6-190. Fixing the enemy establishes the conditions necessary for decisive operations by the striking force. Typically, the commander of the defending force allows the enemy force to penetrate the MBA before the striking force attacks. (Figure 6-25 illustrates this concept.) The fixing force may employ a combination of area defense, delay, and strong point techniques to shape the enemy penetration. The intent of the fixing force is not necessarily to defeat the enemy but to shape the penetration to facilitate a decisive counterattack by the striking force. Commanders ensure that the missions and task organization of subordinate units within the fixing force are consistent with the concept for shaping the enemy penetration. Defensive positions within the fixing force may not be contiguous, since the fixing force contains only the minimum-essential combat power to accomplish its mission.

1-15. Like us, peer threats view the battlefield, their own instruments of power, and an opponent's instruments of power as a collection of complex, dynamic, and integrated systems composed of subsystems and components. They will employ systems warfare to identify and isolate critical subsystems or components that give friendly forces the capabilities necessary to accomplish their mission. Their integrated fires complexes and air defense systems represent a significant systems warfare capability. To counter these tactics, commanders must examine their own systems to identify potential vulnerabilities that the enemy may attempt to exploit and develop plans to protect those vulnerabilities. Commanders must also analyze adversary and enemy systems, identifying critical vulnerabilities and applying resources against them. For a more detailed discussion of the OE and threats, see ADP 3-0 and FM 3-0.

3-55. In many large scale incidents, state National Guard and federal military forces operate in overlapping operational areas under separate chains of command. A parallel command structure enhances unity of effort, but its success depends on continuous coordination between all of its components. Within a parallel command structure, there is no single force commander and therefore no unity of command in the military sense. Both the federal and state commanders retain control of their respective forces. Decisions regarding an operation require the collective effort of all participating leaders: state and federal civil authorities, and state and federal military leaders. Leaders collaborate as partners, based on the NIMS and NRF, to develop common goals, unify their efforts, and accomplish the mission. (Figure 3-5, on page 3-12, illustrates a parallel command structure.)

15-10. The staff analyzes relevant information collected through monitoring to evaluate the operation’s progress toward attaining end state conditions, achieving objectives, and performing tasks. Evaluating is using criteria to judge progress toward desired conditions and determining why the current degree of progress exists (ADRP 5-0). Evaluation is at the heart of the assessment process where most of the analysis occurs. Evaluation helps commanders determine what is working and what is not working, and it helps them gain insights into how to better accomplish the mission.

2-36. Assumptions initially made during planning may change or compound over time, raising the level of risk. Risks that were acceptable in one context and based on one set of assumptions may be untenable when the context of the operation changes. In some instances, the situation may change to the point that a commander needs to take action to adjust the level of risk subordinate commanders are required to take when the perceived benefit no longer outweighs the likely cost. For example, a unit performing in an economy of force role with a particular task organization may be directed to detach additional units to support other efforts to the point where it can no longer effectively accomplish its mission. The higher level commander is unlikely to have sufficient situational awareness to understand precisely when the threshold of acceptable risk for mission accomplishment has been crossed without a continuous dialogue with that subordinate commander. It is as much the responsibility of the subordinate to keep higher echelons informed as it is the responsibility of the higher level commander to seek risk analysis from the subordinate.

1-34. Use of Army special operations capabilities in military engagement, security cooperation, and deterrence activities support combatant commander campaign objectives to effect the operational environment; maintain U.S. influence, access, and interoperability with and to designated actors; and maintain or achieve stability in a region. Many of the missions associated with limited contingencies, such as logistics support, foreign humanitarian assistance, and defense support of civil authorities, do not require combat. However, some such operations can rapidly escalate to combat operations and require a significant effort to protect U.S. forces while accomplishing the mission. Individual, major operations often contribute to a larger, long-term effort—for example, those that are part of global operations. The nature of the strategic environment is such that special operations forces are often engaged in several types of joint operations simultaneously. Army special operations forces are specifically organized, manned, trained, and equipped to execute specified core activities. These activities are conducted across the range of military operations as supporting or primary activities, either singly or in combination. These core activities help provide a bridge across the range of operations, helping to create stable security environments and—when the environment degrades due to crisis or armed conflict—providing a foundation from which positions of relative advantage are obtainable.

