text: The Brigade Combat Team and the Operational Environment
  integral to each other. In fact,any activity that occurs in the information environment simultaneously occurs
  in and affects one or more of the operational environment domains.
  2-9. The information environment is comprised of three dimensions: physical,informational,and cognitive.
  Within the physical dimension of the information environment is the connective infrastructure that supports
  the transmission,reception, and storage of information. Also,within this dimension are tangible actions or
  events that transmit a message in and of themselves, such as reconnaissance patrols, ground and aerial
  surveillance,civil affairs projects,and intelligence operations efforts. Within the informational dimension is
  the content or data itself. The informational dimension refers to content and flow of information,such as text
  or images, or data that staffs can collect, process, store, disseminate, and display. The informational
  dimension provides the necessary link between the physical and cognitive dimensions. Within the cognitive
  dimension are the minds of those who are affected by and act upon information. These minds range from
  friendly commanders and leaders,to foreign audiences affecting or being affected by operations,to enemy,
  threat or adversarial decision makers. (See FM 3-13, chapter 1 for additional information about each
  dimension.)
  2-10. The information element of combat power (see paragraph 2-79) is integral to optimizing combat power,
  particularly given the increasing relevance of operations in and through the information environment to
  achieve decisive outcomes. Information operations and the information element of combat power are related
  but not the same. Information is a resource. As a resource,it must be obtained,developed,refined,distributed,
  and protected. Information operations,along with knowledge management and information management,are
  ways the BCT can harness this resource and ensure its availability,as well asoperationalize and optimize it.
  (See paragraphs 4-88to 4-96for a discussion of knowledge and information management).
  2-11. The operational environment of the BCT includes all enemy,adversarial,friendly,and neutral systems
  across the range of military operations and is part of the higher commander’s operational environment. The
  BCT’s operational environment includes the physical environment,the state of governance,technology,and
  local resources,and the culture of the local populace. As the operational environment for each operation is
  different, it also evolves as the operation progresses. Commander and staff continually assess and reassess
  the operational environment as they seek to understand how changes in the nature of threats and other
  variables affect not only their force but other actors as well. The commander and staff use the Army design
  methodology (see paragraph 4-47), operational variables, and mission variables to analyze an operational
  environment in support of the operations process.
  Operational and Mission Variables
  2-12. When alerted for deployment,redeployment within a theater of operations,or assigned a mission,the
  BCT’s assigned higher headquarters (generally the division) provides an analysis of the operational
  environment. That analysis includes operational variables, a comprehensive set of information categories
  used to describe an operational environment (ADP 1-01). The categories are political, military, economic,
  social,information,infrastructure,physical environment,and time(PMESII-PT).The purpose of operational
  variables is to provide a broad, general set of information categories that assist commanders and staffs in
  analyzing and developing a comprehensive understanding of an operational environment.
  2-13. Upon receipt of a mission,commander and staff filter information categorized by operational variables
  into relevant information—all information of importance to the commander and staff in the exercise of
  command and control (ADP 6-0)—with respect to the assigned mission. The commander uses mission
  variables—the categories of specific information needed to conduct operations (ADP 1-01), to focus on
  specific elements of an operational environment during mission analysis. This analysis enables the
  commander and staff to combine operational variables and tactical-level information with knowledge about
  local conditions relevant to their mission. Mission variables are mission,enemy,terrain and weather,troops
  and support available, time available, civil considerations (METT-TC). (See FM 6-0 for additional
  information.)
  Threat and Hazards
  2-14. For every operation, threats and hazards are a fundamental part of the operational environment.
  Commanders at all levels must understand threats,criminal networks,enemies, and adversaries,to include