WARNO

A WARNO is issued as soon as the commander has sufficient information to give subordinates a head start on preparation. It reduces the planning burden by parallelizing subordinate planning with the commander's own MDMP process.

Standard WARNO Format (5 Elements)

1. Task Organization — Identifies which elements are under which headquarters for the upcoming operation.
2. Situation — Brief summary of enemy and friendly situations; enough context to start terrain analysis and reconnaissance tasks.
3. Mission — The restated mission from the higher HQ OPORD, or a preliminary mission statement if MDMP is ongoing.
4. General Instructions — Movement timelines, preparation tasks, reconnaissance assignments, coordination requirements.
5. Service Support Instructions — Logistics and sustainment guidance that can be issued early (e.g., resupply point, vehicle preparation).

Timing Guidance

Issue the WARNO as early as possible. The commander's one-third/two-thirds rule applies: the commander uses no more than one-third of available time for planning, leaving two-thirds for subordinates to plan, rehearse, and prepare.

Relationship to OPORD

A WARNO does not replace an OPORD. It sets conditions so that when the full OPORD is issued, subordinate commanders have already completed terrain walks, task-organized their elements, and issued their own WARNOs down the chain.