CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
TLPs - ansR- Receive the mission
I- Issue Warno
M- Make a tentative plan
I- Initiate movement
C- Conduct recon
C- Complete the plan
I- Issue the order
S- Supervise/Refine
Foundations of Unified Land Operations - ans1. I- Initiative
2. D- Decisive action
3. C- Army core competencies
4. M- Mission command
Initiative - ansOperational initiative is setting or dictating the terms of action throughout an
operation. Individual initiative is the willingness to act in the absence of orders, when
existing orders no longer fit the situation, or when unforeseen opportunities or threats arise.
Decisive action - ansa. Decisive action—the continuous, simultaneous combinations of
offensive, defensive, and stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks.
Decisive action tasks - ansi. An offensive task is a task conducted to defeat and destroy
enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers.
ii. A defensive task is a task conducted to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize
forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability tasks.
iii. Stability is an overarching term encompassing various military missions, tasks, and
activities conducted outside the United States in coordination with other instruments of
national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment, provide essential
governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief.
iv. Defense support of civil authorities is support provided by U.S. Federal military forces,
Department of Defense civilians, Department of Defense contract personnel, Department of
Defense component assets, and National Guard forces.
Army core competencies - ansa. Combined arms maneuver is the application of the elements
of combat power in unified action to defeat enemy ground forces; to seize, occupy, and
defend land areas; and to achieve physical, temporal, and psychological advantages over the
enemy to seize and exploit the initiative.
b. Wide area security is the application of the elements of combat power in unified action to
protect populations, forces, infrastructure, and activities; to deny the enemy positions of
advantage; and to consolidate gains in order to retain the initiative
Mission command - ansMission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the
commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander's
intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations.
Six fundamental principles of Mission command - ansB- Build cohesive teams through
mutual trust
,CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
C- Create shared understanding
P- Provide a clear commander's intent
E- Exercise disciplined initiative
U- Use mission orders
A- Accept prudent risk
Tenants of Unified Land Operations - ansF- Flexibility
I- Integration
L- Lethality
A- Adaptability
D- Depth
S- Synchronization
Principles of joint operations - ansO- Objective
O- Offensive
M- Mass
M- Maneuver
E- Economy of force
U- Unity of command
S- Security
S- Surprise
S- Simplicity
R- Restraint
P- Perseverance
L- Legitimacy
IPB - ansIntelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) is the systematic process of
analyzing the mission variables of enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations in an area
of interest to determine their effect on operations.
Steps of IPB - ansD- Define the operational environment
a. Defining the operational environment results in the identification of significant
characteristics of the operational environment that can affect friendly and enemy operations.
This step also results in the identification of gaps in current intelligence holdings.
D- Describe environmental effects on operations
a. Describes how characteristics related to enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations
affect friendly ops
E- Evaluate the threat
a. Understand how a threat/adversary can affect friendly operations.
D- Determine threat
a. Identifies and develops possible threat/adversary COAs that can affect accomplishing the
friendly mission.
The mission statement - ansThe mission is the task, together with the purpose, that clearly
indicates the action to be taken and the reason therefore.
,CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
Decisive point - ansA geographic place, specific key event, critical factor, or function that,
when acted upon, allows commanders to gain a marked advantage over an adversary or
contribute materially to achieving success.
Offensive tasks - ansM- Movement to contact
A- Attack
E- Exploitation
P- Pursuit
Movement to contact - ansAn offensive task designed to develop the situation and to establish
or regain contact. The goal is to make initial contact with a small element while retaining
enough combat power to develop the situation and mitigate the associated risk.
The commander conducts a movement to contact when the enemy situation is vague or not
specific enough to conduct an attack.
Attack - ansAn offensive task that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures
terrain, or both.
An attack differs from a movement to contact because, in an attack, the commander knows
part of the enemy's disposition. This knowledge enables the commander to better synchronize
and employ combat power more effectively in an attack than in a movement to contact.
Exploitation - ansAn offensive task that usually follows the conduct of a successful attack
and is designed to disorganize the enemy in depth.
Exploitations seek to disintegrate enemy forces to the point where they have no alternative
but to surrender or take flight.
Pursuit - ansAn offensive task designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to
escape, with the aim of destroying it.
A pursuit normally follows a successful exploitation. However, any offensive task can
transition into a pursuit, if enemy resistance has broken down and the enemy is fleeing the
battlefield.
Defensive tasks - ansA- Area defense
M- Mobile defense
R- Retrograde
Area defense - ansThe area defense is a defensive task that concentrates on denying enemy
forces access to designated terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy
outright.
