1. 03 Sep 2013 Overall Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
PROBLEM FRAMING
03 Sep 2013
Overall Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

2. PURPOSE & AGENDA Purpose Decisions and Guidance Agenda Refined Intent
To provide CG II MEF a problem framing brief IOT gain mission statement approval and allow the OPT to receive guidance, updated Commander’s Intent, and COA Development instructions
Decisions and Guidance
Refined Intent
Refined Guidance
Approve the Mission Statement
Provide COA Development Guidance
Agenda
Synthesis from: Understanding the Environment and Problem Statement
Situation Update
IPB/IPOE and Intel Estimates
HHQ Mission and Intent
Review Commander’s intent and guidance
Facts
Assumptions
Limitations
Resource Shortfalls
Task Analysis
COG Analysis
RFIs
Recommended CCIRs
Proposed Mission Statement
CG Guidance
Planner notes: Delete items from agenda if not needed
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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3. EXAMPLE PLANNING TIMELINE Legend Liberty OPT IPR
CG II MEF Decision Brief
MARFORCOM OPT
Due to MARFORCOM
6 Sep 13/ Due
5 Sep 13 /Decision Brief to CG II MEF
4 Sep 13/ Read Ahead
w/ CG II MEF
3 Sep 13/ Submit Read Ahead to CG II MEF
Labor Day 96
29 Aug 13/ CG II MEF COA Decision Brief
28 Aug 13/ OPT #4: Product Refinement
27 Aug 13 / IPR to AC/S G-3/ IPR Principal’s Meeting
26 Aug 13/ OPT #3: COA Comparison /Product Refinement
23 Aug 13/ OPT #2: COA Dev / Wargaming / COA Refinement
22 Aug 13/ CG II MEF Pbm Fmg Brief
21 Aug 13/ OPT #1: Problem Framing, Msn Anl, Rough Cut COA / MSC/E present T/Os and T/Es
20 Aug 13/ FOPS initial OPT w/ MFC and guidance update to OPT
19 Aug 13/ MSC/E Work Day
Planner notes: A sample timeline and legend. Your first step should be to get the planners together and make a plan to plan
16 Aug 13/ IPG to OPT from FOPS, Templates, POA&M Distribution, MSC/Es begin work on T/O and T/Es
15 Aug 13/ IPG from CoS
03 Sep 2013 (V1) 1

4. UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENT
HHQ design results (have HHQ intent, orders, directives, estimate of the situation, and Commander’s Guidance)
Available Intelligence products to include IPB/IPOE
Information Environment
Physical
Informational
Cognitive
Culture
Language
Demographics
Religion
Geography
Local Economics
Key Actors
Tendencies
Relationships
Potential
Security
Climate
Time
Planner notes: The OPT will wrestle with bullets on the left. For the brief, synthesize your finding into one or two slides. Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE) is not Marine Corps Doctrine, but it can be found in Joint Doctrine.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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5. PROBLEM STATEMENT Problem Statement or Diagram Planner notes:
Planner notes: Marine Corps Doctrine does not require a problem statement, but Joint Doctrine does. The problem statement articulates how the operational variables can be expected to resist or facilitate transformation and how inertia in the operational environment can be leveraged to ensure the desired conditions are achieved.
The problem statement identifies the areas for action that will transform existing conditions toward the desired end state. Defining the problem extends beyond analyzing interactions and relationships in the operational environment. It
identifies areas of tension and competition—as well as opportunities and challenges—that commanders must address to transform current conditions to achieve the desired end state.
Tension is the resistance or friction among and between actors. (JP 5-0)
Problem Statement or Diagram
Planner notes:
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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6. SITUATION UPDATE Battlespace Organization Status of Friendly Forces
Stakeholders and Existing Command Relations
Area of Operations
Area of Interest
Area of Influence
Planner notes: These are from the MCWP 5-1, but they overlap with IPB.
