text: Religious Support and the Operations Process
  recurring duty and responsibility, provided that the team has analyzed and cataloged its tasks. Well-written
  SOPs are an effective, combat-oriented set of procedures, and should produce—
  * Simplified, brief combat orders.
  * An enhanced understanding and teamwork among commanders, staffs, and troops.
  * Standard synchronized staff drills.
  * Standard abbreviated or accelerated decision-making techniques.
  RUNNING ESTIMATE
  4-9. Situational awareness is the immediate knowledge of the conditions of an operation, constrained
  geographically and in time. It is the chaplain section and UMT knowing what is currently happening around
  them based on information and knowledge products, such as the common operating picture and running
  estimates. Situational understanding is the product of applying analysis and judgment to relevant information
  to determine the relationships among the mission variables to facilitate decision making. It enables chaplains
  and religious affairs specialists to determine the implications of what is happening and forecast what may
  happen. (See ATP 1-05.01 for a sample running estimate.)
  4-10. The running estimate is the intentional and continuous assessment of current and future operations to
  determine if the current operation is proceeding according to commander’s intent and if planned future
  operations are supportable. Building and maintaining running estimates is a primary task of each staff section.
  Chaplain sections and UMTs maintain a running estimate to facilitate situational awareness and
  understanding and use a running estimate throughout the operations process. A comprehensive running
  estimate addresses all aspects of an operation based on the two required capabilities of religious leader and
  professional military religious advisor and the three core competencies of nurture, care, and honor. A running
  estimate is a tool that enhances a commander’s visualization of religion within an OE. Failure to maintain
  running estimates may lead to errors or omissions that result in flawed RS plans or bad decisions. Key
  information recorded in the running estimate is included in orders, particularly in the functional annexes.
  4-11. The running estimate analyzes how the factors considered in the mission analysis affect the ability to
  accomplish the RS mission and how religion may impact unit operations. The chaplain and religious affairs
  specialist consider all elements of the mission which could influence RS. The running estimate ensures
  careful and intentional planning and execution by following a logical, continuous, and methodical process.
  (See FM 6-0 for more information on running estimates and the operations process [planning, preparation,
  execution, and assessment]). During the MDMP, the running estimate acts as an analysis tool enabling the
  UMT to see—
  * How RS functions and tasks impact the unit mission and other staff section actions.
  * How mission variables and other staff section actions impact the execution of current and future
  RS functions and tasks.
  4-12. As part of the planning process and production of the running estimate, a religious area analysis is one
  resource to assist and advise the command in situational awareness and understanding. The chaplain advises
  the commander and staff on the beliefs, practices, and customs of religious groups in the AO, and the impact
  that local religions may have on the conduct of the mission. Common concerns include religious
  organizations and doctrines, practices and customs, and places of worship, shrines, and other holy sites.
  Chaplain sections and UMTs must coordinate with other staff sections and agencies (civil affairs, cultural
  advisors, intelligence, information operations, and other UMTs) for staff feedback in order to gain a
  comprehensive base of knowledge that supports the needs of the commander. Like the running estimate,
  chaplains and religious affairs specialists continuously refine the religious area analysis as new information
  emerges.
  CONCEPT OF RELIGIOUS SUPPORT AND RELIGIOUS SUPPORT PLAN
  4-13. The product of this planning process is a concept of RS and an RS plan. The RS plan informs the
  commander and staff of the concept of RS. The RS plan is flexible and informed by the concept of RS to
  support the unit’s mission requirements while operating in a complex and uncertain OE. Chaplain sections
  and UMTs provide RS on a different scale and at different times based on the unit mission and capabilities.