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CPL's Course: Operations WARFIGHTING PHILOSOPHY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>•Maneuver warfare seeks to shatter the enemy's cohesion through a series of rapid, violent, and unexpected actions which create a turbulent and rapidly deteriorating situation with which the enemy cannot cope. •Besides traits such as endurance and courage that all warfare demands, maneuver warfare puts a premium on certain particular human skills and traits. It requires:
The temperament to cope with uncertainty.
Flexibility of mind to deal with fluid and disorderly situations.
A willingness to act with initiative and boldness.
The moral courage to accept responsibility for this type of behavior. LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Leading Marines describes a leadership philosophy that reflects the traditional strengths of the Marine Corps as an institution and attempts to define the very ethos of being a Marine.
Marine leadership philosophy: •Is about the inseparable relationship between the leader and the led, and is as much about the individual Marine—the bedrock upon which our Corps is built—as it is about any leader •Captures the undefinable spirit that forms the character of our Corps—being a Marine comes from the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor that is tattooed on the soul of every one of us after earning the title United States Marine •Is based upon certain fundamental traits and principles of leading—Marines are not born knowing them, but must learn what they are and what they represent HONOR - CORRECT ANSWER >>>A code of personal integrity, honor guides those who do the right thing when no one is looking. It is not only a duty but also a distinction, as those who possess honor are held in honor. It is found in one's beliefs but exhibited through one's actions. Marines are held to the highest of standards, ethically and morally. Marines are expected to act responsibly in a manner befitting the title they have earned. COURAGE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>When other principles are tested, it is courage that prevents them from crumbling. It is not about ignoring fear but being stronger than fear. Courage is the guardian of all other values. It is there when times are toughest, when difficult decisions have to be made. It takes the form of mental, physical, and ethical strength, and it is found in the backbone of every Marine. COMMITMENT - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Commitment is the spirit of determination found in every Marine. It is what compels Marines to serve our nation and the Corps and to continue on when others quit. Commitment does not take breaks, and it cannot be faked. It measures and proves one's desire, dedication, and faithfulness. Becoming a United States Marine represents the highest level of commitment.
FRICTION - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Countless factors make war difficult to conduct. Collectively, these factors are called friction. Friction: •Is the force that resists all action and saps energy. It makes the simple difficult and the difficult seemingly impossible •Can be mental or physical •Can be external or self-imposed Whatever form it takes war is a human enterprise; therefore, friction will always have a psychological as well as a physical impact. UNCERTAINTY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Another attribute of war is uncertainty. All actions in war take place in an atmosphere of uncertainty, or in the "fog of war." •Uncertainty pervades battle in the form of unknowns about the enemy, the environment, and even the friendly situation. •The very nature of war makes certainty impossible; all actions in war will be based on incomplete, inaccurate, or even contradictory information. •Because we can never eliminate uncertainty, we must learn to fight effectively despite it. We can do this by:
Developing simple and flexible plans
Planning for likely contingencies
Developing standing operating procedures
Fostering initiative among subordinates FLUIDITY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Each episode in war is the temporary result of a unique combination of circumstances, presenting a unique set of problems and requiring an original solution. Since war is a fluid phenomenon, its conduct requires flexibility of thought. •Success depends in large part on the ability to adapt—to proactively shape changing events to our advantage as well as to react quickly to constantly changing conditions. •The tempo of war will fluctuate from periods of intense combat to periods in which activity is limited to information gathering, replenishment, or redeployment.
the individual parts in the system interacting locally in response to local conditions and incomplete information. Efforts to fully centralize military operations and to exert complete control by a single decision-maker are inconsistent with the complex and distributed nature of war. THE HUMAN DIMENSION - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The human dimension is central in war. It is the human dimension which infuses war with its intangible moral factors. •War is shaped by human nature and is subject to the complexities, inconsistencies, and peculiarities that characterize human behavior. •War is an extreme trial of moral and physical strength and stamina. Individuals and groups of people react differently to the stress of war; an act that may break the will of one enemy may only serve to stiffen the resolve of another. Human will, instilled through leadership, is the driving force of all action in war. VIOLENCE AND DANGER - CORRECT ANSWER >>>War is among the greatest horrors known to humanity. •The means of war is force, applied in the form of organized violence. It is through the use of violence, or the credible threat of violence, that we compel our enemy to do our will.
