Which of the following is the second step in Course of Action Development?

The second step in Course of Action Development is to generate options. This step involves creating multiple potential courses of action based on the commander’s guidance and the understanding of the operational environment. The generation of options allows military planners to explore various strategies that can be implemented to achieve their mission objectives.

Developing multiple options fosters creative thinking and ensures that a range of possibilities are considered. This phase is crucial because it sets the foundation for further analysis and comparison, ultimately leading to a more informed decision-making process in subsequent steps. By having several options, planners can better adapt to changing circumstances or unexpected challenges that may arise during the execution of operations.

In contrast, the assessment of relative combat power, arraying forces, and preparing COA statements and sketches occur in later phases. Each of these components plays a role in evaluating the options, organizing the forces effectively, and providing a structured presentation of the course of action, but they do not take place until after the initial options have been generated.