Marine Corps Planning Process

Marine Corps Planning Process

Course of Action Development (step 2) and

Course of Action Analysis (step 3)

Course of Action Comparison/Decision (step4)

Orders Development (step 5)

Transition (step 6)

Course of Action Development:

A course of action (COA) is a plan, stated in broad terms, which when implemented, helps the unit to accomplish the approved mission statement.
The products from mission analysis, plus additional commander's guidance which may include; any preconditions, shaping conditions; timing of the operation; phasing and the reserve are factored into the various COA. The relative combat power of both friendly and enemy forces; and an evaluation of the environment, weather, terrain and time will assist in preparing viable courses of action.
As COA are being developed to achieve the desired end state, the medical planner evaluates each one for the ability of the HSS system to support it. A Casualty estimate for each COA will assist in determining HSS requirements and supportability. The medical intelligence brief will include inherent medical considerations in that region and the probability of disease nonbattle injuries (DNBI). The terrain and weather in the brief will assist in the evacuation plan. The road conditions may present a difficulty in moving casualties in ground vehicles. The weather may pose a difficulty in moving casualties by helo. All of these issues affect the supportability of the medical plan. Do not forget to consider EPW management, refugee movement and treatment in your plan. It is important to get guidance as to the weather refugees will be cared for and to what degree when planning for supplies. Will the terrain support the placement of a surgical hospital?
Multiple viable COA are developed. Generally a COA will address a question. What is the most likely action the enemy will take? What would be the most advantageous action for us? What would be the worst case scenario? If we are very successful and we cause twice as many EPW can we support it? Can we support the previous example if we stretch our lines of communication because we are moving forward quickly or not?
The OPT then prepares statements and graphics for each COA plus any supporting material. The Commander is briefed on all COA.

Course of Action Analysis

The purpose of this step is to recommend specific COA to the Commander
Each COA is assessed again after wargaming with respect to suitability, feasibility, flexibility, and acceptability. When each COA was developed these issues were all considered.
The wargame is against an "enemy staff" called a red cell. The red cell personnel do not have any commitment to any of the COA developed. They were developing their own plan against the "friendly staff" while the COA were developed.
Wargaming each COA will help identify strengths and weakness' of each COA, identify risks, identify asset shortfalls, and help determine needs for further planning.
After the wargaming, the Commander is briefed on the results.

Course of Action Comparison/Decision

After the COA analysis the Commander takes the wargame results, staff recommendations (including the medical estimate) ,MSC estimates of supportability and decides on a COA.
Three basic products result from the comparison/decision process.

The Course of Action forms the foundation for the concept of operations.
The principal staff estimates and battlespace function estimates provide information for annexes and appendices to the new operations order.
The templates and matrices developed throughout this process serve as transition tools. An alert order is issued, which builds on the warning order sent out after mission analysis.

Orders Development

The Health Services Annex is developed in this section. It can be written as an appendix to the Logistics Annex -Appendix 6 to Annex D (Logistics) or as its own Annex (Annex Q).
The format for the appendix is found in section S4 Logistics in this web site, with the subsection HSS Annex/LOI
The format for the Annex Q is found at the Medical Planner's Resource Center website. That can be found by navigating to the Medical Officer of the USMC site then click on Medical Planner's Resources and then click on the appropriate site.

Transition

Transiton occurs when future operations passes the plan to current operations.
This brief seeks to establish situational awareness for the staff that must carry out the OPLAN.
A representative from the OPT briefs current operations and can hopefully answer most questions since he was involved in the planning directly.

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