1. COMMANDER’S INTENT & GUIDANCE1 1 1

2. Purpose To understand Commander’s
Intent & Guidance and their importance in crisis action planning
The purpose of this brief is to talk about the role of the commander in the Crisis Action Planning (CAP) process.

3. References JP 3-0, Doctrine For Joint Operations
JP 5-0, Doctrine For Planning Joint Operations
JP , JTF Planning Guidance and Procedures
I’D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THE REFERENCES UP FRONT TO ASSURE YOU THAT EVERYTHING I AM GOING TO AB HAS ABOUT TODAY HAS A DOCTRINAL BASIS USING THE US JOINT DOCTRINE.
ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC IS MILITARY HISTORY. STUDYING LEADERS AND CAMPAIGNS OF THE PAST OFFERS TREMENDOUS INSIGHT ON THIS SUBJECT. 2 2 2

4. Commander’s Intent
“The commander’s intent describes the desired end state. It is a concise expression of the purpose of the operation, not a summary of the concept of operations.”
FIRST WE WILL TALK ABOUT INTENT. THIS QUOTE FROM JP 3-0 DEFINES COMMANDERS INTENT. A COMMANDER SHOULD USE HIS INTENT TO CLEARLY ARTICULATE AND CONVEY THE PURPOSE OF THE FORCE’S ACTIVITIES, THE DESIRED RESULTS, AND HOW PLANNED ACTIONS WILL WORK TO ACHIEVE THAT END.
INTENT IS CRITICAL TO SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS IN UNDERSTANDING THE MISSION AND IN EXECUTION. INTENT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO THE STAFF BECAUSE IT SERVES AS THE INITIAL IMPETUS FOR THE ENTIRE PLANNING PROCESS.
COMMANDER’S INTENT IS USED TO LINK THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF COMMAND AND ENCOURAGE INITIATIVE. COMMANDERS & PLANNERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE COMMANDER’S INTENT TWO LEVELS UP.
IT IS THE COMMANDER’S INTENT THAT TAKES PREDOMINANCE DURING THE EXECUTION OF AN OPERATION. IT ENABLES SUBORDINATES TO PURSUE IN THE ABSENSE OF FURTHER ORDERS IN THE EVENT OF UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES. SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS MUST UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE OPERATION WELL ENOUGH TO ACT DECISIVELY, WITH INITIATIVE, AND CONSISTENT WITH HIGHER COMMANDER’S INTENT.
JP 3-0 4 3 3

5. Commander’s Intent Commander’s Intent
Commander’s Vision
Assess theater or area of operations
Visualize path from current to future state
Commander’s Intent
Purpose
Unifying Focus
Force as a whole
Identify end state
THE COMMANDER’S INTENT IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF PLANNING. IN CONTRAST TO THE STANDARDIZED COMPOSITION OF OTHER PARTS OF AN OPORD, SUCH AS MISSION STATEMENT AND CONCEPT OF OPS, THE COMMANDER HAS WIDE LATITUDE IN EXPRESSING HIS INTENT.
IT BEGINS WITH THE COMMANDER’S VISION OF THE OPERATION, HIS ASSESSMENT OF THE AREA OF OPERATIONS AND HIS VISUALIZATION OF THE PATH FROM CURRENT TO FUTURE STATE.
INTENT PROVIDES A PURPOSE, PROVIDES A UNIFYING FOCUS; TALKS TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE FORCE AS A WHOLE; AND IDENTIFIES AN END STATE.
FROM THIS INTENT WE AS A STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO DEVELOP COURSES OF ACTION AND ULTIMATELY A CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS.
SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS WILL BE ABLE TO FOCUS THEIR OPERATIONS BASED ON THIS INTENT.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT INTENT BE THE COMMANDER’S PRODUCT, NOT THE STAFF’S. GEN Fred Franks (Into the Storm, p. 145) STATED IT WELL:
“A commander’s ‘intent’ is quite simply his vision of how he sees the operation working out. It is his concise expression of the means, of the end, of the main effort, and of the risks he is prepared to take. Because of its importance in putting the commander’s personal stamp on the operation, commanders usually write the intent themselves.”
Concept of Operations 4 4

6. When is the Intent Published?
JTF Commanders initially provide their intent to the staff with the restated mission and planning guidance
The JTF Commander refines intent as the staff considers staff estimates and completes the Commander’s Estimate
AT THE END OF MISSION ANALYSIS, THE PLANNING STAFF GIVES THE COMMANDER A MISSION ANALYSIS. THIS BRIEF SHOULD GAIN HIS APPROVAL OF THE RESTATED MISSION AND PLANNING UP TO THAT POINT, AND SOLICIT HIS GUIDANCE FOR FURTHER PLANNING.
THE RESTATED MISSION IS A CLEAR, CONCISE STATEMENT OF THE ESSENTIAL TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE COMMAND AND THEIR PURPOSE(S). IT INCLUDES THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY.
HOWEVER, INTENT IS NOT STATIC. IT IS REFINED AS THE SITUATION EVOLVES. INTENT IS AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
NOW, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION MAY BE INCLUDED IN INTENT? 6 5 5

