army dlc 3
DLC III study topics for Staff Sergeants and Sergeant First Class selects, answered from the public doctrine the course teaches: the operations process, MDMP and troop leading procedures (ADP 5-0), mission command (ADP 6-0, July 2026), and operations and the warfighting functions (ADP 3-0, March 2025).
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01What are the major activities of the operations process?
Planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The major command and control activities performed during opera tions: planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 14 ↗02Per ADP 5-0, how is planning defined?
The art and science of understanding a situation, envisioning a desired future, and determining effective ways to bring that future about.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The art and science of understa nding a situation, envisioning a desired future, and determining effective ways to bring that future about”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 29 ↗03Per ADP 5-0, what is assessment?
Determining progress toward accomplishing a task, creating a condition, or achieving an objective.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The determination of the progress toward accomplishing a task, creating a condition, or achieving an objective”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 75 ↗04Per ADP 5-0, what are the three principles for effectively employing the operations process?
Drive the operations process; build and maintain situational understanding; apply critical and creative thinking.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“z Apply critical and creative thinking”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 17 ↗05Through which six activities do commanders drive the operations process?
Understanding, visualizing, describing, directing, leading, and assessing operations.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“commanders drive the operations process through understanding, visualizing, describing, directing, lead ing, and assessing operations”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 18 ↗06During planning, what guides course of action (COA) development?
The initial commander's intent.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“During planning, the initial commander 's intent guides COA development”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 19 ↗07What is an integrating process?
A series of steps that incorporate multiple disciplines to achieve a specific end.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An integrating process consists o f a series of steps that incor porate multiple disciplines t o achieve a specific end”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 25 ↗08What is the military decision-making process (MDMP)?
An iterative planning methodology to understand the situation and mission, develop a course of action, and produce an operation plan or order.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The military decision -making process is an iterative planning methodology to understand the situation and mission, develop a course of action, and produce an operation plan or order”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 45 ↗09What are the first two steps of the MDMP?
Step 1 receipt of mission; Step 2 mission analysis.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 1 – Receipt of mission. zStep 2 – Mission analysis”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗10What are MDMP steps 3 and 4?
Step 3 COA development; Step 4 COA analysis (war game).
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 3 – COA development. zStep 4 – COA analysis”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗11What are MDMP steps 5 and 6?
Step 5 COA comparison; Step 6 COA approval.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 5 – COA comparison. zStep 6 – COA approval”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗12What is the seventh and final step of the MDMP?
Orders production, dissemination, and transition.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 7 – Orders production, disse mination, and transition”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗13What are troop leading procedures (TLP)?
A dynamic process used by small-unit leaders to analyze a mission, develop a plan, and prepare for an operation.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Troop leading procedures are a dynamic process used by small-unit leaders to analyze a mission, develop a plan , and prepare for an operation”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗14What are TLP steps 1 and 2?
Step 1 receive the mission; Step 2 issue a warning order.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 1 – Receive the mission. zStep 2 – Issue a warning order”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗15What are TLP steps 3 and 4?
Step 3 make a tentative plan; Step 4 initiate movement.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 3 – Make a tentative plan. zStep 4 – Initiate movement”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗16What are TLP steps 5 and 6?
Step 5 conduct reconnaissance; Step 6 complete the plan.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 5 – Conduct reconnaissance. zStep 6 – Complete the plan”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗17What are the last two steps of troop leading procedures?
Step 7 issue the order; Step 8 supervise and refine.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“zStep 7 – Issue the order. zStep 8 – Supervise and refine”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 46 ↗18What is Army design methodology?
A methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Army design methodology is a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking t o understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 44 ↗19Per ADP 5-0, what is a rehearsal?
A session in which the commander and staff or unit practices expected actions to improve performance during execution.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A session in which the commander and staff or unit practices ex pected actions to improve performance during execution”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 61 ↗20What is a running estimate?
The continuous assessment of the current situation to determine if the operation is proceeding per the commander's intent and if future operations are supportable.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The continuous assessment of the current situation used to dete rmine if the current operation is proceeding according to the commander 's intent and if planned future operations are supportable”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 22 ↗21What is a decision point?
A point in space and time when the commander or staff anticipates making a key decision about a specific course of action.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A point in space and time when th e commander or staff anticipat es making a key decision concerning a specific course of action”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 34 ↗22What are the mission variables (METT-TC)?
Mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The mission variables are miss ion, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations (kn own as METT-TC)”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 22 ↗23What are the eight operational variables (PMESII-PT)?
Political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“the eight interrelated operational variables —political, military, economic, social, information, infrastruct ure, physical environment, and time (known as PMESII-PT)”
— ADP 5-0, The Operations Process (31 July 2019, current), PDF p. 22 ↗24Per ADP 6-0, what is command and control?
The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in accomplishing the mission.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Command and control is the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in theaccomplishment of the mission”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 12 ↗25What are the seven principles of mission command?
Competence, mutual trust, shared understanding, commander's intent, mission orders, disciplined initiative, and risk acceptance.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Successful mission command isenabled by the principles of — •Competence. •Mutual trust. •Shared understanding. •Commander's intent. •Mission orders. •Disciplined initiative. •Risk acceptance”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 19 ↗26Per ADP 6-0, what is command?
The authority a commander lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of rank or assignment.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Command is the authority that a commander in the armed forces lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of rank or assignment”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 14 ↗27Per ADP 6-0, what is control?
The regulation of forces and warfighting functions to accomplish the mission in accordance with the commander's intent.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Control is the regulation of forces and warfighting functions to accomplish the mission in accordance with the commander' s intent”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 15 ↗28What are the four elements of command?
Authority, responsibility, decision making, and leadership.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The elements of command are authority, responsibility, decision making, and leadership”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 29 ↗29What are the three elements of control?
Information, communication, and organization.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The elements of controlare— •Information. •Communication. •Organization”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 15 ↗30What are the components of a command and control (C2) system?
People, processes, data and networks, and C2 nodes.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“each commander employs a C2 system : the arrangement of people, processes, data and networks, and C2 nodes that enable commanders to conduct operations”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 27 ↗31Per ADP 6-0 (2026), how does the Army define the commander's intent?
A clear and concise expression of the purpose of the operation and the desired objectives and military end state.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The commander's intent is a clear and concise expression of the purpose of an operation and the desired objectives and military end state”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 22 ↗32What do mission orders emphasize to subordinates?
The results to be attained, not how to achieve them.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Mission orders are directives that emphasize to subordinates the results to be attained, not how they are to achieve them”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 23 ↗33What is disciplined initiative?
The duty subordinates have to exercise initiative within the constraints of the commander's intent to achieve the desired end state.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Disciplined initiative refers to the duty individual subordinates have to exercise initiative within the constraints of the commander's intent to achieve the desired end state”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 23 ↗34When deciding how much risk to accept, what do commanders weigh against the perceived benefit?
Risk to the mission and risk to the force.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“commanders consider risk to the mission and risk to the force against the perceived benefit”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 24 ↗35What is mutual trust in mission command?
Shared confidence between commanders, subordinates, and partners that they can be relied on and are competent.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Mutual trust is the shared confidence between commanders, subordinates, and partners that they can be relied on and are competent in performing their assigned tasks”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 20 ↗36Per ADP 6-0, shared understanding starts with what?
The Army's doctrine and professional military education.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Shared understanding starts with the Army's doctrine and professional military education”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 21 ↗37How do commanders and subordinates achieve competence?
Through training, education, assignment experience, and professional development.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Commanders and subordinates achieve the competence to perform assigned tasks to standard through training, education, assignment experience, and professional development”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 20 ↗38Per ADP 6-0, what do senior NCOs carry out and enforce?
Policies, and standards for the performance, individual training, and conduct of enlisted Soldiers.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“These senior noncommissioned officers carry out policies and enforce standards for the performance, individual training, and conduct of enlisted Soldiers”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 63 ↗39What does the staff do for the commander?
Supports the commander in making and implementing decisions and in integrating and synchronizing combat power.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Staff support commanders in making and implementing decisions and in integrating and synchronizing combat power”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 63 ↗40Per ADP 6-0, what is authority?
The right and power to judge, act, or command.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Authority is the right and power to judge, act, or command”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 29 ↗41For what are commanders legally and ethically responsible?
Their decisions and the actions, accomplishments, and failures of their subordinates.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Commanders are legally and ethically responsible for their decisions and for the actions, accomplishments, and failures of their subordinates”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 14 ↗42What are key tasks?
