text: The Brigade Combat Team and the Operational Environment
  attacking enemy’s defeat. The plan allows the corps or division to shift and synchronize combat power where
  necessary to reinforce MBA units. Spoiling attacks and counterattacks designed to disrupt the enemy and to
  prevent the enemy from massing or exploiting success are part of MBA operations. The headquarters future
  operations and plans integrating cells conduct contingency planning to counter potential enemy penetrations
  of forward defenses within the MBA. The key consideration before diverting any assets from the corps or
  division’s decisive operation is if the threat to its sustainment capabilities jeopardizes mission
  accomplishment. Although a corps or division may sustain the temporary loss of sustainment from its support
  area,it loses the battle if defeated in the MBA. (Seechapter 7 for additional information on the defense.)
  2-65. Corps and division offensive and defensive plans must address how preparations for,and the conduct
  of, operations impact the civilian population of the area of operations. This includes the conduct of
  noncombatant evacuation operations for U.S. civilians and other authorized groups. The BCT commander’s
  legaland moralobligations to that civilian population must be met as long as meeting those obligations does
  not deprive the defense of necessary resources. The commander is legally and morally responsible for the
  decisions made by,and actions of the BCT and must plan and have the foresight to mitigate and reduce the
  risk of unintended effects such as excessive collateral damage and negative psychological impacts on
  noncombatant populace. Those effects may be positive or negative—which create or reinforce instability in
  the area of operations. Improper planning could lead to severe consequences that adversely affect efforts to
  gain or maintain legitimacy and impede the attainment of both short term and long-term goals for the U.S.
  forces commander. (SeeADP 1 for additional information.)
  2-66. Ideally,the host-nation government will have the capability to provide area security for its population
  and conduct the sixstability operations tasks. To the extent that a host-nation government is unable to conduct
  the immediately necessary minimum-essential stability operations tasks, the defending unit will perform
  stability operations tasks within its capability and request further support. Corps and division commanders
  analyze the situations they face to determine the minimum essential stability operations tasks and the priority
  associated with each task. This analysis includes a plan to consolidate gains in operational areas once
  large-scale combat operations culminate. (Seechapter 8 for additional information on stability.)
  2-67. As the consolidation of gains is an integral part of all operations,corps and division commanders assign
  purposefully task organized forces consolidation areas (see figure 2-2 on page 2-18) within their assigned
  area of operations to begin consolidate gains activities concurrent with large-scale combat operations.
  Consolidate gains activities provide freedom of action and higher tempo for those forces committed to the
  close and deep support areas. Forces begin consolidate gains activities after achieving a minimum level of
  control and when there are no on-going large-scale combat operations in a specific portion of their area of
  operations. Designating a maneuver force responsible for consolidation areas enables freedom of action for
  units in the other corps and division areas by allowing them to focus on their assigned tasks and expediting
  the achievement of the overall purpose of the operation.