text: Fire Support and the Operations Process
  FIRE SUPPORT AND THE MILITARY DECISION-MAKING
  PROCESS
  3-52. The FS staff and FA planners must strive to conduct parallel planning with the higher HQ staff. It is
  important that staff estimates, to include the intelligence estimate, sustainment estimate, engineer estimate,
  FS estimate, and the commander's estimate are updated prior to beginning MDMP and updated continuously
  throughout the process.
  RECEIPT OF MISSION
  3-53. Upon receipt of mission (see table 3-3), the commander and staff consider implications of the new
  mission on the current fight and the friendly force current situation. After an initial assessment, FS assets and
  supporting FA units are alerted as soon as practicable to initiate their own collaborative and parallel planning
  efforts (first warning order). FSEs, and FAIOs should also ensure that all IPOE products to include likely
  enemy COAs are released to subordinate HQ as soon as cleared by the force G-2/S-2 to enhance parallel
  planning and IPOE preparation at the lower levels of command. This warning order should provide
  subordinate FA elements the following as a minimum: FS planning begins with mission analysis. During
  mission analysis FS planners provide recommendations for possible FS task inputs based on the commander's
  guidance for FS and desired effects.
  * Type of operation to be conducted.
  * General outline of the AO.
  * Any known or anticipated changes in the FA organization for combat.
  * FSCMs, communications, and sustainment plan.
  * Initial timelines.
  3-54. The supported commander's planning guidance normally establishes options to be considered and
  essential tasks to be addressed. They may include enemy and friendly COAs to be pursued or rejected,
  associated priorities, and a time plan for mission planning, preparation, and execution. The accompanying
  commander's proposed intent provides the foundation for developing the eventual concept of operations. By
  outlining considerations for developing a scheme of maneuver, the commander also sets the stage for the
  allocation of forces and the design of supporting plans and annexes to include the FS and FA support plans.
  Table 3-3. Fire support element during receipt of mission
  MDMP STEP 1: RECEIPT OF MISSION
  Staff Actions Key FSE Actions FSE Output
  •Alert the staff and •Collect higher HQ OPLAN/OPORD, •Updated fires running
  other key maps, current IPOE, and fires running estimate.
  participants. estimate. •Provide updated facts to
  •Gather the tools. •Update fires running estimate; gather higher, lower, and adjacent HQ.
  •Update running facts from higher, lower, and adjacent •Fire support input to IPOE and
  estimates. FSEs, Fires Cells, and FA CPs. reconnaissance and
  •Conduct initial •Provide FS input during formulation of the surveillance tasking.
  assessment. commander’s initial guidance and initial
  warning order.
  •Issue the
  commander’s initial
  guidance.
  •Issue the warning
  order.
  CP – command post, FA – field artillery, FS – fire support, FSE – fire support element, HQ – headquarters,
  IPOE – intelligence preparation of the operational environment, OPLAN – operation plan, OPORD – operation order
  Fire Support Running Estimate
  3-55. The FS running estimate helps the commander build and maintain situational understanding and a
  realistic analysis of the effort allowing the commander to determine the effectiveness of attacks, revise
  support plans based on observed results, and re-prioritize the FS requirements. A running estimate is the