The Planning Process

Every leader in SPECTRE should know how to build a plan — even if you’re not the one writing the OPORD. Planning is the foundation of leadership. Without it, decisions get delayed, team actions drift, and the mission breaks down.

This guide teaches you how to approach planning from a leadership perspective, with references to specific SOPs in the Mission Planning section for tactical detail.

Understand the Task and the Situation

Before you lead, confirm:

What is the actual objective?
What are the known risks or constraints?
Who else is operating in the AO?

Don’t just receive orders — translate them into something your team can act on.

Refer to: Briefing Doctrine

Make the Plan Yours

Even if you’re handed a plan, you are responsible for how your team executes it.

Review the plan with your team’s capabilities in mind
Adjust movement or timing to suit your task
Clarify details that affect your team’s survivability

If you’re following someone else’s plan, take ownership anyway.

Communicate Early, Then Adjust

Good planning is a loop:

Draft the plan
Brief it clearly
Get feedback
Refine and finalize

Delegating without ownership creates confusion. Don’t force someone else to lead because you didn’t.

Refer to: After Action Review (AAR) to improve your planning over time.

Include Contingencies

Every plan needs branches:

What happens if the main route is blocked?
What if you lose comms or a team lead?
Where do you regroup?

Plan these before execution, not after chaos.

Refer to: Contingency Planning

Define Backup Plans and Triggers

Contingencies only work when the team knows when to switch.

“If Alpha loses comms, regroup at Point Iron.”
“If breach fails, pull back to Line Red.”

Use clear language and pre-briefed conditions.

Reassess During Execution

Planning doesn’t stop at step-off.

Observe the situation
Check in with elements
Adjust based on what’s happening now
Stick to intent, not rigidity

Refer to: Timing & Synchronization

Final Note

This is not about building the perfect plan. It’s about building a strong enough plan to adapt under pressure — and having the clarity to guide your team through it.

Leaders who plan with intent lead with confidence.