The conditions of employment of the armed force have changed. In the most likely engagements, military action now represents only one line of operations among others.
This evolution is described in the founding document of the Army's doctrinal corpus on the use of land forces in conflicts today and tomorrow, FT 01 ("Winning the battle, leading to peace").
In a context where tactics have regained their importance, land military action now meets the three tactical goals described in the General Tactics Manual (FT 02): to constrain the adversary, control the environment and influence perceptions.
Since command is timeless in essence, the foundations of command in operation are inseparable from those of peacetime and the one interacts with the other.
However, the aim here is not to rewrite existing documents 1 or to revisit the foundations and principles of the profession of arms in the Army, which have already been the subject of a comprehensive and thorough document 2, but to set out in a doctrine document the exercise of command for French tactical leaders in operations.
Nevertheless, it is important not to lose sight of the specific nature of command in operations which always incorporates, when the time comes, a choice between tactical effectiveness (the necessary boldness) and due consideration of risks in combat (the indispensable prudence). That is why this document therefore focuses on the changes and constants identified in the exercise of command in operations, in order to have operational command principles similar to those of our main allies.
This generic document is not intended to be exhaustive. It is addressed to all chiefs formally invested with a command. They may be officers providing an organic command with an operational focus, leading a force headquarters (FHQ), brigade, regiment or elemental unit.
It is therefore intended for any land forces officer exercising command in an operation. It is also intended for those of their subordinates who have significant responsibility at their level. In concrete terms, this document covers the entire tactical spectrum from the divisional commander to the lowest tactical echelon, platoon or section commander.
--------------------------
1 ATT 956 (command organisation), ATT 902, 903 and 904 (operation of CPs at levels 1, 2 and 3), EMP 60 631 (method for developing an operational decision).
2 Green Paper "The exercise of the profession of arms in the Army".
