FM 5-0, The Operations Process - Federation of American Scientists

The Military Decisionmaking Process
Figure B-7. Sample modified belt method using lines of effort
B-144. The avenue-in-depth method focuses on one avenue of approach at a time, beginning with the
decisive operation. (See figure B-8.) This method is good for offensive COAs or in the defense when
canalizing terrain inhibits mutual support.
Figure B-8. Sample avenue-in-depth method
B-145. In stability operations, the avenue-in-depth method can be modified. Instead of focusing on a
geographic avenue, the staff war-games a line of effort. This method focuses on one line of effort at a time,
beginning with the decisive line. (See figure B-9 on page B-28.) It includes not only war-gaming events,
objectives, or events and objectives in the selected line, but also war-gaming relationships among events or
objectives on all lines of effort with respect to events in the selected line.
26 March 2010 FM 5-0 B-27