text: Chapter 4
  Ground Tactical Plan
  The ground tactical plan is the base from which commanders develop all other plans.
  They must complete the ground tactical plan before finalizing the landing plan, the
  air movement plan, and the marshalling plan. It provides the commander’s intent, his
  concept of the operation, fire support plan, and task organization of the units making
  the initial airborne assault. Ground combat following airborne operations is
  conducted along conventional lines but under unusual conditions. Once these
  conditions are appreciated, the tactics and methods of ground combat can be applied
  after the executionofairborneoperations.
  SECTION I – ELEMENTS
  4-1. The ground tacticalplanfollowinganairborne assaultcontainsessentiallythe same elementsasother
  offensive operations. The elements, driven by the evaluation of the mission variables of METT-TC, are
  prepared to capitalize on speed and mobility to achieve surprise. Elements critical to the ground tactical
  planinclude(cid:650)
  TASK ORGANIZATION
  4-2. Task organization is a temporary grouping of forces designed to accomplish a particular mission
  (ADRP 5-0). Once ABNAFC determines the principal features of the ground assault plan (scheme of
  maneuver and fire support), he task organizes subordinate units to execute assigned missions and
  determines boundaries. To ensure unity of effort or to increase readiness for combat, part or all of the
  subordinate units of a command can be formed into one or more temporary tactical groupings (teams or
  taskforces),eachunder a designated commander.Infantryunitsusuallyformthenucleustacticalgroupings
  of the team; Infantry unit commanders lead the teams. These teams are tailored for the initial airborne
  assault by the attachment of required supporting units. They are attached as soon as possible in the
  marshalling area. Many of the units detach as soon as centralized control can be regained and the parent
  unitheadquarterscanbe established onthe ground. After the taskorganizationof Soldiersfor the airborne
  assault is announced, units organize into assault, follow-on, and rear echelons. (Refer to chapter 2 of this
  publicationformoreinformation.)
  (cid:122) Assault echelon. The assault echelon is composed of those forces required to seize the assault
  objectivesandtheinitialairhead,plustheirreservesandsupporting Soldiers.
  (cid:122) Follow-onechelon.The airborneforcedoes not needthefollow-onechelonintheobjective area
  duringtheinitialassault,butdoesneeditforsubsequentoperations.Whenneeded,thefollow-on
  echelonentersthe objectiveareaassoonaspracticalbyair,surface movement,or a combination
  ofthetwo.
  (cid:122) Rear echelon. The rear echelon includes the part of an airborne unit that is not considered
  essential for initial combat operations. It includes people left at its rear base to perform
  administrativeandsupportfunctionsthatcannotbedoneefficientlyinthecombatarea.
  MISSION STATEMENT
  4-3. The ABNAFC’s mission statement is a short sentence or paragraph that describes the ABNAF‘s
  essentialtask(or tasks) and purpose— a clear statementof the actionto be takenand the reasonfor doing
  so. The mission is analyzed in terms of the commander‘s intent two echelons up, mission statement
  (mission essential task and purpose) of the higher headquarters, specified tasks, and implied tasks. The