Upon receipt of a Warning Order, what is the first action to take?

When a Warning Order is received, the first action to take is to start making a tentative plan. This is crucial because the Warning Order signifies that a mission has been identified, and it asks units to begin preparing for potential operations. At this point, the immediate focus should be on understanding the mission's objectives, requirements, and possible courses of action.

Creating a tentative plan allows leaders to visualize the mission's framework and identify resources, timelines, and any preliminary coordination that may be necessary as more specific instructions are provided later. It serves as a foundation upon which further details can be added as they become available, facilitating a more efficient operational planning process.

While reconnaissance, informing units, and preparing for execution are also important tasks that follow, none of these actions should be prioritized before establishing a tentative plan. Without a solid planning foundation, it would be challenging to conduct effective reconnaissance, communicate appropriately with units, or prepare adequately for execution.