1. Religious Inputs/Outputs
MDMP Steps
Receipt of mission
Mission Analysis
Course of Action (COA) Development
COA Analysis
(War Game)
COA Comparison
COA Approval
Orders Production, Dissemination and Transition
Outputs
Commander’s initial guidance
Initial allocation of time
Problem and mission statements
Initial CDR intent
Initial planning guidance
Updated IBP/Running estimates
Assumptions
Courses of Action (COA)
Refined COAs
Potential decision points
War-game results
Initial assessment measures
Update assumption
Approved COA
Adv/Disadvantages of each COA
COA Selection
Update running estimates
Update assumptions
Consider throughout analysis/war gaming
Consider consequences of each COA
Consider during COA development
Religious Inputs/Outputs
Gather/Research /Assess/
RS capability requirements for RS concept of support development for (new) mission (Provide/Advise)
Determine RS internal and external advisement requirements (Advise)
Continue RS for current mission (Provide/Advise)
Determine and Develop
Religious support requirements for each COA for RS concept of support development (Provide/Advise)
Religious impact on operations (Assess religious factors)
COA Religious Considerations Allies/Others
Religious acceptability – Allies/population
Analyze
RS requirements for development of RS concept of support (Provide/Advise)
Religious Feasibility
Religious Acceptability
Religious Suitability
Compare
Religious requirements for RS concept of support for each COA/by phase (Provide/Advise)
Religious Factors Impact on each COA/by phase (Advise)
Update running estimate
Execute/Assess
Develop/Execute RS concept of support (Provide/ Advise)
Communicate plan to higher/subordinates and supervise subordinate RS planning/execution (Provide/ Advise)
Assess for next planning cycle and update running estimate (Provide and Advise)
(Provide/Advise)
(Advise)
Decision making in the military
As complex as the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) is, religion must now be included in the process. The inclusion of religious factors in Mission Analysis provides a more robust picture of the situation and can allow for a more comprehensive plan of action. While there are situations in which cultural factors may not be applicable or appropriate for mission accomplishment, they will provide a more comprehensive understanding of possible reactions of the populace and allow for additional planning to compensate for those reactions. Religious information should be viewed as a tool, rather than a hindrance.

2. Step 1 Receipt of Mission
MDMP Inputs
MDMP Outputs
Step 1
Higher headquarters’ plan or a new mission anticipated by the commander
Alert the staff and key participants
Gather Tools
Conduct Initial Assessment
Step 1
Receipt of
Mission
Commander’s initial guidance
Initial allocation of time
Issue Warning Order
Warning Order #1
Initial Warning Order: Includes at a minimum the type of operation, general location of the operation, the initial timeline, and any movement or reconnaissance necessary
Targeting
Blank Targeting Support Matrix (TSM)
Blank asset chart
Blank AGM, HPTL, & TSS chart
Problem Statement – a concise statement of the issue or issues requiring resolution
The mission statement contains the elements of who, what, when, where, and why, but seldom specifies how.
Commander’s intent - Expanded purpose, key tasks, and end state.
IPB
Determine available assets by WfF.

3. MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 2
Mission Analysis Briefing format (proposed):
Mission and commander‘s intent of the headquarters two levels up.
Mission, commander‘s intent, and concept of operations of the headquarters one level up.
A proposed problem statement.
A proposed mission statement.
Review of the commander‘s initial guidance.
Initial IPB products, including civil considerations that impact the conduct of operations.
Specified, implied, and essential tasks.
Pertinent facts and assumptions.
Constraints.
Forces available and resource shortfalls.
Initial risk assessment.
Proposed information themes and messages.
Proposed CCIRs and EEFIs.
Initial ISR plan.
Recommended timeline.
Recommended collaborative planning sessions
Higher headquarters’ plan or order
Higher headquarters’ knowledge and intelligence products
Knowledge products from other organizations
Develop proposed Problem Statement
Develop a proposed mission statement
Develop initial commander’s intent
Develop initial planning guidance
Update running estimates
Determine specified, implied, and essential tasks
Review available assets
Determine constraints
Design Concept (if developed)
Perform Initial IPB
Identify critical facts and develop assumptions
Develop initial CCIRs and EEFIs
Develop initial R&S synchronization tools
Develop R&S plan
Update plan for use of available time
Develop initial themes and messages
Begin composite risk management
4 Steps of IPB
Define the operational environment.
Describe the effects of the operational environment.
Evaluate the threat.
Determine threat courses of action.
Step 2
Mission
Analysis
MDMP Outputs
Approved Problem Statement
Approved Mission Statement
Issue initial commander's intent
Issue initial planning guidance
Issue initial CCIRs and EEFIs
Updated IPB and running estimates
Updated assumptions
Conduct mission Analysis Brief
Issue initial themes and messages
Resource shortfalls
Issue updated operational timeline
Issue
Publish updated operational timeline
Develop COA evaluation criteria
Present the mission analysis briefing
Targeting
• Perform target value analysis to develop fire support (including cyber/electromagnetic and inform/influence activities) high- value targets.
• Provide fire support, inform/influence, and cyber/electromagnetic activities input to the commander’s targeting guidance and desired effects.
Issue Warning Order
Warning Order #2
Approved mission statement
Commander’s intent
Changes to task organization
Unit AO (sketch, overlay, some other description)
CCIRs and EEFIs
Risk guidance
Priorities of war fighting functions
Military deception guidance
Essential stability tasks
Specific priorities
Targeting
Develop High Payoff Target List
Develop Named Areas of Interests (NAIs)
Develop TSS / AGM

4. Religious Inputs/Outputs
Gather/Research /Assess/
RS capability requirements for RS concept of support development for (new) mission (Provide/Advise)
Determine RS internal and external advisement requirements (Advise)
Continue RS for current mission (Provide/Advise)

5. MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 3 Step 3 Course of Action (COA)
Development
Access relative combat power
Approved problem statement
Approve mission statement
Initial commander’s intent, planning guidance, CCIRs, and EEFIs
Updated IPB and running estimates
Facts and Assumptions
COA Briefing format:
An updated IPB.
Possible enemy COAs.
The approved problem statement and mission statement.
The commander‘s and higher commander‘s intent.
COA statements and sketches, including lines of effort if used.
The rationale for each COA, including—
Considerations that might affect enemy COAs.
Critical events for each COA.
Deductions resulting from the relative combat power analysis.
The reason units are arrayed as shown on the sketch.
The reason the staff used the selected control measures.
The impact on civilians.
How the COA accounts for essential stability tasks / LOE.
Updated facts and assumptions.
Refined COA evaluation criteria.
COA Statements and sketches
- Tentative task organizations
- Broad concept of the operations
Generate options
Identify resource shortfalls
Updated Facts and Assumptions
Updated IPB and running estimates
Revised planning guidance
Conduct COA briefing
Select or modify COAs for continued analysis
Targeting
• Designate potential high-payoff targets.
• Deconflict and coordinate potential high payoff targets.
• Develop high-payoff target list.
• Establish target selection standards.
• Develop attack guidance matrix.
• Develop fire support and cyber/electromagnetic activities tasks.
• Develop associated measures of performance and measures of effectiveness.
Receive HPTL
The COA decision briefing includes:
The commander‘s intent of the higher and next higher commanders.
The status of the force and its components.
The current IPB.
The COAs considered, including—
Assumptions used.
Results of running estimates.
A summary of the war game for each COA, including critical events, modifications to any COA, and war-game results.
Advantages and disadvantages (including risk) of each COA.
The recommended COA. If a significant disagreement exists, then the staff should inform the commander and, if necessary, discuss the disagreement.

