COA Development Steps
1. Analyze available forces.
2. Generate options (brainstorming)
- determine decisive point and main effort
- determine supporting efforts
- determine purposes for main and supporting efforts
- determine essential tasks for efforts
3. Array initial forces (2 levels down)
4. Develop the scheme of maneuver (details to accomplish mission)
5. Assign headquarters
6. Prepare a COA statement and sketch (Decisive point, form of maneuver,
and statement of each task to be accomplished)
7. Write your mission statement using the 5Ws.
8. Write your commanders intent to address key tasks or conditions that
must be met to achieve the stated purpose and end state.
Notes:
• COA statement must clearly portray how the unit will accomplish mission.
• Sketch provides a picture of the COA with control measures,
prominent features and legend if required
• Together they cover the task organization as well as the tasks and
purposes of all units
COA Sketch
Rope Bridge Team
x Wireman's
x
x x x
x x
x Two links
x - Far side man
x One link
SE: Pull Team
ME: Transport Team
T-Pull the rope
T-Tie wireman's knot & round
turn w/two half hitches
P– Tighten near side rope
SE: Far side Team
T-Tie round turn w/two half
hitches
P – Secure rope on far side
P – Secure rope tightly on
near side
Mission: The Raider Team will execute one rope
bridge crossings on Friday at 1500hrs during
practice at the Raider Site in order to learn how to
quickly and efficiently cross a given obstacle.
CDRs Intent: Purpose of the rope bridge team is to
construct a bridge to cross the obstacle as quickly as
possible. The end state of this operation is when
everyone has crossed the site and no knots or snap
links remain on the rope.
COA Statement: We will utilize three teams to
accomplish this task. The Transport team is the ME
responsible for tying the wireman's knot, nearside
knot and controlling the crossing. Far Side and Pull
Teams are supporting efforts to assist the ME.
Decisive to this operation is the proper securing of
the rope bridge to both the far and near side anchor
points.
COA Development and
Briefing Technique
1. Designate the following for developing and briefing your COA: TM Leader,
Briefer, Recorder, Timer and Pointer.
2. Updated Intelligence (Situation to include available forces, enemy forces,
weather and terrain)
3. Restated Mission (who, what, when, where and why)
4. Commanders Intent (Addresses key tasks or conditions that must be met
to achieve the stated purpose or end state)
5. Cover the COA sketch while paraphrasing the COA Statement.
- Use a pointer to explain the sketch (should be a separate person)
- If necessary read the COA statement, so as to not leave out details
OPERATION ORDER
FORMAT
Task Organization (States how the unit is organized for the operation)
I. Situation:
A. Enemy Forces (Light and Weather Data, Terrain and
Enemy Most Probably Course of Action)
B. Friendly Forces (Higher Mission 2 levels up and location of adjacent units
II. Mission: (who, what, when, where and why)
III. Execution: CDRS Intent, A. Concept of Operation (COA Statement), B.
Maneuver (Task and Purpose of subordinate units), C. Task to subordinate
units (specified tasks), D. Coordinating Instructions (Applies to 2 or more
units, i.e. order of movement, formations and timeline)
IV. Service and Support: A. Materials (equipment, food and water, supplies)
B. Medical (Medics or First Aide equipment)
V. Command and Signal: A. Command (Location of key personnel and
succession of command), B. Signal (Method of communication and
signals)