Guide to Joint, Multinational & Interorganizational Operations

JFODS5: The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 5th Ed., incorporates the full scope of new material from the latest editions of JP 3-0 Joint Operations (Jan ‘17), JP 5-0 Joint Planning (Jun ’17), JP 1 Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States (Change 1, Jul ‘17), and JP 3-08 Interorganizational Cooperation (Oct ‘16). Additional chapters and topics include Joint Task Force Headquarters (Jun ‘12), JP 4-0 Joint Logistics (Oct ‘13), JDN 2-13 Commander’s Communication Synchronization (Dec ‘13), JP 3-13 Information Operations (Nov ‘14), and JP 3-16 Multinational Operations (Jul ‘13).

The nature of the challenges to the United States and its interests demand that the Armed Forces operate as a fully integrated joint team across the conflict continuum.

Joint operations are military actions conducted by joint forces and those Service forces employed in specified command relationships with each other, which of themselves do not establish joint forces. The potential range of military activities and operations extends from military engagement, security cooperation, and deterrence in times of relative peace up through major operations and campaigns that typically involve large-scale combat.

Joint planning is the deliberate process of determining how (the ways) to use military capabilities (the means) in time and space to achieve objectives (the ends) while considering the associated risks.

Joint logistics is the coordinated use, synchronization, and sharing of two or more Military Departments’ logistics resources to support the joint force. Sustainment provides the joint force commanders freedom of action, endurance, and the ability to extend operational reach.

A joint task force (JTF) is established when the scope, complexity, or other factors of the contingency or crisis require capabilities of Services from at least two Military Departments operating under a single joint force commander.

Information-Related Capabilities (IRCs) are the tools, techniques, or activities that affect any of the three dimensions of the information environment.

Achieving national strategic objectives requires effective unified action resulting in unity of effort -- to include interagency, intergovernmental, nongovernmental and multinational partners. This is accomplished by interorganizational cooperation, synchronization, and coordination in the use of the diplomatic, informational, military, and economic instruments of national power.

Upgrade/update to the NEW 6th Edition (AODS6)!

AODS5: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 5th Ed. w/Change 1 (May 2017) has been superseded by a newer sixth edition AODS6 (Nov 2018), but copies are still available here for readers looking for this specific edition or as required material for a specific course or class requirement.

Or upgrade/update to the NEW edition! Click "HERE" to browse the new AODS6 edition!

AODS6: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook (Guide to FM/ADRP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power) is the new sixth edition of our Army SMARTbook. In addition to unified land operations (ADRP 3-0) and large-scale combat operations (FM 3-0), the 400-pg AODS6 includes completely updated and refocused chapters on the elements of combat power: mission command (ADP/ADRP 6-0), movement and maneuver (ADPs 3-90, 3-07, 3-28, 3-05), intelligence (ADP/ADRP 2-0), fires (ADP/ADRP 3-09), sustainment (ADP/ADRP 4-0), & protection (ADP/ADRP 3-37).

Always check our website for the most current and up-to-date SMARTbook edition! The Lightning Press is committed to providing the best and most relevant doctrinal material to our readers and are vigilant in reviewing new publications, anticipating upcoming doctrinal releases, and incorporating the updated material into our SMARTbook series!

Guide to Designing, Planning & Conducting Military Operations

The Battle Staff SMARTbook, 4th Ed. (May 2010) has been superseded by a new fifth edition BSS5 (Jul 2015), but copies are still available here for readers looking for this specific edition or as required material for a specific course or class requirement.

Or upgrade/update to the NEW edition! Click "HERE" to browse the new BSS5 edition!

BSS5: The Battle Staff SMARTbook, 5th Ed. incorporates the full scope of new material from FM 6-0 (w/change 2), Commander and Staff Organization and Operations (May ‘15); ATP 2-01.3/MCRP 2-3A, Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield/Battlespace (Nov '14); ADRP 1-02, Operational Terms and Military Symbols (Feb ‘15); FM 3-09, Field Artillery Operations and Fire Support (Apr ‘14); ATP 3-60, Targeting (May ‘15); and ATP 5-19 (w/change 1), Risk Management (Apr ‘14). Chapters and topics include the operations process (ADRP 5-0); commander’s activities (Understand, Visualize, Describe, Direct, Lead, Assess); the military decisionmaking process and troop leading procedures (FM 6-0: MDMP & TLP); integrating processes and continuing activities (IPB, targeting, risk management); plans and orders (WARNOs/FRAGOs/OPORDs); mission command, command posts, liaison (ADRP 6-0); rehearsals & after action reviews; and operational terms and military symbols (ADRP 1-02).

Guide to Joint, Multinational & Interorganizational Operations

JFODS4: The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 4th Ed. (Jul 2015) has been superseded by a newer fifth edition JFODS5 (Jan 2018), , but copies are still available here for readers looking for this specific edition or as required material for a specific course or class requirement.

Or upgrade/update to the NEW edition! Click "HERE" to browse the new JFODS5 edition!

JFODS5 is the fifth revised edition of The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, incorporating the full scope of new material from the latest editions of JP 3-0 Joint Operations (Jan ‘17), JP 5-0 Joint Planning (Jun ’17), JP 1 Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States (Change 1, Jul ‘17), and JP 3-08 Interorganizational Cooperation (Oct ‘16). Additional chapters and topics include Joint Task Force Headquarters (Jun ‘12), JP 4-0 Joint Logistics (Oct ‘13), JDN 2-13 Commander’s Communication Synchronization (Dec ‘13), JP 3-13 Information Operations (Nov ‘14), and JP 3-16 Multinational Operations (Jul ‘13).

