systematically addresses major areas of mission planning. The format helps deploying SFODs to convey detailed information about their mission to their chain of command. A group or battalion staff can also use the format to prepare an initial mission briefing. This basic outline covers the planning areas required to develop a complete plan, to prevent conflict with other efforts, and to meet the commander’s intent. Users should modify the outline by adding or deleting the portions that do not apply. At the commander’s discretion, the briefback may be modified for a particular mission to reflect the five-paragraph OPORD.
Figure D-1. Briefback Format 1. Commander.
a. Purpose of briefing.
b. Mission as stated in the OPORD.
c. Higher commander’s intent.
d. Detachment commander’s intent.
e. Organization of team’s chain of command and assigned responsibility.
f. Attachments and detachments.
2. S2 or intelligence sergeant.
a. Description of the JSOA.
b. Intelligence preparation of the battlespace.
(1) Threat evaluation.
(a) Threat identification.
(b) Additions to the initial threat database.
(c) Determination of current order of battle (overlay).
(d) Disposition, composition, and strength of committed forces and reinforcements (identify each unit by category).
(e) Hostile force capabilities, intentions, and activities (air, ground, water, NBC).
(f) Hostile populace and resource control measures.
(2) Civilian population.
FM 3-05.20
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued)
(3) Capabilities, vulnerabilities, intentions, and activities of supported indigenous force.
(4) The effects of terrain and weather on friendly and hostile forces in the JSOA. (Use terrain overlays as appropriate.)
(5) Threat integration and probable course of hostile action.
(6) Human rights considerations.
c. Priority PIR and IRs.
d. EEFI.
e. Team intelligence activities in the JSOA (include defensive CI activities).
f. E&R plan.
g. OPSEC plan.
h. Unanswered RFIs.
3. S3 or operations sergeant.
a. Command and support relationships in the JSOA.
b. Concept of operations.
c. ROE.
d. Infiltration plan.
(1) Deception plan.
(2) Route.
(3) Point of no return.
(4) Contingency plan.
(a) In-flight abort plan (including recall procedures).
(b) Crash or forced landing.
1. Before point of no return.
2. After point of no return.
(5) Primary and alternate points of entry.
(6) Contingency plan at entry points.
(7) Assembly plan.
(a) Primary and alternate points of entry.
(b) Disposition of excess items (for example, scuba and air items).
(8) Contact plans.
(a) Primary.
(b) Alternate.
(c) Contingency.
(9) Movement plans.
(a) From points of entry to contact site (if needed).
(b) From contact site to operations area.
CHQSOFTWARE.COM
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued) (10) Security plans.
(11) Specific duties of contact team, bundle recovery team, and other specialized teams.
e. Training plan.
(1) Tentative plan to train indigenous force.
(2) Program of instruction.
(a) Individual.
(b) Collective.
(c) Leader.
f. Combat operations (only if preplanned targets are included).
(1) Concept of the operation.
(2) Routes to and from the target.
(3) Security plan.
(4) Actions at the objective (overall concept). (If a demolition target, the demolition sergeant briefs.
If a raid or an ambush, the weapons sergeant briefs.) (5) Withdrawal.
g. Linkup or exfiltration plan.
(1) Primary.
(2) Alternate.
(3) Contingency.
h. Demobilization plan.
(1) PSYOP.
(2) Deception.
(3) OPSEC.
4. S1 or personnel and administration sergeant.
a. Personnel Status.
(1) Assigned strength.
(2) Shortage by MOS.
(3) Cross-trained personnel.
b. Discipline, law, and order.
(1) Court martial and Article 15 jurisdiction, if an exception to SOP.
(2) Known indigenous force policy on discipline and law and order.
(3) Legal status of team in the JSOA.
c. Disposition of EPWs in the JSOA.
d. Graves Registration.
(1) U.S. personnel.
(2) Indigenous personnel (state local customs).
e. Morale and personnel services (if other than SOP).
FM 3-05.20
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued) (1) Personnel records check.
(2) Mail handling.
(3) Promotions.
(4) Comfort items.
(5) Replacements and augmentations.
(6) Pay and allowances.
f. Operational fund.
g. Indigenous force strength.
h. Indigenous force discipline and law and order.
i. Processing of the indigenous force.
(1) Oath of allegiance.
(2) Records to be kept.
(a) Pay.
