If you understand the foundations of Mission and Tasking Statements, your life writing orders will be so much easier. I hope you read this section so you don't feel overwhelmed by the previous sections, and so you understand the Example Combat Order.
By definition, a mission statement includes a tasking statement and a purpose. What we are doing, and why.
But in layman's terms, a mission is something that a higher unit tells you what to do, and why you are doing it.
"Tasks" in the Execution include a tasking statement and a purpose. Does this sound familiar??? It's ALSO a mission. But, the task is the mission you give to your subordinates.
Let's break this down with an easy example that has nothing to do with killing people.
Your mother, a retired Marine, is hosting a Marine Corps Birthday party at your house. She sent dad out to get booze and cigars, leaving her to figure out how to get the house cleaned in under two hours. Luckily, she has six children that she can order around, three boys and three girls.
"KIDS!!!!!! GET IN THE KITCHEN NOW!!!!!" she yells. All you guys rush to the kitchen.
"This house is a pigsty because last night your father and I had an early birthday celebration yesterday and I guess we got carried away. You all have to clean up the mess. Boys, by 6 pm you must have the downstairs cleaned in order for our house to look presentaable for guests. Girls, by 6 pm you must have the upstairs cleaned in order for our house to look presentable for guests. Boys, the downstairs is more important than the upstairs so please don't slack."
What did your Marine mom do? She tasked you guys. HER mission is to have the house cleaned by 6 pm. Why? In order for the house to look presentable for guests. She broke her kiddos into two squads, boys and girls. She assigned them different territories and gave them different tasks. She even explained that the "main effort" was the boys because the downstairs is more important.
Okay, so mom is the higher unit. Let's start with the boyz.
Oldest brother, Jim, gathers his two brothers. He says, "Brothers, mom's mission is to have the house cleaned by 6 pm in order to have the house presentable to guests. OUR mission is to have the downstairs cleaned by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests."
Basically Jim understood his mom's mission, and understood that her task to him, to have the downstairs cleaned by 6 pm in order to have the house presentable for guests, was now HIS mission for his brothers.
Now Jim says, "I will clean the downstairs bathroom by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests. Since people need a place to piss, my job is the most important. I will be vibing to tunes while cleaning. Don't bother me. Jack, I want you to sweep and vacuum all the floors by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests. Jose, since you are only 3 years old, you must shove all your toys into your bin by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests. "
Yep. It will get super repetitive. It will be even more repetitive when I show you what the ladies are up to.
Oldest sister Gerri gathers her sisters. "Girls, mom's mission is to have the house cleaned by 6 pm in order to have the house presentable to guests. OUR mission is to have the upstairs cleaned by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests."
She continued. "I will be clean the upstairs bathroom by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests. Since people need a place to puke, my job is the most important. I will be FaceTiming with my boyfriend so don't bother me. Melanie, I need you to sweep the hallway and stairs by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests. And Victoria, I need you to shove all the toys under the beds by 6 pm in order to have the house ready for guests."
See what happened? Each oldest sibling took what their mother told them to do, made it their mission, and broke that mission into tasks to the younger siblings.
I promise this will all make sense.