Which is one of the five elements of Tactical Employment?

• A. Rigid planning
• B. Gain and maintain initiative
• C. Avoidance of risk
• D. Excessive maneuvering

Answer: (B)

Gaining and maintaining initiative is about keeping the enemy off balance and driving the tempo of the fight so you decide how and where operations unfold. When you seize the initiative, you push decisions down to the lowest capable level, respond quickly to changing conditions, and create opportunities to apply your combat power decisively at decisive points. This keeps the enemy reacting to you rather than you reacting to them, which is a core aim of Tactical Employment.

Rigid planning stalls this dynamic by locking you into a fixed sequence, making it hard to adapt to how the situation on the ground evolves. Avoiding risk as a guiding principle can lead to complacency and missed opportunities, and excessive maneuvering can waste time, expose units, and erode momentum. Together, those ideas undercut the ability to dictate the fight, whereas gaining and maintaining initiative preserves speed, flexibility, and operational tempo.