Small-Ldr's Guide to COIN MCIP 3-33.01

[jcustis]

I've been grinding through the guide with a certain fervor of late - not just hitting the highlights or flipping back and forth, but reading front to back. That's a bit of a challenge when you're talking doctrine or TTPs, but that's sort of besides the point.

As I read, I see plenty of references to charts, network diagrams, and miscellaneous tracking/collection tools to help a company commander and his staff organize and prosecute the COIN mission.

Does anyone know of a package of digital COIN tools out there that can be easily manipulated to suit the situation, sort of like a "COIN ops in a box"? From my experience as a TF battle captain, I realize that some information capture tools need to be built from the ground up, but given the already critical time crunch commander's face in training for the deploy, why not give them pre-formatted templates and tools right out of the gate? The first direction to take may be to go to the S-2, but even then he doesn't have it all, so it often comes down to the Marine with the quickest Powerpoint and Excel skills. Not to mention, there are a number of TTP sections that rate their own smartcard for reproduction and issue as required.

Any MCCDC guys on here who think attaching a CD-ROM to the back dust jacket makes any sense?

[RTK]

Seems that a standardization of tracking sheets and databases would make it easier to share information. What better place to begin standardization than at the tactical level? The CD you speak of could do that.

[jcustis]

...but you are on point with the standardization piece RTK. If a unit commander and his staff roll in for the RIP and the turnover consists of a review of the details in standardized form, it could make the RIP more efficient. Staffs would be working with intel and information in roughly the same format that they used during the work-up.

I'll admit that on the Marine side, we are terrible at that degree of standardization, even though the doctrine and TTps are right in our face.

Has the USA made any strides in that direction?

[Tom Odom]

If someone will get it to me I will see about getting it done.

best

Tom

[marct]

Is the guide generally available or is it FAUO?

Marc

[jcustis]

I've not seen it posted electronically Marc, although I know electronic versions are moving between .mil accounts. Distro appears to be limited to US Govt agencies and theire contractors.