Which item is a key output of Step 6 COA Approval?

Which item is a key output of Step 6 COA Approval?

• A. CDR selected COA and modifications
• B. Updated assumptions
• C. Approved operation plan or order
• D. Subordinate understand the plan

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that COA approval is the moment the commander chooses a course of action and records any modifications to it. This selection and the accompanying adjustments become the official direction for moving into the next phase of planning, setting the baseline for further development and the eventual orders. Updated assumptions aren’t the primary deliverable of this step—they’re refined inputs that can influence which COA is chosen but aren’t the formal product of approval. The approved operation plan or order is produced after the COA has been developed and validated, not at the approval decision itself. And while it’s important for subordinates to understand the plan, that understanding results from how the plan is communicated and disseminated, not the act of approving the COA.

The main idea here is that COA approval is the moment the commander chooses a course of action and records any modifications to it. This selection and the accompanying adjustments become the official direction for moving into the next phase of planning, setting the baseline for further development and the eventual orders.

Updated assumptions aren’t the primary deliverable of this step—they’re refined inputs that can influence which COA is chosen but aren’t the formal product of approval. The approved operation plan or order is produced after the COA has been developed and validated, not at the approval decision itself. And while it’s important for subordinates to understand the plan, that understanding results from how the plan is communicated and disseminated, not the act of approving the COA.