Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) Practice Exam

The criterion that specifies a course of action (COA) must differ significantly from other solutions is "Distinguishable." This aspect of COA development ensures that each option presents unique advantages and approaches to the problem at hand, which facilitates thorough comparison and assessment. By having distinguishable COAs, planners can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each option more effectively, leading to a more informed decision-making process.

The requirement for a COA to be distinguishable is essential to avoid redundancy and to ensure a variety of tactical and strategic approaches are explored. This diversity in planning options enhances the creativity of the decision-making process and allows for innovative solutions to emerge in response to complex situations.

The other criteria—such as completeness, suitability, and feasibility—are important but address different aspects of COAs. Completeness refers to whether the COA addresses the entire problem and includes all necessary elements, suitability deals with whether the COA meets the mission and operational environment requirements, and feasibility considers whether the COA can be realistically executed given the available resources and constraints. None of these criteria specifically address the necessity for the COAs to differ from one another in a significant way, which is why "Distinguishable" is the correct answer.