text: Mission Command
  Figure 4-4. Decision points (planning options)
  4-86. In coordination with the BCT, the battalion commander and staff in figure 4-4 develop control
  measures to help coordinate actions throughout its assigned area of operation. The commander, primarily
  assisted by the S-3 and S-2, develops decision points for the commitment of the battalion to each location
  based on relative locations and rates of movement of the battalion and the enemy. In this example,the S-2
  selected NAIs to identify the enemy’s rate and direction of movement to support the commander’s decision
  of where to fight the engagement.
  4-87. The commander and staff determine where andunder what conditions the reserve force is likely to be
  employed in order to position it effectively. The commander provides specific planning guidance to the
  reserve to include priority for planning. The reserve force commander analyzes assigned planningpriorities,
  conducts the coordination with units that will be affected by maneuver and commitment, and provides
  information to the commander and staff on routes and employment times to designated critical points on the
  battlefield. The reserve commander should also expect to receive specific decision points and triggers for
  employment on each contingency. This guidance allows the reserve commander to conduct quality rehearsals
  and to anticipate commitment as the commandermonitors the fight.
  Situational Understanding
  4-88. Success in operations demands timely and effective decisions based on applying judgment to available
  information and knowledge. Throughout the conduct of operations,the BCT commander (supported by the
  staff and subordinate commanders and in coordination with unified action partners) seeks to build and
  maintain situational understanding. Situational understanding—the product of applying analysis and
  judgment to relevant information to determine the relationships among the operational and mission variables
  (ADP 6-0)—is used to facilitate decision-making. The BCT staff uses knowledge management and
  information management to extract knowledge from the vast amount of available information. This enables
  the staff to provide knowledge to the commander as recommendations and running estimates to help the
  commander build and maintain situational understanding.