The focus of the area defense is on retaining terrain where the bulk of the defending force
positions itself in mutually supporting, prepared positions. Units maintain their positions and
control the terrain between these positions.
, CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
Mobile defense - ansThe mobile defense is a defensive task that concentrates on the
destruction or defeat of the enemy through a decisive attack by a striking force.
The mobile defense focuses on defeating or destroying the enemy by allowing enemy forces
to advance to a point where they are exposed to a decisive counterattack by the striking force.
The striking force is a dedicated counterattack force in a mobile defense constituted with the
bulk of available combat power.
A fixing force supplements the striking force. The commander uses the fixing force to hold
attacking enemy forces in position, to help channel attacking enemy forces into ambush
areas, and to retain areas from which to launch the striking force.
Retrograde - ansThe retrograde is a defensive task that involves organized movement away
from the enemy.
The retrograde is a transitional operation; it is not conducted in isolation. It is part of a larger
scheme of maneuver designed to regain the initiative and defeat the enemy.
Three forms of the retrograde - ansD- Delay
W- Withdrawal
R- Retirement
Delay - ansA delaying operation is an operation in which a force under pressure trades space
for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the
enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged.
Withdrawal - ansA withdrawal operation is a planned retrograde operation in which a force in
contact disengages from an enemy force and moves in a direction away from the enemy.
Retirement - ansA retirement is a form of retrograde in which a force out of contact moves
away from the enemy.
Characteristics of the offense - ansA- Audacity
C- Concentration
S- Surprise
T- Tempo
Audacity - ansAudacity means boldly executing a simple plan of action.
Concentration - ansConcentration is the massing of overwhelming effects of combat power to
achieve a single purpose.
Surprise - ansIn the offense, commanders achieve surprise by attacking the enemy at a time
or place the enemy does not expect or in a manner that the enemy is unprepared for.
Tempo - ansControlling or altering tempo is necessary to retain the initiative.
- At the operational level, a faster tempo allows attackers to disrupt enemy defensive plans by
achieving results quicker than the enemy can respond.
- At the tactical level, a faster tempo allows attackers to quickly penetrate barriers and
defenses and destroy enemy forces in depth before they can react.
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
TLPs - ansR- Receive the mission
I- Issue Warno
M- Make a tentative plan
I- Initiate movement
C- Conduct recon
C- Complete the plan
I- Issue the order
S- Supervise/Refine
Foundations of Unified Land Operations - ans1. I- Initiative
2. D- Decisive action
3. C- Army core competencies
4. M- Mission command
Initiative - ansOperational initiative is setting or dictating the terms of action throughout an
operation. Individual initiative is the willingness to act in the absence of orders, when
existing orders no longer fit the situation, or when unforeseen opportunities or threats arise.
Decisive action - ansa. Decisive action—the continuous, simultaneous combinations of
offensive, defensive, and stability or defense support of civil authorities tasks.
Decisive action tasks - ansi. An offensive task is a task conducted to defeat and destroy
enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers.
ii. A defensive task is a task conducted to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize
forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability tasks.
iii. Stability is an overarching term encompassing various military missions, tasks, and
activities conducted outside the United States in coordination with other instruments of
national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment, provide essential
governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief.
iv. Defense support of civil authorities is support provided by U.S. Federal military forces,
Department of Defense civilians, Department of Defense contract personnel, Department of
Defense component assets, and National Guard forces.
Army core competencies - ansa. Combined arms maneuver is the application of the elements
of combat power in unified action to defeat enemy ground forces; to seize, occupy, and
defend land areas; and to achieve physical, temporal, and psychological advantages over the
enemy to seize and exploit the initiative.
b. Wide area security is the application of the elements of combat power in unified action to
protect populations, forces, infrastructure, and activities; to deny the enemy positions of
advantage; and to consolidate gains in order to retain the initiative
Mission command - ansMission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the
commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander's
intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations.
Six fundamental principles of Mission command - ansB- Build cohesive teams through
mutual trust
,CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
C- Create shared understanding
P- Provide a clear commander's intent
E- Exercise disciplined initiative
U- Use mission orders
A- Accept prudent risk
Tenants of Unified Land Operations - ansF- Flexibility
I- Integration
L- Lethality
A- Adaptability
D- Depth
S- Synchronization
Principles of joint operations - ansO- Objective
O- Offensive
M- Mass
M- Maneuver
E- Economy of force
U- Unity of command
S- Security
S- Surprise
S- Simplicity
R- Restraint
P- Perseverance
L- Legitimacy
IPB - ansIntelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) is the systematic process of
analyzing the mission variables of enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations in an area
of interest to determine their effect on operations.
