DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(U//FOUO) Rock Drills: Not Just for Military Planning Anymore
FROM: Capt Gavin West (USMC)
Military Integration - Plans & Exercises (PLEX) Division (S132)
Run Date: 04/22/2005
(Or, "It's sedimentary, Watson"?) You may have heard of Rock Drills... but do you know the
concept can be applied to ANY NSA plan, not just plans for military operations? (U//FOUO)
What Is a Rock Drill? (U)
(U) Rock Drills were developed as a way for military field commanders to test their battle staffs
and subordinate commanders before the execution of mission. The commander would begin by
disseminating his OPORDER (Operations Order) for the mission. After his subordinates had time
to process the order, they would be called together for a Rock Drill. In the Rock Drill each staff
member or commander would discuss his particular role and mission during the operation. It
was a productive way to ensure each officer understood his role and mission, and it helped
identify any looming problems before the plan was executed.
(U) The Rock Drill received its name because of the tendency of commanders to use different
shaped or colored rocks to represent different units. In the past 30 years, the Rock Drill has
developed in size and scope. Now referred to as the Rehearsal of Concept Drill, or ROC Drill for
short, it's mission remains to test a plan prior to execution. However, the depth of detail and
scope of today's Rock Drill is far broader than that of its predecessor. Additionally, the modern
Rock Drill revolves around an adversary-driven scenario that adds realism and a further
dimension to the plan validation.
NSA and the Rock Drill (U)
(S) In the last few years the Rock Drill has become a familiar, if often misunderstood, event at
NSA. Starting with the Iraq Rock Drill in July of 2002, NSA has conducted numerous Rock Drills
in order to address issues ranging from the AQSL* Spring Offensive to Threat Warning
Procedures within PACOM*. Each of these Rock Drills has had its own unique flavor and each has
been met with varied degrees of success. Recognizing the need to build upon the Rock Drill
foundation that has already been laid, S132 Plans and Exercises has embarked upon a strategy
of education, training, and extensive IMT* support designed to maximize the benefits of the
Rock Drill and alleviate any confusion that still remains.
Rock Drill Application, Size, and Scope (U)
(U//FOUO) The Rock Drill is a very versatile tool that can be easily applied to any plan produced
within NSA. Obviously, the Rock Drill will be instrumental to validate the NSA Functional Support
Plan (formerly called the CSP) during Intelligence Campaign Planning in support of the
Combatant Commanders. Each IMT that is geographically responsible for the Combatant
Commander (COCOM) should use a Rock Drill to validate the Functional Support Plan . This
becomes a powerful piece of information when dealing with the COCOM -- the IMT can reference
a concrete exercise when discussing supportability, feasibility, and sustainability with the COCOM
Joint Staff. The Rock Drill can be applied equally successfully to a Continuity of
Operations Plan (COOP) . Whether NSA may face a hurricane, earthquake, or terrorist
incident, the need for a validated plan remains the same. A Rock Drill easily fills this bill.
(U/FOUO) As the NSA/CSS enterprise continues to expand, the key TOPIs* for any given plan
may become more and more geographically separated . Video teleconferencing, email, and
other modes of communication become increasingly vital. A Rock Drill can easily be tailored to
support this type of contingency. Size, time, and scope can all be varied to support a VTC or a
planning conference that is working under substantial time constraints.
S132 Plans & Exercises Division Support to Rock Drills (U//FOUO)
(U//FOUO) As the focal point for Plans and Exercises within NSA, S132 is poised to support your
Rock Drill needs. Whether working a major CONPLAN in support of EUCOM*, or testing the plan
for NSA/CSS Georgia contingency missions in case of terrorist attack against NSAW, S132 will be
your one-stop shopping center for Rock Drill support. S132 can pull together a team of experts
to develop realistic and challenging scenarios that will stress the plan and ultimately lead to its
validation. S132 can provide trained facilitators who, by interacting with the subject-matter
experts, will bring out the nuances of the plan and help you establish its true worth. Additionally,
S132 is tasked with liaison to the Combatant Commands and can bring the beneficiaries of the
plan into the loop, thus improving NSA / COCOM relationships.
Point of Contact (U)
(U//FOUO) Point of Contact for this matter is Captain Gavin W. West (USMC), S132 CENTCOM
Planner, at
or email at
.
* (U) Notes:
AQSL = al -Qa'ida Senior Leadership
PACOM = Pacific Command
IMT = Issue Management Team
TOPI = Target Office of Primary Interest
EUCOM = European Command
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108