Military Review English Edition July-August 2015 | Page 98

The environment’s end state is not driven by a personal
objective or desire but rather the need to maintain a state
of equilibrium or inactivity; its end state is to conserve energy by maintaining the status quo through inertia. These
two end states are in conflict; one seeks to make change,
and the other seeks to remain as static as possible. This
conflict represents the problem.

Step 2: Develop
a Problem
Statement

their path and then focusing on the desired end state, we
might come up with this problem statement:
Given PCS orders, limited time, a weight restriction on
household goods, and a single vehicle shipping restriction,
as well as post out-processing and in-processing support,
how do you move a family of four with a pet out of the
United States from Kansas to Germany and smoothly
settle into a new job, new
home, new school, and
Friendly Center of Gravity
new community with all
Smith family goal: To smoothly move all Smith family
personnel and property from Kansas to Germany
property intact?

The problem
statement describes
Step 3:
the obstacles beDetermine
Center of Gravity (COG)
Critical Capability:
tween our current
Friendly and
Maj. Smith
Coordinate all move
events with appropriate
state and the desired
Enemy Centers
agencies
end state—what we
of Gravity and
must overcome to get
Associated
from where we are to
Requirements
where we want to be.
After analyzing the
Developing a problem
environment, deterstatement is the key
mining what we want
Critical Vulnerabilities:
Critical Requirements
Inadequate lead time
Orders
outcome of framing
it to look like, and
Out processing time
the problem, which
identifying the obstaTransportation
Access to communications
consists of undercles standing in the way
standing and isolating
of our vision, we need
the root causes of conto determine the most
flict. By questioning
important elements
the difference between
Figure 1. Center of Gravity Worksheet to both protect and
the current state and
attack as we develop a
the desired end state, and determining what is preplan. These become the friendly and enemy centers of
venting you from reaching the desired end state, you
gravity (COGs). The term center of gravity is derived
frame the problem. In its purest form, the problem
from the writings of Clausewitz, who described a censtatement is a concise statement of the issue or issues ter of gravity as, “the hub of all power and movement,
requiring resolution.6 However, by adding a short
on which everything depends … the point at which all
narrative to the problem statement that also explains our energies should be directed.”7 The military defihow to bridge the gap between current and desired
nition of the center of gravity as defined in doctrine
end state, you have a more complete product that
is “a source of power that provides moral or physical
begins to inform your operational approach. This
strength, freedom of action, or will to act.”8 There is
is similar to the thesis in an essay, since it guides all
no set process for determining a COG. Based upon
other materials in the work. You now have described their understanding of the actors in the operational
the obstacles facing you and a broad way of addressenvironment, analysts are supposed to develop candiing them.
date COGs—how to do this is not specified—and test
Looking at the PCS situation, we want to develop a
them against twelve characteristics of centers of gravity
problem statement that will describe what the Smith fam- found in JP 5-0.9 Centers of gravity are further anaily must overcome to get from where they are to where
lyzed within the framework of three critical factors—
they want to be. By brainstorming the many obstacles in
capabilities, requirements, and vulnerabilities. In joint
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July-August 2015  MILITARY REVIEW