How Hard is Military Planning? - The Military Decision Making Process
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.พ. 2025
- A 22 minute overview of MDMP -
During my career as an Army Special Forces Officer, I received a significant amount of training on how to plan military operations and had countless opportunities to plan military operations and missions. I’ve even taught variations of the Military Decision Making Process in 8 different countries.
I helped write 100 pages operations orders that took a week to produce. But I’ve also held a map and imagery onto the nose of a helicopter and briefed pilots and a special forces team using my pencil as a pointer. It all depends on the amount of time you have and the quality and competence of your teammates.
Let’s take a look at Military planning which uses what is affectionately known as the Military Decision making process or MDMP. We will discuss the 7 steps of MDMP, their substeps, and throughout this video I will walk you thru a sample planning cycle for a conventional army military mission.
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Thanks for watching,
Christopher Littlestone
Life is a Special Operation
Are You Ready for It?
Love working for the 101st. Their ops tempo in garrison is high, but I always appreciate how good they are at what they do
THANK U!!!!!! You're a life saver, so many fundamentals mentioned! When i search about things a lot of posts are like "that's why is good to have" instead of explaining the actual stuff and here i feel i had a invaluable class. I feel even a bit intimidated because there's so much to learn, i wish i was younger and had more time! Thanks for helping me refocus on what i want to do in life, you have no idea how important this was.
Great video. Been waiting for this one. I didn't make it too far into my military career but I'm thankful I got to do MDMP with a BN Staff on an NTC rotation.
Excellent work as always. With Green Berets’ MDMP, we have some small differences with the PJ’s ones described in this video. When we performed COA comparison for instance, all parameters are not equally weighted, by multiplying each with a factor. Each parameter cannot have the same weight disposition as the other ones in the list. For instance, if you have 7 parameters in the comparison like in the example, then the first is multiplied by 1, the second by 2, the third by 3, so on and so forth. Also what is defined as number 1 parameter (ex. civilian casualties) Vs. number 2 (ex. violence of action) Vs. number 3 (securing MSR), Vs. etc., is defined at the COA analysis, so the team at the comparison stage is only focusing on the ranking of COA risks. (NB: Op. Joint Endeavor in Croatia was much different objectively, operationally and strategically, than OEF in Afghanistan).
I just love your ability to explain in simpler terms. So much easier to understand this way especially a dry topic like MDMP.
Was an analyst on Desert Storm. Specifically the 'Left Hook'. Cant count how many times and to how many people we had to deliver assessments, on a hamster wheel of meetings and presentations. I can only imagine what the decision making process on that was like. I do remember giving the exact same presentation to the exact same group 3 or 4 times in less than a week.
Very good analysis, plus layout of presentation. Focusing primarily on essentials and knowing why is the key for success on any given task in general. Thank for your efforts to democratise the knowledge. Good job, keep up.
I would say, Mission Analysis, is one of the most vital parts of MDMP. If you aren’t able to properly identify and assess the integral pieces of the mission, required assets, and know your own shortcomings the mission can be off to a really bad start from the very beginning. A close second would be risk assessment, as the most important part of our mission is making sure our guys come home safe and sound without needless casualties due to inadequate assessment, planning, or intelligence, but you can’t due this unless you know what you are capable of.
Thank you so much!!!
Great video!
In my opinion, Mission Analysis is the most important step of the MDMP with a special emphasis on the enemy situation with real time intelligence updates. The enemy always gets a vote and too often this is glossed over.
Very enlightening thank you.
Success has a hundred fathers, but failure is a unclaimed bastard child.
I like that proverb. I’ll try to remember that one.
Outstanding 👍🔥 thanks for KISS explanation
Looking forward to the Spec Ops planning video!
Thank you for this ❤ Video. For sure I like it. May God bless you.
Is this anything like METT-TC ? Does any of it use rectangular NATO symbology diagrams and arrows ??
Yes, especially when you are developing acetate overlays, you will primarily conduct this during mission analysis and COA dev.
Okay you guys doing your own sit rep is the craziest thing i have ever heard
Im Hondurean 🇭🇳
I was born in HONDURAS, I grew up in the United States.🇺🇲
To Study about the Enemy environment and Should know about his own Strength ,To fill all the criteria what to be need for the COA ,as you said that is the best
3:54 Or like Hill 975 from the book "They Marched into Sunlight" by David Maraniss ?
