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

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Chapter 6 6-19. A key aspect of evaluation is determining variances—the difference between the actual situation and what the plan forecasted the situation would be at the time or event. Based on the significance of the variances, the staff makes recommendations to the commander on how to adjust operations to accomplish the mission more effectively. See chapter 5 for a detailed discussion of assessment during execution to include the relationship between the degree of variance from the plan and execution and adjustment decisions. 6-20. Evaluating includes considering whether the desired conditions have changed, are no longer achievable, or are not achievable through the current operational approach. This is done by continually challenging the key assumptions made when framing the problem. When an assumption is invalidated, then reframing may be in order. (Chapter 3 discusses framing and reframing.) RECOMMENDING OR DIRECTING ACTION 6-21. Monitoring and evaluating are critical activities; however, assessment is incomplete without recommending or directing action. Assessment may diagnose problems, but unless it results in recommended adjustments, its use to the commander is limited. 6-22. Based on the evaluation of progress, the staff brainstorms possible improvements to the plan and makes preliminary judgments about the relative merit of those changes. Staff members identify those changes possessing sufficient merit and provide them as recommendations to the commander or make adjustments within their delegated authority. Recommendations to the commander range from continuing the operation as planned, to executing a branch, or to making adjustments not anticipated. Making adjustments includes assigning new tasks to subordinates, reprioritizing support, adjusting the ISR synchronization plan, and significantly modifying the course of action. Commanders integrate recommendations from the staff, subordinate commanders, and other partners with their personal assessment. From those recommendations, they decide if and how to modify the operation to better accomplish the mission. (See chapter 5 for a detailed discussion of decisions during execution.) 6-23. Assessment diagnoses threats, suggests improvements to effectiveness, and reveals opportunities. The staff presents the results and conclusions of its assessments and recommendations to the commander as an operation develops. Just as the staff devotes time to analysis and evaluation, so too must it make timely, complete, and actionable recommendations. The chief of staff or executive officer ensures the staff completes its analyses and recommendations in time to affect the operation and for information to reach the commander when it is needed. 6-24. When developing recommendations, the staff draws from many sources and considers its recommendations within the larger context of the operations. While several ways to improve a particular aspect of the operation might exist, some recommendations could impact other aspects of the operation. As with all recommendations, the staff should address any future implications. ASSESSMENT AND THE LEVELS OF WAR 6-25. Assessment occurs at all levels of war and at all echelons. The situation and echelon dictate the focus and methods leaders use to assess. Normally, commanders assess those specific operations or tasks that they were directed to accomplish. This properly focuses collection and assessment at each level, reduces redundancy, and enhances the efficiency of the overall assessment process. 6-26. For units with a staff, assessment becomes more formal at each higher echelon. Assessment resources (to include staff officer expertise and time available) proportionally increase from battalion to brigade, division, corps, and theater army. The analytic resources and level of expertise of staffs available at strategic- and operational-level headquarters include a dedicated core group of analysts. This group specializes in operations research/systems analysis (ORSA), formal assessment plans, and various assessment products. Division, corps, and theater army headquarters, for example, have fully resourced plans, future operations, and current operations integration cells. They have larger intelligence staffs and more staff officers trained in ORSA. Assessment at brigade and below is usually less formal, often relying on direct observations and the judgment of commanders and their staffs. 6-4 FM 5-0 26 March 2010
Assessment 6-27. Often, time available for detailed analysis and assessment is shorter at the tactical level. Additionally, tactical staffs are progressively smaller and have less analytic capability at each lower echelon. As such, assessment at the tactical level focuses on the near term and relies more on direct observation and judgments than on detailed assessment methods. This is not to say that tactical units cannot use detailed assessment methods. 6-28. For small units (those without a staff), assessment is mostly informal. Small-unit leaders focus on assessing their unit readiness—personnel, equipment, supplies, and morale—and their unit’s ability to perform assigned tasks. Leaders also determine whether the unit has completed assigned tasks. If those tasks have not produced the desired results, leaders explore why they have not and consider what smart improvements could be made for unit operations. As they assess and learn, small units change their tactics, techniques, and procedures based on their experiences. CONSIDERATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT 6-29. The following considerations help commanders and staffs develop assessment plans and conduct effective assessments: • Assessment is continuous. • Commanders drive assessment through prioritization. • Assessment incorporates the logic behind the plan. • Assessment facilitates learning and adapting. • Commanders and staffs use caution when establishing cause and effect. • Commanders and staffs combine quantitative and qualitative indicators. • Assessment incorporates formal and informal methods. ASSESSMENT IS CONTINUOUS 6-30. Assessment is a continuous activity of the operations process. The focus of assessment, however, changes for each operations process activity. During planning, assessment focuses on understanding current conditions of the operational environment and developing an assessment plan, including what and how to assess progress. Understanding the commander’s intent and desired future conditions is key when building the assessment plan. During preparation, assessment focuses on determining the friendly force’s readiness to execute the operation and on verifying the assumptions on which the plan is based. During execution, assessment focuses on evaluating progress of the operation. Based on their assessment, commanders direct adjustments to the order, ensuring the operation stays focused on accomplishing the mission. They adjust their assessment plan as required. 