4. Service Support
Rations, ammo, weapons, medical supply, repair parts, etc.
Location of additional supplies
Destruction plan (own equipment and enemy equipment)
Point of contact (POC) for supply requirements (S-4)
Locations of helicopter landing zones (HLZ)
Transportation to assembly area (AA), airfields, etc.
MWR support (showers, chow hall, gym, laundry, PX)
Maintenance/storage facilities for vehicles and sensitive items
Medical. This section describes in detail the responsibilities of all medical personnel on the mission. It should include:
Identification of medics
Medic location throughout operation
Health and hygiene of unit
Casualty collection point (CCP) location and markings
SOP for moving and marking wounded
Priorities for medical treatment and movement
SOP for individual first aid kit (IFAK) contents and location
SOP for tourniquets location
Medical evacuation (land, air, or combination)
Grid locations for CASEVAC HLZs (primary/alternate)
Location of hospitals (grid and route)
Call sign, frequency, and phone number of hospital
Precoordinated POC in hospital and phone number
Grid of hospital HLZ
Call sign and frequency of CASEVAC
CASEVAC SOP for medical equipment
CASEVAC theater SOP:
Alerting CASEVAC; HLZ set-up and far and near recognition signals; Loading of wounded; Additional considerations
Precoordination with medical facility:
Facility on standby; Ready to receive; Special equipment/skill sets on standby
5. Command and Signal
Chain of command:
Location of higher commander, C2/C4, and key
Location of key personnel (see task organization):
During each phase of operation; During actions on the objective; During movement
Succession of command/assumption of command
Adjustments to unit SOP
Signal:
Current signal operating instructions in effect/will remain throughout the operation; Methods of communication—PACE (primary, alternate, contingency, emergency); Electronic; Visual (laser, lights, hand and arm, pyrotechnic, etc.)
Who
Frequency
Call Sign
B Command
__________
__________
Fire Support
__________
__________
MEDEVAC
__________
__________
Company
__________
__________
Platoon
__________
__________
Platoon Sergeant
__________
__________
1st Squad Leader
__________
__________
2nd Squad Leader
__________
__________
3rd Squad Leader
__________
__________
Weapons Squad
__________
__________
Verbal:
Challenge password (number/code) _____________
Running password _____________
Pro-words (initiate action) _____________
Code words (conceal activity) _____________
Brevity code (conceal/shorten SITREP) _____________
Identify friendly forces (IFF):
Uniform/equipment; Glint tape/flag; IR chemlight; IR strobe light; Other
Special instructions to communications soldier
Unit SOP for five-point contingency plan (GOTWA)
The OPORD should conclude with a space for questions, annexes (see next section), and time hack (common time from the GPS).
ANNEXES
Operation order annexes are necessary to facilitate understanding of complex or critical tasks by the main effort and supporting units.
Information issued in annex form can include:
•Fire support.
•Air assault.
•Aerial resupply.
•Truck movement.
•Patrol base.
•Linkup.
•Any other complex part of the overall mission.
Annexes are prepared for supporting units whose portion of the mission is not addressed thoroughly enough in the OPORD, or when a supporting unit sends a representative for the OPORD and not the whole supporting unit. For example, an entire artillery unit will not attend the OPORD briefing but will need clear concise information on the best way to support the mission. Annexes are always issued after the operations order. Some examples are below.
Fire Support Annex
Reference: map, fire support overlay
1. Situation
Enemy forces (reference the base document)
Friendly forces:
Location of units that are/may provide fire support; Fire support plans of supporting units (if known); Additional fire support resources that may become available (air, naval gunfire, artillery, mortars, etc.)
2. Mission
Who; What (fire support tasks); Where; When; Why (purpose)
3. Execution
Concept of the operation:
What is the mission; Major groupings of fire means/needs; Priority of fires; Targets (how many/grids)
Air support:
Task(s); Priorities to ground units; Specific control arrangements; Control measures
Field artillery/naval gunfire (NGF) support:
General concept; Phasing; Duration; Indirect; Trajectory limitations
Frequency allocations:
Method of engagement; Control
Coordinating instruction:
Fire support coordination measures to be used; Effective times and the time for operations to begin; Coordinating instructions on target engagement; High payoff target list, if developed
4. Service Support
At a minimum, include what communications/signaling equipment the team will deploy with
5. Command and Signal
Command:
Chain of command; Location of fire support officer throughout the operation
Signal:
Give means/method of requesting fire support
What radios and frequencies will the team use to control:
Close-air support (CAS); Emergency close-air support (ECAS); Naval gunfire (NGF); Field artillery (FA)
Frequencies (primary/alternate/plain text)
Communications schedule
Authentication (verbal/visual)
Air Assault Annex
1. Situation
Enemy situation:
Enemy air capability; Enemy air defense artillery (ADA) capability; Weather, % illumination, illumination angle, NVG window, ceiling, and visibility
Friendly Situation:
Units supporting operation; Friendly ADA status
2. Mission
Who; What (task); Where; When; Why (purpose)
3. Execution
Concept of the operation
Sub-unit missions
Coordinating instructions:
Pickup zone (PZ):
Name/number; Coordinates/grid; Load time; Take-off time; Markings; Control; Landing formation; Approach and departure directions; Alternate PZ (name, number, grid); Penetration points; Extraction points
Landing zone (LZ):
Name/number; Coordinates; H-hour; Markings; Control; Landing formation/direction; Alternate LZ (name, number, grid); Deception plan (Extraction plan, Extraction LZ); Laager site (area—cardinal direction/distance/azimuth—communications, and security force); Flight routes and alternates; Abort criteria; Down aircraft/crew; Designated area of recovery (DAR); Special instructions; Cross-load considerations; Aircraft speed; Aircraft altitude; Aircraft crank time; Rehearsal schedule/plan; Actions on enemy contact (en route and on ground)