text: Chapter 3
  avoided (ADP 3-90). The establishment of bypass criteria requires the commander, staff, and subordinate
  commanders to develop a plan and allocate resources to maintain visual contact with bypassed or bypassing
  threat elements. Commanders visualize how they expect engagements to be conducted and create their
  engagement criteria to both retain freedom of maneuver and prevent a decisive engagement. The squadron
  commander must consider information engagement and how the squadron interacts and influences the
  local population.
  3-55. Merely defining engagement criteria using terms like “aggressive” or “discreet” is not sufficient.
  Engagement criteria should be defined using precise doctrinal terms. Again, the squadron commander issues
  specific planning guidance to define the engagement criteria. Commanders use size and description of the
  enemy composition to create an understanding for their unit of the engagement criteria. The staff and
  subordinate commanders refine that guidance into specific execution information. Examples include
  the following:
  * Engagement criteria.
  * Engagement priorities.
  * Direct fire control measures to mass fires and control fire distribution.
  * Guidance for actions on contact.
  * Bypass criteria.
  * Reconnaissance handover criteria.
  * Priority of fires.
  * Rules of engagement or rules for use of force.
  * Fire support coordination measures.
  * Weapons control status.
  Disengagement Criteria
  3-56. Disengagement criteria are protocols that specify those circumstances where a friendly force must
  break contact with the direct fire and observed indirect fire to prevent decisive engagement. The commander
  develops the disengagement criteria for reconnaissance operations. The disengagement criteria are
  enemy-based and given in quantifiable terms. The disengagement criteria are well-thought-out, developed in
  the planning process to prevent Cavalry units from becoming decisively engaged, and allow them to retain
  freedom of maneuver. A disengagement involves moving to a location where enemy forces cannot engage
  friendly forces through direct fire contact or observed indirect fires. The disengagement criteria indicate the
  conditions or size of enemy forces such that contact may spoil mission objectives or enemy forces may
  overmatch the Cavalry unit.
  Commander’s Security Guidance
  3-57. Although similar to the reconnaissance guidance, the commander’s security guidance has unique
  components that require additional consideration and planning in addition to the reconnaissance guidance.
  Commanders provide clear security guidance that offers freedom of action and direction to ensure their
  organic Cavalry organizations can accomplish the stated objectives within the required timeframe. The
  commander’s security planning guidance provides a clear understanding of the Cavalry organization’s task,
  purpose, and objective, and the security operation’s protection requirements. The components of the
  commander’s security guidance are—
  * Focus.
  * Security duration.
  * Engagement criteria and disengagement criteria.
  Focus
  3-58. The security focus defines what the Cavalry organization is to protect and why. The focus describes
  the expected results of the security operation and has four categories: threat, terrain, civil, and friendly. (Refer
  to chapter 5 for additional information on security operations.) The security focus could change during each
  phase of the security operation.