The Operational Variables

ADP 6-0 (Mission Command), paragraph 3-17 gives us a quick synopsis of The Operational Variables. Operational Variables 3-17. Commanders and staffs analyze and describe an operational environment in terms of eight interrelated operational variables: political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment, and time (known as PMESII-PT). The operational variables are fundamental to developing a comprehensive understanding of an operational environment. Table 3-1 provides a brief description of each variable.

Remember those variables: You might see them on a test some time soon:

• Political

• Military

• Economic

• Social

• Infrastructure

• information

• Physical environment

• Time

Recall from yesterday’s overview, these variables are evaluated in the context of the “Civil Considerations,” framework, also know as ASCOPE (we’ll get into that tomorrow). Recall also the Civil Considerations are the C in METT-TC. So, METT-TC (the mission variables) includes the evaluation framework (ASCOPE) for PMESII-PT (the operational variables).

They’re all interconnected!

Want an extra dose of doctrine? Take a Deep Dive on ADP 6-0 at this link.

Source: ADP 6-0