text: Chapter 3
  (cid:122) Brief guides, who are furnished by the ABNAF, on airfield traffic measures and locations of
  aircraft to be loaded. At dispersed locations, an ABNAF representative is located at the
  coordinationfacilitytoperformthisfunctionandtoactasindividualliaison.
  3-30. Commanders exchange liaison officers on a continuous duty status at echelons higher than ABNAF
  level. At BCT and lower echelons, the S-3 liaison officers, the S-3 Air, or unit air movement officer can
  performtheseduties.Foroperations oflessthan ABNIBCTsize,commandersexchangeliaisonofficersas
  needed.
  3-31. When the ABNAF is a follow-on force after a special operations force, it requests a liaison before
  arrival in the operational area. During the planning phase, a special operations force liaison officer is
  attached to the ABN IBCT along with all communications assets needed for immediate use with special
  operationsforces assetsatjoint specialoperations taskforce (JSOTF)and atthe objectivearea. The signal
  plan must standardize not only frequencies and call signs, but address visual signals, and day and night
  operationsaswell.(RefertoFM 3-05formoreinformation.)
  3-32. Subordinatecommandersmustconductconfirmationbriefsandbackbriefsonallaspectsoftheirplan
  to the next higher commander. The backbrief differs from the confirmation brief (a briefing subordinates
  give their higher commander immediately following receipt of an order) in that subordinate leaders are
  giventimeto completetheirplans.(Referto FM 6-0formore information.)Thisensuresthatunitplansare
  fullycoordinated and inconcert withthe commander’sintent.Commandersconductconfirmation briefs or
  backbriefs on a terrain model, a sand table, or a map. Planning for an airborne assault is a dynamic, fast-
  changingprocess. A change inone planimpactsother plans. Plans remain indraft until everycommander
  in the chain has conducted a confirmation brief or backbrief. All commanders must inform their
  subordinatesofchanges.
  3-33. Rehearsals are essential to the success of an airborne operation. They are conducted at every level,
  involvebothair, and ground components. Theyare performed onterrainsimilar tothe objective and under
  thesame conditions. Rehearsals maybe conducted on a sand table, terrainmodel, mock-up, or map, andif
  time permits a full-scale rehearsal. (See FM 6-0.) Rehearsals specific to airborne operations are listed in
  orderofpriorityasfollows:
  (cid:122) Groundtacticalplan.
  (cid:122) Landingplanwithemphasistoassembleonthe dropzone.
  (cid:122) Airmovementplanwithemphasisonaircraftloading.
  3-34. Leaders of the ABNAF must be able to make decisions to support the ABNTFC’s intent. Plans and
  intelligencemustbedisseminatedtothelowestlevelconsistentwithsecurityrequirements. (RefertoFM 2-
  0 for more information.) The staff follows securityrequirements in disseminating the intelligence required
  forsubordinateunits to developtheirplans.Intelligenceisprovidedona need-to-knowbasis. Asexecution
  approaches, units are provided with more detailed intelligence. The commitment of an ABNAF is sudden
  and complete; there is no time for the commander to orient forces immediately after landing. Plans and
  intelligencemustbethoroughlybriefedbeforetheoperationbegins.
  WARNINGORDERS
  3-35. To conduct an airborne assault, planning begins when the designated ABN IBCT receives a
  WARNORD from the ABNTF. The WARNORD specifies the ABNAFC and ABNTF task organization
  and allows the ABN IBCT staff to start initial planning and request supporting element liaison officers to
  reporttotheABNIBCTheadquartersearlyintheplanningphase.
  3-36. Once the ABNAFC receives the WARNORD, the planning process begins. This directive or
  WARNORDincludes(cid:650)
  (cid:122) Taskorganization.
  (cid:122) Missioncommandfortheoperation.
  (cid:122) Highercommander’s conceptofthe operation(includestentative scheme of maneuver/primary
  andalternatedropzonesandlandingzones).
  (cid:122) Missionsforsubordinateunits.
  (cid:122) Timeanddurationoftheoperation(includesgeneraltimeline).