America ❤
How do higher ups determine the value of targets to provide orders?
is there is a checklist that would enhance of our planning mdmp ?
US Army can hire me ! ❤️😍
I have some experience in catering. Feeding 50 people requires planning and execution. With food allergies you can kill someone easily being careless while preparing food in mass. Imagine feeding a battalion (1000 men). The food alone is monumental. Now throw in ammunition, fuel, meds, etc. My Staff Sergeant father would always stress the 6 Ps:
Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance
Discipline is everything.
Do SF officers have the same type of pipeline as enlisted? I know they do a lot together but I’m wondering what they do during the enlisted period of language during training? Do officers have to learn a language too?
Is sound good but it does also gets a impression of government state run military training session influence the legitimate of the future research in this
In real operation, how much time does MDMP takes, from receiving the order from higher command to the moment when the plan is verbally exposed to military commanders ? thank you for your answer and for your high quality videos.
More than half of your stuff is already SOP. Trucks loaded, guns and comms tested. Your planning boards should be laminated and be, Fill in the blank. That’s how I had my comms boards. I don’t think we ever received missions from higher command. And if we did get something from higher, it was informal……like, Hey Bob, I need you to take a look at that Valley over there…..lol. Then, we gather OUR information from, Intel we gather…. And check out the Valley over there. Or We may get a request for assistance on ops from other teams. They may need a few extra teams for blocking and security positions…….but, Our missions are Team level, generated by intelligence, for that area. I remember one time some genius at the TF level, wanted a planning cell. I said, you want to tell SF teams how they are going to conduct their own missions? Good luck with that. You just sit back and approve conops. It’s not the planning time, it’s the Hit Time that’s Important……from there, we have to plan “backward or reverse” however you want to see it. But failing to Plan, is Planning to fail. Like Mike Tyson said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. You get to the Objective, and your plan unravels, it’s time to start calling variables like a Quarterback.
Written by Major General Merritt Austin Edson 1897-1955 USMC
Aylin Spring
Can anyone pick me up only for me to travel , in Tambla Lempira the Army definitely will need someone like me.
Lockman Shores
Based on
Antwan Lakes
Virginia Trace
Parker Branch
Alexzander Valley
Welch Wall
Jenkins Branch
Beaulah Springs
Lilyan Forks
Kohler Bypass
Brianne Passage
Brooke Burg
My assessment about the MDMP process in your presentation is that it's far too centralised and the process dependencies cause units to be in hurry up and wait mode when they could already perform operations. The moment the command selects COA(s), the situation has most likely already changed, rendering the plan outdated and ineffective, or possibly even detrimental. To reduce the reaction time, to mitigate risk and to ensure that units are more successful in operations, the COC should be more decentralised and able to coordinate with any local elements within the larger overall AO, especially in terms of intelligence to provide situational awareness. To be effective, leadership needs to be located within the OE. A centrally planned COA is likely to be ineffective because no matter how well briefed, the leadership will not have as good of an understanding of the specific conditions within a OE as someone who is and has operated in that OE for an extended period of time.
This approach also makes sense from the MDMP perspective, because a COA is determined by the specific conditions of the OEs within the larger AO at any given time.
So, the operating model comparison can be summarised to:
Few, big, cumbersome, slow, centralised, dictated, low initiative, higher risk. VS Many, small, agile, fast, decentralised, high initiative, lower risk.
To answer the question at the end of the video, the most important step of the MDMP process in my assessment is intelligence. By intelligence I mean the continuous process of evaluation to understand the conditions, because one is guaranteed to fail in operations without understanding the battlefield, oneself and the adversary.
@@Vaijykone Decentralisation and mission command is a concept somewhat misunderstood and have evolved to become just about anything people want it to be. What it originally was, was the General Staff system of education and command and control in the Prussian army, where a large corp of staff officers were educated along the same way so that when confronted with the same information, most will come up with roughly the same answers to the task at hand. "Staff officers" were because the actual commanders at the time were the nobility, who may not have had as much professional military education. This was so that officers up and down the line looking at the situation in front of them, then knowing what's to their left and right and what the fellow officers to their left and right will see and likely act, will all come up with reasonable orders to start issuing to their troops and initiate movements. The next part is equally important: they then send a copy of their orders to their subordinates to the commanders to their left and right, and also higher command. Higher commands may countermand the orders and issue specific orders. This style of command require constant communication laterally and vertically. There are many reasons why you may want to limit communication.
