Exercise Planning Tasks Responsible Party Contact Information Suggested Timeline Date Completed Remarks Design and Development Foundation Review exercise program guidance, including: Elected and appointed officials’ intent and guidance Multi-year Training and Exercise Plan (TEP) Existing plans and procedures Risk, threat, and hazard assessments Relevant AARs/IPs Grant or cooperative agreement requirements [Exercise Program Manager] [Prior to design of exercise concepts and objectives. months before exercise] Exercise Planning Team and Events Identify elected and appointed officials and representatives from the sponsor organization for potential Exercise Planning Team membership [5-7 months before exercise] Identify participating organizations for potential Exercise Planning Team membership [5-7 months before exercise] Officially stand up Exercise Planning Team with Exercise Planning Team Leader and section chiefs, as appropriate [5-7 months before exercise] Develop exercise budget [5-7 months before exercise]
Schedule first planning meeting (C&O or IPM as needed) [5-7 months before exercise] Identify/review topics or issues to be covered during the first planning meeting (C&O or IPM as needed) [3-4 weeks before C&O Meeting or IPM] Planning Meetings Concepts and Objectives (C&O) Meeting (optional) [Prior to or concurrent with IPM. 5-7 months before exercise] Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before C&O Meeting] Develop draft exercise scope, objectives, and aligned core capabilities During C&O Identify/confirm exercise planning team During C&O Develop and distribute meeting minutes [No later than (NLT) 1 week after C&O Meeting] Initial Planning Meeting (IPM) [5-7 months before exercise] Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before IPM]
Identify exercise design and development elements and begin development of exercise documentation Scope, objectives, and core capabilities Evaluation requirements (capability targets and critical tasks) Scenario threat/hazard Participants and extent of play Exercise staffing requirements Exercise logistics (date, location, including breakout locations or specific exercise play sites, if needed) During IPM Assign responsibilities and due dates for tasks and determine date for next planning meeting During IPM Develop and distribute meeting minutes [NLT 1 week after IPM] Midterm Planning Meeting (MPM) (as needed) [3 months before exercise] Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before MPM] Review and refine all exercise materials, documents, and tasks During MPM
Assign responsibilities and due dates for tasks, and determine date for next planning conference During MPM Develop and distribute meeting minutes [NLT 1 week after MPM] MSEL Meeting (if necessary) [2 months before exercise] Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before MSEL Meeting] Review and develop MSEL injects During MSEL Meeting Final Planning Meeting (FPM) [6 weeks before exercise] Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before exercise] Facilitate meeting During FPM Review and approve all exercise documents During FPM Finalize exercise staffing (including facilitators/controllers, evaluators, and support staff) During FPM Confirm all exercise logistical elements (including exercise site(s), equipment, and schedule) During FPM Assign responsibilities and due dates for tasks During FPM Develop and distribute meeting minutes [NLT 1 week after FPM]
Arrange for audio/visual equipment (e.g., microphones, screens, projectors) Arrange for exercise supplies (e.g., pens, markers, flipcharts) Develop mailing lists (players, facilitators, Exercise Planning Team) Develop ID badges, name/table tents, and sign-in sheets Arrange for restrooms Develop signage Exercise Staffing Determine exercise staff requirements Select and train exercise staff Conduct Exercise Play Preparation Distribute exercise documentation [1 week before exercise] Set up exercise site(s) (including Simulation and/or Control Cells, as needed) [1 day before exercise] Present pre-exercise Elected and Appointed Official Briefing (as needed) As requested
Conduct pre-exercise briefings: C/E Briefing and/or Evaluator Training Actor Briefing (as needed) Player Briefing Observer Briefing (as needed) [NLT 1 day before exercise (C/E Briefing), or before STARTEX] Exercise Conduct Facilitate/Control exercise play During Exercise Collect data During Exercise Wrap-Up Activities Conduct post-exercise player Hot Wash Immediately following ENDEX Conduct C/E Debrief Immediately following ENDEX and Hot Wash Evaluation After-Action Report (AAR) Complete and submit all EEGs Immediately following exercise Develop draft AAR [NLT 30 days after exercise] Distribute draft AAR to participating organizations’ policy and decision makers for review [NLT 30 days after exercise] Improvement Planning After-Action Meeting Schedule meeting Immediately following exercise
Coordinate meeting logistics, prepare and send invitations and read-ahead packets [2-3 weeks before AAM ] Receive feedback on Draft AAR, make any revisions, and develop draft list of corrective actions [1 week before AAM] Conduct AAM to reach consensus on AAR content and revise/gain consensus on corrective actions [NLT than 45 days after exercise] Finalize AAR/IP [NLT 1 week after AAM] Distribute final AAR/IP [NLT 1 week after AAM] Continuous Improvement Share lessons learned, best practices, and successes identified in AAR/IP Ongoing Implement corrective actions Ongoing Track AAR/IP implementation Ongoing