• 2 Course of Action (COA) Development - (develops paragraph 3 of OPORD)
• Analyze relative combat power. Compare enemy and friendly strengths and weaknesses–use the elements
of combat power, specifically by warfighting function (movement and maneuver, fires, intelligence, protection,
sustainment, and command and control)
• Generate Options
− Determine doctrinal requirements (for example; suppress, obscure, secure, reduce, and assault
[known as SOSRA]).
− Determine mission’s decisive points.
− Assign purposes to tactical tasks / determine purposes of main and supporting efforts.
− Consider enemy and friendly decisive and decision points that lead to desired mission end state.
• Array forces (or known as assigning troops to task). Determines the specific quantity of squads, weapons (by type),
and fire support necessary to accomplish each task against the enemy array of forces. Allocates resources
required for the decisive operation’s success first and determines the resources needed for shaping operations in
descending order of importance.
• Develop a concept of operations. Describes how the commander envisions the operation unfolding, from its start to
its conclusion or end state. Operations and actions consist of numerous activities, events, and tasks. Describes the
relationships between activities, events, and tasks, and explains how the tasks will lead to accomplishing the
mission. The concept of operation is a framework to assist leaders, not a script.
• Analyze Soldier load. How much is carried, how far, and in what configuration are critical mission considerations.
Balance the risk to Soldiers from the enemy against the risk to mission accomplishment due to excessive loads and
Soldier exhaustion and injury. Soldier load is limited to mission essential equipment to sustain continuous
operations. Accepts prudent risks to reduce Soldier load based on a through mission analysis and collaboration
with the higher echelon commander and staff.
• Assign responsibilities. Assign responsibility for each task to a subordinate. Whenever possible and depending on
the existing chain of command, avoid fracturing unit integrity. Keep the span of control between two to five
subordinate elements.
• Prepare COA statement and sketch. Use the COA statement and COA sketch to describe the concept of
operation. These two products are the basis for paragraph 3 of the OPORD. The COA statement specifies how the
company will accomplish the mission. The first three steps of COA development provide the bulk of the COA
statement. The COA statement details how the unit’s operation supports the higher commander’s operation, the
decisive point and why it is decisive, the form of maneuver or type of defensive mission, and operational
framework. The COA sketch is a drawing or series of drawings to assist in describing how the operation will unfold.
The sketch provides a picture of the maneuver aspects of the concept. Both the COA statement and sketch focus
at the decisive point. The COA statement should identify—
- Reserve planning priorities.
- Purpose of critical warfighting functions.
- End state.
- Decisive point and what makes it decisive.
- Form of maneuver or form of the defense.
- Tasks and purposes of the decisive, shaping, and
sustaining operations (then main and supporting efforts.)
The COA sketch identifies how the unit intends to focus the effects of overwhelming combat power at the decisive point.
When integrated with terrain, the refined product becomes the unit’s operations overlay. COA screening criteria at end of
COA development must show that COA is: suitable, acceptable, distinguishable, complete, and feasible.
• 3 Analysis of COA - COA analysis begins with both friendly and enemy COA and, using a method of action-
reaction-counteraction war game, results in a synchronized friendly plan, identified strengths and weaknesses, and
updated risk assessment. After developing the COA, the commander analyzes it to determine its strengths and
weaknesses, visualizes the flow of the battle, identifies the conditions or requirements necessary to enhance
synchronization, and gains insights into actions at the decisive point of the mission. If more than one COA is developed,
the commander applies the same analysis to each COA developed. The commander does this analysis through war
gaming or fighting the COA against at least one enemy COA. At small-unit level, the enemy’s most probable COA is
what the enemy is most likely to do. The best way to conduct the war game is to start at the unit’s current location and
go through the mission from start to finish, or start at a critical point such as the objective or engagement area.
Troop Leading
Procedures Outline
(8-Step process)*
• 3 Analysis of COA (cont) – Using the
action-reaction method, the commander can think
through the engagement beforehand. The most
important aspect of this process is not the
method but the output, meaning a more in-depth
understanding of the operation. Depending on
the time available and the commander’s personal
preference, the commander may use the
following war gaming techniques—box, belt, and
avenue-in-depth.