Two reasons I found through wargamming out the MDMP why centralisation are sometimes important: avoid fratricide and logistics. Theoretically, during the constant communication where everyone reports where they are and where they are going, a commander can know where the people to his left and right are and avoid shooting them. Practically, that's adding a lot of work in addition to already having to keep track of where your own subordinates are. Higher HQs with large command staffs can alleviate this stress on their subordinates, who are more likely to be already stressed because they are being shot at, by centralising commands and providing unit boundaries, fire limits, and telling everyone where everyone else are, where you go and where to stop. Higher HQs have the advantage of a larger staff and the ability to keep track of where everyone is; they should use it.
The second reason is logistics. This is possibly the most important factor in all military operation. The best operation plan will fall apart with crappy logistics. Logistics starts with higher HQ receiving bulk supplies, which then need to be broken down. One of the most vital thing the logistics staff need to do is to forecast their units' needs in the next 24, 48, 96 hours and submit requests accordingly. It's not even certain that supplies will arrive. Higher HQs have more information on what they have on hand overall and what they may have in the next few days, so they will have to use that to plan out operations. Platoons generally don't have more than 24-48 hours of on-hand supplies and companies have little more than 48-96 hours.
Carrie Track
It isnt hard, but they made it that way.
Rowland Burg
Lebsack Station
Friesen Curve
Pete Springs
Melissa Skyway
Crist Row
Cicero Fork
Maryam Park
Bauch Glen
Altenwerth Glen
Mertz Wells
What does Marksmanship training and qualifications look like for Green Berets and 75th Rangers?
I remember in basic at Jackson, all week long, I was scoring 38 and 39 out of 40 on the 300 meter range with irons on the M16/A2
But on qualification day, when they put up all targets so you could see exactly where they'll be, I was in the prone supported with my first 20 round mag. I lined up my sights on the 50 left and prepared for what I just knew was going to be a 40/40 run.
With all 3 of my platoon Drill Sergeants watching, I forgot to release my fucking bolt, and by the time I got the shot off, the 50 left for 3 seconds was already missed.
That set the tone for my run of 24/40 with a minimum passing score of 23. And THAT set the tone for every qualification I ever did in the Army. I'm great all throughout practice sessions. But I always choke under pressure when the score counts.
For those wondering, I always missed the 250 meter. Never once hit it. But I never missed my 300 meter.
Recently, through my membership at ModernDaySniper dot you know what, during the scoped carbine webinars, I learned about 5.56 trajectory with a standard 25/300 meter zero. I was sending rounds over the head of the 250 with a center mass hold!
#TheMoreYouKnow 😂
Mann Ridge
Ankunding Junctions
Emard Station
Bashirian Wall
Moore Mountain
You have done so much.
Now, what are they prepping for in america right now?? On our land?
Is ot for civilians? Or for people allready walked across the border??
Robert Shoals
Feeney Ports
Ondricka Oval
Stracke Plain
Good information, but don't read the slides.
In Ukraine Vs Russia, mostly from beginning of war, both sides complain about commander who left like meat 🍖 grinder
Fay Path
Bechtelar Plain
All planning depends mainly on the commander or who suppose to do plan, and the numbers given suppose to get by successful planning
My fear is that our mission commanders (and their bosses all the way up to the President) are so stuck in the box they’re not able or willing to consider what the enemy is thinking. Case in point: the Iraq War
Nikolaus Passage
Holy crap who would want the military to ever ever be involved in the planning
Kari Run
😇👍
For instance, Israel military was absent in beginning of hammas attack, I noticed this at first, then I found some Israel TH-cam vids explain that the Israel military come late and some civilian people who trained by Israel military was waiting but military didn't come
And for example, Israel military air assault was bad, not similar to this study diagram which shows air strike less damage and harm
Sort of hard.
Schaden Road
Krajcik Run
Here I am studying military operations for a dnd campaign at 3 am. I am probably on someone‘s watchlist
Wiegand Divide
Krajcik Fall
Hamill Summit
I will prepare my chicken 🐔 vegetables noodles soup, the weather start to become cold, and Tomorrow I will be training in my dojo and running, running is much healthy when weather cold
Some stuff shouldn’t be on the internet
Virtually all military doctrine is unclassified and freely available online--It's not a security risk.
Plus, this is very basic. Cadets and jr enlisted are taught this stuff
Its easy.....just follow what the illuminati & military industrial complex says.
So easy that a caveman can do it 😂😂😂😂😂