Capstone

Cognitive Lesson Objectives:

Integrate AFSNCOA lesson concepts in complex strategic environments
Recognize and explain enlisted impact on strategic planning and execution
Understand complexities of real-world operations through wargames

Affective Lesson Objectives:

Value SNCO impact on strategic level planning & decision-making

Pre-Reading:

Capstone - Student Pre-Reading - Competing Visions of International Order in the South China Sea _ Crisis Group.pdf

Joint Planning Process Student Guide.pdf

Introduction

Discuss:

What is wargaming?
What are the benefits?
In your own words, how should the Joint Planning Process work?

Practice Matrix Wargame

Instructions:

Break into 3 Groups:

Team 1: China, Vietnam, Malaysia
Team 2: USA, Taiwan, Philippines
White Cell: two students and the instructor

A team provides an action & their arguments (why it could happen) during their turn.

The other team will provide their counter-arguments (why it could not happen).

White cell will validate/invalidate arguments to determine target number.

Capstone SCS map.pdf

What are some limitations to wargaming or this style of wargame?

Initiation: JPP Step 1 - Planning Initiation

Capstone - Basic Rules of the Nine-Dash Line Wargame.docx

Flights will begin to use the first 6 steps of the Joint Planning process and the AFSNCOA campus resources to develop two Course of Action (COAs) and recommend one for approval by their assigned country’s leadership.COA 1 must be a balanced approach across DIME-FIL. COA 2 must be more focused on the Military instrument of power.

Let's begin with Commander's Intent...

Student Research:

Based on the following roles, perform research to support future COA development:

Cyber and Electric Magnetic Spectrum
Space
Air Domain
Land Domain
Maritime Domain
Diplomacy
Economic
Information and/or intelligence

Additional Resources:

CIA World-Factbook http://cia.gov/the-world-factbook/

Department of State Countries & Area http://state.gov

Information on Military Assets can be found here: https://armedforces.eu

Spend any remaining time reading the country’s background information to better understand your country’s Strategic Direction, Strategic Environment, and Operational Environment and instruments of National Power (DIME-FIL). With the remaining time, familiarize yourselves with their country’s adversarial outlook on the South China Sea using the above or any other unclassified resources.

JPP Step 2: Mission Analysis

Mission Analysis Brief Preparation:

Using instructor-provided country background brief, additional resources and the student workspace, prepare mission analysis.

Armed with commander’s intent and knowledge of the region, the intent of your Mission Analysis Briefing is to arm Commander's with what you've discovered. This brief will be delivered in the AFSNCOA auditorium in front of your student squad, members from instructor White Cell, and guests invited to the Academy (as applicable). The Mission Analysis Brief provides the commander with the results of the Staff’s analysis of the mission, offers a forum to discuss issues identified, and ensures the commander and staff share a common understanding of the mission.

Nine Dash Line Student Workspace.pptx

Students will create a South China Sea Mission Analysis Brief for their country (8-minute maximum brief per team). Visual aids are required, 5 slides maximum. The minimum requirements for the Analysis Brief are found in the student workspace and specific assignment instructions.

COA Evaluation

Flights will provide a COA Evaluation Criteria that will be used in MP6: Step 5 – COA Comparison

Examples:

Specified Task—Ensure freedom of navigation for United States force through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Implied Task—Establish maritime superiority of 50 miles from the Strait of Gibraltar. Be prepared to conduct foreign internal defense and security force assistance operations to enhance the capacity and capability of allies.

Mission Statement [5 WHs]—When directed [when], United States ‘x’ Command, in concert with coalition partners [who], deters Country ‘y’ from coercing its neighbors and proliferating weapons of mass destruction [what] to maintain security [why] in the region [where].

Mission Analysis Briefing

Mission analysis briefings must NOT contain COA development.

One or Two flights chosen at random will pose a question to the flight on the stage. Information provided during this brief from friendly and adversarial mission analysis briefing should assist flights in developing their COAs in the next phase. Each flight should only be on stage for 10 minutes maximum.

JPP Step 3: COA Development

Based on the results from the Mission Analysis Briefing, develop two COAs to meet the Commander’s intent. Remember the first COA will be a more balanced approach and the second COA more focused on the Military instrument of national power.

There are two components, for each COA, that each flight must bring to the wargame: a narrative and a sketch. You are encouraged to use the map from page 25 of the provided Nine-Dash Line .pdf to create the team’s sketch. The sketch will include your nation's resources and at least one other country. The student workspace has the resources needed to create the narrative and sketch.

Consider the following for the narrative & sketch:

1. Operational Environment 8. Sustainment Concept

2. Objectives 9. Communication Synchronization

3. Essential tasks and purposes 10. Risk

4. Forces and required capabilities 11. Required Decision & Timeline

5. Integrated Timelines 12. Deployment Concept

6. Task Organization 13. Main and Supporting Efforts

7. Operational Concept

JPP Step 4: COA Analysis via Wargaming

JPP Step 5 & 6: COA Comparison & Approval

Discuss:

Using your established COA evaluation criteria, be prepared to answer the following:

What are the differences between each COA?
What are the advantages and disadvantages?
What are the risks?
Which COA would you recommend to your commander? Why?
Do you think your Evaluation Criteria had flaws? Why?
Which COA’s do you think the other flights are presenting to their instructor based on the wargame results?

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