How to Plan an Activity

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How to Plan an Activity

• Preparing to Run an ALS

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POCDC

• Plan, Organize Direct, Coordinate, and Control

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Planning

• Planning is taking your concept and moving it to
  paper
• It includes
• Drafting the Ops Plan
• Selecting your Executive Staff
• Writing the Course Syllabus

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Drafting the Ops Plan

• During the Planning Stage, it is not crucial that
  all information be 100 accurate
• The information on it will instead be used to
  garner support during the Coordination Phase
• A sample OPPlan is provided as ALS OPS PLAN.DOC

5
Selecting Your Executive Staff

• Your Executive Staff should be people you know
  and trust
• They must be made well aware of what duties their
  position will entail
• They should not be expected to pay money up
  front, as they will usually incur a lot of
  expenses during the later phases of the activity

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Writing the Course Syllabus

• The syllabus must include
• The training goals of the activity
• Any assignments the students will need to
  complete
• Summary of each class with estimated time blocks

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Organize

• Organizing means taking your concept and
  determining feasibility
• It includes
• Finding a Location
• Finding an Activity Commander
• Determining Activity Costs
• Determining Staff Needs

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Finding a Location

• Military Bases
• To get on a military base, you must submit an ops
  plan at least 90 days in advance
• AF bases are obligated to assist CAP, whereas
  other bases are not but this does not guarantee
  an AF base will give you the use of their
  facilities.
• Non-Military Bases
• Generally, non-military bases are not as hard to
  get onto as military bases, but they will usually
  charge you more money for their services
• Some facilities may object to the training taking
  place at your activity. Youll need to consider
  this when selecting your location

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Suggestion about Organization Phase

• Your Activity will be as effective as its
  paperwork
• Take the time you need to organize your activity
  well
• The planning phase is easy because you will have
  many ideas and few constraints
• The organization phase will show you the flaws in
  your plan and bring you back down to earth
• Organization is the hardest, least fun, most time
  consuming, and has the longest duration of any
  management phase

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Finding an Activity Commander

• Find a commander who is willing to support you
  and your staff
• You do not have time to deal with conflicts
  between you and your boss
• You have a unique opportunity, however, because
  you can usually choose who your commander will be

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Determining Activity Costs

• Decide if you will be trying to generate a profit
  for this activity
• Decide if you will be trying to break even for
  this activity
• NEVER decide to operate at a loss for an activity

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Determine Major Costs

• Food
• Serving Utensils
• Billeting
• Curriculum

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Determine Hidden Costs

• Long Distance Phone bills
• Gasoline Costs

14
Determine Staff Needs

• Determine Class Size
• If class is less than twenty, run as a Squadron
  as shown on the next slide

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(No Transcript)
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If Class Size is less than fifty, run as Squadron
as Shown
17
If Class Size is close to 100, run as a Group as
shown

• Group Org Chart

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If Class Size is more than 150, run as a Wing as
shown on next slide
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Wing Structure Training Event
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Staff Selection Tips

• Read the Resumes
• Interview, Interview, Interview
• Dont play politics
• Go with what you know
• Fight For input

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Coordinate

• Coordination is the final step of preparation for
  the activity
• It includes such things as
• Making sure all logistical needs are taken care
  of
• Making sure all staff needs are taken care of
• Re-Writing the Ops plan to reflect program changes

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Taking Care of Logistical Needs

• Are all of your instructors confirmed?
• Do they know how to get to your activity?
• Do they know how long theyll be speaking?

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Taking Care of Logistical Needs

• Is the food situation taken care of?
• Have you made sure you have enough for everyone
  to eat?
• Have you considered people with alternative diets
  (Kosher, Vegen, etc)
• Have you drafted a packing list and made sure
  each attendee has a copy?
• Have you written acceptance letters to attendees
  AND their parents?
• Do the attendees parents know where their child
  will be and what he/she will be doing?

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Taking Care of Logistical Needs

• Are the facility needs met?
• Have you confirmed with the facility coordinator
  that you will be using the facility?
• Is there a place to prepare food and can you use
  it?
• Is there adequate sleeping/eating/classroom
  space?
• Is the facility too big for you?

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Staff Needs

• Confirm whether or not each staff member will be
  attending
• Provide them with their job descriptions
• Make sure they have
• A packing list
• A schedule
• Create Storm Troopers

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Re-write Ops plan to reflect changes in program

• The ops plan is your map for the activity
• The more detailed and accurate it is, the better
  your activity will be
• The Ops Plan must be 100 set in stone by the
  time the activity starts
• Itll change during the activity, but dont worry
  about it

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Direct

• At this point, the activity has progressed too
  far to stop it
• You should take a hands off role and direct your
  subordinates to accomplish objectives
• At this point, most of your interaction will be
  with your support staff

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Direct (Continued)

• Make sure that
• Your XO has planned sign-in and sign out
• Any plaques/other awards have been ordered
• The activity budget has been drafted
• Menu has been written
• Schedule is verified with each instructor and set
  for the activity
• Facilities director is asked for last minute
  in-put

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Control

• As Commander, youll oversee the whole activity
• Training will be the responsibility of your
  deputy or vice
• Support is the responsibility of your XO or
  Support Group CC

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Control (Continued)

• Do not take an active role in either area, by
  doing so you usurp their authority
• Instead, spend time working with Senior Members
  and Civilians to make sure that facility and
  training needs are met
• Remember that your responsibility is to control
  the activity, not the individuals in it thats
  the role of your subordinates

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Post Activity

• No matter how hard it is, get continuity stuff
  done
• Make sure everybody has input
• Question your storm troopers
• Smooth any ruffled feathers
• Start planning another activity