The J-7 team consists of 280 officers, enlisted members and civilians whose specialty is preparing joint forces for the future. J-7 is focused on supporting the warfighter by managing, rather than reacting, to change. The directorate is building for tomorrow by developing campaigns today for better plans, doctrine, exercises and training, education and lessons learned. Each J-7 division serves a key role in the overall interoperability process. The Conventional War Plans Division is responsible for the deliberate planning process and for implementing the chairman's vision of creating the best possible plans.
Military planners conduct deliberate planning when they have the luxury of time.
The deliberate planning process clearly establishes force capabilities and provides the opportunity to evaluate a broad range of available options. By using the same campaign planning principles used in crisis action plans, deliberate planning's greatest benefit is easing the transition from peace to war in the event of a crisis. The focus of Conventional War Plans Division's mission is operation plan development and review. As stewards of the chairman's Better Plans campaign, the division continually strives to improve war plan quality through an ongoing series of initiatives. A key initiative includes incorporating campaign planning principles described in joint doctrine into joint operation plans.