n
which he would adopt if he had time for careful deliberation.

In making the tests, the commander rejects courses of action found
unsuitable in that they will not, if successfully prosecuted,
contribute to the attainment of the objective. He does not, as yet,
reject courses of action found to be promising of only partial
accomplishment of the task, because there may be later possibilities
of effecting combinations to this end.

The commander also rejects, at this point, courses of action found to
be infeasible of accomplishment. He is careful, however, not to
reject, abruptly, any which may later be found to be feasible in
combination with other courses.

Similarly, the commander now rejects courses of action found to
involve excessive consequences as to costs. Here, again, however, he
bears in mind the possibilities of later combinations.

The commander does not, as yet, make a selection of one course of
action in preference to another. He merely desires to restrict further
thought, toward his Decision, to those which are found, on the basis
of the estimate so far, to be suitable, feasible, and acceptable. He
may, however, make a selection to the extent of effecting proper
combinations whose applicability has already been demonstrated.

The commander also takes stock, at this stage of the estimate, of the
relative degree of suitability, feasibility, and acceptability of
retained courses, so far as can be substantiated.

D. Listing Retained Courses of Action.

The foregoing process indicates to the commander the courses of action
which may properly be retained as suitable, as feasible, and as
acceptable. He therefore draws up a list of retained courses and
classifies them according to the degree of their suitability, of their
feasibility, and of their acceptability with respect to consequences.

This list does not necessarily represent the final combinations of
courses of action; the incomplete solutions may yet become part of the
course of action finally selected. Also it is not impossible that
combinations already made will subsequently be recombined as a result
of further analysis.

It may be apparent to the commander at this time that he does not
have, as yet, any course of action which fulfills the test of
suitability as to scope, either originally or by combination. A later
conclusion is made (Section V) as to final combinations to achieve
full scope. This conclusion, however, may point the way, as