Guide to Joint, Multinational & Interorganizational Operations

JFODS5-1 is Change 1 to our fifth revised edition of The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook. In addition to new/updated material from the latest editions of JP 3-0 Joint Operations (w/Change 1, Oct ‘18), JP 4-0 Joint Logistics (Feb ‘19), JP 3-33 Joint Task Force Headquarters (Jan ‘18), and JP 3-16 Multinational Operations (Mar ‘19), JFODS5-1 features a completely new chapter on Joint Air, Land, Maritime and Special Operations (JPs 3-30, 3-31, 3-32 & 3-05). Additional topics and references include JP 1 Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States (w/Change 1, Jul ‘17), JP 5-0 Joint Planning (Jun ’17), and JP 3-08 Interorganizational Cooperation (val. Oct ‘17).

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.

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.

Guide to FM/ADP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power

AODS6-1: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook (w/SMARTupdate 1*) is the new sixth edition of our Army SMARTbook. Completely updated with the July 2019 ADPs, the 400-pg AODS6-1 includes operations (ADP 3-0), large-scale combat operations (FM 3-0 w/Chg 1), and refocused chapters on the elements of combat power: command & control (ADP 6-0), movement and maneuver (ADPs 3-90, 3-07, 3-28, 3-05), intelligence (ADP 2-0), fires (ADP 3-19), sustainment (ADP 4-0), & protection (ADP 3-37).

*SMARTupdate 1 to AODS6 (July 2019 ADPs) updates/replaces material in the first printing of the AODS6 SMARTbook with new material from the Army’s July 2019 ADPs, along with “pen-and-ink” reference citation and terminology changes. (Readers of the original/base AODS6 can obtain SMARTupdate 1 at www.thelightningpress.com/smartupdates/)

An operation is a sequence of tactical actions with a common purpose or unifying theme. Army forces, with unified action partners, conduct land operations to shape security environments, prevent conflict, prevail in ground combat, and consolidate gains. Army forces provide multiple options for responding to and resolving crises. Army forces defeat enemy forces, control terrain, secure populations, and preserve joint force freedom of action.

While the U.S. Army must be manned, equipped, and trained to operate across the range of military operations, large-scale ground combat against a peer threat represents the most significant readiness requirement. FM 3-0 expands on ADP 3-0 by providing tactics describing how theater armies, corps, divisions, and brigades work together and with unified action partners to successfully prosecute operations short of conflict, prevail in large-scale combat operations, and consolidate gains to win.

Decisive action is the continuous, simultaneous combinations of offensive, defensive, and stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks. Army forces conduct multi-domain battle, as part of a joint force, to seize, retain, and exploit control over enemy forces.

Combat power is the total means of destructive, constructive, and information capabilities that a military unit or formation can apply at a given time. To an Army commander, Army forces generate combat power by converting potential into effective action. Combat power has eight elements: leadership, information, mission command, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection. The Army collectively describes the last six elements as the warfighting functions.

Plan, Prepare, Execute, & Assess Military Operations

BSS6 is the sixth edition of The Battle Staff SMARTbook, completely updated for 2020. Updated material includes the full scope of new material from ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (Jul ‘19); ADP 6-0, Mission Command (Jul ‘19); FM 3-0 (w/Change 1), Operations (Dec ‘17); FM 6-0 (w/change 2), Commander and Staff Organization and Operations (Apr ‘16); ATP 2-01.3, Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (Mar ‘19); ADP 3-19, Fires (Jul ‘19); ATP 3-60, Targeting (May ‘15); ATP 5-19 (w/change 1), Risk Management (Apr ‘14); and ADP 1-02, Terms and Military Symbols (Aug ‘19); and more. BSS6 also features a return of our premium GBC plastic-comb binding for a true open-flat reference experience!

The Battle Staff SMARTbook covers the operations process (ADP 5-0); commander’s activities; Army planning methodologies; the military decisionmaking process and troop leading procedures (FM 6-0 w/Chg 2: MDMP & TLP); integrating processes (IPB, information collection, targeting, risk management, and knowledge management); plans and orders (WARNORDs/FRAGORDs/OPORDs); mission command, C2 warfighting function tasks, command posts, liaison (ADP 6-0); rehearsals & after action reviews; and operational terms and military symbols (ADP 1-02).

