text: FM 2-22.3_________________________________________________________________________________
  of the intelligence process occur continuously throughout the intelligence
  process. (See Figure 1-1.)
  • Plan. This step of the intelligence process consists of activities that
  include assessing the situation, envisioning a desired outcome (also
  known as setting the vision), identifying pertinent information and
  intelligence requirements, developing a strategy for ISR operations to
  satisfy those requirements, directing intelligence operations, and
  synchronizing the ISR effort. The commander’s intent, planning
  guidance, and commander’s critical information requirements (CCIRs)
  (priority information requirements [PIRs] and friendly force
  information requirements [FFIRs]) drive the planning of intelligence
  operations. Commanders must involve their supporting staff judge
  advocate (SJA) when planning intelligence operations (especially
  HUMINT operations). Planning, managing, and coordinating these
  operations are continuous activities necessary to obtain information
  and produce intelligence essential to decisionmaking.
  • Prepare. This step includes those staff and leader activities that take
  place upon receiving the operations plan (OPLAN), operations order
  (OPORD), warning order (WARNO), or commander’s intent to improve
  the unit’s ability to execute tasks or missions and survive on the
  battlefield.
  • Collect. Recent ISR doctrine necessitates that the entire staff,
  especially the G3/S3 and G2/S2, must change their reconnaissance and
  surveillance (R&S) mindset to conducting ISR. The staff must carefully
  focus ISR on the CCIR but also enable the quick re-tasking of units
  and assets as the situation changes. This doctrinal requirement
  ensures that the enemy situation, not just our OPLAN, “drives” ISR
  operations. Well-developed procedures and carefully planned flexibility
  to support emerging targets, changing requirements, and the need to
  support combat assessment are critical. The G3/S3 and G2/S2 play a
  critical role in this challenging task that is sometimes referred to as
  “fighting ISR” because it is so staff intensive during planning and
  execution (it is an operation within the operation). Elements of all
  units on the battlefield obtain information and data about enemy
  forces, activities, facilities, and resources as well as information
  concerning the environmental and geographical characteristics of a
  particular area.
  • Process. This step converts relevant information into a form suitable
  for analysis, production, or immediate use by the commander.
  Processing also includes sorting through large amounts of collected
  information and intelligence (multidiscipline reports from the unit’s
  ISR assets, lateral and higher echelon units and organizations, and
  non-MI elements in the battlespace). Processing identifies and exploits
  that information which is pertinent to the commander’s intelligence
  requirements and facilitates situational understanding. Examples of
  processing include developing film, enhancing imagery, translating a
  document from a foreign language, converting electronic data into a
  standardized report that can be analyzed by a system operator, and