Strategic Estimates
Joint Operational Planning is the overreaching and collaborative process that guides the commander throughout the decision-making process for military operations. Military commanders are necessitated to make strategic decisions constantly. In their day to day operations, they work cooperatively with their staffs, such as SGM/CSMs in resolving basic and complex routine issues. While making decisions, they integrate their knowledge, professional judgment, and experience to make strategic estimates. Assessing the operational environment enables commanders as well as their staffs the full context of the operational environment to differentiate between what is known and the unknown and develop operative assumptions with regards to how opponents and the military force will interact within the environment.
The operational environment encompasses the land, air, space, sea, as well as the information setting and associated rival and neutral systems such a socio-economic, infrastructure, legal, and informational, which are necessary for understanding the exact joint operation (NWC, 2013). Assessing and understanding the operational environment requires more than analyzing the opponent’s military force and other battle capacities within the current operational environment. For accurate strategic estimates are made after identifying the critical rival’s competences and point out the vital operational environmental forces such as the terrain, geographical location, weather, health, and environmental risks, gauging attitudes of indigenous people, and potential avenues of an attack like sea, land, and air approach. The information acquired from the operational environment is used throughout the phases of military operations planning which helps in making effective strategic decisions that supports the set combat goals.
As a future SGM/CSM there is a need to understand these operational variables to provide the command with an accurate advisory for strategic estimates in military operations. Understanding the operational variables helps in the development of a reliable strategic plan, and the command can make credible decisions without risking the lives of the military force. The global environment is today’s characterized by regional chaos, unconventional threats, and increased production of weapons across different territories (DOD, 2014). As dictated by the joint doctrine, succeeding in the defense operations requires recognition of reality and operating with clarity. It is the assessment of the operational variables that mandates an adaptive and flexible planning approach and increases cooperation between parties. The understanding also helps in coordinating efforts of the allies and other security agencies within the region. For this reason, future SGM/CSM needs to understand how the variables affect operational planning.
Moreover, the commander charges the SGM/CSM with the responsibility of considering all the possible options for strategic response and their respective outcomes. Since the military must accomplish the set missions in submission to the combat and national values, decisive victory is a necessity to avoid avoidable casualties (NWC, 2013). Therefore, the SGM/CSM must understand the operational environment and provide accurate and reliable information to guide the command in deciding the most appropriate military operations.
Categorically, it is the responsibility of the SGM/CSM to conduct an in-depth investigation and understand the operational variables in a specific setting to provide accurate information for strategic estimates. A comprehensive understanding of the planning process and the operational environment are necessary for absolute accuracy.
References
DOD. (2014). Joint Strategic & Operational Planning For Planners. The Lightening Press. Retrieved from: https://www.thelightningpress.com/bookstore/book/54/?getsample=1
NWC. ( 2013). Joint Operation Planning Process (JOPP)Workbook. JMO Department, Naval War College. Retrieved from: https://dnnlgwick.blob.core.windows.net/portals/0/NWCDepartments/Joint%20Military%20Operations%20Department/NWC-4111J-July-2013-chg1.pdf?sr=b&si=DNNFileManagerPolicy&sig=dddVUnI7j1yBrhnm6yva7zTW7QJW8TG9UdvCLD%2Fhruo%3D
