text: Chapter 2
  both state and nonstate actors, in the context of their operational environment. When the commander
  understands the threat, the commander can visualize, describe, direct, lead, and assess operations to seize,
  exploit,and retain the initiative. Threats include any combination of actors,entities,or forces that have the
  capability and intent to harm U.S. forces, U.S. national interests, or the homeland. Threats may include
  individuals,groups of individuals (organized or not organized),paramilitary or military forces,nation-states,
  or national alliances. When threats execute their capability to do harm to the United States, they become
  categorized as an enemy. (See chapter 3 for a detailed discussion of the possible threats within the BCT’s
  operational environment.)
  2-15. Ahazardis a condition with the potential to cause injury,illness,or death of personnel;damage to or
  loss of equipment or property;or mission degradation (JP 3-33). Hazards include disease,extreme weather
  phenomena,solar flares,and areas contaminated by toxic materials. Hazards can damage or destroy life,vital
  resources,and institutions,or prevent mission accomplishment. Understanding hazards and their effects on
  operations allows the commander to understand better the terrain,weather,and various other factors that best
  support the mission. Understanding hazards also helps the commander visualize potential impacts on
  operations. Successful interpretation of the environment aids in correctly opposing threat courses of action
  (COAs)within a given geographical region. Possible hazards within the BCT’s operational environment are
  addressedthroughout this manual.
  SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS
  2-16. Specific operational environments include urban, mountain (includes cold weather regions), desert,
  and jungle. Subsurface areas are conditions found in all four operational environments. Offensive,defensive,
  and stability operations tasks in these environments follow the same planning process as operations in any
  other environment,but they do impose specific techniques and methods for success. The uniqueness of each
  environment may affect more than their physical aspects but also their informational systems, flow of
  information,and decision-making. As such,mission analysis must account for the information environment
  and cyberspace within each specific operational environment. Each specific operational environment has a
  specific manual because of their individual characteristics.
  Urban Terrain
  2-17. Operations in urban terrain are Infantry-centric combined arms operations that capitalize on the
  adaptive and innovative leaders at the squad,platoon,and company level. Plans must be flexible to promote
  disciplined initiative by subordinate leaders. Flexible plans are characterized by a simple scheme of maneuver
  and detailed control measures that enable combined arms operations. When assigning areas of operation to
  subordinate units, commanders must consider the size and density of the civilian population or
  noncombatantswithin urban terrain to prevent units from culminating early due to large numbers of civilians
  and noncombatants in their area of operations. In the offense, task organizing battalion and
  company-combined arms team at the right place and time is key to achieving the desired effects. In the
  defense, the combined arms team turns the environment’s characteristics to its advantage. Urban areas are
  ideal for the defense because they enhance the combat power of defending units. (See ATTP 3-06.11 and
  ATP 3-06 for additional information.)
  Mountainous Terrain and Cold Weather Environments
  2-18. Operations in mountainous terrain are conducted for three primary purposes: to deny an enemy a base
  of operations;to isolate and defeat enemy;and to secure linesof communication. Enemy tactics commonly
  involve short violent engagements followed by a hasty withdrawal through preplanned routes. The enemy
  often strikes quickly and fights only as long as the advantage of the initial surprise is in their favor. Attacks
  may include direct fires,indirect fires,or improvised explosive devices(IEDs)and may be against stationary
  or moving forces. The design of the landscape, coupled with climatic conditions, creates a unique set of
  mountain operations characteristics that are characterized by close fights with dismounted Infantry,
  decentralized small-unit operations, degraded mobility, increased movement times, restricted lines of
  communications,and operations in thinly populated areas. (SeeATP 3-90.97,ATP 3-21.50,and ATP3-21.18
  for additional information.)