The command and control (C2) research community mainly agree upon the overall purpose of C2 – to generate desired effects in an operational environment thereby fulfilling stated goals. This purpose indicates an action oriented approach that focuses on the C2 process and its constituent activities. This paper inquires the persistently elusive question of when the C2 process starts and ends. This question has a strong linkage to whether the C2 process begins by a top-down and beforehand need or if it is commonly initiated as a reaction to a, more or less sudden and unforeseen, situation or event. These two different approaches have significant impact on C2 theory, for instance how much effort should be dedicated to preparation before an operation/mission, and indeed if these approaches are compatible within the same theoretical framework at all. Further, this paper surveys the often mentioned need for speed in regard to the C2 process – to get inside the enemy´s decision cycle. This line of thought is in turn related to the choice between an analytical or intuitive decision making approach in the C2 process. This paper applies a literature review method that compares a national C2 process standard with an international equivalent.