Steps of IPB - ansD- Define the operational environment
a. Defining the operational environment results in the identification of significant
characteristics of the operational environment that can affect friendly and enemy operations.
This step also results in the identification of gaps in current intelligence holdings.
D- Describe environmental effects on operations
a. Describes how characteristics related to enemy, terrain, weather, and civil considerations
affect friendly ops
E- Evaluate the threat
a. Understand how a threat/adversary can affect friendly operations.
D- Determine threat
a. Identifies and develops possible threat/adversary COAs that can affect accomplishing the
friendly mission.
The mission statement - ansThe mission is the task, together with the purpose, that clearly
indicates the action to be taken and the reason therefore.
,CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
Decisive point - ansA geographic place, specific key event, critical factor, or function that,
when acted upon, allows commanders to gain a marked advantage over an adversary or
contribute materially to achieving success.
Offensive tasks - ansM- Movement to contact
A- Attack
E- Exploitation
P- Pursuit
Movement to contact - ansAn offensive task designed to develop the situation and to establish
or regain contact. The goal is to make initial contact with a small element while retaining
enough combat power to develop the situation and mitigate the associated risk.
The commander conducts a movement to contact when the enemy situation is vague or not
specific enough to conduct an attack.
Attack - ansAn offensive task that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures
terrain, or both.
An attack differs from a movement to contact because, in an attack, the commander knows
part of the enemy's disposition. This knowledge enables the commander to better synchronize
and employ combat power more effectively in an attack than in a movement to contact.
Exploitation - ansAn offensive task that usually follows the conduct of a successful attack
and is designed to disorganize the enemy in depth.
Exploitations seek to disintegrate enemy forces to the point where they have no alternative
but to surrender or take flight.
Pursuit - ansAn offensive task designed to catch or cut off a hostile force attempting to
escape, with the aim of destroying it.
A pursuit normally follows a successful exploitation. However, any offensive task can
transition into a pursuit, if enemy resistance has broken down and the enemy is fleeing the
battlefield.
Defensive tasks - ansA- Area defense
M- Mobile defense
R- Retrograde
Area defense - ansThe area defense is a defensive task that concentrates on denying enemy
forces access to designated terrain for a specific time rather than destroying the enemy
outright.
The focus of the area defense is on retaining terrain where the bulk of the defending force
positions itself in mutually supporting, prepared positions. Units maintain their positions and
control the terrain between these positions.
, CCC Common Core Combined Set
Comprehensive Exam Study Guide
Latest Updated 2025/2026.
Mobile defense - ansThe mobile defense is a defensive task that concentrates on the
destruction or defeat of the enemy through a decisive attack by a striking force.
The mobile defense focuses on defeating or destroying the enemy by allowing enemy forces
to advance to a point where they are exposed to a decisive counterattack by the striking force.
The striking force is a dedicated counterattack force in a mobile defense constituted with the
bulk of available combat power.
A fixing force supplements the striking force. The commander uses the fixing force to hold
attacking enemy forces in position, to help channel attacking enemy forces into ambush
areas, and to retain areas from which to launch the striking force.
Retrograde - ansThe retrograde is a defensive task that involves organized movement away
from the enemy.
The retrograde is a transitional operation; it is not conducted in isolation. It is part of a larger
scheme of maneuver designed to regain the initiative and defeat the enemy.
Three forms of the retrograde - ansD- Delay
W- Withdrawal
R- Retirement
Delay - ansA delaying operation is an operation in which a force under pressure trades space
for time by slowing down the enemy's momentum and inflicting maximum damage on the
enemy without, in principle, becoming decisively engaged.
Withdrawal - ansA withdrawal operation is a planned retrograde operation in which a force in
contact disengages from an enemy force and moves in a direction away from the enemy.
Retirement - ansA retirement is a form of retrograde in which a force out of contact moves
away from the enemy.
Characteristics of the offense - ansA- Audacity
C- Concentration
S- Surprise
T- Tempo
Audacity - ansAudacity means boldly executing a simple plan of action.
Concentration - ansConcentration is the massing of overwhelming effects of combat power to
achieve a single purpose.
Surprise - ansIn the offense, commanders achieve surprise by attacking the enemy at a time
or place the enemy does not expect or in a manner that the enemy is unprepared for.
Tempo - ansControlling or altering tempo is necessary to retain the initiative.
- At the operational level, a faster tempo allows attackers to disrupt enemy defensive plans by
achieving results quicker than the enemy can respond.
- At the tactical level, a faster tempo allows attackers to quickly penetrate barriers and
defenses and destroy enemy forces in depth before they can react.
