Integrating IPB into Paragraph Three (And Other OPORD Briefing Techniques)

by Captain Gregov P. Rowe The S2 stands up. “The enemy’s most probable course of action is to attack along avenues of approach three and four, approaching us from the northeast.” Two paragraphs later in the operations order (OPORD), after the presentation of the friendly situation, the mission, the intent, and several drops of rain have leaked through the TOC canvas onto your notes, the S3 stands up. “The task force will defend BP 21 with a primary orientation to the southeast.” What is wrong with this picture? For one thing, as so often happens in the rush of the combat planning process, the S3’s plan in paragraph three (execution) does not properly integrate the S2’s Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield OpB) contained in paragraph one (situation). The S3 oriented the task force in a different direction from which the S2 thinks the enemy will come. But indicative of a worse problem, most of the OPORD briefing audience will not have remembered the S2’s analysis any better than the S3 applied it due to the disjointed nature of the presentation. Both the S2 and S3 may independently impress the audience with their excellent products, but in scenarios such as that above, if the S2 is right, the S3’s plan is academic. Why even have IPB if you do not use it? Why brief it if it is not logically integrated into the order? As training center experiences have shown, IPB is too important to be lost in the shuffle. There is a simple solution to the common dissonance between the S2’s IPB and the S3’s plan. It begins with a seemingly minor rearrangement of the OPORD briefing format. Specifically, the results of the IPB belong in paragraph three! The enemy’s most probable course of action is clearly the logical precursor to the plan of execution. It defeats IPB’s purpose to place the friendly situation and the mission between IPB and the concept of the operation. Putting IPB in paragraph three creates a more logical sequence, as well as invents a great method to force the S3 and S2 to cooperate in producing a coherent, combined product. It is possible to do this while retaining the much revered five-paragraph format. This article suggests how, while also presenting several other suggestions to make the OPORD briefing format more unified. A briefing ought to progress logically, with each paragraph building upon the previous paragraphs. It should present what you need to know when you need to know it. The short-term human memory is too limited to allow anything else, especially when you add battle fatigue. The remainder of this article applies that obvious fact to the OPORD briefing format. Use what suggestions you think are feasible; consider the rest as food for thought. As described above, the first and most significant suggestion here is to rearrange IPB in the order, making it more useful and forcing the S2 and S3 to coordinate. The S2 still briefs the enemy situhion in paragraph one, but saves the most probable course of action for paragraph three. A third tremendous benefit to such a rearrangement is the resulting creation of a focal point in the order. The concept paragraph becomes a vehicle to get ALL parties together and focused on the objective. Here is an example of what that would sound like. The concept paragraph begins with the S2’s IPB, concluding with: S2: If the enemy’s first echelon fails in the center, as it normally would at our main defensive belt, he probably would then send the second echelon to the north, around to our flank. S3: Therefore, we will present stronger initial resistance in the north with one company forward to engage enemy lead elements as they cross the phase line near the line of contact. This will encourage the enemy to commit his second echelon to the center, where we can mass forces. FSO: Concurrent with contact in the north, massed artillery initially lands on the enemy battalion in the north at a choke point at Target Group ABA, located west of the engagement area of the company in the north. On order, shift fires to the center. S2: When our scouts report having seen four or more platoons of enemy tanks at the center NAI (named area of interest), we know the second echelon battalion is committed to the center. S3: At this point we will commit the reserve, so that three companies mass in the center on the remainder of his first echelon, and subsequently his second echelon, all in the center engagement area. ALO: We want any available aviation assets to engage simultaneously with the companies in the center, assisting in the destruction of the two enemy battalions there. We will initially concentrate on the second echelon battalion while you earth pigs take out the first echelon. Engineer: The most critical obstacle, based on all of that, is the blocking obstacle, which plugs the exit 44 ARMOR - January-February 7992

