Outline the key steps in military mission planning from initial intent to execution in a combat operation.

• A. Immediate execution with no planning.
• B. Receipt of mission, mission analysis, course of action development, wargaming, plan and order formation, rehearsals, and execution.
• C. Only mission receipt and execution.
• D. Wargaming is irrelevant to mission planning.

Answer: (B)

Planning in a combat operation follows a structured flow from understanding the mission to carrying it out. It starts with receiving the mission and interpreting the intent, constraints, and success criteria. Then mission analysis digs into what must be done, what resources are available, potential risks, and how success will be measured. With that understanding, multiple courses of action are developed to achieve the mission under different approaches.

Wargaming is used to test those options against the likely course of events, surface potential problems, and assess feasibility and risk. Once a viable option stands up to scrutiny, a plan and orders are produced that synchronize tasks, allocations, and timing. Rehearsals then practice the critical actions and sequences to ensure all units and individuals understand their roles and transitions. Finally, the operation is executed according to the plan, with ongoing assessment and adjustment as needed.

Other options skip essential steps or treat planning activities as optional. Jumping straight to execution ignores uncertainty and coordination needs. Limiting planning to only receiving the mission and executing omits analysis, option development, and testing. Dismissing wargaming ignores a key method for validating ideas and uncovering risks.