9-123. War-gaming results in refined COAs, a completed synchronization matrix, and decision support templates and matrixes for each COA. A synchronization matrix records the results of a war game. It depicts how friendly forces for a particular COA are synchronized in time, space, and purpose in relation to an enemy COA or other events in stability or defense support of civil authorities operations. The decision support template and matrix portray key decisions and potential actions that are likely to arise during the execution of each COA.

9-122. War-gaming is a disciplined process, with rules and steps that attempt to visualize the flow of the operation, given the force’s strengths and dispositions, the enemy’s capabilities, and possible COAs; the impact and requirements of civilians in the area of operations; and other aspects of the situation. The simplest form of war-gaming is the manual method, often using a tabletop approach with blowups of matrixes and templates. The most sophisticated form of war-gaming is computer-aided modeling and simulation. Regardless of the form used, each critical event within a proposed COA should be war-gamed using the action, reaction, and counteraction methods of friendly and enemy forces interaction. This basic war-gaming method (modified to fit the specific mission and environment) applies to offensive, defensive, and stability or defense support of civil authorities operations. When conducting COA analysis, commanders and staffs perform the process actions and produce the outputs shown in figure 9-6.

1-73. Stability tasks are tasks conducted as part of operations outside the United States in coordination with other instruments of national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment and provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief (ADP 3-07). These tasks support governance, whether it is imposed by a host nation, an interim government, or a military government. Stability tasks involve both coercive and constructive actions. They help to establish or maintain a safe and secure environment and facilitate reconciliation among local or regional adversaries. (See ADRP 3-07 for a discussion of stability.)

8-7. Operations to consolidate gains require the dynamic execution of area security and stability tasks based on the desired operational end state that supports the strategic objective of the campaign. Consolidate gains activities include the relocation of displaced civilians, reestablishment of law and order, providence of humanitarian assistance, and restoration of key infrastructure. Concurrently, Army forces must be able to accomplish such activities while sustaining, repositioning, and reorganizing forces for ongoing or future operations. Commanders make a conscious shift in emphasis from defeat of enemy forces in the field to those measures that address the long-term security and stability of a particular nation or area and its population. The goal is to transition control over territory and populations to legitimate authorities in a way that allows U.S. forces to make the strategic position of relative advantage gained during combat operations enduring.

2-28. The essential stability task matrix divides the tasks conducted during operations and their relative duration for execution across five broad technical areas:

1-96. Army bands support operations by reassuring allies and promoting regional stability. Through cultural exchange, bands are uniquely capable of influencing human behavior and perceptions without ever speaking a word. Army bands support CCDRs by promoting U.S. national interests and building partnerships. By tapping into shared values, Army bands can exert a low-threat, influential effect when performing in support of the commander’s outreach plan, or public and cultural diplomatic initiatives.

1-62. Army operations to shape bring together all the activities intended to promote regional stability and to set conditions for a favorable outcome in the event of a military confrontation. Army operations to shape help dissuade adversary activities designed to achieve regional goals short of military conflict. As part of operations to shape, the Army provides trained and ready forces to geographic combatant commanders (GCCs) in support of their theater campaign plan. The theater army and subordinate Army forces assist the GCC in building partner capacity and capability and promoting stability across the AOR. Army operations to shape are continuous throughout a GCC’s AOR and occur before, during, and after a joint operation within a specific operational area.

1-31. Army operations to shape bring together all the activities intended to promote regional stability and to set conditions for a favorable outcome in the event of a military confrontation. Army operations to shape help dissuade adversary activities designed to achieve regional goals short of military conflict. As part of operations to shape, the Army provides trained and ready forces to geographic combatant commanders to support their combatant command campaign plan. The theater army and subordinate Army forces help the geographic combatant commander in building partner capacity and capability while promoting stability across an area of responsibility. Army operations to shape are continuous throughout a geographic combatant commander’s area of responsibility and occur before, during, and after a joint operation within an operational area.

2-8. Army shaping operations bring together all the activities intended to promote regional stability and to set conditions for a favorable outcome in the event of a military confrontation. Army shaping operations help dissuade adversary activities designed to achieve regional goals short of military conflict. Army shaping operations are continuous throughout a geographic combatant commander’s area of responsibility and occur before, during, and after a joint operation within a specific joint operations area. As part of shaping operations, the Army provides trained and ready forces to geographic combatant commanders in support of their theater campaign plan. The theater army and subordinate Army forces conduct stability activities most often in the form of security cooperation to assist the geographic combatant commanders in building partner capacity to promote stability across an area of responsibility.

