e list of facts will not serve the purpose. What is needed here
is a series of evaluations and conclusions which may result from a
study of the pertinent details.

With the circumstances attending his particular problem clearly in
mind, the commander carefully reviews each of the factors of fighting
strength in the theater; he classes each as either a strength or
weakness factor for himself or his opponent, and enters it in the
proper column. A strength factor for one is not necessarily entered as
a weakness factor for the opponent:--what is required is a
well-digested summary of the factors which give to either side an
advantage or a disadvantage as compared to the other.

NOTE

The Estimate procedure has, to this point, established the basis for
the solution of the problem through evaluation of the factors
pertaining to the requirements of suitability, of feasibility, and of
acceptability of the consequences as to costs.

On this basis, the commander is ready to consider such courses of
action as may be pertinent. To this end, he has a choice of
procedures. He may first consider courses of action for himself. He
may prefer, however, to consider first those which are applicable to
the enemy.

If the commander considers his own courses of action first, this
procedure has an advantage in that it narrows, later, the scope of
enemy courses which are pertinent to his situation. This is true
because consideration of enemy courses may in such a case be
restricted to those which give promise of countering, effectively, his
own courses of action.

This procedure may also have a certain psychological advantage, in
that the commander may thereby avoid becoming unduly impressed by the
potentialities of enemy action. Occasionally, prior consideration of
enemy courses may tend to put the commander, unnecessarily, on the
mental defensive.

First consideration of his own courses of action is especially
appropriate for a commander whose mission requires him to assume the
initiative, particularly when the relative fighting strength indicates
that he can compel enemy action to conform to his. This is frequently
the case when enemy action will chiefly affect details rather than the
general trend of the operations.

These reflections indicate that first consideration of his own courses
of action will very frequently be advantageous to the commander. Such
a sequence is therefore indicated preferentially in the Estimate Form,
a