1-95. Destroy is a tactical mission task that physically renders an enemy force combat-ineffective until it is reconstituted. Alternatively, to destroy a combat system is to damage it so badly that it cannot perform any function or be restored to a usable condition without being entirely rebuilt (FM 3-90-1). An enemy cannot restore a destroyed force to a usable condition without entirely rebuilding it. When commanders seek to destroy enemy forces, they apply combat power on an enemy capability so that it can no longer perform any function. When commanders seek to destroy an enemy’s narrative, commanders employ all means to affect the information environment to disprove, discredit, or make irrelevant the enemy narrative, or to deny its delivery. Destroying enemy forces’ informational capabilities completely may be impossible, but destroying enough key nodes on their network puts them at a significant tactical disadvantage. From a temporal perspective, the massed destruction of enemy capabilities leaves an enemy no time to adjust plans or reposition forces quickly enough to recover.

7-248. If there is no possibility of the encircled forces receiving relief from enemy forces outside the encirclement, commanders only organize an inner encircling arm. If there is danger of an enemy relief force reaching the encircled enemy force, commanders organize both inner and outer encircling arms. Commanders assign the outer encircling arm a security mission, an offensive mission to drive away any enemy relief force, or a defensive mission to prevent the enemy relief force from making contact with the encircled enemy force. Once the encirclement is complete, these inner or outer encircling arms form a perimeter.

11-15. The selection of military deception tactics and their use depends on an understanding of the current situation as well as the desired military deception goal and objective. (See appendix A for a discussion of operational and mission variables.) As a rule, Army commanders should be familiar with planning and conducting feints, ruses, demonstrations, and displays.

10-18. Successful negotiating requires a wide range of interpersonal skills. Strategic leaders must often rely on negotiation skills to obtain the cooperation and support necessary to accomplish a mission. To resolve conflicting views, strategic leaders visualize several possible end states while maintaining a clear idea of the best end state from the national command’s perspective. Strategic leaders must use tact to justify standing firm on nonnegotiable points while still communicating respect for other participants.

3-12. Knowledge management leverages knowledge that resides in individuals and organizations. It facilitates the flow of that knowledge across the organization and between organizations so units can apply that knowledge to mission or operational requirements. Every Soldier must understand and practice knowledge management. It enables the Army and its subordinate commands at every level to be learning organizations.

12-8. The backbrief differs from the confirmation brief (a briefing subordinates give their higher commander immediately following receipt of an order) in that subordinate leaders are given time to complete their plan. Backbriefs require the fewest resources and are often the only option under time-constrained conditions. Subordinate leaders explain their actions from the start to the finish of the mission. Backbriefs are performed sequentially, with all leaders reviewing their tasks. When time is available, backbriefs can be combined with other types of rehearsals. Doing this lets all subordinate leaders coordinate their plans before performing more elaborate drills.

13-5. As a representative, the LNO has access to the commander consistent with the duties involved. However, for routine matters, LNOs work for and receive direction from the chief of staff or executive officer (COS [XO]). Using one officer to perform a liaison mission conserves manpower while guaranteeing a consistent, accurate flow of information. However, continuous operations may require a liaison team or liaison detachment.

2-13. Success in operations demands timely and effective decisions based on applying judgment to available information and knowledge. As such, commanders and staffs seek to build and maintain situational understanding throughout an operation. Situational understanding is the product of applying analysis and judgment to relevant information to determine the relationships among the operational and mission variables. Situational understanding allows commanders to make effective decisions and regulate the actions of their force with plans appropriate for the situation. It enables commanders and staffs to assess operations accurately. Commanders and staffs continually strive to maintain their situational understanding and work through periods of reduced understanding as a situation evolves. Effective commanders accept that uncertainty can never be eliminated, and they train their staffs and subordinates to function in uncertain environments.

3-16. Staffs provide commanders and subordinates information relevant to their operational environment and the progress of operations. They use operational variables (political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time—known as PMESII-PT) and mission variables (mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available and civil considerations— known as METT-TC) as major subject categories to group relevant information. (See FM 6-0 for discussion of the operational and mission variables.)

