text: The Offense
  gains fire superiority. The convergence of friendly forces at the decisive point is the riskiest part of any
  offensive operation.
  3-54. During offensive operations, various briefs and rehearsals are the primary tools for reducing risk
  identified during planning and preparation. The types of risks identified assist in determining the type of
  rehearsal conducted. Rehearsals should extend to all levels of command and involve all key players.
  3-55. Risk management considerations during offensive operations include—
  * Confirmation briefs to ensure leaders understand their assigned mission and key tasks.
  * Backbriefs to ensure subordinates’ course of actions meets their higher echelons commander’s
  intent.
  * Rehearsals to ensure shared understanding between units and refine applicable control measures
  to synchronize operations.
  3-56. The following factors may reveal risks during rehearsals:
  * Types of rehearsals such as combined arms or fires rehearsals.
  * Training and proficiency levels of units and individuals.
  * The habitual relationships between units conducting the offensive operation.
  * The physical readiness of the troops conducting the offensive operation.
  Area Security
  3-57. Area security operations typically support offensive operations by ensuring the continual conduct of
  sustainment operations that generate and maintain combat power to maintain tempo and extend operational
  reach. Additionally, area security operations allow units to provide protection to critical assets without a
  significant diversion of combat power. During the offense, various military organizations may be involved
  in conducting area security operations in an economy-of-force role to protect lines of communications,
  convoys, or critical fixed sites and radars. Bases and base camps employ local security measures (including
  explosive ordnance disposal, assessments and recommendations, random antiterrorism measures, and
  increased force protection conditions) but may be vulnerable to enemy or adversary remnant forces requiring
  a response that is beyond base camp capabilities. In support areas, units conduct area damage control to
  prevent and respond to the negative effects of enemy or adversary action that can diminish combat power.
  TRANSITIONS
  3-58. Units transition from offensive operations only when they result in complete victory and the end of
  hostilities, reach a culminating point, or receive a change in mission from a higher unit. Generally, units in
  the offense transition to the defense or stability. All offensive actions that do not achieve complete victory
  reach a culminating point for a variety of reasons, such as when—
  * Initiative shifts from the attacking force to the enemy.
  * Friendly forces encounter heavily defended areas that they cannot bypass.
  * Fuel, ammunition, and other supplies fail to keep up with expenditures.
  * Soldiers become physically exhausted.
  * Casualties and equipment losses become too much for an organization to handle.
  * Repairs and replacements do not keep pace with damage and losses.
  * Reserves or follow-on forces are not available to continue the advance.
  * Enemy reinforcements attack, or the defender counterattacks with fresh troops.
  Several of these causes may combine to halt an offense. In some cases, the unit can regain its momentum,
  but this only happens after difficult fighting or an operational pause.
  3-59. Transitions do not just occur between offense, defense, and stability operations. During offensive
  operations it may be necessary, or planned, for units to execute a short halt to operations without necessarily
  executing a transition. An example would be a unit executing a short halt in an assault position prior to
  maneuvering during an attack. The halt, or tactical pause, should be as brief as possible to ensure the unit
  does not lose momentum.