OPERATIONS ORDERS for FIELD MEDICAL UNITS

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The following instructional outline was created as a class for PA's and General Medical Officers.
Be certain to review unit SOP's for proper formatting.

CLARITY
COMPLETENESS
BREVITY
RECOGNITION OF SUBORDINATE COMMANDERS' PREROGATIVES
USE OF THE AFFIRMATIVE FORM
AVOIDANCE OF QUALIFIED DIRECTIVES
AUTHORITATIVE EXPRESSION
TIMELINESS

2. TYPES OF ORDERS

A. COMBAT ORDERS

OPORD
OPLAN= for an operation to be conducted later
WARNING ORDER
FRAGO= changes to OPORD / follow-on orders
ADMIN / LOG ORDER
SOP

B. ROUTINE ORDERS

PERMANENT
COURTS MARTIAL
BULLETINS
CIRCULARS
MEMORANDUMS

3. OPORD FORMAT

HEADING
CLASSIFICATION
DOCUMENT IDENTIFICATION DATA:
OPORD # (YEAR-#) (OPERATION/CODE NAME)
TIME ZONE / DATE-TIME GROUP
TASK ORGANIZATION
NUMBER OF COPIES
ISSUING UNIT
PLACE OF ISSUE
REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT INSTRUCTIONS
PARAGRAPHS 1-5
ANNEXES

PARAGRAPH 1-- SITUATION

A. ENEMY FORCES

Situation, events, probable mission, course of action, strength, identification, capabilities
INCL. MEDICAL ISSUES(medical condition, medical threat), NBC
May refer to annex, overlay, etc.

B. FRIENDLY FORCES

Mission of next higher HQ
Mission of adjacent units
Mission of supporting units
Mission of reinforcing units

C. ATTACHMENTS, DETACHMENTS (present and future)
D. ASSUMPTIONS- (for OPLANS only)
E. WEATHER DATA; SUN AND MOON
F. TERRAIN

PARAGRAPH 2-- MISSION
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY.

("HOW" IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH)
(mission statement is usually stated in higher HQ's OPORD to you)

PARAGRAPH 3-- EXECUTION

(A. COMMANDER'S INTENT)
B. CONCEPT OF OPERATION- clear, concise

SCHEME OF MANEUVER OF MAJOR GROUND ELEMENTS
PHASES OF THE OPERATION

C. SUBORDINATE UNIT MISSIONS / TASKS TO SPECIFIC SUBORDINATES

State WHAT to do, but not HOW, except for a few control measures

D. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS

Essential instructions that are NOT in SOPs
includes MOPP level
Time schedules
Briefings, rehearsals, inspections

PARAGRAPH 4-- SERVICE SUPPORT (may be written as an annex)

A. MATERIEL AND SERVICES

1. SUPPLY- classes of supply- who/what/where/when/how) ; enemy equipment
2. TRANSPORTATION- assets, facilities, routes, control measures, schedules
3. SERVICES-

a. Construction
b. Graves registration
c. Field Services- laundry, bath, clothing, decon
d. Health (medical, dental, prev. med, etc.)
e. Installation service- real estate, repairs, and utilities, fire, sewage/trash, water
f. Other- aviation, explosive disposal, etc.

4. LABOR- policies and procedures for civilian and EPW labor
5. MAINTENANCE- schedule, priorities, facilities, collecting points

B. MEDEVAC AND HOSPITALIZATION-(WITH OVERLAY)

1. EVAC- freq., location of collecting points, evac routes, schedules, evac priorities, evac responsibilities, Use of nonmedical vehicles. NBC contaminated patient policy
Tell supported units what to do- e.g. announce location of change in battalion aid station.
2. HOSPITALIZATION- location of supporting medical facilities, Return To Duty procedures. Evac policy (e.g. company 72 hrs, 121st Evac 7 days, etc.

C. PERSONNEL

non SOP information- e.g. priority of replacements
EPW handling
Strength reports
D. CIVIL-MIL COOPERATION
E. MISC.
boundaries,
rear area protection
special reports

PARAGRAPH 5-- COMMAND AND SIGNAL

A. COMMAND

CHAIN OF COMMAND
CP LOCATION (PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE)
LOCATION OF LEADERS (DURING DIFFERENT PHASES)

B. SIGNAL

SOI, critical phone numbers, frequencies,
commo equipment, priority of method of communication
Special signals, challenge and password
special reports

ANNEXES-

(for example: ANNEX A, APPENDIX 1, TAB A, ENCLOSURE 1, TAB AA, ENCLOSURE 1-1)
SERVICE SUPPORT CAN BE WRITTEN AS AN ANNEX.
POSSIBLE ANNEXES-
CONVOY (MOVEMENT)
FIELD SANITATION / PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
NBC
TASK ORGANIZATION
OPERATIONS OVERLAY
OPSEC
SAFETY
REAR OPNS DEFENSE
PERSONNEL (INCL. TASK ORGANIZATION DIAGRAMS)
KMAP INPROCESSING
SAFETY
HEALTH THREAT ASSESSMENT
AIR DEFENSE
OBSTACLE (STATIC DEFENSE)
DECEPTION
FIRE SUPPORT
INTELLIGENCE

WARNING ORDER

"NO SPECIFIED FORMAT"

PARAGRAPH 1--SITUATION
SIMILAR TO, OR JUST LIKE OPORD

PARAGRAPH 2-- MISSION
SAME AS OPORD

PARAGRAPH 3- GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

A. TASK ORGANIZATION & CHAIN OF COMMAND

B. SCHEDULE-incl. location, time, equipment, maps, and personnel required for meetings, rehearsals, inspections, and the OPORD briefing;
earliest time of move or degree of notice to be given to the main body

SAMPLE FORMAT:

WHEN WHO WHAT WHERE


C. ADMIN/LOG
UNIFORM & EQUIPMENT COMMON TO ALL

PARAGRAPH 4-- SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

WHO WRITES PARAGRAPHS, ANNEXES, OVERLAYS OF OPORD
RECONNAISSANCE & SURVEILLANCE TO BE DONE SOON
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS/SPECIFIC UNITS
WHO WILL COORDINATE WITH OTHER UNITS AND INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE THE UNIT
OTHER SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO INDIVIDUALS & UNITS, TO ENABLE THEM TO BEGIN PREPARING AND PLANNING, & TO ENABLE THE COMMANDER TO BEGIN THE OPERATION ON TIME