In Troop Leading Procedures, what is the first step?

• A. Receive the Mission
• B. Issue a Warning Order
• C. Make Tentative Plan
• D. Gather the Force

Answer: (A)

Receiving the mission is the essential first action because everything that follows is built from the official direction you’ve been given. The mission tells you what you’re supposed to accomplish, the commander's intent, any constraints, and the time frame. With that clear, you can begin shaping your plan, assign priorities, and coordinate resources in a way that aligns with the higher command’s purpose. Without knowing the mission, planning and coordinating would be guessing at best and could lead to wasted effort or mistakes.

From there, you can issue a warning order so subordinates can start preparing immediately, even as you begin drafting a tentative plan. Gathering the force or other steps come after you’ve anchored your actions to the mission, ensuring every subsequent step supports the actual task at hand.