ADP 5-0: The Operations Process

U.S. ArmyArmy Doctrine Publication 5-02019

Establishes the Army's framework for conducting military operations through four integrated activities — plan, prepare, execute, and assess — governed by the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) and centered on mission command.

ADP 5-0 defines how Army commanders and staffs think about and conduct military operations. It does not prescribe a rigid procedure — it establishes a framework that scales from the most time-constrained platoon-level operation to a corps-level campaign, anchored to the principle that command cannot be reduced to process.

The Operations Process

The operations process consists of four major activities that are continuous and overlapping throughout any operation:

        ┌─────────────┐
        │    PLAN     │
        └──────┬──────┘
               │
        ┌──────▼──────┐
        │   PREPARE   │◄──── ASSESS (continuous)
        └──────┬──────┘
               │
        ┌──────▼──────┐
        │   EXECUTE   │
        └─────────────┘

ASSESS is not a phase — it is continuous. Commanders assess throughout planning, preparation, and execution to determine whether the current plan remains valid or must be adjusted.

Plan

Planning translates the commander's visualization into a directive that organizes and directs forces toward a specific purpose. Two planning methodologies are used:

Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP)

The MDMP is a seven-step iterative process used when time permits:

Step	Activity
1	Receipt of Mission — acknowledge, issue WARNO #1, conduct initial assessment
2	Mission Analysis — METT-TC, restated mission, CCIR, initial guidance
3	COA Development — generate 2–3 viable courses of action
4	COA Analysis (War Game) — synchronize each COA against enemy COAs using action-reaction-counteraction
5	COA Comparison — evaluate COAs against established criteria; recommend best
6	COA Approval — commander selects COA, provides planning guidance
7	Orders Production, Dissemination, and Transition — produce OPORD, brief subordinates

Troop Leading Procedures (TLP)

For small-unit leaders (squad through company), TLP is the abbreviated MDMP:

Receive the mission
Issue a warning order
Make a tentative plan
Initiate movement
Conduct reconnaissance
Complete the plan
Issue the order
Supervise and refine

TLP steps are not strictly sequential — steps 4 (initiate movement) and 5 (conduct recon) may occur before the plan is finalized.

Prepare

Preparation activities are those that improve the unit's ability to execute an operation. Key preparation activities:

Reconnaissance and surveillance — fill intelligence gaps identified during METT-TC
Task organization adjustments — task-organize attachments, establish command relationships
Movement to the assembly area — position forces for H-Hour
Rehearsals — the most important preparation activity
Precombat checks and inspections (PCC/PCI) — verify equipment, communications, ammunition
Coordination and liaison — synchronize with adjacent units, supporting elements, host-nation forces
Sustainment preparation — pre-position Class V, establish CCP, confirm MEDEVAC plan

Rehearsal Types

Type	Method	Purpose
Full dress rehearsal	All forces, actual terrain	Highest fidelity, most resource-intensive
Reduced force rehearsal	Key leaders only	Efficient when full rehearsal not feasible
Terrain model	Scale model or sand table	Most common; good for coordination
Map rehearsal	Map only	Fastest; used in time-constrained situations
Digital rehearsal	Battle simulation	Allows rapid iteration, good for synchronization

Execute

Execution is the act of putting a plan in motion. Effective execution requires:

Battle rhythm — a deliberate cycle of events (syncs, briefings, reports) that enables continuous assessment
Commander's presence — commanders position themselves where they can best influence critical events
Combat information and intelligence — processing incoming reports and updating situational awareness
Decision execution — executing branches and sequels as the operation develops beyond the planned COA

Execution Tools

OPORD and FRAGO — direct action; FRAGO adjusts the OPORD without re-issuing it in full
CCIR — information requirements that, when answered, change a decision
Commander's Decision Points — pre-planned moments in the operation when the commander will make a go/no-go or branch decision
Battle tracking — maintaining common operational picture (COP) across all echelons

Assess

Assessment measures the overall effectiveness of the operation relative to the commander's intent and desired end state.

Assessment Framework

Measures of Performance (MOP) — did we do what we said we would do? (task completion)
Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) — is what we did having the desired effect? (outcome assessment)

Continuous Assessment Cycle

Monitor current operations against the plan
Evaluate deviations and their causes
Recommend adjustments to the plan
Re-plan or issue FRAGO as required

Commander's Role in the Operations Process

ADP 5-0 emphasizes that the operations process belongs to the commander, not the staff. The commander:

Drives the process — provides intent, guidance, and decisions at each step
Leads the staff — the staff exists to extend the commander's capacity, not to replace judgment
Continuously assesses — does not wait for staff products to form conclusions
Builds teams — creates shared understanding across the force so subordinates can act without explicit direction

The fundamental tension ADP 5-0 navigates: process provides rigor; judgment provides adaptation. Neither alone produces effective operations.

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