OPORD Briefing Checklist

INTRO – Name, OPORD#, Time Friendly Situation

WARNO – “Posted” Enemy Situation (~10min) BDE – Mission, CDRs Intent, T/P, COA by SO’s and DO (Tell
Timeline – “Posted,” Brief highlights General Situation – If no change from WARNO, brief “no change” Story) and finish with your BN
TASK ORG – Highlights/Changes
Disposition – 1 and 2 levels up. Use EN Sketch (Put on Board): BN – Mission, CDRs Intent, T/P, COA by SO’s and DO (Tell
AO – Orient, Box, Trace, Focus  EN BN location and T&P Story) and finish with your company
Area of Influence (AoI) – “CAR” by composition, trigger, time,  EN CO DO location and T&P
priority  EN CO SO’s locations and T&P’s Company Mission – Brief 5 W’s two time “…I Say Again…”
 CAS  Note – End with company we face
 Artillery/IDF/ADA  EN CO location and T&P Execution
 Reserves/Reinforcements  EN PLT DO location and T&P Commanders Intent
 EN PLT SO’s location and T&P  Brief Operation’s Expanded Purpose
(3 MINUTES)  Note – End with PLT we face  Brief Key Tasks
 Brief Endstate…”At Endstate…”
Terrain and Weather (~7 min) Strength o Friendly, Enemy, Terrain, Civilian
Terrain – OAKOC – Use GTAO  Brief PAX #’s vs. %’s (On Comp Chart)
Obstacles – Brief Existing (Manmade, Natural) then Reinforcing  Brief # of Squads COA Statement – Brief:
(Tactical, Protective)  “The purpose of this operation is…”
 Location Composition (PLT we face)  “We will accomplish this by a (FOM/DEF Technique)…”
 Composition  Brief Task Org (Use Comp Chart on Board)  “The Decisive Point of this OP is…”
 Intent/Effect  Brief Squad’s T&P (Use Comp Chart on Board)  “This is Decisive Because…”
o Task and Purpose of DO  “We will Accept Risk by…”
Avenues of Approach o Task and Purpose of SO’s  “We will Mitigate Risk by…”
 Size (SQD, PLT, CO)  “At the DP – “
 Speed (KPH) o “___ PLT (DO) T & P”
Capabilities by WFF – Brief Strengths, weaknesses and significant
 Formation deductions – Use Spreadsheet (Put on Board) o “___ PLT (SO1) T & P”
 Intel o “___ PLT (SO#) T& P”
Key Terrain
 Movement and MNVR  “Critical to this mission is…”
 Key to FF, Why?  “The purpose of WFF/Key Enablers is…” (Fires, Engineers,
 Fire Support
 Key to EN, Why? Etc..)
 Protection
 “At Endstate of Operation…” (With regards to the purpose
 Sustainment
Observations and Fields of Fire achieved, DO & SO’s location after mission posture, future
 General IV lines en route to OBJ  Mission Command
ops, etc…)
 Significant Deductions of IV lines and visibility for FF and
o HVTL (On Comp Chart)
EN on OBJ Concept of the Operation (By Phase – Use CO Concept Sketch)
 Brief “Phase Begins with…”
Threat COAs – Use SITEMP (Put on Board)
Cover and Concealment  Brief “Phase Ends with…”
 Enemy Purpose
 Deductions FF and EN  Brief “Critical tasks…”
 “He will accomplish this by…” Form/Def
Weather – PWTVCH  Decisive Point and Why
 Purpose of Significant WFF’s/Enablers Scheme of Maneuver
 Precipitation – Rain, Fog, Snow  Tell the story with explicit detail
 Wind – IDF, DF, Observation, CBRNE  Desired Endstate…”At endstate, EN has...”
o Friendly, Terrain, Enemy, Civilian  Brief by phase:
 Temperature – Hot vs Cold o “Begins with…”
 Visibility – Haze, dust, optics o “Enemy Activity…”
Threat Story – Use SITEMP
 Cloud Cover – CAS, IC (UAV) o “W.C.S…”
 Talk EN fight as a story from start to finish
 Humidity – Moisture (optics, temp, obser., and CBRNE) o “Fire Control…”
o Triggers, etc…
o State “ACHIEVING HIS DECISIVE POINT” o “Formation/OOM…”
Civil Consideration – ASCOPE o “CASEVAC/Recovery…”
 Talk EN action after the fight
 Areas o “Ends with…”
 Talk EN counteraction
 Structures o Then, describe the fight:
o CATK
 Capabilities o Reserve
 When shooting, brief TRP’s & ROE
 Organizations  When moving, brief MVMT technique and MVMT
 EN Consolidation & Reorganization activities
 People control measures
 Events  Signals – PACE plan
(20 MINUTES)  IDF – “TTLO”
(10 MINUTES)

The Company Leader

Leadership Lessons from the Tactical Level of War