The Army’s framework for organizing and putting command and control into action is the operations process—the major command and control activities performed during operations: planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation. Commanders use the operations process to drive the conceptual and detailed planning necessary to understand their operational environment (OE); visualize and describe the operation’s end state and operational approach; make and articulate decisions; and direct, lead, and assess operations.

Planning is the art and science of understanding a situation, envisioning a desired future, and laying out effective ways of bringing that future about. Preparation consists of those activities performed by units and Soldiers to improve their ability to execute an operation. Execution is the act of putting a plan into action by applying combat power to accomplish the mission and adjusting operations based on changes in the situation. Assessment is a continuous activity that supports decision making by ascertaining progress of the operation for the purpose of developing and refining plans and for making operations more effective.

Military Leadership & Training in a Complex World

TLS6 is the sixth edition of The Leader’s SMARTbook, completely updated for 2021. TLS6 incorporates the full scope of new material from ADP 6-22 Army Leadership and the Profession (with Change 1), ADP 7-0 Training, and FM 7-0 Train to Win in a Complex World. Jam-packed at 392 pages, topics and chapters include military leadership (ADP 6-22); leader development (FM 6-22); coach, counsel, and mentor (ATP 6-22.1), team building; (ATP 6-22.6), military training (ADP 7-0), train to win in a complex world (FM 7-0); unit training plans, meetings, schedules, briefs; conducting training events and exercises; training assessments, evaluations and after action reviews.

Among professions, the Army Profession has unique characteristics because of the lethality of our operations. The Nation tasks the Army to do many things besides combat operations, but ultimately the primary reason the Army exists is to fight and win the Nation’s wars through prompt and sustained land combat, as part of the joint force. The Army must always be prepared to accomplish this mission through the application of lethal force.

Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. As an element of combat power, leadership unifies the other elements of combat power (information, mission command, movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment and protection). Confident, competent, and informed leadership intensifies the effectiveness of the other elements of combat power.

The Army depends upon itself to develop adaptable leaders able to achieve mission accomplishment in dynamic, unstable, and complex environments. A robust, holistic leader development program is essential. Through a mix of education, training, and experience, Army leader development processes produce and sustain agile, adaptive, and innovative leaders who act with boldness and initiative in dynamic, complex situations to execute missions according to doctrine, orders, and training.

Leaders have three principal ways of developing others. They can provide knowledge and feedback through counseling, coaching, and mentoring. The military is a team of teams composed of numerous organizations with one overarching common mission: win the nation’s wars. The ability to build teams through mutual trust and maintain effective, cohesive teams throughout military operations is an essential skill for all commanders, staffs, and leaders.

The Army trains to win in a complex world. To fight and win in a chaotic, ambiguous, and complex environment, the Army trains to provide forces ready to conduct unified land operations. The Army does this by conducting tough, realistic, and challenging training. Training is the most important thing the Army does to prepare for operations. Training is the cornerstone of readiness. Readiness determines our Nation’s ability to fight and win in a complex global environment.

Planning & Conducting Tactical Operations

SUTS3: The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, 3rd Ed. is the third revised edition of The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, completely updated for 2019 to include ADP 3-90 Offense and Defense (Jul ‘19), FM 3-0 Operations w/Change 1 (Dec ‘17), FMs 3-90-1 & -2 (May ‘13), ATP 3-21.8 Infantry Platoon and Squad (Apr ‘16), ATP 3-21.10 Infantry Rifle Company (May ‘18), TC 3-21-76 The Ranger Handbook (Apr ‘17), and the latest versions of more than 20 additional references. SUTS3 also features a return of our premium GBC plastic-comb binding for a true open-flat reference experience!

At 344-pages, 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.

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.

The nature of close combat in land operations is unique. Combatants routinely come face-to-face with one another in large numbers in a wide variety of operational environments comprising all types of terrain. When other means fail to drive enemy forces from their positions, forces close with and destroy or capture them.

Offensive actions are combat operations conducted to defeat and destroy enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers. They impose the commander’s will on the enemy. A commander may also conduct offensive actions to deprive the enemy of resources, seize decisive terrain, deceive or divert the enemy, develop intelligence, or hold an enemy in position. The four primary offensive tasks are movement to contact, attack, exploitation, and pursuit.

