True or False: Mission Analysis can be skipped.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Cannot be determined

Answer: (B)

Mission Analysis lays the groundwork by establishing a clear understanding of the higher mission, the commander's intent, and the problem you must solve. It is a mandatory step in the MDMP because it surfaces the specified and implied tasks, constraints, critical information requirements, and risks that shape every subsequent action. Without it, planners risk missing key tasks, misinterpreting the mission, and failing to synchronize fires with maneuver and other operations. It also helps identify information gaps and sets the frame for developing and evaluating courses of action. In field artillery planning, this translates to defining fire support requirements, target priorities, timing, and how fires will integrate with maneuver to achieve the commander’s intent. Therefore, Mission Analysis cannot be skipped.