R 162107Z SEP 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0561/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CDI//
SUBJ/SUPPORT TO USMC FROM THE ARMY DIRECTED STUDIES OFFICE//
POC/M. A. GIVENS/MAJ/UNIT:CDI G3 AND 5/-/TEL: COML (703) 784-6644//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE.  TO PROVIDE THE DESCRIPTION AND CAPABILITIES OF THE ARMY DIRECTED STUDIES OFFICE (ADSO), DETAIL HOW ADSO CAN BE UTILIZED BY MARINE COMMANDERS DURING THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS, AND PROVIDE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO SOLICIT SUPPORT.
2.  BACKGROUND.  IN 2008, ACMC DIRECTED ESTABLISHMENT OF A RED TEAMING CAPABILITY.  INITIALLY THIS CAPABILITY HAS BEEN INCORPORATED WITHIN HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY'S (HQDA) ARMY DIRECTED STUDIES OFFICE AND IS ACCESSED THROUGH DC, CDI.  CURRENTLY, THE FOCUS OF THE MARINES IN ADSO IS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:  SOUTHWEST ASIA, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.  AFTER A TWO YEAR PERIOD, ACMC WILL EVALUATE THIS CAPABILITY AND DETERMINE THE BEST METHOD OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT.
3.  RED TEAMING AMPLIFIED.  RED TEAMS PROVIDE COMMANDERS AN INDEPENDENT CAPABILITY TO FULLY EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES IN PLANS, OPERATIONS, CONCEPTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND CAPABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND FROM PERSPECTIVES OF PARTNERS, ADVERSARIES AND OTHERS.  A RED TEAM ASSESSMENT IS INTENDED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES OR WEAKNESSES BASED ON CULTURAL, MILITARY, TECHNOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, INFORMATIONAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS DIFFERENCES OR ADVERSARIAL POINTS OF VIEW.  ULTIMATELY, RED TEAM EFFORTS SERVE TO ENABLE A DEEPER AND BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THE KEY VARIABLES FOUND IN THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
4.  ADSO SUPPORT TO USMC. WHEN REQUESTED, ADSO WILL CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF A SUPPORTED UNIT'S CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS, CAMPAIGN PLAN, OR OTHER PLAN IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE COMMANDER CHALLENGEABLE ASSUMPTIONS, KEY DEPENDENCIES AND UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.  ADSO'S ANALYSIS IS BASED ON A HOLISTIC REVIEW OF THE PLAN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND INCLUDES THE PERSPECTIVES OF ADVERSARIES, PARTNERS AND OTHER ACTORS AS WELL AS A REVIEW OF POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, TECHNOLOGICAL, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS.  FOR BEST RESULTS, ADSO ANALYSIS SHOULD OCCUR EARLY IN THE COA DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF OPERATIONAL PLANNING IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED CAN BE CONSIDERED/INCORPORATED ACCORDINGLY.  DETAILED ADSO PROJECTS TYPICALLY REQUIRE LEAD TIMES MEASURED IN WEEKS OR MONTHS RATHER THAN DAYS.  ALL ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTS ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SUPPORTED COMMANDER AND WILL NOT BE RELEASED TO ANY USMC OR USA ORGANIZATION WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC APPROVAL OF THE SUPPORTED UNIT COMMANDER.
5.  IMPLEMENTATION.  COMMANDERS (PRIMARILY AT THE MEF AND MARFOR LEVELS) DESIRING ADSO SUPPORT MAY REQUEST SUPPORT THROUGH THE CDI G3/G5.  DIR, G3/G5 WILL VALIDATE THE REQUIREMENTS AND DISCUSS FEASIBILITY OF SUPPORT WITH THE ADSO DIRECTOR. ONCE IT IS DETERMINED THE REQUEST CAN BE SUPPORTED, ADSO WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE SUPPORTED COMMANDER.
6.  IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, PLEASE CONTACT MAJOR MARK GIVENS, TEL: DSN 278-6644/COML (703) 784-6644; NIPRNET EMAIL: MARK.GIVENS@USMC.MIL; SIPRNET EMAIL: MARK.GIVENS@USMC.SMIL.MIL OR HTTP:SLASHSLASHWWW.QUANTICO.USMC.MIL/ACTIVITES/?SECTION(EQUAL SIGN)CDI.
7.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN GEORGE J. FLYNN, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION.//