text: Mission Command
  Flexibility and Adaptability
  4-77. The mission command approach provides flexibility and adaptability, allowing subordinates to
  recognize and respond effectively to emerging conditions and to correct for the effects of fog and friction.
  Control informed by a mission command approach provides information that allows commanders to base
  their decisions and actions on the results of friendly and opponent actions,rather than rigid adherence to the
  plan. Commanders seek to build flexibility and adaptability into their plans.
  Support to Flexibility and Adaptability
  4-78. Control allows organizations to respond to change, whether due to opponent or friendly actions, or
  environmental conditions. Control supports flexibility and adaptability in two ways. First, it identifies the
  need to change the plan. It does this through anticipating or forecasting possible opponent actions and by
  identifying unexpected variances—opportunities or threats—from the plan. This occurs throughout the
  operations process. Second,control helps commanders develop and implement options to respond to these
  changes in a timely manner. Flexibility and adaptabilityprovided by the appropriate level of control reduces
  an opposing force’s available options while maintaining or expanding friendly options. Effective control
  provides for timely action before opposing forces can accomplish their objectives, allowing for the
  modification of plans as the situation changes.
  4-79. Instead of rigidly adhering to the plan,control focuses on information about emerging conditions. The
  mission command approach to control provides flexibility by—
  (cid:122) Allowing friendly forces to change theirtasks,their task organization,or their plan.
  (cid:122) Producing information about options to respond to changing conditions.
  (cid:122) Communicating the commander’s decisions quickly and accurately.
  (cid:122) Providing for rapid reframing when the plan changes during execution.
  (cid:122) Allowing collaborative planning to respond to the progress of operations.
  Decisions Points
  4-80. Adecision pointis a point in space and time when the commander or staff anticipates making a key
  decision concerning a specific course of action (JP 5-0). Decision points may be associated with the CCIRs,
  the friendly force,and the status of ongoing operations that describe what information the commander needs
  to make the anticipated decision. A decision point requires a decision by the commander. It does not dictate
  what the decision is, only that the commander must make one, and when and where it should be made to
  maximally impact friendly or enemy COAs or the accomplishment of stability operations tasks. Planners
  record decision points on a decision support template(DST),decision support matrix(DSM),and execution
  matrix.
  4-81. Adecision support templateis a combined intelligence and operations graphic based on the results of
  wargaming that depicts decision points, timelines associated with movement of forces and the flow of the
  operation, and other key items of information required to execute a specific friendly course of action
  (JP2-01.3). The DSTis refined as planning progresses and during execution. Part of the DSTis the DSM.
  4-82. Thedecision support matrixis a written record of a war-gamed course of action that describes decision
  points and associated actions at those decision points (ADP 5-0). It lists decision points,locations of decision
  points, criteria to be evaluated at decision points, actions that occur at decision points, and the units
  responsible to act on the decision points. The DSMdescribes where and when a decision must be made if a
  specific action occurs. It ties decision points to named area of interest (NAI), target area of interest(TAI),
  CCIRs,collection assets,and potential friendly response options. The DSMis refined as planning progresses
  and during execution:
  (cid:122) Named area of interest—a geospatial area or systems node or link against which information that
  will satisfy a specific information requirement can be collected,usually to capture indications of
  adversary courses of action (JP 2-01.3).
  (cid:122) Target area of interest—the geographical area where high-value targets can be acquired and
  engaged by friendly forces(JP 2-01.3).