What do CCDRs and planners need to strike a balance between?

The correct choice emphasizes the critical need for Combatant Commanders (CCDRs) and planners to find a delicate equilibrium between Ends, Ways, and Means. In military planning and specifically in joint air operations, these three elements are foundational to achieving the desired objectives.

"Ends" refer to the strategic objectives that a military operation aims to achieve. These are the ultimate goals that guide the entire planning process.

"Ways" represent the methods or strategies chosen to achieve those ends. This includes the various tactics and approaches that planners decide upon in order to effectively deploy forces.

"Means" pertain to the resources available to execute the chosen ways, including personnel, equipment, and support systems.

Finding the right balance among these three components is essential for successful military operations. Planners must ensure that the means are sufficient to execute the ways needed to achieve the ends. An imbalance can lead to inadequate resources for planned operations, unrealistic expectations about what can be accomplished with available means, or overly ambitious goals that cannot be achieved effectively within the constraints of the available resources and time.

In contrast, while cost, time, resources, goals, tactics, logistics, policy, strategy, and execution are all important considerations in military operations, they do not encapsulate the