ADP 3-90, page 48

Chapter 3 3-8 ADP 3-90 31 July 2019 3-44. All offensive planning addresses the mission variables. During offensive planning, commanders and staffs place special emphasis on—  Missions and objectives, including task and purpose, for each subordinate element.  Commander’s intent.  Enemy positions, obstacles, strengths, and capabilities.  AOs for the use of each subordinate element with associated control graphics.  Time the operation is to begin.  Scheme of maneuver.  Targeting guidance and high-payoff targets.  Special tasks required to accomplish the mission.  Communicating risk.  Options for accomplishing the mission.  Transition to stability operations once large scale combat ceases. 3-45. Planning efforts must address the requirement for corps and divisions to conduct operations in their deep areas to create conditions that allow subordinate BCTs to conduct successful combat operations in the close area. BCTs and divisions assigned to consolidation areas likewise require planning support for those aspects for which they have few organic capabilities, such as civil affairs. 3-46. Commanders and staffs translate a unit’s mission into specific objectives for all subordinates. (Reserve forces have planning priorities, not objectives.) These objectives can involve the conduct of the offense. If the assigned type of offensive operation has associated forms of maneuver, a commander may specify which form to use, but effective commanders minimize actions that restrict subordinates’ freedom of action. (See ADP 5-0 for a discussion of the military decision-making process.) 3-47. Commanders guide the actions of subordinates during execution. Based on their visualization of the operation, commanders position themselves where they can best influence critical events and make critical decisions, such as changing priorities of support or employing reserves. This normally means that commanders are well forward, usually with the force conducting the decisive operation or designated as the main effort. Once the decisive operation or main effort makes contact with enemy forces, the commander assesses the situation and directs appropriate action as necessary. 3-48. Commanders consider how to exploit advantages that arise during the execution of the offense. They anticipate requirements to shift the decisive operation or main effort during the offense to press an engagement and keep enemy forces off balance. They develop decision points to support these changes and use both human and technical means to validate the timing of these decisions. 3-49. Commanders consider the presence of civilians within their AOs on their operations and determine what minimum-essential stability tasks their units need to perform. All units have the capability to perform stability tasks if the tactical situation allows. These minimum-essential stability tasks generally involve some aspects of civil control, civil security, and the restoration of essential services. 3-50. Units conduct offensive operations until they defeat the enemy forces in their AOs. Once major combat operations cease, units may transition to consolidate gains. Commanders clearly articulate to their subordinates this transition by changing the rules of engagement and allocating combat power complementary to the shift in the operational environment from one characterized principally by offensive and defensive operations, to another with greater emphasis on stability tasks. 3-51. Following the conclusion of large-scale combat in an AO, units perform security first and then progress to stability-related tasks. Units first address the final defeat of all enemy means of resistance and secure key terrain, infrastructure, and populations. Only then do units consider stability tasks above the minimum required by the law of war. Planning to consolidate gains is primarily a corps and division responsibility that occurs before, during, and after large-scale ground combat and includes allocating resources to consolidate gains. When the shift to stability operations occurs, the staff disseminates the change in purpose down to the lowest echelons.