Operations Plan Format

[FlyTiger77]

What form/format do units use to submit Operations Plans (OPlans) through the chain of command and into WMIRS?

We are looking to revamp ours and I would like to see any other solutions.

Thanks.

[Tubacap]

There are two that generally get used in PAWG.  One is something that the Army uses that I don't particularly know the format.  The other one is on the PAWG Ops page at www.pawingcap.com/ops under Sample Operations Plan.

[FlyTiger77]

There are two that generally get used in PAWG.  One is something that the Army uses that I don't particularly know the format.  The other one is on the PAWG Ops page at www.pawingcap.com/ops under Sample Operations Plan.

Thanks.

The Army uses the 5-paragraph field order:
1. Situation
2. Mission
3. Execution
4. Service Support
5. Command and Signal

I would be interested in seeing other formats.

[IceNine]

http://www.ilcap.org/images/documents/ilwg_forms/ilwgf606.doc

[LTC Don]

Isn't the ICS-201, et al the preferred (mandated) forms now since we are supposed to be under ICS?

[sardak]

^No. The ICS-201 is completed by the initial IC to document the first actions on an incident. It is not used for pre-planned events nor is it included in an IAP. It's typically used to start the planning for the second operational period on incidents that get that far. An IAP can be created without there being a 201 first.

Per CAPR 60-3 para. 1-21, all mission records will contain at least an ICS-201 or full IAP, in addition to all the other mission paperwork.

Regarding ops plans, I've collected 100+ wing and region training plans (Ops plans, ops orders) from all regions, for approved exercises. They range from a couple of paragraphs posted in the comments block on the mission page in WMIRS to 34 pages. The average length is five pages.

The most common elements are date/time, sponsoring unit, invited units, location, cost breakdown (based on the CAPF10), a section describing the reason (purpose, goal, objective, etc.) for the exercise, and a description of what operations will take place.

The amount of detail drives the length of the document. It's obvious that what information and details the approving authorities want varies greatly between wings and regions. Some regions have a standardized form used by its wings, others have a standard format but not a specific form, and in some it's a free-for-all.

Mike 

[JeffDG]

ICS can be applied to planned events just as easily as to unplanned incidents.  ICS-201 could well be used as an Op Plan.

There's no reason for the operational period in ICS to remain static.  I could be a couple of weeks during the planning phases, and during the execution of the event drop down to the traditional 24 or fewer hours per period.

[FlyTiger77]

.. Some regions have a standardized form used by its wings, others have a standard format but not a specific form...

Thanks for the insight.

The forms and formats are what I am interested in seeing.

[jeders]

Here is the sample format that Texas Wing uses for everything.

Note, this is on their old site not the current one and I had to find it using Google, so don't expect it to be easy to find otherwise.

[a2capt]

If you go into WMIRS and select a training event from your wing, you can usually get the ops plan for it, from there. (view submitted files)

See what has been submitted, and duplicate it. That's whats worked in that chain of command ;-)

look at a few for consistencies, because what works here may not work there, etc.

[FlyTiger77]

If you go into WMIRS and select a training event from your wing, you can usually get the ops plan for it, from there. (view submitted files)

See what has been submitted, and duplicate it. That's whats worked in that chain of command ;-)

look at a few for consistencies, because what works here may not work there, etc.

True, but I am the wing guy and I am trying to revise our current format.

v/r

[JK657]

There are two that generally get used in PAWG.  One is something that the Army uses that I don't particularly know the format.  The other one is on the PAWG Ops page at www.pawingcap.com/ops under Sample Operations Plan.

Thanks.

The Army uses the 5-paragraph field order:
1. Situation
2. Mission
3. Execution
4. Service Support
5. Command and Signal

I would be interested in seeing other formats.

The Army changed its 5 paragraph op ord this spring:
1. Situation
2. Mission
3. Execution
4. Sustainment
5. Command and Control

[JC004]

There are two that generally get used in PAWG.  One is something that the Army uses that I don't particularly know the format.  The other one is on the PAWG Ops page at www.pawingcap.com/ops under Sample Operations Plan.

That one is laaaaame.  The one that I produced was much better.  It was mostly army format, but with awesomeness. 

[FlyTiger77]

There are two that generally get used in PAWG.  One is something that the Army uses that I don't particularly know the format.  The other one is on the PAWG Ops page at www.pawingcap.com/ops under Sample Operations Plan.

That one is laaaaame.  The one that I produced was much better.  It was mostly army format, but with awesomeness.

Would you care to share?

