In a COTAC operation, when is a WARNORD used compared to a FRAGORD?

• A. WARNORD provides early notice of an impending operation; FRAGORD is a change to the OPORD issued during execution.
• B. WARNORD is a change to the OPORD issued during execution; FRAGORD provides early notice of an impending operation.
• C. WARNORD and FRAGORD are the same.
• D. WARNORD is for air operations; FRAGORD is for ground operations.

Answer: (A)

Warnord is sent ahead of an operation to alert units that something is coming and to begin initial planning with essential, forward-looking details. Fragord is issued during execution to modify or execute the current OPORD—it's a concise update that changes certain tasks or directives without rewriting the whole plan.

This makes the choice correct because the early-warning nature of a WARNORD enables prep and coordination before the full order arrives, while a FRAGORD is specifically used to adapt the plan once operations are underway. The other options mix up these purposes, claim they are the same, or assign them to air versus ground operations, which isn’t how these orders function.