The Logical Way To Estimate The Situation
Categories: OFFICERS' RESERVE CORPSMilitary Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual
1st. Consider exactly what you are to do, i.e., your mission as set
forth in the orders or instructions under which you are acting or as
deduced by you from your knowledge of the situation.
2d. Consider all available information of the enemy. What is his
strength? How is he situated? What is he going to do? etc.
3d. Consider all conditions affecting your own troops. What advantages
in number
etc.
4th. Consider the terrain in so far as it affects the situation.
5th. Consider the various plans of action open to you and decide upon
the one that will best enable you to accomplish your mission (carry out
your task); that is to say, come to a decision.
It is now necessary to express that decision in the form of an order as
the quarterback did in giving the signal, 44--11--17--5.
To enable the will of the commander to be quickly understood, and to
secure prompt cooeperation among his subordinates, field orders are
required to follow a general form.
Under the stress and strain of an engagement there are many causes of
excitement. Unless we have trained ourselves to act along certain lines
in issuing orders, we may forget some important considerations. We have
known people of superb intelligence to do poorly before a large audience
simply from lack of training and experience.
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