Guide to Joint, Multinational & Interagency Operations

The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 3rd Rev. Ed. (Jun 2012) has been superseded by a newer fifth edition JFODS5 (Jan 2018), but copies are still available here for readers looking for this specific edition or as required material for a specific course or class requirement.

Or upgrade/update to the NEW edition! Click "HERE" to browse the new JFODS5 edition!

JFODS5 is the fifth revised edition of The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, incorporating the full scope of new material from the latest editions of JP 3-0 Joint Operations (Jan ‘17), JP 5-0 Joint Planning (Jun ’17), JP 1 Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States (Change 1, Jul ‘17), and JP 3-08 Interorganizational Cooperation (Oct ‘16). Additional chapters and topics include Joint Task Force Headquarters (Jun ‘12), JP 4-0 Joint Logistics (Oct ‘13), JDN 2-13 Commander’s Communication Synchronization (Dec ‘13), JP 3-13 Information Operations (Nov ‘14), and JP 3-16 Multinational Operations (Jul ‘13).

Nontraditional Aproaches in a Dynamic Security Environment

Publisher's Note: The Stability, Peace, & Counterinsurgency has been superseded by a new second edition (TAA2), but is still available here for purchase as a "previous edition." Learn more about the updated, re-titled and re-focused second edition at: TAA2: The Military Engagement, Security Cooperation & Stability SMARTbook, 2nd Ed.

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In the complex, dynamic strategic environment of the 21st century, significant challenges to sustainable peace and security persist across the spectrum of conflict. The drivers of conflict emerge as numerous symptoms of crises worldwide. Achieving victory will assume new dimensions as we strengthen our ability to generate “soft” power to address root causes of conflict among the disenfranchised populations.

At the heart of this effort is a comprehensive approach to stability operations that integrates the tools of statecraft with our military forces, international partners, humanitarian organizations, and the private sector. Stability operations leverage the coercive and constructive capabilities of the military force to establish a safe and secure environment; facilitate reconciliation among local or regional adversaries; establish political, legal, social, and economic institutions; and facilitate the transition of responsibility to a legitimate civil authority.

Peace Operations are crisis response and limited contingency operations conducted by a combination of military forces and nonmilitary organizations to contain conflict, redress the peace, and shape the environment to support reconciliation and rebuilding and to facilitate the transition to legitimate governance.

A counterinsurgency campaign is a mix of offensive, defensive, and stability operations conducted along multiple lines of operations. It requires military forces to employ a mix of familiar combat tasks and skills more often associated with nonmilitary agencies and to be nation builders as well as warriors.

Civil-military operations are a primary military instrument to synchronize military and nonmilitary instruments of national power, particularly in support of stability, counterinsurgency and other operations dealing with asymmetric and irregular threats.

The Stability, Peace & Counterinsurgency SMARTbook is multi-service, single-source reference for stability, peace and counterinsurgency operations designed for all levels of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines & Civilians! Includes material from FM 3-07 Stability Operations, JP & FM 3-07.3 Peace Operations, JP & FM 3-24 Counterinsurgency Operations, JP 3-57 Civil-Military Operations, JP 3-29 Foreign Humanitarian Operations, FM 3-07.1 Security Force Assistance, JP 3-16 Multinational Operations, JP 3-08 Interagency, IGO and NGO Coordination, and many more.

Publisher's Note: Before purchasing The Stability, Peace & Counterinsurgency SMARTbook (Jan 2010), readers should also consider the updated, re-titled and re-focused second edition, "TAA2: The Military Engagement, Security Cooperation & Stability SMARTbook, 2nd Ed." (Aug 2016). The 2010 edition of "The Stability, Peace & Counterinsurgency SMARTbook" is still available because we continue to receive special requests for it because of its unique and specific focus on counterinsurgency and stability operations at the height of OIF/OEF -- including the Dec 2006 edition of FM 3-24 (Counterinsurgency Operations) and the Sept 2008 edition of FM 3-07 (Stability Operations).

Leading, Planning & Conducting Tactical Operations

SUTS2: The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, 2nd Ed. w/Change 1 (May 2017) has been superseded by a new third edition SUTS3 (Feb 2020), but copies are still available here for readers looking for this specific edition or as required material for a specific course or class requirement.

Or upgrade/update to the NEW edition! Click "HERE" to browse the new SUTS3 edition!

SUTS2: The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, 2nd Ed. (with Change 1*) is the second revised edition of The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, featuring the full scope of new material and Doctrine 2015 updates to include ADP/ADRP 3-90 Offense and Defense, ADP/ADRP 5-0 The Operations Process, ADP/ADRP 6-0 Mission Command and more than 20 additional references. Chapters and topics include tactical mission fundamentals, the offense, the defense, stability and counterinsurgency operations, tactical enabling tasks (security, reconnaissance, relief in place, passage of lines, encirclement, and troop movement), special purpose attacks (ambush and raid), urban and regional environments (urban, fortified areas, desert, cold region, mountain, and jungle operations), patrols and patrolling.

* Change 1 to SUTS2 (Mar 2017) incorporates additional material from ADRP 3-0 (Nov 2016), FM 6-0 (Chg 2, Apr 2016) and Train, Advise, Assist (chap 4). An asterisk marks changed pages.

Tactics is the employment and ordered arrangement of forces in relation to each other. Through tactics, commanders use combat power to accomplish missions. The tactical-level commander uses combat power in battles, engagements, and small-unit actions.

Establishing a common frame of reference, doctrine provides a menu of practical options based on experience. It provides an authoritative guide for leaders and Soldiers but requires original applications that adapt it to circumstances.

The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook translates and bridges operational-level doctrine into tactical application -- in the form of tactics, techniques and procedures -- and provides the “how to” at the small-unit level, providing a ready reference at the battalion, company, platoon, squad and fire team level.