7. Elements of Commander’s Intent
Desired end state
Purpose of the operation
How operations (the joint force as a whole) will progress towards the end state
It may include how the posture of units at that end state facilitates transition
It may also include commander’s assessment of the enemy commander’s Intent
It may contain an assessment of where and how the commander will accept risk
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT MAY APPEAR IN COMMANDER’S INTENT (JP 3-0, Pg. III-24-25).
REMEMBER, THERE IS NO “COOKIE CUTTER” SCHOOL SOLUTION OR TEMPLATE. THE COMMANDER MAY INCORPORATE MANY OF THESE ITEMS IN HIS INTENT.
WE RECOMMEND TO OUR JTF/CTF’S THAT AS A MINIMUM THE TOP THREE BE INCORPORATED INTO THE INTENT.
FOR END STATE, THE CMDR SHOULD SPECIFY THE RESULTS EXPECTED INCLUDING EFFECTS ON OPPONENTS AND THE DESIRED POSTURE OF FRIENDLY FORCES.
DESCRIBE HOW THE EXECUTION PHASE IS VISUALIZED INCLUDING EXPECTED ENEMY REACTIONS TO THE ACTIONS OF OWN/FRIENDLY FORCES AS THE OPERATION PROGRESSES.
RISK IS INHERENT IN MILITARY OPERATIONS. RISK ASSESSMENT IS IMPORTANT. BY GIVING GUIDANCE HERE THE COMMANDER CAN FOCUS THE EFFORTS OF HIS SUBORDINATES
Intent is Not a Summary of the Concept of the Operations 7 6 6

8. Commander’s Intent
GENERAL GRANT, THE FAMOUS UNION GENERAL IN THE US CIVIL WAR, WROTE ALL HIS ORDERS PERSONALLY. THEY WERE MASTERPIECES OF CLARITY AND DIRECTNESS
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE INTENT GENERAL GRANT GAVE FOR GENERAL SHERMAN TOWARD THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR.
THE END RESULT OF THIS INTENT WAS THE FAMOUS SHERMAN MARCH TO THE SEA IN 1864
“YOU I PROPOSE TO MOVE AGAINST JOHNSTON’S ARMY, TO BREAK IT UP AND TO GET INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE ENEMY’S COUNTRY AS FAR AS YOU CAN, INFLICTING ALL THE DAMAGE YOU CAN AGAINST THEIR WAR RESOURCES.” 10 9 9

9. Recent Commander’s Intent
UNMIH INTENT: “The purpose of this mission is
to maintain a secure and stable environment which allows the government of Haiti to maintain functional governance, gradually transferring responsibility for the secure and stable environment to the government of Haiti. The end state is defined as the secure and stable environment that allows social and economic development, free election, and peaceful transition of responsibility to the government of Haiti.”
THIS INTENT STATEMENT IS AN EXAMPLE FROM THE LATTER PHASE OF PEACE OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN HAITI IN 1996.
THIS WAS THE UN MISSION IN HAITI’S INTENT.
IT COVERS THE KEY AREAS OF CONCERN.
THE UNMIH’S RESTATED MISSION WAS: Under the operational control of the United Nations Mission in Haiti, UN forces maintain a secure and stable environment and conduct a peaceful transition of responsibility to the government of Haiti no later than 29 February 1996, in accordance with UNSCRs. 8 7 7

10. Recent Commander’s Intent (cont.)
USFORHAITI INTENT: “The purpose of the operation is to divest Zone V of all operations in support of the government of Haiti. We will accomplish this purpose through progressively transferring all support operations to the government of Haiti, setting time limits on continued support to encourage timely transfers. Maintain only enough presence to detect an impending loss of security or stability in sufficient time to counteract it. At the end of the operation the government of Haiti assumes all responsibility for maintaining the secure and stable environment. Zone V forces are postured to facilitate and cover the withdrawal of UN forces and protect key installations.”
THIS WAS THE USFORHAITI’S INTENT STATEMENT FOR THE UN FORCE (PEACE OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN HAITI IN 1996) DURING THEIR EXECUTION OF THEIR EXIT STRATEGY.
AT SOME POINT YOUR STAFF WILL ALSO BEGIN PLANNING YOUR EXIT STRATEGY. USFORHAITI DEFINED THEIR EXIT STRATEGY AS “THE PLANNED TRANSITION TO THE HOST NATION(S) OF ALL FUNCTIONS PERFORMED ON ITS (THEIR) BEHALF BY PEACE OPERATIONS FORCES.”
THE BOTTOMLINE FOR INTENT IS THE TEST BY SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS: DOES IT ADD CLARITY AND ASSIST IN THEIR PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THE OPERATION?
USFORHAITI’S RESTATED MISSION WAS: JTF Dragoon transfers responsibility for the maintenance of a secure and stable environment in Haiti to the government of Haiti no later than 29 February 1996, in order to fulfill UNSCRs 940, 975, and 1007.
NOW LETS SHIFT GEARS AND TALK ABOUT COMMANDERS GUIDANCE. ALTHOUGH THE COMMANDER PUBLISHES INTENT HE CONTINUES TO STEER THE PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF GUIDANCE. 8 7 7

