Narrator: The commander should articulate his Commander’s Operational Approach which is a clear and concise expression of what he intends to accomplish and how it will be done. It enables the planners to develop and refine COAs. This visualization also reflects the commander’s understanding of the situation and provides his hypothesis for achieving the overall purpose. The commander’s guidance may be narrow and directive requiring the development of a single COA, or broad and inquisitive. It should always include the commander’s vision of shaping, decisive, and sustaining actions, to include the location of critical events, and other aspects the commander deems pertinent to COA development.
COA Development Guidance
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- The commander's understanding of the situation - Hypothesis for achieving the overall purpose Commander's Guidance: - Narrow and Directive, or - Broad and inquisitive Commander's Vision: - Shaping actions - Decisive actions - Sustaining actions - Location of critical events - Other pertinent aspects - Threat vulnerabilities - Risk |
- Any further restraints and/or constraints - Selection and employment of the main effort - Types of operations - Forms of maneuver - Communication strategy - Command relationships - Task organization - Arrangement of the operation (phasing) - Timing of the operations - Reserve - Evaluation of the battlespace - Mobility and countermobility |