[JC004]

Yeah, I'm looking for it now.  I've got a few versions.  I'll see which one I can come up with. 

update...nothing yet.  I really have to start finding some of these things that I was looking to post on CT.  I've got a HUGE backup file online.  Maybe I'll set that to download overnight and see if there are any goodies in there.  At one point, I had posted a private directory on the PAWG site to share a bunch of this stuff and just let members download it.  I'm pretty sure that's gone now.  I'll try to remember the URL.  As a note - it will need some updates as it hasn't been used in practice in a few years (at least by me...other people had copies of their own).  For instance, radio freqs used to be included (the old freqs).

when do you need this by?  I have a couple of priority projects due this week in preparation for this revamped volunteer training program that I have to run.

[bosshawk]

One method that has worked for us in CAWG is to call the Ops Center and have them email you the boiler-plate ops plans that they use.  You mostly fill in the blanks and perhaps modify them slightly to make it fit your purpose.  They have been prepared by the ops folks at Hq, along with the lawyers, so they are instantly accepted.

We have been doing this for the past three or four years in the CD program and they are a no-sweat way of doing it.  No forms, no regs to quote, etc. 

In my 18 years in CAP, I don't think that I have ever seen an Ops Plan format or form. YMMV.

[FlyTiger77]

when do you need this by? 

No rush. I have a form that we will start with and it will evolve from there.

I will post our version when I finish cleaning it up. It is a 5-tab Excel workbook.

[FlyTiger77]

In my 18 years in CAP, I don't think that I have ever seen an Ops Plan format or form. YMMV.

I find that interesting, but not surprising.

[Tubacap]

Jack, that seems very cool to have it in Excel.  Mind if PAWG peruses and modifies?  We are currently doing the same thing.  Colgan, maybe you can throw some awesomeness this way too!

[FlyTiger77]

Jack, that seems very cool to have it in Excel.  Mind if PAWG peruses and modifies?  We are currently doing the same thing.  Colgan, maybe you can throw some awesomeness this way too!

I wouldn't mind at all. I especially wouldn't mind if someone could take it beyond my Excel skill levels and make it good.

v/r

[Tubacap]

Jack,  I am pretty good with Excel, and I may be able to integrate it with Google Spreadsheets if your wing is using Google Apps.

[JC004]

Jack, that seems very cool to have it in Excel.  Mind if PAWG peruses and modifies?  We are currently doing the same thing.  Colgan, maybe you can throw some awesomeness this way too!

I threw that document in particular square at PAWG Operations - several times.  Nobody at wing HQ even looked at my SAREX materials.  I kept getting told that they WOULD.  Director of Ops changed, nobody looked, nobody cared. 

I had a stack of operations materials, SAREX stuff especially.  The people who ended up using the stuff were squadrons who I sent it to directly (although I saw my templates in passing, being used by other units too). 

Don't you have a copy of this stuff so I don't have to keep digging?  I could have sworn that I sent at least some of it to you.  If you have it, I could just modify it and make an updated one. 

[Tubacap]

JC, I don't think I have any of that stuff.  I'll look around though.  If you find it first, PM it to me.  BTY Love the revolutionary stuff!

[FlyTiger77]

Jack,  I am pretty good with Excel, and I may be able to integrate it with Google Spreadsheets if your wing is using Google Apps.

I e-mailed a draft to you.

[Tubacap]

Got it.  I will check it out tomorrow morning.  I just got back from doing an SUI response.  It's bed time.

[JC004]

Got it.  I will check it out tomorrow morning.  I just got back from doing an SUI response.  It's bed time.

Freaking Will.  You're supposed to keep track of my files so I don't have to.     There's a bunch of stuff that I want to find to help people out with stuff for which they've been looking.

[Ranger75]

The subject has come up a time or two in the past.  You might want to check out this past topic "OpsPlan template" for one example of the OPORD format utilized by MDWG.

[JC004]

I found some of the documents that I made years ago for exercises.  Not all of them, yet - and some critical documents still missing, but I'm continuing to look. 

My intent is to take them all and update them at least most of the way (that is, as much as I have time to do), then make them available online.  Is there anything in particular other than the actual OPORD that you were looking to get? 

Somewhere in this stuff, I should also have Controller documents, schedules, rosters (which maybe I could just delete the data and make into a sample), equipment lists for training kits, briefing outlines, etc.  I am missing, however, my scenarios set that took me a couple years to develop fully.  I'm a little upset about that.  The major issue is that when I moved from one laptop to another, I moved a bunch of files which were corrupted at some point.  I've had to take paper stuff and redo it for some things.  I'm hoping that my scenarios binder is still around.     My Controller documents like scenario stuff was developed by me with some people I recruited because my wing never used controllers and I never knew any other units around to, so I couldn't get any samples.

If there are other things that you think might be helpful and I can keep an eye out for them, let me know.

On another note, maybe if a couple of people would look at what I'm going to publish and consider getting together to develop the materials further, we could create a nice set of documents that would be kind of a "SAREX in a Box."