The OEA Team published an update to the operational environment assessment (OEA) for Afghanistan in May 2011. The purpose of an OEA is twofold. First, an assessment provides a detailed description and analysis of an operational environment (OE); second, it presents a methodology for the application of the OE framework to any real-world OE. The OEA framework is an analytical construct developed to explore the complex and ever-changing combination of conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect real-world military operations within a given OE. The framework provides a method to describe the conditions of military operations and capabilities, and is applicable across leader development, education, and training environments as well as real-world contingency planning or predeployment exercises.

OEAs are intended to support the Army training community in the development and execution of mission rehearsal exercises (MRXs), training exercises/events, and general cultural awareness training. This OEA, focused on Afghanistan, presents a discussion of the PMESII-PT variables, a trends analysis across variables, and a list of potential and realistic events in Afghanistan.

Every OE is different. Each one is dynamic and multi-dimensional with its own degree of complexity. To better understand each OE’s uniqueness, one needs to study and understand the variables, their synergy, and their overall influences on military operations. An OEA helps define the OE’s nature and characteristics and seeks to present an understanding of the variables and their impact across the OE.

Each OEA discusses the political, military, economic, social, information, infrastructure, physical environment and time (PMESII-PT) variables and their related effects, as well as exploring potential trends across the specific OE being analyzed. The analysis presented in this OEA is based upon open-source research, and all information contained herein is UNCLASSIFIED. This OEA is not an official intelligence assessment or intelligence product, nor should it be used in such a manner.