Flexing a Plan

Adaptable Mindset

To flex a plan is to change it to fit your situation. You’ve prepared yourself for what you’re going to face, but the situation has changed and now you need to adapt.

Plans are not permanent unchanging guidelines; as soon as the plan is written, it’s outdated. The enemy has moved, you’ve missed a bunker, or your helicopter has missed the LZ and you’re going to be two fields over.

This isn’t an excuse to not have a plan, or to disregard orders: this is to prepare you to be adaptable and to always think of how you can change the plan to better suit your current situation. It’s time to bend what you have written in order to fit what you’re now seeing. And you can’t do that if you haven’t first written a plan out.

Think about this in terms of intent. You've just figured out that the steps to accomplish your leader's goal aren't feasible: how do you change the steps to still accomplish the mission?

---

Critical Problem Solving

When you notice that there's a new obstacle throwing a wrench in your approach, think through it methodically:

1. What is my leadership's intention?

   1. How did they want me to achieve that?

   2. Why are we approaching it this way?

2. What is stopping us from carrying out leadership's intent?

   1. Can we shift our positioning?

   2. Do we have supporting asserts available?

   3. Are we strong enough to carry out the plan?

3. How can we use the assets around us to modify the plan?

   1. Is there terrain availble that offers an advantage?

   2. Do we need supporting fire?

   3. Are other elements able to reinforce us?

4. Who do I talk to get this plan put in place?

   1. Do I need the other FTL?

   2. Does the SL need to radio for assistance?

   3. Should I be issuing any immediate orders to my fireteam?

These are just a few of the questions you should ask. Just because you've run into a brick wall doesn't mean there aren't ways around it: lean on the strengths of your team to figure out a solution. Try not to freeze up; any information you can provide will help your higher leadership.

Always remember, you cannot flex a plan if there isn’t a plan to begin with, you must have a plan; it’s crucial to make sure that you are at a baseline prepared for what you will do and what the enemy might do, otherwise you will be scrambling to solve problems when you should be accomplishing your goals.