In military planning, a 'fact' is defined as

• A. Verifiable pieces of information known to be true.
• B. Suppositions presumed to be true in absence of facts.
• C. Unverified rumors circulating among units.
• D. An assumption about enemy intent.

Answer: (A)

In military planning, a fact is a verifiable piece of information known to be true. It comes from sources that can be checked, observed, or measured, and it can be confirmed or refuted by evidence. Facts provide a reliable foundation for decisions and actions, because they represent information that has been validated.

Suppositions presumed true in the absence of facts describe assumptions or hypotheses rather than verified information. Unverified rumors circulating among units are not facts because they lack confirmation. An assumption about enemy intent is also a hypothesis; it may guide thinking but isn’t a confirmed fact until corroborated.