Field Manual FM 6-0 Commander and Staff Organization and Operations Change 1 May 2015 provides commanders and staffs with many of the tactics and procedures associated with exercising mission command. Mission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative within the commander's intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in the conduct of unified land operations (ADP 6-0). Mission command is both a philosophy and a warfighting function.

As the Army's philosophy of command, mission command emphasizes that command is essentially a human endeavor. Successful commanders understand that their leadership guides the development of teams and helps to establish mutual trust and shared understanding throughout the force.

Mission command is also a warfighting function. The mission command warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that develop and integrate those activities enabling a commander to balance the art of command and the science of control in order to integrate the other warfighting functions. As a warfighting function, mission command consists of the related tasks and a mission command system that support the exercise of authority and direction by the commander. As a warfighting function, mission command assists commanders in blending the art of command with the science of control, while emphasizing the human aspects of mission command. (See ADRP 6-0 for more details.)

FM 6-0 is intended to serve several purposes. First, it provides commanders and staffs specific information they will need in the exercise of mission command. Second, the manual provides multiple templates and examples of products that commanders and staffs routinely use in the conduct of operations. Finally, FM 6-0 discusses roles and responsibilities that should be understood to facilitate ease of communication among various members of different organizations. It should be noted that although FM 6-0 provides tactics and procedures, commanders may modify products as necessary to meet mission requirements. Local standard operating procedures (SOPs) may also provide examples of products more suitable to specific situations.