Operations

Legal Support to Joint Operation Planning
Adaptive Planning and Execution System Crisis Action Planning
Duties and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Combatant Commanders
Component I: Situation Awareness
• Situation Development:
Detect, report, and assess events that have
potential national security implications to
determine whether a military response may be
required.
• Crisis Assessment:
Report actions being taken, forces available,
expected time for earliest commitment of forces,
and major constraints on the employment of
forces. Keep the President and/or Secretary of
Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff informed of new developments. Establish a
newsgroup supporting the crisis action, and
announce it by message.
Staff Judge Advocates
Component I: Situation Awareness
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Situation development.
Contact legal counterparts and establish the
basis for concurrent planning.
Review planning documents.
Review applicable laws, policies, treaties,
agreements, and arrangements in all affected
areas of responsibility.
Summarize relevant legal considerations
(authorities, restraints, and constraints) and
provide them to the crisis action team,
combatant commanders, and counterparts.
Crisis Assessment:
Refine the legal considerations.
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Component II: Planning
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Course of action development.
In coordination with subordinate and supporting
commanders, develop and analyze courses of
action.
Review and use applicable plans.
Detailed plan development.
Issue guidance to subordinate and supporting
commanders for time-phased force and deployment
data development.
Submit the commander’s estimate to the President
and/or Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Begin detailed execution planning upon receipt of a
planning order or alert order.
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Component II: Planning
• Incorporate legal considerations and instructions
for developing rules of engagement and rules for
the use of force in the combatant commander’s
planning guidance.
• Review the combatant commander’s estimate for
compliance with law and policy and make
appropriate recommendations.
• Coordinate legal issues and support requirements
with counterparts.
• Contact legal counterparts and facilitate
concurrent planning.
• Review and validate any judge advocate joint task
force joint manning document requirements and
synchronize joint legal support.
• Participate in cross functional staff organizations,
as required.
Component III: Execution
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Execute the operation order.
Report force shortfalls to Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff for resolution.
Component III: Execution
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Monitor operations for legal issues as required.
Ensure legal arrangements for deployment/
redeployment with host nations are in place
through US embassies on all affected areas of
responsibility.
Figure II-5. Adaptive Planning and Execution System Crisis Action Planning Duties and
Responsibilities (cont’d.)
(5) COA Comparison. During COA comparison, the joint force SJA develops
criteria to evaluate and compare the legal issues associated with each COA.
(6) COA Selection. During the COA brief to the JFC, the joint force SJA is
prepared to identify legal considerations that have significant impact on any aspect of the
recommended COA. Additionally, the joint force SJA provides an assessment of the legal
support requirements to achieve the objectives of the recommended COA.
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