7-16. A scheme of maneuver expands the commander’s intent and describes a method of achieving the desired outcome. It describes this in terms of where, when, how, and with what offensive activity needs to occur to achieve the desired end state. Commanders select a scheme of maneuver that seeks to gain a position of advantage over the enemy to rapidly close with the enemy and destroy the enemy’s will to resist. Friendly forces following a scheme of maneuver may strike against the enemy’s front, flank, or rear and may come from the ground, from the air, from space, from cyberspace, from the EMS, from the information environment, or from a combination of these approaches. Commanders determine the specific form of maneuver or the combination of forms after considering the mission variables (see paragraphs 7-95 through 7-119 for a discussion of forms of maneuver). Commanders select a scheme of maneuver designed to seize the objective most rapidly while facilitating subsequent operations. Surprise and indirect approaches are important considerations when selecting the scheme of maneuver.

1-24. As a part of joint operations, the Army is the dominant fighting force in the land domain. Across the globe, mission-tailored Army units build partnerships, deter adversaries, and overcome challenges to defeat enemies using simultaneous actions integrated in time, space, and purpose. Army forces both depend on and enable joint forces across all domains and the information environment. This mutual interdependence creates powerful synergies and reflects that all operations have multi-domain components. The Army depends on the other Services for strategic and operational mobility, joint fires, and other key enabling capabilities like information collection in the deep area. The Army supports other Services, combatant commands, and unified action partners with ground-based indirect fires and ballistic missile defense, defensive cyberspace operations, electronic protection, communications, intelligence, rotary-wing aircraft, logistics, and engineering.

1-2. A stability operation is an operation conducted outside the United States in coordination with other instruments of national power to establish or maintain a secure environment and provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief (ADP 3-0). A stability operation occurs as part of decisive action in a joint operation or as an activity (often in peacetime). Stability operations tasks are those tasks executed by an Army commander to successfully accomplish stability operations. These tasks may be the focus of the operation’s mission, be performed as tasks (specified or implied) in an operation focused on combat, or be performed as activities (often in peacetime).

4-19. Based upon the landpower requirements developed by the theater armies and validated by the Joint Staff, the Department of the Army and FORSCOM develop force packages based on cyclical readiness. This includes forces for contingencies and forces needed to support security cooperation activities. Wherever possible, the Department of the Army identifies regionally aligned forces that concentrate on missions and capabilities required for a particular AOR. Regionally aligned forces begin planning for their mission in conjunction with the theater army staff. The tailored force package is task-organized by FORSCOM to facilitate strategic deployment and support the gaining joint force commander’s (JFC’s) operational requirements. FORSCOM is not the sole provider of Army forces; other supporting Army Service component commands (ASCCs) may contribute forces. The result is a set of trained and ready Army forces intended either for contingencies or for planned deployments, such as a rotation of forward-based forces.

1-6. Army forces gain, sustain, and exploit control over land to deny its use to an enemy. They do this with combined arms formations, possessing the mobility, firepower, and protection to defeat an enemy and establish control of areas, resources, and populations. Military activities and operations are inherently hazardous. Commanders and leaders conducting unified land operations must accept prudent risks every day based on the significance of the mission, the demand of the operation, and opportunity. In warfare, this reality defines the sacred trust that must exist between leaders and Soldiers regarding mission accomplishment and force protection. Force protection is preventive measures taken to mitigate hostile actions against Department of Defense personnel (to include family members), resources, facilities, and critical information (JP 3-0). A commander’s inherent duty to protect the force should not lead to risk aversion or inhibit the freedom of action necessary for maintaining initiative and momentum or achieving decisive results during operations. Leaders must balance these competing responsibilities and make risk decisions based on experience, ethical and analytical reasoning, knowledge of the unit, and the situation.

1-69. At the heart of the Army’s operational concept is decisive action. Decisive action is the continuous, simultaneous combinations of offensive, defensive, and stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks (ADRP 3-0). During large-scale combat operations, commanders describe the combinations of offensive, defensive, and stability tasks in the concept of operations. As a single, unifying idea, decisive action provides direction for an entire operation. Based on a specific idea of how to accomplish the mission, commanders and staffs refine the concept of operations during planning and determine the proper allocation of resources and tasks. They adjust the allocation of resources and tasks to specific units throughout an operation, as subordinates develop the situation or conditions change.

