U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Military Affairs

District Stability Framework (DSF) and the

Military Decision Making Process (MDMP)

Problems

• Outsider Assumptions vs. Local Knowledge

• Activities driven by LOOs, past experience, available resources

• Output vs. Impact

Premises

• Stability First, then Development

• Needs, Wants, Problems ≠ Sources of Instability

Problems and Premises

How Do These Relate?

MDMP DSF

MDMP-DSF: Overview

I. Receive the Mission I. Situational AwarenessII. Mission Analysis II. AnalysisIII. Develop COAs III. Design Stabilization Activities

A. Identify activities B. Determine output indicators C. Choose monitoring methods

IV. Analyze COAs (D. Analyze activity options)V. Compare COAs (E. Compare activity options)VI. COA Approval (F. Select stabilization activities)VII. Orders Production(VIII. Preparation)(IX. Execution) IV. Implement stabilization activities

V. Monitoring & Evaluation 4

MDMP DSF

Receive Mission – Gain Situational Awareness

I. Receive the Mission

A. Alert the staff

B. Gather the tools

C. Update staff estimates

D. Conduct initial assessments

I. Situational Awareness

A. Operational Environment (PMESII)

B. Cultural Environment

C. Local Perceptions

D. In/Stability Dynamics

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MDMP DSF

Mission Analysis – Analyze data

II. Mission analysisA. Initial IPBB. Specified, implied,

essential tasksC. ID available assetsD. Constraints, facts,

assumptionsE. ID initial CCIRF. Initial ISR planG. CDR’s intent – Endstate,

Key tasks, PurposeH. CDR’s planning guidance

– Decisive, Shaping, Sustaining operations

II. Analyze dataA. Basic AnalysisB. Advanced Analysis

1. ID grievances2. ID perceived causes3. ID systemic causes4. ID objectives5. Prioritize objectives6. Determine impact

indicators7. Choose monitoring

methods

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MDMP DSF

II. Mission analysisA. Initial IPBB. Specified, implied,

essential tasksC. ID available assetsD. Constraints, facts,

assumptionsE. ID initial CCIRF. Initial ISR planG. CDR’s intent – Endstate,

Key tasks, PurposeH. CDR’s planning guidance

– Decisive, Shaping, Sustaining operations

II. Analyze dataA. Basic AnalysisB. Advanced Analysis

1. ID grievances2. ID perceived causes3. ID systemic causes4. ID objectives5. Prioritize objectives6. Determine impact

indicators7. Choose monitoring

methods

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MDMP DSF

Mission Analysis – Analyze data

Develop COAs – Design activities

III. Develop COAs

A. Generate options1. Feasible

2. Acceptable

3. Suitable

4. Distinguishable

5. Complete

B. Array forces

C. Develop CONOPs

III. Design activities

A. Identify activities• Same criteria as

MDMP• Assign forces and

resources

B. Determine output indicators

C. Choose monitoring methods

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MDMP DSF

Analyze COAs / Stabilization activities

IV. Analyze COAs

A. Gather the tools

B. List friendly forces

C. List known critical events and decision points

D. Determine evaluation criteria

E. Select war game method

F. Conduct wargaming

• (III.D. Analyze activity options)

1. Establish evaluation criteria, e.g.

a) Local ownership?

b) Leverage efforts of other actors?

c) Sustainable?

d) Build HN legitimacy?

e) Enemy reaction?

2. Conduct/record analysis

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MDMP DSF

Compare COAs / Stabilization activities

V. Compare COAs

A. Analyze COA advantages & disadvantages

B. Compare COAs

C. Determine recommendation

VI. COA approval

• (III.E. Compare activity options)

• (III.F. Select stabilization activities)

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MDMP DSF

Execute and Evaluate

• (VIII. Execution) IV. Implement stabilization activities

V. Evaluate impact

A. MOPs

B. MOEs

C. Big Picture

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MDMP DSF

Questions/Discussion?

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