Why does an OC/T need to know the elements of combat power?

• A. To memorize all categories for exams
• B. To understand how the army will operate in the future so that units can be trained accordingly
• C. To create a budget plan
• D. To evaluate current day operations exclusively

Answer: (B)

Understanding how combat power is generated and applied by integrating its elements is essential. Those elements—command (mission command), movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, sustainment, and protection—together describe how the Army brings leadership, information, mobility, firepower, logistics, and security to bear on a mission. For an OC/T, this knowledge lets you design and evaluate training that mirrors how the Army will operate in future conflicts, ensuring units practice coordinating these parts to work as a cohesive system. It’s not about memorizing categories for a test, nor about budgeting or focusing only on today’s operations; it’s about preparing cadets to implement and adapt the full spectrum of combat power in the environments they’re likely to face.