A common TTP is to use a map chip with these items over the top. Try to get these in 2 or 3 slides..
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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7. IPB for PROBLEM FRAMING
Intelligence Update and IPB or Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE)
Terrain Analysis
Weather Analysis
Human Environment
Culture Analysis
Adversary Integration (Possible COAs)
Planner notes: This should be the start IPB, due time constraints. Typically steps 1 and 2 are required. . Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE) is not Marine Corps Doctrine, but it can be found in Joint Doctrine.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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8. HIGHER’S MISSION AND INTENT
HHQ Missions
HHQ Intent (two levels up)
Planner notes: This is usually a cut and paste from higher.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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9. COMMANDER’S GUIDANCE Review Commander’s Intent and Guidance
Planner notes: This allows the OPT to reconfirm guidance that they a have received from the CG.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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10. FACTS
Planner notes Marine Corps doctrine does not break out facts as a separate slide, but it is referenced in the Staff Estimates and Rapid Response Planning Process annexes of the MCWP 5-1. Staff estimates state that each section should do the following: Analyze political, economic, sociological, psychological factors and infrastructure
as they relate to the area. Joint Doctrine does define facts as (1) A fact is a statement of information known to be true (such as verified locations of friendly and adversary force dispositions). JP 5-0. Army Doctrine further defines it further as, A fact is a statement of truth or a statement thought to be true at the time. Facts concerning the operational and mission variables serve as the basis for developing situational understanding, for continued planning, and when assessing progress during preparation and execution. ATTP 5-0.1
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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11. ASSUMPTIONS
Planner notes: These are suppositions about the current situation IOT continue planning. Below is a list of questions to validate assumptions:
-Is it logical?
-Is it realistic?
-Is it essential for planning to continue?
-Does it wish away an enemy capability?
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12. LIMITATIONS Restraints (Something you CANNOT do)
Constraints (Something you must do)
Planner notes: Limitations are found by reviewing orders. Don’t get wrapped around the axle between constraints on restraints. The OPT is looking for items that have impacts on your mission.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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13. TASK ANALYSIS Task Analysis Specified Implied Essential
Planner notes: This is a holder slide. The next 3 slides are great if you have the time. (and they can be used again for your Sync Matrix, COA wargame, and Order Dev.)
-Specified- should be cut and pasted from your task
-Implied- Not specifically stated but necessary to complete task.
-Essential- Need to be completed for mission success. Usually make up mission statement.
Task Analysis
Specified
Implied
Essential
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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14. RESOURCE SHORTFALLS Personnel Equipment Capability Training
Planner notes: These are collected from individual staff estimates. They are derived from difference between task and available resources. Bringing these to the CG attention means you may need his help to get the required resource.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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15. SPECIFIED TASK Task # Specified Tasks Source Analysis 03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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16. IMPLIED TASK Task # Implied Tasks Source Analysis 03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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17. ESSENTIAL TASK Task # Essential Tasks Source Analysis 03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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18. COG ANALYSES Friendly Enemy
Planner notes: There are tons of ways to figure this out. Find out how your CG wants to see it. All publications agree it is ART!!
Below are some ideas:
MCDP 1(method for finding COG)- Ask these three questions. 1) Which factors are critical to the enemy? 2) which can the enemy not do without 3) Which, if eliminated, will bend him the most quickly to your will?
Methods to Destroy or Neutralize a COG (CV):
1) Make it irrelevant (ie through deception or maneuver) 2) Strip it of support (destroy a capability that supports it. This is the most common Marine Corps method) 3) Exploit a systematic weakness. (attack it in a way it cannot defend itself. ie using aircraft destroy tanks). Using all three at once is the best method. CVs and COGs are temporal and spatial (they shift)
The Joint Method – Planners should analyze COGs within a framework of three critical factors—capabilities, requirements, and vulnerabilities—to aid in this understanding. Critical capabilities are those that are considered crucial enablers for a COG to function as such, and are essential to the accomplishment of the adversary’s assumed objective(s). Critical requirements are the conditions, resources, and means that enable a critical capability to become fully operational.
