ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
Page 84 of 440
Chapter 2 68 ATP 5-0.2-1 07 December 2020 Evaluation criteria results. COA comparison with recommended staff COA. COA decision and guidance. Note. If significant disagreement exists, the staff should inform the commander and discuss the disagreement. STEP 6. COA APPROVAL 2-223. With the staff recommendation, the commander picks the COA the commander thinks is best. The best COA meets the commander's intent and risk tolerances, and reflects an acceptable relationship between the evaluation criteria. Resources are then committed according to the commander's decision. If the commander rejects all COAs, the staff starts COA development again. If the commander modifies a proposed COA or gives the staff an entirely different one, the staff develops and analyzes the new COA and presents the results to the commander with a recommendation. Figure 2-13 depicts the purpose, inputs, processes, and outputs of COA approval. Figure 2-13. The MDMP Step 6. COA approval overview 2-224. After approving a COA, the commander issues final planning guidance. This guidance includes a refined commander's intent (if necessary); revised CCIRs to support execution; any additional guidance on priorities for warfighting functions, orders preparation, rehearsal, preparation, and resources to preserve freedom of action and ensure continuous sustainment. 2-225. In final planning guidance, commanders include the risk they are willing to accept. If time allows, commanders discuss acceptable risk with adjacent, subordinate, and senior commanders. However, commanders obtain their higher commander's approval for risks that might imperil accomplishing the higher commander's mission. 2-226. Based on the commander's decision and final planning guidance, the staff issues a WARNORD to subordinate headquarters. This WARNORD contains information subordinate units need to create or refine their plans. It confirms guidance issued and expands on details not covered by the commander personally. The WARNORD issued after COA approval normally contains— Paragraph 1 Complete situation paragraph. Paragraph 2 Approved mission statement.