A defensive task is a task conducted to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability tasks. Although on the defense, the commander remains alert for opportunities to attack the enemy. A defending force does not wait passively to be attacked, aggressively seeking ways of attriting and weakening enemy forces before close combat begins. There are three basic defensive tasks—area defense, mobile defense, and retrograde.

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 as a ready reference at the battalion, company, platoon, squad and fire team level.

Guide to Operational & Tactical Level Sustainment

SMFLS5:The Sustainment & Multifunctional Logistics SMARTbook, 5th Ed. has been completely updated for 2021. At 368 pages, SMFLS5 topics and references include the sustainment warfighting function (ADP 4-0); sustainment operations (FM 4-0), sustainment execution (logistics, financial management, personnel services, & health services support); sustainment planning; brigade support (ATP 4-90, Brigade Support Bn); division, corps & field army sustainment (ATP 4-93, Sustainment Brigade); theater support (ATP 4-94, Theater Support Command); joint logistics (JP 4-0); deployment & redeployment (ATP/JP 3-35); and more than a dozen additional new/updated Army sustainment references.

The sustainment warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that provide support and services to ensure freedom of action, extended operational reach, and prolong endurance. Sustainment determines the depth and duration of Army operations. Successful sustainment enables freedom of action by increasing the number of options available to the commander. Sustainment is essential for retaining and exploiting the initiative. The sustainment warfighting function consists of four elements: logistics, financial management, personnel services and health service support.

Sustainment is essential for conducting operations and generating combat power as the Army performs its strategic roles. Sustainment provides the operational commander freedom of action, operational reach, and prolonged endurance necessary to shape operational environments, prevent conflict, prevail in large-scale ground combat operations, and consolidate gains.

The effectiveness of the sustainment warfighting function is dependent upon actions of units and staffs at the operational and tactical levels. Execution is putting a plan into action by applying combat power to accomplish the mission. It focuses on actions to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. Sustainment determines the depth and duration of Army operations. It is essential to retaining and exploiting the initiative and it provides the support necessary to maintain operations until mission accomplishment. Failure to provide sustainment could cause a pause or culmination of an operation resulting in the loss of the initiative.

Train, Advise, & Assist

TAA2: The Military Engagement, Security Cooperation & Stability SMARTbook (with Change 1*) is the re-titled and re-focused second edition of The Stability, Peace & Counterinsurgency SMARTbook. Topics and references include the Range of Military Operations (JP 3-0); Train, Advise & Assist (SFA/FID/IDAD/HN/FSF); Stability Operations (JP & ADRP 3-07); Peace Operations (JP & FM 3-07.3); Counterinsurgency Operations (JP & FM 3-24); Civil-Military Operations (JP 3-57); Multinational Operations (JP 3-16); and Interorganizational Cooperation (JP 3-08).

* Change 1 to TAA2 (Sept 2017) incorporates new material and text edits from JP 3-0 (Jan 2017), JP 3-07 (Aug 2016), JP 3-20 (May 2017), JDN 1-3 (Apr 2013), and JP 3-08 (Oct 2016). An asterisk marks changed pages.

In the complex, dynamic operational environments of the 21st century, significant challenges to sustainable peace and security exist. Sources of instability that push parties toward violence include religious fanaticism, global competition for resources, climate change, residual territorial claims, ideology, ethnic tension, elitism, greed, and the desire for power. These factors create belts of state fragility and instability that threaten U.S. national security.

Throughout U.S. history, U.S. forces have learned that military force alone cannot secure sustainable peace. U.S. forces can only achieve sustainable peace through a comprehensive approach in which military objectives nest in a larger cooperative effort of the departments and agencies of the U.S. Government, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, multinational partners, the private sector, and the host nation.

Military engagement, security cooperation, and stability missions, tasks, and actions encompass a wide range of actions where the military instrument of national power is tasked to support OGAs and cooperate with IGOs (e.g., UN, NATO) and other countries to protect and enhance national security interests, deter conflict, and set conditions for future contingency operations.

Use of joint capabilities in these and related activities such as Security Force Assistance and Foreign Internal Defense helps shape the operational environment and keep the day-to-day tensions between nations or groups below the threshold of armed conflict while maintaining US global influence.

Stability operations are various military missions, tasks, and activities conducted outside the US in coordination with other instruments of national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment, provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief.

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.