The expression "there's no such thing as a free lunch" means if one person gains, someone else must lose. each person must pay for exactly what he or she receives. the use of resources to produce a good has an opportunity cost because of scarcity. you cannot have a free lunch at the expense of someone else.

Issued to the joint planning and execution community (jpec) initiates the development of coas; it also requests that the supported ccdr submit a commander's estimate of the situation with a recommended coa to resolve the situation (joint force command and staff participation in the joint operation planning and execution system, page 10)