Military Review English Edition November-December 2013 | Page 64

Commander’s Intent

As described in ADRP 5-0, the commander’s
intent “succinctly describes what constitutes success for the operation. It includes the operation’s
purpose, key tasks, and the conditions that define
the end state. It links the mission, concept of operations, and tasks to subordinate units. A clear commander’s intent facilitates a shared understanding
and focuses on the overall conditions that represent
mission accomplishment.”10 Commander’s intent,
when used properly, should bridge the gap between
the mission and the concept of operations.
A clear commander’s intent enables a shared
understanding and focuses on the overall conditions
that represent mission accomplishment. During
execution, the commander’s intent spurs disciplined
initiative. Notice that in the illustration below, the
TF 1-22 commander provides the expanded purpose
that is broader in scope than the purpose in the mission statement. Since his battalion is the decisive
operation for the brigade, and the brigade is a shaping operation for the division, it is appropriate for
the TF 1-22 expanded purpose to be broader than
the brigade’s purpose, but more narrow than the
division purpose. The commander has also identified key tasks that his unit must accomplish. These
key tasks are incorporated into every course of
action that his staff develops. Finally, the conditions
that represent the end state are broad in nature and

represent the conditions that must be set in terms
of terrain, civil, and enemy forces in relationship
to TF 1-22. Again, all of these conditions must be
set by any course of action that is developed for
consideration.
Commander’s intent, however, is not a comprehensive statement that leads to mission success. If
subordinates do not have a clear understanding of
the concept of the operation, leaders will simply
execute at the whim or the initiative of whoever
is in the lead. When discussing an overreliance on
intent, Holder stated, “When we do this, however,
we omit the unifying element of the plan, the idea
that pulls everything together, which is the commander’s concept of what he wants to make happen
and how he plans to accomplish his goal.”11 In
preparation for 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s
deployment to Iraq, Maj. Gen. McMaster echoed
Holder’s words in a letter to his regimental leaders
dated 25 January 2005. Then-Col. McMaster stated
the following:
The concept of operation is the most important part of the order and, since the 1990s,
most of our Army has not done this well. The
result is that we tend to overwrite intent and
then go immediately into a detailed scheme
of maneuver. It is one of the reasons why we
often tend to fall out of plans prematurely.
The concept is the only element of an order

Expanded Purpose & Key Tasks

Concept of the
Operation
Civil

Friendly

Enemy

Terrain

Mission
Statement

Sea of Uncertianty

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November-December 2013

• MILITARY REVIEW