•Violence is an essential element of war, and its immediate result is bloodshed, destruction, and suffering. •While the magnitude of violence may vary with the object and means of war, the violent essence of war will never change. Since war is a violent enterprise, danger is ever present. The human reaction to danger—fear— has a significant impact on the conduct of war. •Everybody feels fear. Courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it is the strength to overcome fear. •Leaders must foster the courage to overcome fear, both individually and within the unit. PHYSICAL, MORAL, AND MENTAL FORCES - CORRECT ANSWER >>>War is characterized by the interaction of physical, moral, and mental forces. •Physical forces of war are easily recognized, such as men and materiel. •Moral factors, such as a nation's resolve and a unit's morale, are harder to grasp. The term "moral" as used here is not restricted to ethics, although ethics are certainly included, but pertains to those forces of a psychological rather than tangible nature. •Mental factors affect our ability to out-think our enemy.
movement and resupply. However, science does not describe the whole phenomenon. Art of War - CORRECT ANSWER >>>An even greater part of the conduct of war falls under the realm of art, which is the employment of creative or intuitive skills. Art includes the creative, situational application of scientific knowledge through judgment and experience, and so the art of war subsumes the science of war. The art of war requires the intuitive ability to grasp the essence of a unique military situation and the creative ability to devise a practical solution. It involves conceiving strategies and tactics and developing plans of action to suit a given situation. This still does not describe the whole phenomenon. Dynamic of War - CORRECT ANSWER >>>There is far more to the conduct of war than can be explained by art and science. Art and science stop short of explaining the fundamental dynamic of war. The essential dynamic of war is the dynamic of competitive human interaction rather than the dynamic of art or science. Human beings interact with each other in ways that are fundamentally different from the way a scientist works with chemicals or formulas or the way an artist works with paints or musical notes. It is because of this dynamic of human interaction that fortitude, perseverance, boldness, esprit, and other traits not explainable by art or science are so essential in war. WAR AS AN ACT OF POLICY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>War is an extension of both policy and politics with the addition of military force. Policy and politics are related but not synonymous. •Politics refers to the distribution of power through dynamic interaction, both cooperative and competitive. •Policy refers to the objectives established within the political process. •We should recognize that war is not an inanimate instrument, but an animate force which may likely have unintended consequences that may change the political situation. STRATEGIC - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The strategic level involves national strategy and military strategy.
•National strategy sets policy objectives and mobilizes the nation's resources for attaining these goals. •Military strategy focuses on the military means for attaining policy goals. •At the strategic level, forces are distributed and theaters of war are established. OPERATIONAL - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The operational level of war links tactics and strategy. •At the operational level, we decide where, when, and under what conditions we will meet the enemy. •The operational level is focused on winning campaigns. TACTICAL - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The lowest level is the tactical level. Tactics refers to the techniques and methods for accomplishing a particular mission. •Tactics focus on defeating the enemy at a particular place and time. •Tactics are focused on winning battles. •Most Marines, from rifleman to MEF commander, operate at the tactical level, but many tactical decisions have operational and even strategic implications. The levels of war overlap and affect each other from the top down and from the bottom up.
-Flexibility -Initiative A technically and tactically proficient NCO empowered to think critically and make decisions is critical to creating and ruthlessly exploiting opportunities that generate decisive results. FUTURE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The future operating environment will be one of constant and accelerating change. •Economic, demographic, resource, climate, and other trends will engender competition locally, regionally, and globally. •Global integration, intense nationalism, and religious movements will likely exacerbate the tensions created by each of these trends. •Of particular concern are:
Failed and failing states, which could lead to more "ungoverned spaces" and become safe havens for terrorists, criminals, and groups engaged in other illicit activities
Rogue states that use proxies, which allow the state to distance itself from actions and achieve strategic aims simultaneously DEFINE TRADITIONAL WARFARE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Traditional warfare is defined as a form of warfare between the regulated militaries of states, or alliances of states, in which the objective is to defeat an adversary's armed forces, destroy an adversary's war-making capacity, or seize or retain territory to force a change in an adversary's government or policies DEFINE IRREGULAR WARFARE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Joint Publication 1- defines irregular warfare as: A violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant population(s). Irregular warfare favors indirect and asymmetric approaches, though it may employ the full range of military and other capacities, to erode an adversary's power, influence, and will DEFINE HYBRID WARFARE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Hybrid warfare is not an official DoD term and is not defined in Joint Pub 1-02, but the term has been used in recent joint and Service documents. •The term hybrid warfare has been used to describe the increasing complexity of conflict that will require a highly adaptable and resilient response from U.S. forces; however, it is not considered a distinct form of warfare.
