Operational And Mission Variables: An Introduction.

ADP 1-01 (Army Doctrine Primer), 4-14 states: "Army leaders plan, prepare, execute, and assess operations by analyzing an operational environment in terms of the operational variables and mission variables. The methods in which these variables interact in a specific situation, domain (air, land, maritime, space, or cyberspace), area of operations, or area of interest describe a commander’s operational environment."

Regardless of echelon, from a fire team leader through a theater commander, the operational and mission variables influence how leaders plan to execute missions.

Operational Variables Paragraph 4-15 says. "Operational variables are a comprehensive set of information categories used to describe an operational environment. The categories are political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time (known as PMESII-PT).The purpose of operational variables is to provide a broad, general set of information categories that assist commanders and staffs in analyzing and developing a comprehensive understanding of an operational environment."

There's no need to get deep into the operational variables now, as we will examine them in depth this week. Just know that they provide the intellectual framework by which leaders assess the operational environment. For instance, a theater commander operating in a region with hostile political factors (the P in PMESII) may take a significantly different approach than one operating where we have many close alliances. Operational variables are key to Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB), the early phase of the military decision-making process (MDMP).

PMESII-PT categories are often evaluated in the context of the ASCOPE framework of "Civil Considerations" (more on this below).

The mission variables (METT-TC) are better known to more junior soldiers and thus across the force. ADP 1-01, 4-16 states: " Mission variables are the categories of specific information needed to conduct operations. The mission variables are mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil considerations (known as METT-TC). The purpose of mission variables is to provide a set of information categories focused on what commanders and staffs need to know to achieve situational understanding once assigned a mission. Commanders and staffs use mission variables as a filter to extract information from the operational variables that staffs need to conduct an operation and commanders need to exercise mission command.

Significantly, the C in METT-TC intersects with PMESII-PT. Those are the "Civil Considerations" in the characteristics of "ASCOPE" mentioned above -- areas, structures, capabilities, organizations, people, and events (ATP 2-01.3, Intelliegence Preparation of the Battle Field, chapter 4).

In summary: Operational variables are: PMESII-PT. Mission variables are METT-TC. ASCOPE is used to evaluate PMESII-PT. We'll get into each deeper this week.

Want an deeper dive in doctrine? Read ADP 1-01 (Army Doctrine Primer) at this link:

Sources: ADP 1-01 (Army Doctrine Primer) and ATP 2-01.3 (IPB).