text: Comprehensive Tactical Planning in Counterinsurgency
  SHORT-RANGE PLANNING
  4-29. Short-range planning represents the scope of detailed planning associated with a specific mission
  or one to four weeks of normal operations. With resources assigned through mid-range planning,
  short-range planning, the unit refines and expands the plan to include the tactical arrangement of forces,
  execution matrices, patrol schedules, ISR plans and convoys.
  4-30. A framework order is a fragmentary order (FRAGO) that identifies and tasks units for missions
  for one to four weeks. It has also been called a “steady state order.” An example is a battalion FRAGO that
  identifies the company that will patrol the route each day during the upcoming week. Table 4-3 shows
  possible short-range planning cycles for units.
  Table 4-3. COIN short-range planning cycle.
  Planning Action Planning Guidance Planning Horizon
  Brigade/Battalion/Squadron Meetings, 3 to 4 days prior to 1 to 4 weeks
  Calendars, and Framework FRAGOs execution
  Company Calendar and FRAGO 1 to 2 days prior to 1 week
  execution
  Section II—TACTICAL DESIGN
  During counterinsurgency operations, small units address immediate objectives through tactics such as a raid
  or cordon and search. These operations resemble the small unit actions of tactical units in major combat
  operations, and many of the planning tools apply directly. The counterinsurgent, however, must also
  accomplish objectives, which require time, assessment and continual redirection to accomplish tasks arranged
  in lines of effort. Thus, COIN is an iterative process. In addition to presenting commanders and staffs with
  objectives that must be accomplished both immediately and over time, counterinsurgencies typically present
  more tactical objectives to a unit than they can address simultaneously. The counterinsurgent must truly plan
  for full spectrum operations, transitioning from tasks that support one objective onto tasks that support a
  different objective often within the same day. A systematic approach must be developed that is tailored to the
  situation based on continuous assessment. While the complexities of major combat operations should not be
  underestimated, counterinsurgencies bring a different set of complexities that requires staffs to apply analytical
  tools to achieve mission success.
  CONSIDERATIONS
  4-31. The long, mid and short-range planning horizons help units establish a routine to assess the
  success of their plan and revise the plan based on a changing operational environment. COIN is an iterative
  process. —No unit—company, battalion, or brigade—understands its AO well enough to craft a perfect
  plan across all seven LOEs. Like a rheostat, each must be balanced against the others. Success in the
  Establish Civil Security and Establish Civil Control lines of effort typically allows units to focus less on
  security and more on support to governance and restoration of essential services LOEs. The most effective
  C2 mechanisms often give one single, permanent, senior local government official overall responsibility
  for the counterinsurgency in their AO. These local officials in turn establish a local board, composed
  of representatives from the civil authority, the military, the police, the intelligence services, and the civil
  population, who manage all civil or military assets inside their AO. Additionally, tactical design
  in counterinsurgency must consider how to—
  • Secure the populations and areas that remain loyal.
  • Reclaim the populations and areas that support the insurgency.
  • Eliminate the insurgency, politically, militarily and philosophically.
  • Develop Host Nation military and police forces that—
  (cid:131) Defend their own bases and other critical sites.