(b) Training.
(c) Miscellaneous.
(3) Identification photographs.
5. S4 or supply sergeant.
a. Supplies and equipment.
(1) Disposition of equipment and personal items not accompanying the team.
(2) Special mission equipment issued to the team.
(3) Cross-load plan (overall).
b. Resupply plans.
(1) Automatic resupply.
(a) Schedule.
(b) Drop zone data and delivery means.
(c) Recovery plan.
(2) On-call resupply.
(a) Schedule.
(b) Drop zone data or delivery means.
(c) Recovery plan.
(3) Emergency resupply and conditions for implementation.
(4) Existing logistics nets in the JSOA.
(5) Indigenous logistics plan.
6. S5 or CA NCO.
a. Political-military implications of mission.
b. Status of local government in the JSOA.
CHQSOFTWARE.COM
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued) c. Status of shadow resistance government in the JSOA.
d. Requirements for interagency coordination in the JSOA.
e. Plans to minimize civilian interference with the mission.
f. Plans to protect cultural properties in the JSOA.
g. Plans to develop the auxiliary in the JSOA.
h. Plans to develop civil defense groups in the JSOA.
i. Humanitarian and civil assistance plans.
j. Military civic-action plans.
k. Displaced personnel.
l. Compensation to HN for support or contracts.
7. PSYOP officer or NCO. Present the psychological actions (PSYACTs) to be executed by the force to facilitate mission accomplishment and minimize adverse impacts on military operations. Also address restrictions on military operations. The PSYACTs and restrictions may have political, cultural, ethnic, religious, historical, geographic, economic, military, ideological, regional, national, or demographic origins.
a. Target audiences.
(1) Uncommitted.
(2) Hostile sympathizers.
(3) Hostile military forces.
(4) Resistance sympathizers.
b. Approved themes and messages for each target audience.
c. Themes and messages to be avoided.
d. Media production and dissemination means available in the JSOA.
e. PSYOP materiel to accompany team.
8. Communications sergeant.
a. Signal equipment and supplies to accompany detachment.
(1) Status of equipment.
(2) Cross-load plan.
b. Communications plan and procedures.
(1) Scheduled contacts.
(2) Mandatory reports to the SFOB or the FOB.
(3) Alternate encryption system.
(4) Emergency communications system and procedures.
(5) Security.
(a) Site security.
(b) Transmission security.
(c) Cryptographic security.
(6) Internal team communications.
FM 3-05.20
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued) c. Communications training plan.
d. Existing communications in the JSOA.
9. Medical sergeant.
a. Health status of team.
b. Medical supplies and equipment to accompany team.
(1) Cross-load plan.
(2) Individual medical equipment and supplies.
c. Estimate of the medical situation in the JSOA.
(1) Indigenous force health.
(2) Preventive medicine.
(3) Health hazards in the JSOA.
(4) Food and nutrition in the JSOA.
(5) Indigenous medical personnel and facilities.
(6) Medical intelligence and information.
(7) Medical threat and counterthreat measures.
d. Medical support plan and annex.
e. Medical training plan.
(1) Indigenous soldiers.
(2) Indigenous medics.
(3) Clandestine treatment center personnel.
10. Engineer sergeant.
a. Engineer equipment and supplies to accompany team.
(1) Status of equipment.
(2) Cross-load plan.
b. Estimate of area potential to support demolitions and engineer requirements.
c. Mission planning folder (CARVER overlay).
d. CARVER analysis of potential targets.
e. Availability of supplies in the JSOA.
f. Engineer training plan.
(1) Individual.
(2) Collective.
(3) Leader.
11. Weapons sergeant.
a. Weapons and tactical equipment to accompany team.
(1) Status of weapons and tactical equipment.
(2) Basic load of ammunition.
CHQSOFTWARE.COM
Figure D-1. Briefback Format (Continued) (3) Cross-load plan.
b. Estimate of area potential to provide additional weapons, ammunition, and tactical equipment.
c. Security.
(1) Assembly area (if not in SOP).
(2) Contact areas (if not in SOP).
(3) Tentative base camp security plans.
d. Weapons and tactics training plan.
(1) Individual.
(2) Collective.
(3) Leader.
12. Commander.
a. Closing statement.
(1) Readiness posture of team.
(2) Unresolved issues or concerns (if none, so state).
b. Questions.