6-31. Assessment is continuous, even when the unit is not actively engaged in operations. At a minimum, staffs maintain running estimates of friendly force capabilities and readiness within their areas of expertise. Some running estimates, such as the intelligence estimate, also assess operational environments to which the unit is likely to deploy. COMMANDERS DRIVE ASSESSMENT THROUGH PRIORITIZATION 6-32. The commander’s role is central to the assessment process. Commanders establish priorities for assessment and discipline the staff to meet the requirements of time, simplicity, and level of detail based on the situation. While the staff does the detailed work, to include collecting and analyzing information, commanders ultimately assess the operation. Commanders are also responsible for decisions made based on their assessments. 6-33. Assessment as it relates to battle command represents the commander’s personal assessment of progress. In assessing operations, commanders consider information and recommendations by the staff, subordinate commanders, and other partners within and outside of their area of operations. Commanders then apply their judgment to assess progress. As commanders monitor the situation, they compare the current situation to their initial commander’s visualization and commander’s intent. Based on their assessment of progress, commanders direct adjustments to the order—ensuring the operation stays focused on the operation’s end state—or reframe the problem and develop an entirely new plan. 26 March 2010 FM 5-0 6-5
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FM 5-0 THE OPERATIONS PROCESS MARCH
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*FM 5-0 Field Manual No. 5-0 Headqu
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Contents Figure B-2. Mission analys
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Preface The six chapters and its as
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Introduction • Critical and creat
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Introduction Chapter 5 provides doc
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Chapter 1 Fundamentals of the Opera
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Fundamentals of the Operations Proc
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Chapter 2 Planning This chapter pro
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Planning decisionmaking. General of
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Planning PLANNING HELPS ANTICIPATE
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Planning establishing end state con
Page 35 and 36: FUNDAMENTALS OF PLANNING Planning 2
Page 37 and 38: Planning 2-60. In the absence of fa
Page 39 and 40: Planning chances it will no longer
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Page 43 and 44: Planning facilities, distribution n
Page 45 and 46: Chapter 3 Design This chapter estab
Page 47 and 48: Design transitions. Through the ite
Page 49 and 50: Design multiple units, Services, mu
Page 51 and 52: Design adaptive solutions. They und
Page 53 and 54: Environmental Frame Design 3-44. Th
Page 55 and 56: Identifying the Problem Design 3-56
Page 57 and 58: Design from significant changes to
Page 59 and 60: Chapter 4 Preparation This chapter
Page 61 and 62: Preparation PREPARATION DURING PLAN
Page 63 and 64: Preparation 4-25. Operational area
Page 65 and 66: Preparation • Support internal co
Page 67 and 68: Preparation INITIATE TROOP MOVEMENT
Page 69 and 70: Chapter 5 Execution This chapter pr
Page 71 and 72: Execution EXPLOIT SUCCESS 5-13. Ult
Page 73 and 74: Execution A decision support matrix
Page 75 and 76: Execution new plan. Commanders may
Page 77 and 78: Execution COMPARE THE CURRENT SITUA
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Page 91 and 92: Assessment assessing an upcoming op
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Page 95 and 96: Command Post Organization and Opera
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Page 105 and 106: The Military Decisionmaking Process
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The Military Decisionmaking Process
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Appendix C Troop Leading Procedures
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Troop Leading Procedures based on e
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Troop Leading Procedures C-18. The
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Troop Leading Procedures strengths
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Troop Leading Procedures Mission St
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Appendix D Guidelines for Commander
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Guidelines for Commander’s Planni
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Appendix E Army Operation Plan and
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Army Operation Plan and Order Forma
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Appendix F Task Organization This a
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Task Organization ARMY COMMAND RELA
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Task Organization 2/52 HBCT 1-77 IN
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Task Organization Movement and Mane
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Appendix G Running Estimates This a
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Running Estimates to account for th
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Appendix H Formal Assessment Plans
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Formal Assessment Plans H-14. Comma
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Formal Assessment Plans H-23. An in
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Formal Assessment Plans collect the
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Appendix I Rehearsals Rehearsing ke
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Rehearsals Figure I-1. Rehearsal te
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Rehearsals • Operations security
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Chief of Staff (Executive Officer)
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Rehearsals • Disciplines leader m
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Rehearsals The director explains an
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Step 2 - Friendly Forces Deployed R
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Appendix J Military Briefings This
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• Review key points for an operat
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Military Briefings Collect Informat
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Glossary The glossary lists acronym
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Glossary *backbrief A briefing by s
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Glossary field of fire (joint) The
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Glossary operational art (joint) Th
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Glossary variance A difference betw
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References Field manuals and select
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References COMMAND AND CONTROL Alla
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References Plato. Theaetetus, trans
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A abbreviations, in OPLAN and OPORD
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Index Entries are by paragraph numb
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FM 5-0 26 March 2010 By order of th
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FM 5-0, The Operations Process - Federation of American Scientists

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