text: Chapter 4
  ARMY STRATEGIC CONTEXTS
  4-4. Army doctrine describes the strategic situation through three contexts—competition, crisis, and armed
  conflict—in which Army forces conduct operations (see figure 4-1 on page 4-1). Therefore, the rest of this
  publication uses the Army strategic contexts as a major doctrinal construct to discuss intelligence. Supporting
  Army forces, as part of unified action, across the strategic contexts require an effective intelligence
  warfighting function that is continuously vigilant and flexible. The Army synchronizes its intelligence effort
  with unified action partners to achieve unity of effort and meet the commander’s intent. Intelligence unity of
  effort is critical in accomplishing the mission. The character of effective and flexible intelligence support
  transitions across the Army strategic contexts.
  INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT
  4-5. Effective intelligence support assists in identifying and creating exploitable advantages in the OE. It is
  important to note—some peer threats view themselves in continual conflict, whether war in the traditional
  sense has begun. Intelligence professionals must consider this peer threat perspective and seek advantages to
  provide commanders with options against the threat across the strategic contexts. The intelligence staff must
  also understand how intelligence warfighting function capabilities support the tenets and imperatives of
  operations across the strategic contexts—doing so optimizes the integration of operations and intelligence.
  While some intelligence tasks and activities are specific to certain strategic contexts, many of the tasks and
  activities span across all three strategic contexts. Commanders and staffs must collaborate with the
  intelligence staff to adequately address the planning, collection and PED, storage and safeguarding, and
  analysis of intelligence and associated contextual data during each Army strategic context.
  4-6. The intelligence staff must coordinate with the rest of the staff continuously. This coordination ensures
  the first imperative of operations—see yourself, see the enemy, and understand the OE—is always at the
  forefront of synchronizing operations and intelligence and identifying advantages against threat forces.
  Threat forces seek advantages in multiple domains and dimensions to overwhelm U.S. forces’ ability to react.
  At times, these advantages are not readily identified because threat activities, windows of opportunity, and
  friendly efforts to exploit those windows and reach an advantage occur over extended time windows (in some
  situations, over decades). Successful intelligence operations must remain agile and flexible to continuously
  monitor OE changes and friendly and enemy strategic and operational effects, so the commander and staff
  can adjust forces and capabilities when needed.
  Long-Term Situational Understanding Challenges
  The broad nature of the Army strategic contexts and long-duration time windows are
  challenges to Army commanders and staffs. While many aspects of the theater are inherently
  national- and joint-level activities, the Army also has an important role. The effort to provide
  continuous situational understanding across the strategic contexts and account for all
  domains and dimensions is carefully focused through the operational variables (PMESII-PT)
  and pre-mission analysis of the OE. Focusing a large volume of information and intelligence
  down to a manageable amount of relevant information is time-consuming and requires
  detailed analysis. Often, there are limitations on the conduct of information collection during
  competition—and sometimes during crisis. Despite these challenges, Army commanders and
  staffs must support the planning and execution of flexible deterrent and response options as
  well as defeat and stability mechanisms to achieve desired end states. Gaps and problems
  with gaining situational understanding during competition can result in an even greater
  challenge as friendly forces transition into crisis and armed conflict.