SUBJECT: FM 3-0, Operations

1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this information paper is to provide

seminar students an overview of Field Manual 3-0, Operations and in
particular, why the Army conducts full spectrum operations.

2. MAIN POINTS. The below mentioned points highlight the major aspects
of the manual.

• Describing the Operational Environment (Ch 1)

• Defines the Spectrum of Conflict (Ch-2)
• Describes the Army Army’s Operational Concept (Ch 3)

3. BACKGROUND. FM 3-0 is one of the Army’s two capstone doctrinal

manuals, FM 1, The Army is the other capstone doctrinal manual. The
eight chapters that make up this edition of Operations constitute the
Army’s view of how it conducts prompt and sustained operations on land
and sets the foundation for developing the other fundamentals and
tactics, techniques, and procedures detailed in subordinate field
manuals. FM 3-0 also provides operational guidance for commanders and
trainers at all echelons and forms the foundation for Army Education
System curricula. The principal audience for FM 3-0 is the middle and
senior leadership of the Army, officers in the rank of major and above
who command Army forces in major operations and campaigns or serve on
the staffs that support those commanders. It is also applicable to the
civilian leadership of the Army.

4. DISCUSSION.

a. The focus of this paper is describing how the Army operates.

It discusses and defines the Operational Environment, Spectrum of
Conflict, and Army’s Operational Concept. It describes an operational
concept where commanders employ offensive, defensive, and stability or
civil support operations simultaneously as part of an interdependent
joint force to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative, accepting
prudent risk to create opportunities to achieve decisive results.
b. Chapter 3 describes the Army’s operational concept full
spectrum operations. Full spectrum operations seize, retain, and
exploit the initiative and achieve decisive results through
combinations of four elements: offense, defense, and stability or
civil support operations. It establishes mission command as the
preferred method of exercising battle command.
c. The Army’s Operational Concept is composed of Offensive
operations, Defensive operations, Stability operations and Civil
Support operations.

5. RECOMMENDATION. None - Information only.

6. REFERENCES. FM 3-0, Operations, Feb 08, Washington, D.C.:

Headquarters, Department of the Army.

Prepared by: MAJ J. Curtis Sawyer, II

AMSP 10-01, Seminar VII