11. Commander’s Guidance The degree of guidance depends upon
Time available
Staff level of proficiency
Flexibility
Commander’s comfort zone
General enough to allow ideas, initiative, and consideration of potentially important alternatives
Provides the “start point” for course of action development
AT THE END OF MISSION ANALYSIS AND PRIOR TO THE START OF COA DEVELOPMENT, THE COMMANDER MODIFIES AND/OR APPROVES THE RESTATED MISSION AND THEN HE GIVES HIS STAFF (AND SOMETIMES SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS) HIS INITIAL PLANNING GUIDANCE.
- HIS GUIDANCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR TIMELY & EFFECTIVE COA DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS.
- IT GUIDES THE STAFF’S COMPLETION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE STAFF ESTIMATES.
- IT SHOULD FOCUS ON ESSENTIAL TASKS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED DURING MISSION ANALYSIS AND THAT SUPPORT MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THE COMMANDER SHOULD IMPLANT HIS VISION OF THE PROPOSED OPERATION INTO THE MINDS OF HIS STAFF. HE MUST PROVIDE ENOUGH GUIDANCE (PRELIMINARY DECISIONS) TO ALLOW THEM TO PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION CONSISTENT WITH HIS INTENT AND THAT OF HIGHER HEADQUARTERS.
GUIDANCE CAN BE WRITTEN OR GIVEN VERBALLY.
Note: Here is the great dilemma; guidance can be explicit/detailed, or it can be very broad allowing staff and/or subordinate cmdrs wide latitude in COA development. It should be sufficiently detailed to provide clear direction and to avoid unnecessary staff/subordinate cmdr effort. Detailed guidance facilitates faster COA development by the staff/subordinates, but risks overlooking or inadequately examining one or more options or details that may effect mission execution.

12. Commander’s Guidance Topics
Time plan
Commander’s intent
Risk assessment
Limitations on the command
Specific adversary COAs to be considered
Intel preparation of the battlespace considerations
Key or decisive terrain
Commander’s Critical Information Requirements
Concept of operations
Effects desired on the adversary force/threats
THE CONTENT OF PLANNING GUIDANCE VARIES FROM COMMANDER TO COMMANDER AND ARE DEPENDENT ON SITUATION AND TIME AVAILABLE FOR PLANNING.
PLANNING GUIDANCE SHOULD BE ARRANGED IN A LOGICAL SEQUENCE TO MINIMIZE THE CHANCES OF MISUNDERSTANDING AND TO ENHANCE CLARITY.
IN HIS GUIDANCE, A COMMANDER MIGHT STATE OR IMPLY HIS ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF RISK.
KEY OR DECISIVE TERRAIN FOR PEACE OPERATIONS MAY INCLUDE AIRHEADS, POWER GRIDS, DISTRIBUTION POINTS, TRANSPORTATION ROUTES, POPULATION CENTERS, ETC.
COMMANDER SHOULD GIVE GUIDANCE ON WHAT HE BELIEVES ARE HIS CRITICAL INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS (CCIR). THESE CAN INCLUDE PRIORITY INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS (PIR), INFORMATION HE NEEDS ABOUT FRIENDLY FORCES (FFIR) AND FRIENDLY FORCE INFORMATION THAT HE BELIEVES THE CTF/JTF MUST PROTECT FROM DISCOVERY (EEFI).

13. Commander’s Guidance Topics (cont.)
EW usage
Priorities
Reserve capabilities
CSS instructions
C2 arrangements
Type of orders to be issued
Type of rehearsal to conduct
Election monitoring
Crowd control/rioting
GUIDANCE FOR C2 RELATIONSHIPS; KEY ELEMENTS OF TIMING, PHASING SEQUENCING; FORCE DEPLOYMENT; BATTLESPACE ARCHITECTURE; DECEPTION AND INFO OPERATIONS.
GUIDANCE AND PRIORITIES FOR PLANNING EFFORTS TO INCLUDE USE OF AVAILABLE PLANNING TIME AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO SUBORDINATE UNITS.

14. Guidance Is Dynamic
After Mission Analysis staff briefings are complete and the Commander approves the restated mission, he provides initial planning guidance to the staff
Guidance may change or be modified later if assumptions or facts change
SIMILAR TO INTENT, THE COMMANDERS GUIDANCE MUST BE DYNAMIC DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION AS IT DEVELOPS.
COMMANDER MAY ISSUE UPDATED PLANNING GUIDANCE AT ANY POINT DURING THE PROCESS.
WHEN THE STAFF COMPLETES COA DEVELOPMENT AND BRIEFS THE COMMANDER ON THEIR PROPOSED COAs, HE WILL GIVE GUIDANCE AND APPROVAL BEFORE THE STAFF CONDUCTS FURTHER ANALYSIS AND PLANNING.

15. Summary
Commanders intent and guidance work in tandem to facilitate planning and execution of an operation
THE BOTTOMLINE, BOTH COMMANDERS INTENT AND GUIDANCE ARE CRITICAL TO THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF A MILITARY CRISIS ACTION PLANNING OPERATION.
JP 3-0

16. Questions?