1-15. Army operations to shape bring together all of the activities intended to promote regional stability and to set conditions for a favorable outcome of a military confrontation. Army operations to shape help dissuade adversary activities designed to achieve regional goals. Shaping activities include security cooperation and forward presence to promote U.S. interests, develop allied and friendly military capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations, and provide U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access to a host nation. Regionally aligned and engaged Army forces are essential to achieving objectives to strengthen the global network of multinational partners and prevent conflict.

1-96. Operations executed through simultaneous offensive, defensive, stability, or defense support of civil authorities operations require the continuous generation and application of combat power. Combat power is the total means of destructive, constructive, and information capabilities that a military unit or formation can apply at one time (ADP 3-0). Combat power includes all capabilities provided by unified action partners that are integrated and synchronized with the commander’s objectives to achieve unity of effort in sustained operations.

3-44. Stability activities aimed at increasing host-nation government legitimacy by providing services and security to the local populace are critical to successful counterinsurgency operations. Counterinsurgency operations use whole-of-government and comprehensive approaches to ensure civil and military efforts synchronize with one another to provide unity of effort and purpose where appropriate.

3-2. Military support to stability efforts during peacetime generally takes the form of presence, peace operations (specifically conflict prevention), and security cooperation. During military engagement, security deterrence activities and stability activities support the objectives of geographic combatant commanders’ theater campaign plans and country teams’ integrated country strategies (formerly mission strategic resource plans). (See JP 3-07.3 for more information on conflict prevention. See FM 3-22 for more information on security cooperation.)

unified land operations – The simultaneous execution of offense, defense, stability, and defense support of civil authorities across multiple domains to shape operational environments, prevent conflict, prevail in large-scale ground combat, and consolidate gains as part of unified action. (ADP 3-0)

2-104. Large-scale combat operations executed through simultaneous offensive, defensive, and stability tasks require continuously generating and applying combat power, often for extended periods. Combat power is the total means of destructive, constructive, and information capabilities that a military unit or formation can apply at a given time (ADRP 3-0). Combat power includes all capabilities provided by unified action partners that are integrated, synchronized, and converged with the commander’s objectives to achieve unity of effort in sustained operations. The purpose of combat power is to accomplish missions.

5-49. An initial response to operations conducted in an occupied territory or failing state may emphasize the establishment of civil security as a primary stability task. Establishing civil security is a means of protecting civilian resources, infrastructure, population facilities, and key personnel. When supporting a partner nation, border or boundary control operations protect the integrity and sovereignty of the host nation while providing protection against illegal entrants, contraband, disease, and the enemy or adversary. Border operations can be conducted to complement area defense operations or through area security tasks and TTP integrating checkpoints, mobile patrols, and designated fixed sites.

5-35. Large-scale combat operations involve the combination of offense, defense, and stability tasks. The priorities and effort given to stability tasks vary within subordinate unit AOs. +Corps and division commanders analyze the situations they face to determine the minimum-essential stability tasks and the priority associated with each task. This analysis includes a planned transition to consolidation of gains in operational areas once large-scale combat operations culminate.

13-21. Army forces may participate in interagency operations across the range of military operations, especially when conducting stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks. Frequently, Army forces conduct operations in cooperation with or in support of civilian government agencies. Relations in these operations are rarely based on standard military command and support relationships; rather, national laws or specific agreements for each situation govern the specific relationships in interagency operations. Defense support of civil authorities provides an excellent example. Federal military forces that respond to a domestic disaster will support the Federal Emergency Management Agency, while National Guard forces working in state active duty status (Title 32 United States Code) or conducting National Guard defense support of civil authorities will support that state's emergency management agency. National Guard forces federalized under Title 10 United States Code will support the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal is always unity of effort between military forces and civilian agencies, although unity of command may not be possible. Effective liaison and continuous coordination become keys to mission accomplishment. (See FM 3-28.)

3-6. The physical demands of leadership during repeated deployments or continuous operations can erode how well one thinks and emotional stability, both of which are essential to the effective decision making required for sound leadership. Poor physical fitness multiples the effects of stress, eventually compromising mental and emotional fitness. Operations in difficult terrain, extreme climates, or high altitudes require extensive physical conditioning. Once in the area of operations, leaders must continue efforts to sustain their own fitness and that of their subordinates.

1-158. The consolidation area is the portion of the commander’s area of operations that is designated to facilitate the security and stability tasks necessary for freedom of action in the close area and to support the continuous consolidation of gains (ADRP 3-0). Corps and division commanders may establish a consolidation area, particularly in the offense as the friendly force gains territory, to exploit tactical success while enabling freedom of action for forces operating in the other areas. When designated, a consolidation area refers to an AO assigned to an organization which extends from its higher headquarters boundary to the boundary of forces in close operations where forces have established a level of control and large-scale combat operations have ceased.