MISSION COMMAND

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MISSION COMMAND

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Doctrine - Summary

• Fighting power physical, moral and conceptual
  components
• Manoeuvrist Approach - with its implications
  for
• Conduct of operations
• Command

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Manoeuvrist Approach
Surprise
Pre-emption
Tempo
Dislocation
Disruption
Simultaneity
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Command Philosophy

• Timely decision-making
• Understanding higher commanders intent

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Command Philosophy

• Timely decision-making
• Understanding higher commanders intent
• Responsibility to fulfil that intention
• Common doctrine
• Mutual trust
• Obedience
• Initiative

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Command Philosophy (Tenets)
MISSION COMMAND
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Principles of Mission Command

• Unity of effort

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Achieving Unity of Effort

• The Commanders Intent
• Main and Supporting Efforts
• Mission Statements

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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of Manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of Manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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• One part of the order I did, however, draft
  myself - the intention. It is usually the
  shortest of all paragraphs, but it is always the
  most important, because it states - or it should
  - just what the commander intends to achieve.
• It is the one overriding expression of will by
  which every action by every commander and soldier
  in the army must be dominated.
• Defeat Into Victory
• Field Marshal Slim 1944

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Commanders Intent - Overview
A succinct summary of how he proposes to achieve
his purpose - articulated through effects, so
subordinates understand the links between Main
and Supporting Efforts. Also a description of
how he thinks achieving his task will meet his
given purpose (his unique contribution to his
superiors intent)
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Commanders Intent - Overview
A succinct summary of how he proposes to achieve
his purpose - articulated through effects, so
subordinates understand the links between Main
and Supporting Efforts. Also a description of
how he thinks achieving his task will meet his
given purpose (his unique contribution to his
superiors intent)
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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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Main Effort

• The activity which the commander considers
  crucial to the success of his mission at that
  time.

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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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Orders Format

• Situation
• En Forces
• Fr Forces
• Atts and Dets
• Mission
• Execution
• Concept of Ops
• Intent
• Scheme of manoeuvre
• Main Effort
• Subordinates missions
• Co-ordinating instructions
• Service Support
• Command Signal

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Mission Statements
Task(s) Purpose
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Caesar
Maximus
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Mission Statements
Own Mission Task(s) Purpose
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Mission Statements
Own Mission Task(s) Purpose
Subordinate 1 Task Purpose
Subordinate 2 Task Purpose
Subordinate 3 Task Purpose
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Mission Statements
Own Mission Task Purpose
Subordinate 1 Task Purpose
Subordinate 2 Task Purpose
Subordinate 3 Task Purpose
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T pacify the German tribes P bring peace to the
Empires northern borders
Caesar
T defeat militant German tribes P bring peace
to the northern borders
Maximus
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Achieving Unity of Effort

• The Commanders Intent
• Main and Supporting Efforts
• Mission Statements

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Maximus Orders to his Legions (1)

• Mission defeat militant German tribes in order
  to bring peace to the northern borders

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Maximus Orders to his Legions (1)

• Mission defeat militant German tribes in order
  to bring peace to the northern borders
• Intent We will force the enemy out of the
  forest so we can fix him in the open. Once he is
  fixed, we will surprise him by an attack in the
  rear, striking to destroy his leadership - the
  decisive element of the operation. Once his
  leadership is destroyed, I believe we will break
  the will of the German tribes, thus eventually
  bring peace to the Northern borders

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Maximus Orders to his Legions (2)

• Main Effort killing of enemy leadership by the
  cavalry

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Maximus Orders to his Legions (2)

• Main Effort killing of enemy leadership by the
  cavalry
• Scheme of Manoeuvre Cavalry preparatory move to
  FUP in cover, signal once in position. Artillery
  and archers then force enemy out of the forest
  using fire. Infantry advance into open ground,
  to lure the enemy further into the open, and then
  fix him. Cavalry then strike from the forest into
  the enemys rear, gaining shock and surprise, to
  kill the enemy leadership. Once enemy is reduced
  to a disorganised rabble, massacre as many as
  possible. Enslave the rest.

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Maximus Orders to his Legions (3)

• Subordinate Missions
• Archers and Artillery
• T force German forces out of the woods
• P enable infantry to engage the enemy in the
  open
• Infantry
• T fix enemy forces in the open
• P enable Cavalry, on the main effort, to attack
  the enemy from the rear
• Cavalry
• T kill German tribal leader and his bodyguard
• P cause the culmination of the militant tribes

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Principles of Mission Command

• Unity of effort
• Decentralisation (Freedom of Action)

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• In time commanders at all levels developed to
  a marked degree a flexibility of mind and a
  firmness of decision that enabled them to act
  swiftly to take advantage of sudden information
  or changing circumstances without reference to
  their superiors,
• This requires in the higher command a
  corresponding flexibility of mind, confidence in
  subordinates, and the power to make its
  intentions clear through the force.
• FM Slim

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Principles of Mission Command

• Unity of effort
• Decentralisation
• Mutual Trust

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• ... He, the soldier, must have confidence in
  his leaders and know that whatever dangers and
  hardships he is called upon to suffer, his life
  will not be flung away.
• FM Slim

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Principles of Mission Command

• Unity of effort
• Decentralisation
• Trust
• Mutual understanding

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ADVANCE TO CONTACT
DESTROY
BLOCK
ATTACK
CLEAR
DEFEAT
DELAY
Language of Mission Command
DENY
DELAY
DEFEND
SEIZE
SECURE
HOLD
PENETRATION
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Principles of Mission Command

• Unity of effort
• Decentralisation
• Trust
• Mutual understanding
• Timely and effective decision-making

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TIME
THE DECISION POINT
NOW
Upwards
Direction (Received and Given)
Execution
Consultation Sideways
Consideration
Downwards
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• One of the most difficult things we have to do
  in war is to recognize the moment for making a
  decision. Information comes in degrees. Shall
  we make a decision now or shall we wait a little
  longer?
• It is usually more difficult to determine the
  moment for making a decision than it is to
  formulate the decision itself.
• Adolph Von Schell

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Command Philosophy
MISSION COMMAND
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Mission Command in Practice

• Orders intentions, missions and context
• What effect and why
• Appropriate resources allocated
• Minimum control maximum freedom
• Subordinates decide how to achieve their
  mission

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• Never tell people how to do things,
• tell them what to do
• and they will surprise you with their ingenuity
• Patton

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Summary

• Freedoms and speed of action

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Summary

• Freedoms and speed of action
• Intents and Effects
• Resources
• Minimum control measures

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Summary

• Freedoms and speed of action
• Intents and Effects
• Resources
• Minimum necessary control measures
• Principles
• Unity of Effort
• Decentralisation
• Trust
• Mutual Understanding
• Timely and Effective Decision-making

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QUESTIONS?