Critical vulnerabilities are those aspects or components of critical requirements that are deficient or vulnerable to direct or indirect attack in a manner achieving decisive or significant results.
Friendly
Enemy
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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19. RFI MATRIX
RFI #
Subj
Req Info
Req by
Req from
Date/time submission
Method of submission
NLT date needed
Planner notes: This is just a sample. Suggest you use your own SOP.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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20. RECOMMENDED CCIRS PIRS- FFIRS-
Planner notes: These should be essential to CG decision making
PIRs- Essential information about the enemy or operational environment required by the commander to make a key decision.
FFIRS- Essential information about friendly units required by the commander to make a key decision.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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21. PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT
Planner notes: 5 Ws. Try to choose an approved task (what) found in appendix C of the MCDP 1-0.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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22. PROBLEM FRAMING Other Products
Planner notes: This is place holder for additional information that does not fit into any of the other categories that the OPT wants to show the CG.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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23. CG II MEF GUIDANCE Questions from the OPT
Planner notes: This is a Driver slide. It is designed to pull information from the CG that the OPT needs to continue planning.
Questions from the OPT 1: 2: 3:
CG II MEF Decision and Guidance
Refined Intent
Refined Guidance (use following slides for reference)
Approval of the Mission Statement (use following slides for reference)
Approval of the Problem Statement (use following slides for reference)
Provide COA Development Guidance
Decisive Actions
Supporting Actions
Sustaining Actions
Rough Cut COA (use following slides for reference)
Planner notes: BPT to provide a rough cut COA to receive up front guidance.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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24. PROBLEM STATEMENT Problem Statement or Diagram Planner notes:
Planner notes: Marine Corps Doctrine does not require a problem statement, but Joint Doctrine does. The problem statement articulates how the operational variables can be expected to resist or facilitate transformation and how inertia in the operational environment can be leveraged to ensure the desired conditions are achieved.
The problem statement identifies the areas for action that will transform existing conditions toward the desired end state. Defining the problem extends beyond analyzing interactions and relationships in the operational environment. It
identifies areas of tension and competition—as well as opportunities and challenges—that commanders must address to transform current conditions to achieve the desired end state.
Tension is the resistance or friction among and between actors. (JP 5-0)
Problem Statement or Diagram
Planner notes:
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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25. PROPOSED MISSION STATEMENT
Planner notes: 5 Ws. Try to choose an approved task (what) found in appendix C of the MCDP 1-0.
03 Sep 2013 (V1)
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26. ROUGH CUT COA/s
Planner notes: There is no standard format for this slide but using COA graphic and narrative slide is beneficial. Regardless of the specific COA development technique used, the following factors should be considered:
􀁺 Establish Battlespace Framework. The framework allows the commander to relate his forces to one another in time, space, and purpose.
􀁺 Array Forces. Friendly, adversary, and, when relevant, populations should be arrayed in the same venue while developing COAs.
􀁺 Assign Purpose and Then Tasks. Ensure each task associated with envisioned actions has a purpose to accomplish the mission. Begin with the main effort and follow with the supporting effort(s) and reserve (if assigned).
􀁺 Task Organize. Proper task organization ensures each unit is constructed, sized, and resourced for success.
􀁺 Integrate. The OPT depicts the integration of actions across time and space in the COA graphic and narrative.
􀁺 Determine Control Measures. Control measures should expedite actions and ensure forces have sufficient battlespace and flexibility to accomplish their mission while protecting their
forces.
􀁺 Consider the Adversary. Consideration of the adversary’s most dangerous/most likely COAs must be addressed by every friendly COA.
COA Graphic
COA Narrative
Task and purpose of ME and SEs
26 Aug 13 (V1)
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