13 July 2011

Operations Order Format

It recently occurred to me that we've never posted this, or included it in any of our references anywhere.

I. Situation
   A. Environment
      1. Terrain
      2. Weather
   B. Enemy Forces
      1. Composition
      2. Disposition
      3. Location
      4. Expected Course of Action
   C. Friendly Forces
      1. Adjacent Units (front, left, right, rear)
      2. Attachments
      3. Detachments


II. Mission – Task, Purpose, Time


III. Execution
   A. Commander’s Intent - Purpose, key tasks, end-state
   B. Scheme of Maneuver - preferably a matrix by phase
   C. Fires/Fire Support - priorities, allocations, locations
   D. Subordinate Unit Tasks - Specific tasks to individual subordinates
   E. Coordinating Instructions - Specific tasks to all subordinates


IV. Service Support
   A. Medical – Locations & Priorities
   B. Maintenance – Locations & Priorities
   C. Resupply – Locations & Priorities


V. Command & Signal
   A. Command – Locations & Chain of Command
   B. Signal – Call Signs, Frequencies, Visual Signals


By: Brant

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, the good old SMESC - though in the Canadian Forces we learned it as SMEAC (Service Support was Administration & Logistics), and the headings were a bit different.

PFF said...

Here in Brazil, the Commander's Intent is the last item in the second paragraph (Mission).

Brant said...

In the US, they run close enough together that people often think the intent is part of the mission.