Operational Order

Preliminaries

A. Security

  • Location – Where your team starts for the briefing.
  • Sentries – Security for where your team at the start..

 

B. Weather

  • Weather Forecast
  • First/last light – (sunrise and/or sunset).
  • Visibility
  • Moon State
  • Cloud cover

 

C. Task Organization

  • Appointments – The chain of command and who is responsible for special roles.
  • Task org. – One or two lines describing the tasks that will be performed by each element and detachment.

 

D. Ground Brief Orientation

  • Map familiarization – describing important landmarks and characteristics of the terrain.
  • Enemy – Important and strategic Positions and killing areas that may be used by the enemy.
  • Friendly – Important positions, neighboring forces, AO boundary lines and the limits of exploitation.

 

1. Situation

A. Enemy Forces

  • Strengths
  • Locations
  • Weapons
  • Equipment
  • Obstacles
  • Defensive fire positions
  • Air threat
  • Artillery Support
  • Likely intentions and reactions –

 

B. Friendly Forces

  • BattleGroup commanders intent – (Mission from Warnord).
  • Neighboring forces actions that effect the operation.
  • Outline fire support plan.
  • Attachments or detachments – Such as elements separated from your force, or new elements attached yo your force.

 

C. Civilian Population

  • Numbers
  • Location
  • Vehicles
  • Sympathies

 

2. Mission

  • The overall mission intention – To RECCE / Observe / Listen / Destroy / Snatch / Ambush / Mark / Secure… In Order to …

 

3. Execution

A. Concept of Operations

  • C.O’s Intent
  • Scheme of maneuver – How the troop will achieve it’s mission, including support from other units.
  • Main Effort – Each elements involvement with the Main Effort.

 

B. Mission Statements

  • A paragraph for each team or element detailing their specific tasks. Eg: Mission…, in order to… (be prepared to… (if reserve)).
  • Summary

 

C. Coordinating instructions

  • Timings – No Move Before, Move to FUP, H-Hour, etc…
  • Preliminary Moves – Assembly area, FUP.
  • Coordinating Fire – Priority targets, Target Areas, Battle-Positions, Control points, IPs
  • Fire Plan – TRPs, pre-planned fire missions.
  • Re-Org Instructions – Rally points for after attack and fall back
  • Actions-on – Reaction to specific events, eg: Halts, Suspicious activity, Communication failure, being lost.

 

4. Service Support

  • Kit requirements
  • CASEVAC
  • Other Logistics

 

5. Command and Signals

  • Radio Channels
  • Call Signals
Reference:

http://zulu-alpha.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/orders_template.pdf