CCIR, PIR, FFIR, EEFI — Doctrine Reference for Cadre

A quick-reference card for cadre to clarify the relationships between intelligence/information requirement categories when candidates ask. Current authority: ADP 6-0 and FM 6-0.

The Four Terms

PIR — Priority Intelligence Requirement

Intelligence about the enemy, terrain, weather, or civil considerations that the commander needs to make a specific decision. PIRs drive the collection plan — they are questions about what you don't know but need to know about the operational environment.

Example: "Will the enemy commit his reserve along Route BLUE before H+4?"

FFIR — Friendly Force Information Requirement

Information about your own force that the commander needs to make decisions. FFIR covers things like friendly unit combat power, sustainment status, key leader casualties, or loss of communications with a subordinate element.

Example: "Has any squad fallen below 75% combat strength?"

CCIR — Commander's Critical Information Requirement (the umbrella)

The bundle of PIR + FFIR. Everything the commander has designated as critical to decision-making, both about the enemy and about our own force.

            CCIR
           /    \
        PIR     FFIR
     (enemy /  (friendly
     environ.) force)

EEFI — Essential Elements of Friendly Information

The flip side — information about your own force that you do NOT want the enemy to know. EEFIs drive OPSEC, deception, and information protection.

Example: "The location and timing of the main effort's river crossing."

Quick Mnemonic

Why It Matters in the OPORD

• CCIR is the umbrella heading under Coordinating Instructions. Under it, list PIR items (enemy/environment) and FFIR items (friendly force) as separate sub-lists.
• EEFI is a separate heading, not nested under CCIR.
• Items reported on CCIR triggers go to the PL/CO immediately, day or night, by any means.
• Items protected as EEFI shape OPSEC measures, route selection, and what gets transmitted in the clear.

Common Candidate Confusion (Watch For These)

1. "PIR and CCIR are two separate categories." No — PIR is a subset of CCIR. Together with FFIR, they make up CCIR. If a candidate's OPORD lists them as parallel, coach them through the correct nesting.
2. "EEFI goes under CCIR." Older doctrine sometimes lumped EEFI under CCIR. Current ADP/FM 6-0 keeps EEFI separate as its own category under information collection / protection.
3. Mislabeled items. "Compromise of a squad," "friendly casualties below threshold," or "loss of comms" are FFIR, not PIR. "Enemy strength different than estimate" or "civilian presence in the kill zone" are PIR.
4. Too many CCIR. A CCIR should trigger a real decision the commander would make. A long list of nice-to-knows degrades the value. Keep it focused on what would change the plan.

Quick Sort Test

When auditing a candidate's CCIR list, ask of each line item:

• Is it about the enemy, terrain, weather, or civilians? → PIR
• Is it about us — our combat power, sustainment, casualties, comms, key leaders? → FFIR
• Is it something we are trying to keep the enemy from learning? → EEFI (and it does not belong in CCIR)

Authority

• ADP 6-0, Mission Command: Command and Control of Army Forces
• FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations
• ATP 2-01, Plan Requirements and Assess Collection (for the collection-plan side of PIR)