Inputs: (Required) R&S analysis briefing; (Required) EITHER the BCT WARNORD1 OR confirmation of the SQDN’s R&S situ- ational understanding with the BCT by the SCO/BRO.


Outputs: SCO directed COA; updated situation; approved mission statement and commander’s intent/CRG/CSG; any changes to task organization; subordi- nate unit AO delineation; updated CCIRs; updated IC plan; and updated timeline. Together, these outputs are the SQDN WARNORD2.


Critical Events: The critical events dur- ing Step 3a are a confirmation with the BCT, a SCO directed COA, and the publi- cation of squadron’s WARNORD2.


Confirmation Brief: Prior to the SCO issu- ing their directed COA, the squadron needs to again confirm with the BCT that their understood future actions are nested with the BCT’s requirements. Ideally, this is provided to the squadron in the form of BCT WARNORD1, but it is more likely that key leaders from the squadron will need to reach up to the BCT for confirmation. The minimum audience to do so should be the SCO speaking with either the BCT commander or the BCT S3, though prefer- ably the squadron S3, S2, and IC manager will each confirm with their BCT counter- parts as well.


(ALTERNATIVE) Step 3b: Course of Action Development.


If, at the conclusion of R&S analysis, the SCO and the staff do not sufficiently un- derstand the OE for the commander to provide a directed COA, the SCO will di- rect the staff to begin COA development, identical to the third step of MDMP. While time-consuming, if the SCO is unable to understand and/or visualize future oper- ations due to a lack in knowledge, then the MDMP process of COA development is the best suited method for developing and presenting a single COA that meets the SCO’s intent and then to allow the squadron to move on to COA validation, after publishing WARNORD2.


Step 4: Course of Action Validation. Timeline: 90 minutes. Occurs while the BCT staff conducts IPOE.


Inputs: (Required) SCO directed COA.


Outputs: Completed COA that meets COA screening criteria;5 SQDN WARNORD3


Spring 2026 CAVALRY & ARMOR JOURNAL


with updated situation/AO, task organi- zation, mission statement, CDR’s intent/ CRG/CSG, CCIR, concept of the operation, task/purpose to subordinate units, time- line, and graphics.


Critical Events: Critical to this step is the validation process, in which the SCO’s directed COA is validated by the SQDN staff to ensure that it meets the COA screening criteria. The COA is adjusted as needed to meet these criteria. This step is not COA development and should move much quicker than Step 3 of the MDMP – it is only designed to validate the scree- ning criteria of a directed COA. The CPP Step 4’s required audience is a represen- tative from each WfF, while representa- tives from all staff sections is preferred.


Step 5: Course of Action Analysis. Timeline: Two hours. Completed approx- imately as the BCT completes IPOE.


Inputs: Validated COA.


Outputs: COA analysis, or wargaming, in the CPP is identical to Step 4 (of the same name) in MDMP. Outputs are the COA analysis brief and fighting products. Fight- ing products, always subject to the SCO’s discretion, are recommended to include an ICSM, CCIR, CRG/CSG, fire support execution matrix (FSEM), sustainment common operating picture (COP) with medical COP (MEDCOP), and any oper- ational matrix directed by the SCO such as an execution matrix (EXMAT), synchro- nization matrix (SYNCHMAT), or execu- tion checklist (EXCHECK).


Critical Events: Critical to COA analysis is the wargame, identical to wargaming in the MDMP, as well as the product creation.


Step 6: Orders Production. Timeline: One hour. Occurs prior to BCT COA development completion.


Inputs: COA analysis briefing; fighting products.


Outputs: Fighting products disseminated to subordinate units; SQDN OPORD.


Critical Events: The two critical events during orders production are the dissem- ination of fighting products and the SQDN OPORD. Orders production in the CPP also looks very similar to the MDMP orders production but remains focused on rapid dissemination of the R&S plan rather than on product creation. Fighting products


should be available to subordinate com- manders prior to the SQDN OPORD.


Step 7: Rehearsals and Refinement. Timeline: Begins at the end of the SQDN OPORD and ends with the SQDN combin- ed arms rehearsal (CAR) complete.


Inputs: Fighting products disseminated; SQDN OPORD; subordinate unit troop leading procedures (TLPs).


Outputs: SQDN CAR; SQDN current oper- ations (CUOPS) team assumed responsi- bility for mission; SQDN future operations (FUOPS) transitioned to planning the next operation.


Critical Events: The squadron CAR should be the only in-person rehearsal conduct- ed at the squadron level. It should com- bine all WfFs, to include sustainment, IC, and fires; negating the need in a time-con- strained environment for separate rehear- sals. However, if the CAR is allowed to be simply a movement and maneuver rehear- sal, then this obligation to do separate rehearsals will resurface. Specifically with respect to IC, the squadron CAR must have an emphasis on information collec- tion as all other WfFs in a reconnaissance organization – including movement and maneuver – exist to support information collection.


Conclusion


At the conclusion of a successful iter- ation, the Cavalry squadron is postured through their planning cycle to be posi- tioned in front of the BCT. Specifically, the squadron will be complete with their planning process and ready to cross LD in time to conduct their specific enabling operations in support of the BCT – namely, the squadron will be postured to answer questions that drive BCT decisions and to provide security at BCT transition points. The MDMP serves battalions well in nest- ing their operations with the BCT and synchronizing their plans with each other, but it does not afford the required flex- ibility and rapid planning needed by squa- drons to begin their operations off set from the BCT operational tempo. The CPP allows the squadron to do this by providing a deliberate methodology to plan and begin executing operations in approximately half the time of MDMP and without a com- plete BCT order – getting the Cavalry out front of the BCT where it belongs, conduc- ting reconnaissance and security for BCT operations.


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