JP 3-0, page 173

A-1 APPENDIX A PRINCIPLES OF JOINT OPERATIONS 1. Introduction The principles of joint operations are formed around the traditional principles of war. Three additional principles―restraint, perseverance, and legitimacy―are relevant to how the Armed Forces of the United States use combat power across the range of military operations. These three, added to the original nine, comprise 12 principles of joint operations. 2. Principles of Joint Operations a. Objective (1) The purpose of specifying the objective is to direct every military operation toward a clearly defined, decisive, and achievable goal. (2) The purpose of military operations is to achieve the military objectives that support attainment of the overall political goals of the conflict. This frequently involves the destruction of the enemy armed forces’ capabilities and their will to fight. The objective of joint operations not involving this destruction might be more difficult to define; nonetheless, it too must be clear from the beginning. Objectives must directly, quickly, and economically contribute to the purpose of the operation. Each operation must contribute to strategic objectives. JFCs should avoid actions that do not contribute directly to achieving the objective(s). (3) Additionally, changes to the military objectives may occur because political and military leaders gain a better understanding of the situation, or they may occur because the situation itself changes. The JFC should anticipate these shifts in political goals necessitating changes in the military objectives. The changes may be very subtle, but if not made, achievement of the military objectives may no longer support the political goals, legitimacy may be undermined, and force security may be compromised. b. Offensive (1) The purpose of an offensive action is to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. (2) Offensive action is the most effective and decisive way to achieve a clearly defined objective. Offensive operations are the means by which a military force seizes and holds the initiative while maintaining freedom of action and achieving decisive results. The importance of offensive action is fundamentally true across all levels of war. (3) Commanders adopt the defensive only as a temporary expedient and must seek every opportunity to seize or regain the initiative. An offensive spirit must be inherent in the conduct of all defensive operations.