Significant activities the force as a whole must perform to achieve the desired end state.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Key tasks are those significant activities the force must perform as a whole to achieve the desired end state”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 22 ↗43What is the end state?
A set of desired future conditions the commander wants to exist when an operation ends.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The end state is a set of desired future conditions the commander wants to exist when an operation ends”
— ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces (7 July 2026, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 22 ↗44What is the Army's operational concept per ADP 3-0?
Multidomain operations: combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Multidomain operations are the combined arms employment of joint and Army capabilities to create and exploit relative advantages to achieve objectives, defeat enemy forces, and consolidate gains”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 37 ↗45Which warfighting function moves and employs forces to gain a position of relative advantage over the enemy?
Movement and maneuver.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The movement and maneuver warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that move and employ forces to achieve a position of relative advantage”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 30 ↗46Which warfighting function facilitates understanding the enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations?
Intelligence.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The intelligence warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that facilitate understanding the enemy, terrain, weather, civil considerations”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 30 ↗47Which warfighting function creates and converges effects in all domains against the threat?
Fires.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The fires warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that create and converge effects in all domains against the threat”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 31 ↗48Which warfighting function prevents or mitigates detection, threat effects, and hazards to preserve the force?
Protection.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“protection warfighting function The related tasks, systems, and methods that prevent or mitigate detection, threat effe cts, and hazards to preserve the force”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 60 ↗49Which warfighting function provides support and services to extend operational reach and prolong endurance?
Sustainment.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The sustainment warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that provide support and services to en able freedom of action, extend operational reach, and prolong endurance”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 32 ↗50Which warfighting function enables commanders to exercise authority and direction to accomplish missions?
Command and control.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The command and control warfighting function is the related tasks and a system that enable commanders to exercise authority and direction to accomplish missions”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 29 ↗51What are the dynamics of combat power?
Leadership, firepower, information, mobility, and survivability.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“the dynamics of combat power: leadership, firepower, information, mobility, and survivability”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 7 ↗52When does competition below armed conflict exist?
When adversaries have incompatible interests but neither seeks armed conflict.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Competition below armed conflict exists when two or more state or nonstate adversaries have incompatible interests, but neither seeks armed conflict”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 18 ↗53When may a crisis occur, per ADP 3-0?
When adversary behavior creates undesirable conditions to which the United States must respond.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A crisis may occur when adversary behavior creates undesirable conditions to which the United States must respond”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 18 ↗54When does armed conflict occur?
When a state or nonstate actor uses lethal force as the primary means to satisfy its interests.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Armed conflict occurs when a state or nonstate actor uses lethal force as the primary means to satisfy its interests”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 18 ↗55What is unified action?
Synchronizing, coordinating, or integrating governmental and nongovernmental activities with military operations to achieve unity of effort.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Unified action is the synchronization, coordination, or integration of the activities of governmental and nongovernmental entities with military operations to achieve unity of effort”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 22 ↗56What does ADP 3-0 (March 2025) do with the term 'decisive action'?
It rescinds the term.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“decisive action ADP 3 -0 rescinds term”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 10 ↗57What is an offensive operation?
An operation to defeat or destroy enemy forces and gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“An offensive operation is an operation to defeat or destroy enemy forces and gain control of terrain, resources, and population centers”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 14 ↗58What is a defensive operation?
An operation to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability operations.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“A defensive operation is an operation to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability operations”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 14 ↗59Where are defense support of civil authorities (DSCA) tasks executed?
In the homeland and U.S. territories.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“Defense support of civil authorities (DSCA) are tasks executed in the homeland and U.S. territories”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 14 ↗60What is the operational framework?
A cognitive tool to help commanders and staffs visualize and describe the application of combat power in time, space, purpose, and resources.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“The operational framework is a cognitive tool used to assist commanders and staffs in clearly visualizing and describing the application of combat power in time, space, purpose, and resources”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 41 ↗61What five domains and three dimensions make up the operational environment in ADP 3-0?
Domains: land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace. Dimensions: physical, information, and human.
VERIFIED AGAINST THE SOURCE
“an operational environment that includes five domains (land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace) and three dimensions (physical, information , and human)”
— ADP 3-0, Operations (21 March 2025, supersedes 31 July 2019), PDF p. 20 ↗Know questions we're missing?
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