6. Religious Inputs/Outputs
Determine and Develop
Religious support requirements for each COA for RS concept of support development (Provide/Advise)
Religious impact on operations (Assess religious factors)
COA Religious Considerations Allies/Others
Religious acceptability – Allies/population

7. MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 4 Step 4 COA Analysis (War Game)
Updated running estimates
Revised planning guidance
COA Statement and sketch
Updated Facts and Assumptions
Refined COAs
Potential Decision Points
War gaming results
Initial assessment measures
Updated assumptions
War-game briefing format includes the following:
Higher HQ‘s mission, commander‘s intent, and military deception plan.
Updated IPB.
Friendly and enemy COAs that were war-gamed, including—
Critical events.
Possible enemy actions and reactions.
Possible impact on civilians.
Possible media impacts.
Modifications to the COAs.
Strengths and weaknesses.
Results of the war game.
Assumptions.
War-gaming technique used.
Targeting
Targeting
Provide hard copy of TSM, HPTL, AGM, and TSS (part of order requirements)
Targeting
Finish TSM with input from all WfF
Refine AGM and TSS
Develop targeting FSCM

8. Religious Inputs/Outputs
Analyze
RS requirements for development of RS concept of support (Provide/Advise)
Religious Feasibility
Religious Acceptability
Religious Suitability

9. MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 5 MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 6 Step 5
COA
Comparison
Updated Running Estimates
Evaluate COAs
Evaluation Criteria
Recommended COA
Updated assumptions
Evaluated COAs
Recommended COAs
Updated running estimates
Updated assumptions
Refine TSM wit input from all WfF
Refine AGM and TSSDevelop target list and FSCM
MDMP Inputs
MDMP Outputs
Step 6
Commander-selected COA and any modifications
Refined commander’s intent, CCIRs, EEFIs
Updated assumptions
Targeting
Finalize the high-payoff target list.
Finalize target selection standards.
Finalize the attack guidance matrix.
Finalize the targeting synchronization matrix.
Finalize fire support tasks.
Finalize associated measures of
performance and measures of effectiveness.
Submit information requirements to S-2.
Step 6
COA
Approval
Updated Running Estimates
Refined COAs
Evaluation Criteria
War-game result
Issue Warning Order
Warning Order #3
Mission
Commander’s intent
Updated CCIRs and EEFIs
Concept of the operations
The AO
Principal tasks assigned to subordinate units
Preparations and rehearsal instructions not included in the SOPs
Final timeline for the operations.
Refine TSM wit input from all WfF
Refine AGM and TSS Develop target list and FSCM

10. Religious Inputs/Outputs
Compare
Religious requirements for RS concept of support for each COA/by phase (Provide/Advise)
Religious Factors Impact on each COA/by phase (Advise)
Update running estimate

11. MDMP Inputs MDMP Outputs Step 7
Commander-selected COA with any modifications
Refined commander’s intent, CCIRs, and EEFIs
Updated assumptions
Step 7
Orders
Production
Approved operations plan or order
Plans and Orders Format (page 12-16)
Base OPORD
SITUATION
MISSION
EXECUTION
SUSTAINMENT
COMMAND & SIGNAL
ANNEXES:
A – Task Organization
B – Intelligence
C – Operations
D – Fires
E – Protection
F – Sustainment
G – Engineer
H – Signal
I – not used
J – Inform and Influence Activities
K – Civil Affairs Operations
L – Reconnaissance and Surveillance
M – Assessment
N – Space Operations
O – not used
P – Host-Nation Support
Q – spare
R – Reports
S – Special Technical Operations
T , W, X, Y– spares
U – Inspector General
V – Interagency Coordination
Z – Distribution

12. Religious Inputs/Outputs
Execute/Assess
Develop/Execute RS concept of support (Provide/ Advise)
Communicate plan to higher/subordinates and supervise subordinate RS planning/execution (Provide/ Advise)
Assess for next planning cycle and update running estimate (Provide and Advise)