• 4 & 5 COA comparison and COA
selection
- Only if time allows for developing more than 1
COA; rarely conducted at company and below.
When more than one COA is developed, the
commander must compare them by weighing the
specific advantages, disadvantages, strengths,
and weaknesses of each as noted during the war
game. The commander makes the final selection
of a COA based on own judgment, the start time of
the operation, the area of operation, the scheme
of maneuver, and subordinate unit tasks and
purposes.
• Note. Issue Warning Order #3, if required;
contains update to METT-TC analysis,
scheme of maneuver.
• Type of operation.
• General location of operation.
• Initial timeline for operation.
• Reconnaissance to initiate.
• Movement to initiate.
• Planning and preparation instructions.
• Information requirements.
• Commander’s critical information requirement (priority Intelligence
requirements and friendly force information requirements).
• Essential element of friendly information.
1 Mission Analysis - Leaders conduct mission analysis to develop
situational understanding and to confirm what the unit must do to
accomplish the mission. Mission analysis answers four questions that
become inputs into developing a COA. These questions are:
Note. Conclusion of METT-TC analysis includes reevaluation of the initial risk
assessment (tactical/ accidental risks) and the issuance of Warning Order (#2
if required).
- General situation.
- Disposition.
- Composition.
- Strength.
- Vulnerabilities.
- Mobility capabilities.
- Countermobility
capabilities.
- Survivability capabilities.
- Leadership.
- Training and experience.
- Significant conclusions.
- One level up timeline.
- Company TLPs.
- Enemy data.
- Areas.
- Capabilities.
- People.
- Significant conclusions.
• What is the unit’s mission?
• What is the current situation?
• How does the unit accomplish the mission?
• What are the risks?
Summary of mission analysis: (develops OPORD paragraph 1b)
- Restated mission.
- Initial risk assessment (tactical and accidental).
- Tentative decisive point.
- Initial commander’s intent.
METT-TC--mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support
available, time available, and civil considerations:
Mission:
- Mission, commander’s intent, and concept of operation (one
and two levels up).
- Purpose.
- Constraints.
- Specified, implied, essential tasks.
- Restated mission - who, what (task), when, where, why
(purpose).
Enemy: (develops situation template and paragraph 1a)
- Capabilities by warfighting
function.
- Most probable COA.
- Most dangerous COA.
- Significant conclusions.
- High value target list.
- High payoff target list.
TERRAIN AND WEATHER (How terrain and weather uniquely affect
the unit’s mission and the enemy.)
- Analyze terrain using the five military aspects of terrain.
- Analyze weather using the five military aspects of weather.
- Significant conclusions:
▫ Modifies combined obstacle overlay.
▫ Mobility corridor.
TROOPS AND SUPPORT AVAILABLE (Assets/capabilities.)
TIME AVAILABLE (1/3, 2/3 rule)
CIVIL CONSIDERATIONS
2
GTA 07-10-003
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
U.S. Army Infantry School
November 2021
Infantry Reference Card for Small Unit Leaders
(Troop Leading Procedures)
References: ATP 3-21.8 (Infantry Platoon and Squad), April 12, 2015;
ATP 3-21.10 (Infantry Rifle Company), May 14, 2018
Chart depicts the steps of the troop leading procedures (TLP) and
the relationship between the TLP and the development
of the operation order (OPORD).
1. Receive the Mission
(Initial timeline, possible mission)
2. Issue a Warning Order (5-paragraph
format, minimum information)
3. Make a Tentative Plan (5-step
process as outlined)
• Mission analysis
• Course of action (COA)
Development
• COA analysis
• COA comparison
• COA selection
4. Initiate Movement
(If necessary)
5. Conduct Reconnaissance
6. Complete the Plan
(Orders production)
7. Issue the Order
(Verbal, terrain model, paper)
8. Supervise and Refine
• Confirmation briefs
• Backbriefs
• Rehearsals
• Precombat checks (equipment
and mission)
• Precombat inspections
*These steps are not necessarily sequential
—some steps may be accomplished at the
same time, others may be repeated (for
example, reconnaissance or initiate
movement).
- Morale.
- Capabilities by warfighting function
elements.
- Hard time.
- Light data.
- Significant conclusions.
- Structures.
- Organizations.
- Events.
