When you first receive an OPORD, before you look at the mission and tasks, you must understand the situation (hence why the situation paragraph is first in the OPORD).  This step is all about understanding your current status, including the 5Ws (who, what, when, where, why). 

Start with your Running Estimates (RE).  The example file is based on the R030 report (more on that later).  The RE are continually updated, but reflect your current situation as c.f. with operational needs TBD later in MDMP.  

Creating a Geo-Spatial Overlay to demonstrate unit locations and Religiously Important sites is optional (see TC 3-34.80).  The S3 should have something like this available to build on.  This information will build the Common Operating Picture (discussed later).  The point is you need to start with situational awareness.

The Smart Card is your Buzz word go-to.  Sound like the Army when you prep/talk to the Army.

What is your mission?  This is found typically in your higher unit's tasks to subordinates and in their Tab D.  Your first step is to understand the tasks given to your unit.  Those tasks are usually divided into Implied and Specified, both of which could be essential tasks (tasks which if not performed would cause overall mission failure).  It is often helpful, though not necessary, to record these tasks using a tool such as that provided.  As you work through this you will have questions (RFI) which should be submitted to the RFI manager working in S3, but you should also internally track all RFIs and bully the manager regularly for answers (see the eg. RFI tracker).

Also in this stage you should be working with the S2 to develop your Religious Area Assessment (RAA) which then feeds your Religious Impact Assessment (RIA), both presented to the commander during the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield brief (S2 is the boss of this product).   

During these phases the unit's staff will work on COAs to present to the commander.  You need to develop a plan for how to provide RS IAW the tasks previously identified in each COA.  Depending on which is chosen, the primary output is your TAB D for publishing with the OPORD and a Religious Concept of Support. 

The staff will present the COAs and their recommendation at the end (and either move to execution or get sent back to the drawing board by the commander).  You are not the proponent for this action, but may participate.  Additionally, the COA Decision Brief is a familiar format for pitching an idea to the commander.  I use it in desk sides often. 

It should be noted per FM 5-0 that a Concept of the Operation (CONOP) is utilized in every step of MDMP to summarize COAs and plans.  CONOPs such as the example given are great tools to both brief the plan as it is, and propose plans for the future.  This is your number one desk side briefing tool during planning.