21st Century U.S. Military Manuals: U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Planning - Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication (MCDP) 5

Part of our value-added professional format series of U.S. military manuals, this U.S. Marine Corps manual covers military planning.

This publication describes the theory and philosophy of military planning as practiced by the U.S. Marine Corps. The intent is to describe how we can prepare effectively for future action when the future is uncertain and unpredictable. In so doing, this publication provides all Marines a conceptual framework for planning in peace, in crisis, or in war. This approach to planning is based on our common understanding of the nature of war and on our warfighting philosophy of maneuver warfare as described in Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication (MCDP) 1, Warfighting.

Our doctrine for planning establishes planning as an essential component of the broader field of command and control. The object of both is to recognize what needs to be done in any given situation and see to it that appropriate actions are taken. This publication should be read in conjunction with MCDP 6, Command and Control. The concepts described therein also generally apply to planning.

The approach to planning presented herein applies across the full spectrum of military actions, ranging from humanitarian assistance on one extreme to war on the other. It applies also to planning for institutional activities such as acquisition, education, and manning. However, the focus here is on operation planning, especially at the tactical level.

As a bonus, this reproduction includes the Marine Corps Manual, the basic publication of the United States Marine Corps issued by the Commandant of the Marine Corps and approved by the Secretary of the Navy - sold separately for $7.99. It is a regulatory publication for the Department of the Navy as defined in U.S. Navy Regulations. The Marine Corps Manual is designed primarily for use by Marine Corps commanders and their staffs, Navy officers exercising command over Marines, the staff of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the staffs of the bureaus and offices of the Navy Department. Contents: Chapter 1 - General Administration And Management * Chapter 2 - Manpower * Chapter 3 - Operations And Readiness * Chapter 4 - Logistics

The manual describes the Marine Corps mission and functions: The Marine Corps shall be organized, trained, and equipped to: (1) Provide Fleet Marine Forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components, for service with the United States Fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign. (2) Provide detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy, and security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases. (3) Develop, in coordination with the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by landing forces in amphibious operations. The Marine Corps shall have primary interest in the development of those landing force doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment which are of common interest to the Army and the Marine Corps.