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The planning process, beginning with Army design methodology and continuing with the military decisionmaking process, helps the planner prepare to create the operation order (OPORD). Once the staff produces an order, it must be rehearsed and assessed. In this article, we will discuss the orders production, rehearsal, and assessment processes.
The doctrine describing the OPORD format is most applicable to corps-level orders production. This causes a bit of consternation for the sustainment planner. For sustainment commands, battalion and higher, Paragraph 4 (Sustainment) and Annex F (Sustainment) of the OPORD or operation plan describe the internal concept of support. Paragraph 3 (Execution) and Annex C (Operations) detail support operations and elaborate on the supported unit's internal concept of support.
Order Production Responsibilities
Order production is the responsibility of the J/G/S-3 (operations) section. This section compiles the components of the order and issues it to subordinate units. It also creates the portions of the order that deal with missions of higher and adjacent units, subordinate units' tasks, coordinating instructions, command information, and control information (the main body of the order). The operations section is also responsible for the parts of the order that cover decision support products, rules of engagement (Annex C [Operations]), protection (Annex E), civil affairs operations (Annex K), and information collection (Annex L).
The theater sustainment command has a G-5 (plans) section. This section facilitates planning, but the responsibility for issuing the order still rests with the J/G/S-3. The G-5 facilitates the development of draft plans that can be rapidly converted into orders. It also writes Appendix 1 (Design Products) of Annex C and, as the lead of the plans cell, helps develop plans for branches and sequels.
The support operations division is responsible for developing the concept of operations.
The J/G/S-4 (logistics), with assistance from the J/G/S-l (personnel), the staff judge advocate, the chaplain, and the finance officer, prepare Paragraph 4 of the main body of the operation order, Annex F, and Annex Ρ (Host Nation Support).
The staff engineer position, which varies in section depending on the echelon, is responsible for Annex G (Engineering) and engineering subjects in the main body of the order and Annex F.
OPORD Format
In the main body, Paragraph I.e. (Missions of Adjacent Units), follows the...