CHAPTER 1

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION 1

BACKGROUND

Ref: (a) COMNAVSURFLANT/COMNAVSURFPACINST 3502.3 (SURFTRAMAN Bulletins)

(b) COMNAVSURFLANT OPORD 2000

(c) COMNAVSURFPAC OPORD 201

(d) NWP-10-03.1 (Operational Reports)

1101. Purpose. The purpose of this manual is to provide a comprehensive training program that integrates a sequence of individual, team, and unit training evolutions in all mission areas applicable to the Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and U.S. Pacific Fleet. It is the primary directive for planning, scheduling, and executing all cyclic and repetitive training requirements within the Naval Surface Forces.

a. This manual includes formal training requirements applicable to ships and units of the Surface Forces which are not otherwise addressed / resourced by the personnel distribution system. Specifically for individual training, in order to avoid redundant and possibly confusing direction, this manual does not address billet sequence training, NEC related training, or NTP identified training requirements. These requirements are adequately covered in BUPERS directives, EDVRs and NTPs.

b. Within available spending limits, the training requirements in this manual are those that the type commanders are committed to fund.

1102. Organization. This manual establishes common training requirements and procedures for the accomplishment of unit training within the Surface Forces of the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. It will be jointly reviewed annually. Reference (a) provides information and guidance in the form of bulletins on selected mission area training and readiness matters in amplification of this manual. These bulletins are designed in a simple and easily changeable format, with each bulletin addressing a single topic.

1103. Guidelines. The primary goals of the Naval Surface Force Training Program are to achieve and maintain the highest state of readiness within the Surface Forces at all times, and to ensure that deploying units are fully ready to perform all designated missions. The training program established in this manual supports these goals and is predicated on the following guidelines.

a. Exercise Requirements. This manual consolidates all ship and unit exercise requirements of the Fleet Exercise Publications (FXPs), SURFTRAMAN Bulletins, and other training directives into a single document. Specific training requirements are identified and organized for each unit type. They are further organized by mission area and progressively structured to provide for a phased and integrated set of increasingly complex training events that begins with basic operator skills, advances to unit level training, and culminates with coordinated, multi-ship operations. The requirements of this manual are primarily based on a cyclic, standardized training routine. Provisions are also made for:

(1) The conduct of a Command Assessment of Readiness and Training (CART) whereby each commanding officer can assess the ship's mission area proficiency, identify specific training strengths and deficiencies, and schedule (with ISIC approval) a tailored training program for the ship between deployments.

(2) The accomplishment of some exercises, such as live weapons firings, on a repetitive vice a cyclic basis to ensure training proficiency is maintained throughout the deployment and interdeployment cycles.

(3) The introduction of battle group/amphibious ready group training early in the interdeployment training cycle.

b. Planning and Scheduling. The development and execution of a well formulated unit training plan is essential to the successful maintenance of unit readiness and is the responsibility of each command. The planning and scheduling of interdeployment training shall incorporate the requirements of this manual and shall be in accordance with the modular scheduling guidelines in references (b) through (d) and other associated directives.

c. Schedule Execution. Due to fiscal and scheduling limitations, the training opportunities that are available to units of the Naval Surface Forces are limited and must be optimized. Commanding officers should make every effort to prepare for and execute the training provisions of their quarterly employment schedules, once approved. Additionally, whenever possible, commanding officers are enjoined to creatively pursue the parallel accomplishment of any unscheduled training opportunities that may arise. When outside services (e.g., aircraft, ships, observers, training ranges, etc.) are involved, units that are unable to participate in scheduled training events should notify their ISIC immediately so that these scarce training resources may be re-allocated to other units.

d. Assessment. The assessment of unit training accomplishment is an integral and important part of the Naval Surface Force Training Program because it provides the primary qualitative measurement of a unit's ability to satisfactorily perform its assigned mission areas. To this end, this manual provides for:

(1) Meeting the objectives of prescribed exercise requirements in accordance with established standards delineated in training publications and directives.

(2) The evaluation of unit level training by external training/assessment activities.

e. Reporting. Satisfactory completion of the training and exercise requirements contained in this manual is the primary basis for measuring unit readiness within the Naval Surface Forces. It is therefore important that subordinate commands report their training accomplishments in a timely and accurate manner, so that higher echelons of command can monitor individual unit readiness.

1104. Applicability. The provisions of this manual apply to all ships and units (e.g., TACRON Dets, ACU Boat and LCAC Groups, LCUs, BMU Beach Party Groups and Teams, PHIBCB Dets, EOD Dets) of the Naval Surface Forces. Distribution of applicable portions of this manual also includes Military Sealift Command military departments for use as desired when providing service support, and ships of the U.S. Coast Guard when conducting training. As new ship classes and ship systems are added to the Naval Surface Forces, new or revised training evolutions will be added to the appropriate sections of this manual.

1105. Review. This manual is intended as a dynamic document to which standard training evolutions will be added that address new equipment and skills, as well as new classes of ships. Recommended changes are solicited from all user commands and will be incorporated into an annual headquarters review process.