential applications are limitless.

This article will cover the main eight steps, while subsequent articles will take a closer look at different facets thereof, namely step three (making a tentative plan), terrain analysis and the format used to relay the plan to others, which in military lingo is called an Operation Order (OPORD). For now, however, the main eight steps are:

1. Receive the Mission

2. Issue a Warning Order (WARNO)

3. Make a Tentative Plan

4. Start Necessary Movement

5. Reconnoiter

6. Complete the Plan

7. Issue the Complete Order

8. Supervise

The US Marine Corps uses a similar set of procedures which are six in number and known as BAMCIS (Begin Planning, Arrange for Reconnaissance, Make Reconnaissance, Complete the Plan, Issue the Order, and Supervise). The present article, however, draws directly from the US Army’s Ranger Handbook (TC 3-21.76) and FM 7-8 Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad (now FM 3-21.8).

Whatever the “mission” or planned action at hand, this process ensures that subordinates or group members are kept informed of the intended action, that thorough planning is conducted, that the group makes timely movement toward the objective, that assumptions are confirmed or denied and the plan is updated accordingly, that all group members understand the mission and key tasks to be performed in the execution thereof, and that they are adequately prepared, proficient and equipped to do so.

If used to escape hostile adversaries, the planning and preparations described in this article should only be carried out after the group has removed itself from any immediate danger, is in an interim safe place and is maintaining 360-degree security. 

These steps should not be taken as a rigid, immutable structure. After the second step of issuing the WARNO, the last six steps may or may not be performed in a step-by-step sequence, since some steps may be performed concurrently or in a different order.

1 – Recognize the Need for Action

In the US Army’s TLPs, this step is called “Receive the mission.” For our purposes, however, it is realizing that a certain action needs to be taken, such as moving to a safe haven.

2 – Issue a Warning Order (WARNO)

Once such a realization has been made, members of the group should be notified of the upcoming action or “mission” as soon as possible so that they can begin to make any necessary preparations for themselves and those under their care (e.g., their children or younger siblings). This “WARNO,” so to speak, should contain the action to be performed, a basic concept of how it will be accomplished, including a timeline, and any other information necessary for them to start such preparations.

3 – Make a Tentative Plan

Planning and preparation take time, for leaders as well as for subordinates. Thus, as a rule of thumb, a leader should use only one-third of the available time to plan and issue orders, leaving the remainder of the time for his/her subordinates. Of course, the situation may not allow much extra time for preparation, so this general rule should not hinder making sufficient and deliberate planning.

This is called a “tentative plan” because without actual reconnaissance to confirm or deny one’s assumptions and second-hand information, it cannot yet be considered complete. There are several steps and considerations in making such a plan, so for simplicity and ease of digestion, these will be considered in a separate article.

4 – Begin Necessary Movement

It may be possible and preferable to begin movement toward the objective while the leader is still conducting planning. Indeed, such movement can take place at any point during these TLPs.

5 – Reconnoiter

The leader and/or a dedicated reconnaissance element may be deployed to collect information to fill gaps in knowledge as well as to confirm or deny assumptions and second-hand information.

6 – Complete the Plan

The information collected during reconnaissance can necessitate a change in the plan or can affirm its validity as is. Hence, this step involves incorporating information gained from reconnaissance to finalize the plan.

7 – Issue the Complete Plan

Issue the updated plan, complete with any changes resulting from information gained during reconnaissance, orally to subordinates while following the five-paragraph Operations Order (OPORD) format (also covered in a separate article). This may be done while referencing a map, sand table, terrain model or sketch, or it may also be done while referencing and within sight of the objective.

8 – Supervise

The final step involves the leader(s) supervising the group’s preparations for accomplishing the mission by conducting (a) rehearsals and (b) inspections.

                8a – Rehearsals

Rehearsals are performed to:

                -Practice essential tasks

                -Identify weaknesses or gaps in the plan

                -Coordinate/synchronize the actions of group members

                -Better familiarize group members with the plan

Subordinate leaders and members of the group can begin rehearsing key tasks (like actions on the objective and crossing danger areas and obstacles) as soon as the WARNO is received and before the plan is completed and issued. Whenever possible, rehearsals should be carried out on terrain and in weather/light conditions that are similar to that in which the action is to be carried out.

Rehearsals are also best conducted with all members of the group present and taking part. Nevertheless, they may be performed with some members absent, such as for maintaining security or if it may frighten or overwhelm young children. A rehearsal may even include only adults or key leaders. To ensure understanding, after the complete plan is issued, key leaders should sequentially “backbrief” the plan to the leader, particularly the actions to be performed by their respective elements. That is, they talk through the plan just briefed by the patrol leader and their parts therein.

The main rehearsal formats include:

               -Map rehearsal

               -Sand table, terrain model, sketch rehearsal (using items like stones, sticks, pinecones or plastic toy soldiers to represent group members or elements)

               -Rock drills (which are like using a sand table, etc., but the group members actually move themselves, rather than representative objects)

               -Force on force (in which some group members role-play as the adversary)

                8b – Inspections

Multiple checks or inspections should be performed. At a minimum, the first inspections should be carried out by individual group members and subordinate leaders as soon as the WARNO is given and a final inspection should be made by the patrol leader before the action is undertaken. Points to be inspected, like ensuring that items are present (“dummy-corded” if possible) and functional, include:

                -Clothing (especially in inclement weather)

                -Camouflage (ensuring that bright or reflective surfaces are covered or subdued)

                -Noise discipline (have patrol members jump up and down to identify rattling or jingling items to be secured and silenced)

                -Communications equipment

                -Food and water

                -Medical equipment

                -Flashlights

                -Navigational equipment (like GPS, maps and compass)

                -Special equipment

               -Ensuring that deficiencies noted from earlier inspections have been corrected

               -After the completed plan has been given, quizzing group members on their knowledge of the plan, especially concerning their roles therein