4-43. Defeat mechanisms primarily apply in combat operations against an active enemy force. A defeat mechanism is the method through which friendly forces accomplish their mission against enemy opposition (ADP 3-0). They are defined in terms of the broad operational and tactical effects they produce—physical or psychological. Commanders translate these effects into tactical tasks, formulating the most effective method to defeat enemy aims. Physical defeat deprives enemy forces of the ability to achieve those aims; psychological defeat deprives them of the will to do so. Military forces prove most successful when applying deliberate combinations of defeat mechanisms. As with stability mechanisms, this produces complementary and reinforcing effects not attainable with a single mechanism.

task organization – (DOD) An organization that assigns to responsible commanders the means with which to accomplish their assigned tasks in any planned action. (JP 3-33) Referenced in FM 3-98. (Army) A temporary grouping of forces designed to accomplish a particular mission. (ADP 5-0)

1-50. Success in operations demands timely and effective decisions based on applying judgment to available information and knowledge. As such, commanders and staffs seek to build and maintain situational understanding throughout the operations process. Situational understanding is the product of applying analysis and judgment to relevant information to determine the relationships among the operational and mission variables (ADP 6-0). Commanders and staffs continually strive to maintain their situational understanding and work through periods of reduced understanding as a situation evolves. Effective commanders accept that uncertainty can never be eliminated and train their staffs and subordinates to function in uncertain environments.

2-95. The MDMP and TLP are similar but not identical. Troop leading procedures are a dynamic process used by small-unit leaders to analyze a mission, develop a plan, and prepare for an operation. TLP extend the MDMP to the small-unit level. Commanders with a coordinating staff use the MDMP as their primary planning process. Company-level and smaller units lack formal staffs and use TLP to plan and prepare for operations. This places the responsibility for planning primarily on the commander or small-unit leader with assistance from forward observers, supply sergeants, and other specialists in the unit.

2-256. CBRN active defense consists of tasks taken to prevent a CBRN attack by destroying the weapon or its delivery system. CBRN passive defense prevents or minimizes friendly unit vulnerability to the effects of CBRN threats or hazards. Commanders integrate CBRN defensive considerations into all mission planning. CBRN passive defense principles cover hazard awareness and understanding, protection (including mission-oriented protective posture gear, detection equipment, warning, and reporting) and contamination mitigation (including avoiding contamination and performing decontamination). CBRN passive defense is focused on maintaining the force’s ability to continue military operations in a CBRN environment while minimizing or eliminating the vulnerability of the force to the degrading effects of those CBRN threats and hazards. (See ATP 3-11.36 for additional information on CBRN passive defensive considerations.)

3-60. Army forces perform area security to ensure freedom of action and to deny enemy forces the ability to disrupt operations. Commanders combine reconnaissance tasks and offensive, defensive, and stability operations to protect friendly forces, populations, infrastructure, and activities critical to mission accomplishment. Army forces integrate with partner military, law enforcement, and civil capabilities to establish and maintain security. The Army’s ability to establish control is critical to consolidating gains in the wake of successful military operations.

2-27. Antiterrorism efforts within the United States require force protection and indirect support to civilian law enforcement agencies for training and material assistance. Antiterrorism and force protection programs are interrelated; commanders must ensure their application and integration in all DSCA activities. Force protection is an overarching mission that mitigates risk and facilitates the execution of mission essential functions. Force protection activities include actions taken to prevent or mitigate hostile actions against personnel (including family members), resources, facilities, and critical information. Activities contributing to the force protection mission include antiterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, continuity of operations, logistics, medical activities, legal activities, and safety.

1-64. A liaison officer (LNO) represents a commander. A trusted, competent LNO who is properly informed (either a commissioned or a noncommissioned officer) is the key to effective liaison. LNOs must have the commander’s full confidence and relevant experience for the mission. The LNO’s parent unit or unit of assignment is the sending unit. The unit or activity to which the LNO is sent is the receiving unit. An LNO normally remains at the receiving unit until recalled. LNOs—

3-20. The protection cell and working group use information derived from the commander’s guidance, the intelligence preparation of the battlefield, targeting, risk management, warning orders, the critical asset list (CAL) and defended asset list (DAL), and the mission analysis to identify critical assets. Critical assets at each command echelon must be determined and prioritized.

9-62. How the problem is formulated leads to particular solutions. It is important that commanders dedicate the time to identify the right problem to solve and describe it clearly in a problem statement. Ideally, the commander and staff meet to share their analysis of the situation. They talk with each other, synthesize the results of the current mission analysis, and determine the problem. If the commander is not available, the staff members talk among themselves.

1-46. Leadership is the activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization (ADP 6-22). Leadership inspires Soldiers to accomplish things that they otherwise might not. Throughout the operations process, commanders make decisions and provide the purpose and motivation to follow through with the COA they chose. They must also possess the wisdom to know when to modify a COA when situations change. (See ADP 6-22 for a detailed discussion of leadership to include attributes of effective leaders.)