5-118. The JFC defines the conditions to which an AO is to be stabilized. The theater army is normally the overseer of the orderly transition of authority to appropriate U.S., international, interagency, or host-nation agencies. The theater army and subordinate commanders emphasize those activities that reduce post-conflict or post-crisis turmoil and help stabilize a situation. Commanders address the decontamination, disposal, and destruction of war materiel. They address the removal and destruction of unexploded ordnance and the responsibility for demining operations. (The consolidation of friendly and available enemy mine field reports is critical to this mission.) Additionally, the theater army must be prepared to provide Army Health System support, emergency restoration of utilities, support to social needs of the indigenous population, and other humanitarian activities as required. (See ADRP 3-07 and FM 3-07 for more information on the performance of stability tasks.)

4-1. Soldiers are trained to exercise initiative in combat and training. Leaders and Soldiers must understand which military capabilities may be employed during domestic operations, including consideration for duty status (Title 10, USC; Title 32, USC; or state active duty). With this understanding, they will be able to maximize their initiative and efforts. Commanders maintain a balance between the willingness of their subordinates to engage any mission against the capability to accomplish it. Military capability comprises—

3-9. Historical experience demonstrates that forces trained exclusively for offensive and defensive operations are not fully proficient at stability operations. Likewise, forces involved in protracted stability operations or DSCA require intensive training to regain proficiency in offensive or defensive operations before engaging in large-scale ground combat operations. While there is inherent risk in either situation, there is greater risk to the force when it is required to conduct offensive and defensive operations for which it is not proficient. Commanders resolve the tension inherent in the different training requirements by setting priorities for individual, collective, and unit mission-essential tasks based upon higher echelon guidance and what their units are most likely to be tasked to do.

1-12. Survivability is all aspects of protecting personnel, weapons, and supplies while simultaneously deceiving the enemy (JP 3-34). Survivability consists of a quality or capability of military forces to avoid or withstand hostile actions or environmental conditions while retaining the ability to fulfill their primary mission. This quality or capability of military forces is closely related to protection (the preservation of a military force’s effectiveness) and to the protection/force protection warfighting function (the tasks or systems that preserve the force). Hostile actions and environmental conditions can disrupt the flow of sustainment and significantly degrade forces’ ability to conduct and sustain operations. In mitigating risks to sustainment, commanders often must rely on the use of redundant sustainment capabilities and alternative support plans.

3-22. Preparation consists of those activities performed by units and Soldiers to improve their ability to execute an operation (ADP 5-0). Preparation begins during planning with activities that are required to set conditions for the execution of operations such as information collection, movement of forces, terrain management, and sustainment preparation. These activities will continue after completion of the operation order brief to subordinate units with a confirmation brief, which is used to ensure subordinates the commander’s intent, the mission, and the concept of operations. Preparation activities also include rehearsals, which allow confirmation of a shared understanding as well as synchronization of operations prior to execution. The four types of rehearsals are the backbrief, the combined arms rehearsal, the support rehearsal, and the battle drill or standard operating procedures rehearsal.

4-22. A battle position is a defensive location oriented on a likely enemy avenue of approach. A battle position is not an AO. Battle positions symbols depict the locations and general orientations of defending ground maneuver forces. A commander’s use of a battle position does not direct a subordinate to position that subordinate’s entire force within its bounds. Units as large as battalion task forces and as small as squads or sections use battle positions. Commanders select positions based on terrain, enemy capabilities, and friendly capabilities. Commanders assign some or all subordinates battle positions. The unit occupying the battle position prepares fighting and survivability positions for its weapons systems, vehicles, Soldiers, and supplies to accomplish its mission.

4-100. Contaminated areas could present a serious hazard to movement near any CBRN incident. One of the key tasks that Army forces may anticipate is establishing and maintaining security around a contaminated area, sometimes known as a hot zone. In an urban area, this task could require a significant amount of resources. This situation requires close coordination with the incident command and unified area command to ensure its proper placement, security, and maintenance. Commanders keep in mind that the contaminated area may shift suddenly due to weather or other factors. Army forces directed to move into a contaminated area plan and rehearse before executing the mission. Ideally, the unit will be equipped for CBRN incidents. Otherwise, if a unit is responding to an emergency, Soldiers should follow the unit standard operating procedure for movement techniques in a contaminated environment.

4-4. A comprehensive approach ensures that actions planned to achieve lethal and nonlethal effects are logical—from a chronological perspective and by considering that the effects created by each action may generate branches and sequels to the plan. Special operations forces’ understanding of the human aspects of military operations incorporates a long-term perspective to any comprehensive approach, which is critical when supporting national objectives and enduring outcomes. The disciplined, ethical application of force frames the actions of trusted Army Professionals. Commanders and leaders, in formulating plans and orders, exercise restraint by considering nonlethal and lethal means to accomplish the mission.