The Five Paragraph Order

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The Five Paragraph Order

• OCS 4012

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Purpose of the Order

• Remember gentlemen, an order that can be
  misunderstood will be misunderstood. An order
  should contain everything that a commander cannot
  do himself, but nothing else.--Count Helmut
  Von-Moltke
• At OCS, you will use a version of the
  five-paragraph operations order format specially
  adapted for use by companies, platoons, and
  squads.

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Five Paragraph Order

• Form of operations order structured for small
  unit leader.
• Consists of Orientation and five paragraphs
  Situation, Mission, the plan and method of
  Execution, Administration and Logistics, and
  Command and Signal information.
• O-SMEAC

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ORIENTATION

• Purpose of Orientation is to simply orient
  subordinates prior to the issuing of the order.
  Be brief.
• At OCS, Orientation includes
• Present Location (PL)-eight digit grid
• Direction of Attack (DOA)-cardinal direction
• Location of Objective (OBJ)-eight digit grid

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1. SITUATION

• Contains information on overall status and
  disposition of both friendly and enemy forces.
• Info that is deemed essential to subordinate
  leaders understanding of situation.
• Contains three subparagraphs a) Enemy Forces b)
  Friendly Forces c) Attachments and Detachments.

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a) Enemy Forces

• SALUTE Obtained directly from higher commanders
  order. Size of the enemy force, their Activity,
  last known Location, Unit type/designation, Time
  enemy was last observed, and Equipment they
  possess. (T-SUALE).
• Include politics of situation. The more info
  your Marines have, the more confident they will
  be in assault. Fill in the blanks for them.

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a) Enemy Forces, cont.

• 2. DRAW-D Highlights what courses of action the
  enemy is capable of executing. Stands for Defend,
  Reinforce, Attack, Withdraw, and Delay. No
  requirement for all info, only what is likely.
• EMPCOA--Enemys Most Probable Course Of Action
  Determines entire plan/tactics. Created by
  commander (You!).
• Example

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b) Friendly Forces

• From higher commanders order. Info limited to
  what subordinates need to know for mission
  accomplishment.
• HAS
• Higher mission of next highest order. (taken
  from higher commanders MISSION statement)
• Adjacent mission/location of surrounding units.
  (taken from TASKS of commanders order.
  Importance?) The other SQUADS!!!!
• Supporting Nonorganic units providing fire
  support or combat service support. For SULE II,
  state none.

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c) Attachments and Detachments

• Non-organic units (a unit excluded from basic
  rifle platoon) attached () and/or organic units
  detached (-) from unit. Includes unit and time
  effective. Importance?
• SULE II, simply state none

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2. MISSION

• Clear, concise statement of what unit is to
  accomplish. Five Ws--Who (unit), What (task),
  When (time), Where (grid), and Why (purpose).
• Mission statement is heart of order, always
  stated in full. Taken from TASK section of
  higher commanders order.

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MISSION, cont.

• Purpose (Why) is predominate to Task (What), or
  the action to be taken, and always follows in
  order to.
• If unit designated as Main Effort, must state so.
  Commander ensures success of main effort with
  preponderance of support. ME is units bid for
  success.

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3. EXECUTION

• How to information, including Commanders
  Intent, Concept of the Operation, Tasks to
  subordinate leaders, and Coordinating
  instructions.

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a) Commanders Intent

• Expands on purpose of mission, so that in absence
  of orders, mission can be accomplished.
• Requires three specific items 1) Purpose of
  operation, 2) enemys critical weakness, 3) plan
  for exploiting critical vulnerability.
• Focus on enemys Critical Vulnerability. Provides
  window to enemys center of gravity.
• Not required at OCS

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b) Concept of Operations

• Scheme of Maneuver broad paintbrush
  conceptions w/o identifying specific units. Begin
  at present location (PL) and brief units actions
  through completion of mission. Includes form of
  maneuver for each leg between control measures,
  and basic plan for consolidation/ reorganization
  (180/360).
• Fire Support Plan Complements SoM above. For
  SULE II, state none.

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Scheme of ManeuverCookie Cutter Answer

• We will conduct a frontal attack. We will leave
  the AA in a squad column, F/T wedge. Upon
  reaching the Atk position we will transition into
  a Squad wedge, F/T wedge and cross the LOD. At
  the assault position, we will get into a squad
  online, F/T skirmishers right to assault the obj.
  Each fire team will assault a different 1/3 of
  the obj. After assaulting 10-20 M through the
  objective we will form a hasty 180. Once the
  threat of a counter attack has passed, we will
  consolidate into a 360

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c) Tasks

• Includes specific missions to be accomplished by
  each subordinate element of unit listed in
  separate numbered subparagraph.
• Task statements are your subordinate units
  mission statements, and should be written as
  such.
• Includes 5 Ws designate Main Effort.

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d) Coordinating Instructions

• Information that pertains to all.
• Includes
• Time of Attack (ToA) Designated time to cross
  the Line of Departure (LoD)
• Base Unit Main effort (Fighter-Leader Concept)
  Ex 1st F/T will be the ME, they will be located
  in the middle of the formation, 2nd firetam will
  be support, they will be located in the rear of
  the formation
• Order of Movement (OoM) Formations through each
  control measure and each fireteams location in
  them.
• Assembly Area--Attack Position
• Attack Position--Assault Position
• Assault Position--Objective

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d) Coord Inst, continued

• 4. Security Assignments during movements and
  halts, assigning 180/360 sectors of
  responsibility. Assign sectors of fire via the
  clock method for each fire team.
• 5. Tactical Control Measures (TCM) For SULE II
  list 8 digit grid information and terrain feature
  for each control measure, including Line of
  Departure. This information is taken directly
  from higher Commanders TCM.

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d) Coord. Inst., continued

• 6. Route to Objective (RTE) direction (azimuth
  in degrees magnetic), distance, and key terrain
  features for each of the three legs between
  control measures. Provides Marines with idea of
  what to expect along the way to the objective,
  and how they will recognize control measures.

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4. ADMINISTRATION and LOGISTICS

• Contains info for subordinate units to coordinate
  resupply, recovery of equipment, and evacuation
  of wounded and prisoners.
• Addresses the Four Bs--Beans, Bullets,
  Bandages, and Bad Guys.
• Divided into two subparagraphs.

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Administrationb) Logistics

• Bandages MEDEVAC plan for wounded, including
  location of corpsman.
• Bad Guys Enemy Prisoners of War (EPWs) handling
  procedures and evac plan.
• Beans chow and water
• Bullets type of ammunition and quantity

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5. COMMAND and SIGNAL

• Two subparagraphs, SIGNAL comes before COMMAND!
• Signal Specifies prearranged signals,
  passwords/countersigns, radio call
  signs/frequencies/procedures, Emergency signals,
  pyrotechnics, and restrictions on communications.
• Cookie Cutter answer!!!!
• SULE II Use hand and arm signals until enemy
  contact, then switch to verbal commands. No Pyro
  or radio.

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COMMAND/SIGNAL, cont.

• Command includes your location, location of
  higher commander and key leaders, and succession
  of command.
• SULE II, Platoon Commmander, Platoon Sergeant,
  yourself (squad leader), and succeeding fireteam
  leaders.

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Issuing the Order

• Remember audience.
• Speak in clear and confident voice at
  conversational speed, or slightly faster. If you
  appear confident and knowledgeable of the
  situation, you will inspire subordinates to
  follow your leadership.
• Begin with Hold all question until the end.
  Conclude withThe time is now, are there any
  questions?