The call for defense transformation and a revolution in military affairs continues to increase in volume. For some, the sound is almost deafening. Indeed, the voice of change to adapt the defense enterprise to new circumstances has always been with us and fluctuates in volume based on various influences such as threats, politics, and resources. Once again, there is a resurgence driven by the rapid changes in the global security environment as articulated in national strategy and the US Quadrennial Defense Review. Critical to the current defense transformation efforts is the concept of Capabilities-Based Planning (CBP). This essay focuses on CBP from the perspective of a military contingency planner and attempts to define the role of CBP in strategic and operational planning. Central to this examination is the relationship and convergence of CBP, Adaptive Planning, and Global Force Management as a critical component in the evolving CBP framework. The proposal is for strategists to place tight bounds on operational planners in the form of capabilities to institute a new planning and military decision-making process.