So, in the 1980s the Army adapted its planning process, inventing a concept called Commanderâs Intent (CI).
CI is a crisp, plain-talk statement that appears at the top of every order, specifying the planâs goal, the desired end-state of an operation. At high levels of the Army, the CI may be relatively abstract: âBreak the will of the enemy in the Southeast region.â At the tactical level, for colonels and captains, it is much more concrete: âMy intent is to have Third Battalion on Hill 4305, to have the hill cleared of enemy, with only ineffective remnants remaining, so we can protect the flank of Third Brigade as they pass through the lines.â
The CI never specifies so much detail that it risks being rendered obsolete by unpredictable events. âYou can lose the ability to execute the original plan, but you never lose the responsibility of executing the intent,â says Kolditz. In other words, if thereâs one soldier left in the Third Battalion on Hill 4305, heâd better be doing something to protect the flank of the Third Brigade.