text: Mission Command
  their operational approach, and adjust operations to reflect those changes. (See ADP 6-0 for additional
  information.) The elements of control are—
  (cid:122) Direction.
  (cid:122) Feedback.
  (cid:122) Information.
  (cid:122) Communication.
  4-26. Control measures provide control without requiring detailed explanations. Control measures help
  commanders’direct actions by establishing responsibilities and limits that prevent subordinate unit actions
  from impeding one another. They foster coordination and cooperation between forces without unnecessarily
  restricting freedom of action. Good control measures foster freedom of action, decision-making, and
  individual initiative.
  4-27. Commanders use the minimum number of control measures necessary to control their forces.
  Commanders tailor their use of control measures to conform to the higher commander’s intent. They also
  consider the mission, terrain, and amount of authority delegated to subordinates. Effectively employing
  control measures requires commanders and staffs to understand their purposes and ramifications,including
  the permissions or limitations imposed on subordinates’ freedom of action and initiative. Each measure
  should have a specific purpose: mass the effects of combat power, synchronize subordinate forces’
  operations,or minimize the possibility of fratricide,civilian casualties,and unintended excessive collateral
  damage. (See chapter 6 section IV and chapter 7 section IV, respectively, for a detailed discussion and
  examples of offensive and defensive control measures.)
  SECTION II – COMMAND AND CONTROL WARFIGHTING FUNCTION
  4-28. Command and control—as a warfighting function—assists the BCT commander in the exercise of
  authority and direction over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of a mission. By itself,the
  command and control warfighting function cannot achieve objectives or accomplish missions. Mission
  accomplishment requires a common understanding of the principles of mission command and the integration
  and convergence of combat power, while emphasizing command and control that empowers subordinate
  decision-making and decentralized execution appropriate to the situation. The command and control
  warfighting function provides purpose and direction to the other warfighting functions. The command and
  control warfighting function (depicted in figure 4-1 on page 4-8) consists of the command and control
  warfighting function tasks and the command and control system. This section focuses on the related tasks
  and a system that enable the commander to synchronize and converge all elements of combat power. In
  addition to the major activities of the operations process—the Army’s framework for exercising command
  and control—it addresses the integrating processes used by the commander and staff to synchronize specific
  functions throughout the operations process. (SeeADP 6-0 for additional information.)