"The Standard Voice SOP was not based on Navy-Marine
Corps MARS procedures, but the ACP-125 that all
nations use for joint communications. "
The 12 page Tri-Service SOP was in fact based on the information presented in ACP-125F.
However, there was a 55 page document produced that was derived and condensed down from ACP-125F.
It was crafted in such a way that it would have applied to the 3 MARS services in Voice Operations.
However, it was dictated to be cut to 12 pages, since that is what Navy dedicated to the voice training portion of their training materials.
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" I can tell you this, way too many Navy folks just hate this new format, we were told it was a compromise to the ARMY, and you were told Navy and so on. In the end it was an ACP-125 issue that all of us had to follow. We tin the navy MARS program were not in total compliance with this, and I believe the ARMY was not either. I don’t think any of us were totally aware of the ramifications"
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ACP-125f is the requirement for a guideline for voice operations - I will agree to this
It is the closest substitution for experience in voice operations that could be found in printed form, and was used as a referernce to cut experienced operators out of the loop in the formation of a Tri-Service SOP.
A universal on-sides punt, which Navy recovered and condensed to 12 pages to meet their specifications.
The result was the loss of the Voice Operations for the 3 services.
Army was very willing to use the 55 page condensed version of ACP-125F that would have been usable in voice operations for Net Operations, and adaptable to actual event.
Army was already using voice procedures that would be the same in an actual event prior to the Tri-Service SOP coming out and removing that possibility as an option for the future.
I can't attest to Air Force.
FWIW, The AF Voice Net Manager has resigned recently due to bad health.
I was a part time NCS for the Transcon Net on loan from Army, and can personally relate to the way TCON was called in relation to the ACP.
Fortunately, the tri-service ACP Voice Net procedures didn't apply to what Air Force via TRANSCON was doing either.
ACP-125F makes these asumptions:
-A Multi-National force should have the same procedures
-their operating spectrum is "owned 24 hours a day, seven days a year; not on an hourly basis
-A high probability exists that many "sub-nets" will be in operation at the same time on the same frequency
-Each subnet must be uniquely indentifiable without compromising OPSEC
-Full Calls of Tactical Call Signs are mandated for this reason.
BUT, when the tatical call sign is MAINSAIL, it just doesn't matter is you use the full call sign(MAINSAIL), or the Abbreviated Call Sign (MAINSAIL).
We finally progressed to the point where the McDonalds of Net Operations was able to ask us "Do you want fries with those fries?"
I personally failed to see the humor.
The operational conditions outlined in ACP-125F are very much separated in reality from Voice Net operations in use by the Tri-Services; for good reason..... They are 2 different things.
When our authors found out that there was legitimacy in the claim that full call signs on check ins were a source of confusion, a waste of time in getting a working net, and dangerous to life and property in an actual event - They chose the only path they felt available - Decided to remove the listing of any traffic on check in and removced the call for emergency and priority traffice at the beginning of net operations. These procedures were deleted to offset the time lost by requiring full call signs on net check ins - because the ACP-125F dictates full call signs.
Folks, did anyone else just see the baby flying through the air with the bathwater??
Use of full call signs is fine when your brand uses the same prefix for all, don't use phonetics on the prefix, and all are members of region zero, leaving identification of resources in an event completely off the table.
Abbreviated call signs are also used in one branch..
Only one branch sees no need in compying weith FEMA region designators in the call sign.
As far as I know, only one branch attempts to provide policy to GOD 6 days a week....
Air Force just went through the strain of coming up to FEMA compliance with nearly all of their call signs being re-assigned to proper FEMA Region numbers.
Both Army and Air Force have made strong efforts to utilize a Voice SOP that condensed (hacked) to meet Navy's specifications, and there is a large difference between a net that lasts 58 minutes per hour to maintain a state of readiness and one that last just long enough to get check ins and move a net report by voice.
We're talking 8 to 15 minutes here, the remaining 45 are wasted use of valuable spectrum.
"The outcomes that will happen will be dictated by the choices we make now. "
Unfortunately, if the choices had been left up to the experienced voice operators, we wouldn't be at this cross roads.
Other than a little sibling rivalry, I don't think any Navy Voice Op would have agreed to the verbage of the Tri-Service SOP, knowing the toll it would take on the ability of the 3 services to serve any usefiul purpose if called upon in an actual event.
I guess the operation was a success; but it is too bad the patient died....
I do not place blame on any individual Navy member, nor do I assign it to the group of Navy Voice Ops as a whole. However, when you chose to defend something, you should be aware of what you are defending.
There is enough blame to go around in this debacle, but, if you carefully review the before and after, do the research, see the results, you will see that the Navy negotiator had a much larger share, than those of Air Force or Army.
I don't know if Army lost out due to the inexperience of a negotiator (whom I don't remember having ever called a net in my time in Army MARS), I don't know if he was even present on the negotiations, or if it was a matter of the volume on his part of the conference calls being muted during the formation of the Tri-Service SOP ...
But the outcome is now the reality.
It is what it is.......
David
KD4NUE