Reorganizing the OPORD This three-page example, above and at right, illustrates how the author proposes reorganizing the OPORD format to increase the amount of coordination between the S2 and S3. from the engagement area in the center. We will also plan FASCAM to back up the company in the north, and to restrict the bypass to our south. ADA: Our air umbrella covers all air avenues, but we'll plan to concentrate our efforts on the HINDS that will support the enemy's main effort, which we expect in the center. Synchronization! It's beautiful! Thorough synchronization begins with focus in the order. To have focus, there must be one clear focal point, not several independent briefings by various staff officers. An integrated concept in paragraph three is the best way to facilitate that. As pictured in the example, imagine the S2 on one side of the map board or sketch and the S3 on the other, passing the pointer between them, with the combat multipliers chiming in on cue. Everyone is singing in harmony, almost as if they were the Pointer Sisters. (A little humor there. Note: this kind of harmony requires some sort of re-Authenflcstion. Annexes: 01.-t Ion: hearsal of the concept paragraph be-and-mouse, major-second lieutenant fore it is presented.) Nevertheless, if relationship, then an alternative is for this picture does not fit your particular the S3 to brief the IPB and all of the S3 and S2, who happen to have a cat-combat multipliers himself in p m - ARMOR - 45 graph three. Operations officers often like to do everything themselves, anyway. Whatever you do, put the IPB in paragraph three! Otherwise, it is practically useless to the audience. For starters, it only makes sense that the audience ought to know the nature of the operation before they hear about the current situation. Many of us have dumbfoundedly sat through a briefing of the enemy situation wondering if we were to aftack or defend. A statement as simple as, “This order applies to our next attack, ” would be helpful before paragraph one. What follows are other similar suggestions on how to make the OPORD progress more smoothly and naturally. Most of the suggestions are not as critical as the need to put IPB in paragraph three. Yet they are intended to make minor adjustments and provide food for thought in the continuing evolution of the OPORD format. For starters, it only makes sense that the audience ought to know the nature of the operation before they hear about the current situation. Many of us have dumbfoundedly sat through a briefing of the enemy situation wondering if we were to attack or defend. A statement as simple as, “This order applies to our next attack,” would be helpful before paragraph one. If the audience does not hear that first, they will not be able to visualize how the situation will affect the operation. Bottom line up front, right? Then appropriately comes the situation, the mission, and the commander’s intent. It should be no surprise that those already in the most logical place in our format. In addition to intent, it would be beneficial for the commander to name the main effort at this point, to ensure that it, too, is not lost in the shuffle. Next, as suggested above, IPB belongs immediately before the concept in paragraph three. To make the concept more clear, a single, large sketch with both IPB and operations overlay drops would demonstrate the concept while integrating the IPB. So what does all of this look like in an orders briefing? The S3 or commander starts by saying, “Gentlemen, we attack at dawn.” Then the S2 presents the general situation of the 3d Echelon of the 2d Echelon of the 1st Echelon defending along the 01 grid line. Next, the S3 tells everyone what the higher headquarters is up to, and reads the mission (twice). Then the S2 suggests what the enemy will probably do. Finally, the S3 and combat multipliers tell us what we are going to do about it. That is followeed by a load of detailed information concem-ing the plan as a whole, in the tmdi-tional format, with perhaps a few minor adjustments. A few logical reamngements of the details of the OPORD would include such things as putting the next day’s sun and lunar data in a timeline of events in the coordinating instructions, rather than hidden away in the weather, as the current format requires. These and other suggestions are all integrated into the example format which follows. Take note of the new execution matrix, which encompasses more than most techniques, including a space to indicate whether enemy contact is not likely, possible or expected. Also, the change in p m - graph two may look radical, but makes more sense that way. It consolidates the commander’s input in p m - graph two, and the S3’sin paragraph three. Without changing the NATO five-paragraph format, the above suggestions would simplify any organization’s briefing of its OPORDs. They can easily be applied at the task force level. Most of the changes are desperately needed to improve-the use of IPB,-as well as synchronize all of the combat multipliers and integrate all Battlefield Operating Systems. As the synchronization of plans and operations becomes more demanding, the format of the OPORD briefing must evolve accordingly. Those improvements should include maintaining focus and providing a smooth presentation. The improvements presented above are in order with the well-established principles of the Army Writing Program, such as bottom-line up front; common sense solutions, such as one-page summaries; and lessons learned from the Training Centers, including the CSS matrix. It is critical that the military operations order briefing format stay in stride with the inherent complexity of modem warfare. It must continue to evolve appropriately to keep up with the highly successful, space-age, training center-hewn h Y.

Captain Gregory P. Rowe is a 1984 graduate of the US. Military Academy. A graduate of AOB, AOAC, Ranger, Airborne, and S1 Schools; he has served as alight cav scout platoon leader, an S4, and S1 at Ft. Ord, and S3 (air) and tank company commander in Mannheim, Germany. He is currently Assistant G3 (Plans) at 8th ID in Germany. 46 ARMOR - January-February 7992