Powhatan JROTC

UNIT 1:Citizenship in Action Chapter 1 Lesson 9 Basic Command and Staff Principles:

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The following nine steps are those used by commanders and their staffs to arrive at decisions:

Step 1: Mission Command and staff actions begin upon the receipt of a mission from a higher headquarters and/or the development of a mission by the unit commander. The commander then analyzes the mission to identify the specific tasks the unit must accomplish.

Step 2: Information Available The staff provides any available information to the commander, who also attempts to obtain additional information from the next higher commander as early as possible. After analyzing the mission and reviewing the available information, the commander issues the planning guidance (Step 3).

Step 3: Planning Guidance The planning guidance is the commander’s assistance to a staff in preparing or revising their estimates. This guidance spans more than one step. The amount of planning guidance varies with each mission, the volume and validity of the information available, the situation, and the experience of the commander and staff. The commander does not select a course of action at this time because doing so would prevent objective and unbiased staff estimates.

Step 4: Staff Estimates Based on the mission and planning guidance, the coordinating staff sections prepare their staff estimates. The special staff, who may also prepare their own estimates, assists them. Coordinated staff estimates result in recommendations as to what specific actions the commander may take to accomplish the mission.

Step 5: Commander’s Estimate and Decision In this step, the commander considers the recommendations of the staff, completes his or her own estimate, and announces a decision. Following the decision (the last step of the estimate), the commander provides the staff with an overall concept of how the commander wants the operation conducted (known as the commander’s concept, which is the basis for the preparation of orders).

Step 6: Preparation of Plans or Orders After staff members completely understand the mission, they carefully analyze the decision and commander’s concept to determine what actions the unit must take to conduct a successful operation. From this analysis comes the development of plans or orders.

Step 7: Approval Staffs normally submit the plans or orders to the commander for approval before submitting them for publication; however, the staff may omit this step based on the urgency of the situation and/or if the commander previously delegated that authority.

Step 8: Publication of Plans or Orders See Step 7.

Step 9: Command and Staff Supervision

Supervision of the orders must be continuous if the mission is to be successful. This could very well be the most important step. Without proper supervision, the best plan may fail. Proper supervision also allows the commander and staff to be constantly abreast of the situation and able to make changes as necessary.

9 WEEKS TEST UNITS

UNIT 3 CHAPTER 11 LESSON 5

UNIT 3 CHAPTER 11 LESSON 6

UNIT 3 CHAPTER 12 LESSON 1

UNIT 3 CHAPTER 12 LESSON 2

UNIT 3 CHAPTER 12 LESSON 3