Orders: A User’s Guide
by Brendan B. McBreen and Chad Skaggs
The purpose of Orders: A User’s Guide is to share best practices for issuing orders on the battlefield. The focus is ground combat operations by small units—orders for squads, platoons, and companies.
The objective of this manual is to increase the tactical self-confidence of Marine leaders. To fight well, competent leaders need to understand the adversary, exploit the terrain, make tactical decisions, coordinate closely, support effectively, and communicate skillfully. Orders are a critical combat skill.
The audience for Orders: A User’s Guide is Marine leaders at the squad, platoon, and company level: Marine leaders who issue orders to their units and make things happen.