NATO Task Verbs and Mission Statements

Gain or re-establish contact with an enemy within assigned boundaries ADVANCE TO CONTACT

Conduct a surprise attack from concealed positions on a moving or temporarily halted enemy. AMBUSH

Take offensive action against a specified target. ATTACK

Engage enemy with direct and/or indirect fire, without closing with that target. ATTACK BY FIRE

Deny access to a given area, movement in a given direction, or movement along a route or avenue of approach. BLOCK

An obstacle effect that integrates fire planning and obstacle effort to stop an attacker on a specific avenue of approach, or to prevent an enemy from exiting an engagement area. BLOCK (FOR OBSTACLE EFFECT)

Force a passage through an obstacle or fortification. BREACH

Move around an entity or obstacle to maintain momentum. BYPASS

To constrain movement to a specific, narrow zone. CANALIZE

To take possession of enemy personnel, materiel and/or information. CAPTURE

To ensure an area is free of enemy troops and their obstacles. CLEAR

To restrict an entity's freedom of movement to within a specified area. CONTAIN

To exert influence over an entity, process, object or area to establish, maintain or prevent a specific situation or event. CONTROL

To take offensive action against an attacking force. COUNTER-ATTACK

To protect the main body of a force by engaging an enemy while also observing and reporting. COVER

To mislead an entity by manipulating its perceptions to induce it to react in a manner prejudicial to its interests. DECEIVE

To diminish the effectiveness of an enemy or adversary to the extent that it is unable or unwilling to resist or achieve its intent. DEFEAT

To slow an enemy by trading space for time while inflicting maximum damage on them without becoming decisively engaged. DELAY

To dissuade a hostile entity by a show of force, without seeking contact. DEMONSTRATE

To prevent an entity from using specified people, space or infrastructure. DENY

To damage a target to such an extent that it is unable to fulfil its intended function without being reconstituted or entirely rebuilt. DESTROY

To break contact with a hostile entity. DISENGAGE

To negatively affect a hostile entity's formation, tempo and/or timetable. DISRUPT

An obstacle effect that focuses fire planning and obstacle effort to cause the enemy to break up his formation and tempo, interrupt his timetable, commit breaching assets prematurely, and attack in a piecemeal effort. DISRUPT (for an obstacle effect)

To pass around or over an enemy's principal defensive positions to secure objectives to their rear. ENVELOP

To accompany and protect an enity that is on the move. ESCORT

To remove people, animals or materiel from a place of actual or impending danger. EVACUATE

To covertly extract a force from an area under hostile control. EXFILTRATE

To utilize successes or opportunities to maximize advantages or gains. EXPLOIT

To distract an enemy from the main effort by seeking contact while avoiding decisive engagement. FEINT

To prevent any part of a hostile entity from moving from a specified location for a specified period of time. FIX

An obstacle effect that focuses fire planning and obstacle effort to prevent a hostile force from moving froma specified location for a specified period of time. FIX (for obstacle effect)

To follow a force and be prepared to continue its assigned mission. FOLLOW AND ASSUME

To follow a force and be prepared to support it. FOLLOW AND SUPPORT

To protect the main body of a force through the application of combat power while also observing and reporting. GUARD

To covertly move into or through an area under hostile control. INFILTRATE

To impede or disrupt a hostile entity's lines of communication or forces in depth. INTERDICT

To prevent a hostile entity's freedom of movement and contact with external support. ISOLATE

To determine the geogrphical position of a specified entity or object LOCATE

To render a hostile entity or its materiel temporarily incapable of interfering with friendly forces. NEUTRALIZE

To position a force ina specified area or location that is free of active opposition. OCCUPY

To break through the enemy's defence and disrupt its defensive system PENETRATE

To catch or cut off an enemy attempting to escape, with the aim of destroying it. PURSUE

To extract a friendly entity or materiel from an area or location not under friendly control. RECOVER

To replace a force with an assigned mission in a specified area with a different force to continue that mission. RELIEF IN PLACE

To hold an area or location to ensure it is free of hostile occupation or use. RETAIN

To move away from a hostile entity while out of contact. RETIRE

To protect the main body of a force by providing early warning SCREEN

To gain possession of a specified area, location or objective and prevent its use or destruction by a hostile entity. SECURE

To take possession of a specified area, location or object by force. SEIZE

To engage the enemy by direct fire in support of another manoeuvring force. SUPPORT BY FIRE

To force a hostile entity to move in a desired direction. TURN

An obstacle effect that integrates fire planning and obstacle effort to drive an enemy formation from one avenue of approach to an adjacent avenue of approach or into an engagement area. TURN (for an obstacle effect)

To disengage and move away from a hostile entity WITHDRAW

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