- Hybrid warfare blends traditional and irregular warfare approaches across the full spectrum of conflict. POLICY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>DoDD 3000.07 policy on irregular warfare is: •As strategically important as traditional warfare, and the DoD must be equally capable in both. Many of the capabilities and skills required for IW are applicable to traditional warfare, but their role in IW can be proportionally greater.
or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area. The joint force may employ unconventional warfare to counter irregular threats, such as states that wage irregular or proxy warfare. Pursuant to a national policy decision, the joint force may conduct unconventional warfare to: •Induce change in a foreign government's behavior that is contrary to U.S. national interests. •Isolate, destabilize, or undermine a hostile foreign government. •Enable the overthrow of a hostile regime or a shadow government or force the withdrawal of an occupying power by supporting an insurgency. FOREIGN INTERNAL DEFENSE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Foreign internal defense, or FID, is defined as participation by civilian and military agencies of a government in any of the action programs taken by another government or other designated organization to free and protect its society from subversion, lawlessness, insurgency, terrorism, and other threats to its security. While the Department of State will generally lead efforts that support the sovereign host-nation government's defense and development plan, the joint force will often focus on the military element of FID to build the host-nation's security capacity, from the ministerial to tactical level. It may, if requested, also support civilian-led efforts to improve the host-nation's governance and development capacity, for example by providing advisory assistance outside of the security sector in support of interagency requirements.
COUNTERINSURGENCY - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Counterinsurgency is defined as comprehensive civilian and military efforts taken to defeat an insurgency and to address any core grievances. The joint force, in conjunction with civilian agencies, will conduct military, political, economic, and information- related actions as well as civic actions to defeat an insurgency. The joint force may lead COIN operations or it may support the host-nation's COIN operations. •The primary focus of effort for the joint force is to establish security, counter subversion, and disrupt the insurgency and its external support network. •As it establishes security, the joint force will also help build the host-nation's ability to provide security and support development and governance to gain or maintain its legitimacy. STABILITY OPERATIONS - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Stability operations is an overarching term encompassing various military missions, tasks, and activities conducted outside the United States in coordination with other instruments of national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment, provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief. •The Department of State (DoS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be the lead U.S. agencies to support a host- nation's efforts to establish or improve key aspects of governance to include rule of law and a variety of services. •In a large-scale effort, a shortage of personnel from non- Department of Defense (DoD) agencies may require the use of DoD personnel, including
•By focusing on the outcome of cultural beliefs and structures—the actions that people take—this definition provides Marines with an observable behavior, rather than an unobservable belief system, that can be incorporated into operational planning. The word "culture" not only refers to the meanings and beliefs that people hold, but sometimes to a specific group of people. To distinguish this meaning, we need to define a culture group. A culture group is a group of people whose common world view unites them in a system of social structures and shared behaviors. OPERATIONAL CULTURE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>The Marine Corps defines operational culture as the aspects of culture that influence the outcome of a military operation and conversely, the military actions that influence the culture within an area of operations, or AO. Operational culture can be used by Marines to better understand an AO and to plan and execute across the operational spectrum. Culture affects military operations regardless of where the operation is located. Operational culture consists of: •Operationally relevant behavior, relationships and perceptions of indigenous security forces who Marines operate against or with, civilian populations Marines operate among, indigenous communities or groups Marines wish to influence, and international partners in coalition operations •Dimensions that influence operationally relevant behavior, conduct, and attitudes •Historical trends that influence the interaction among cultural dimensions
•The capability to successfully plan and execute humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, pre-hostility, shaping operations, successive campaign phases, and post hostilities which include reconstruction, stabilization, and peace-making or -keeping CROSS-CULTURE COMPETENCE - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Cross-cultural competence refers to your ability to understand people from different cultures and effectively engage with them. •Being able to communicate and work with people across cultures is a common combat skill required of all Marines. •Cross-cultural competence helps you develop the mutual understanding and human relationships that are necessary for accomplishing your mission. The Center for Advanced Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL) has identified a set of four useful skills to improve cross-culture competence in operational environments. Be Culturally Self-aware - CORRECT ANSWER >>>Remain aware of the fact that you see the world in a particular way because of your own background, personal history, and culture. •People see, interpret, and evaluate situations in different ways. What is considered an appropriate behavior in one culture is frequently inappropriate in another. Misunderstandings arise when people use their own reality to make sense of someone else's reality. •Misinterpretations can occur when people lack awareness of their own behavioral rules and project them upon others. In the absence of basic cultural knowledge, people tend to assume instead of learning what a
