New Trooper Guide

7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment
Command Staff
Commanding Officer:	GOA.Chance.JT
Executive Officer:	GEN.Kleinman.H
Chief of Staff:	LTG.Burgundy.C
Adjutant General:	MG.Tharen.R
Recruiting Oversight Officer:	LTG.Baeder.S
Command Sergeant Major:	CSM.Nexhex.A
1st Battalion HQ
Battalion Commander:	COL.LaCombe.M
Battalion XO:	TBD
Battalion SGM:	SGM.Schmidt.A
2nd Battalion HQ
Battalion Commander:	COL.Rob.Y
Battalion XO:	LTC.Hayes.J
Battalion SGM:	SGM.Komar.T
3rd Battalion HQ
Battalion Commander:	MAJ.May.J
Battalion XO:	MAJ.Walsh.D
Battalion SGM:	SGM.Oliva.A
Auxiliary Combat Detachment HQ
Detachment Commander:	COL.Rogers.S
Detachment XO:	COL.Budd.D
Detachment SGM:	SGM.Preacher.A

Overview

Welcome Trooper!

This guide has been created to answer many of the questions asked by new recruits. It explains some of the basics of how we operate, and what you can expect in the first few days and weeks after enlistment. We hope you will find useful information here and gain some insights into the organization of 7th Cavalry and the way we operate. We encourage you to refer back to this guide from time to time, as we are constantly working to keep it updated with the latest information.

The Enlistment Process

Your enlistment involves more than just submitting some information on a web form. Our top priority here is to have fun, but for us FUN means joining with others who have the self discipline to play as a team in a mil-sim unit. We ask you to gain a basic understanding of our rules and policies. We require our members to hold themselves to high standards of conduct and judgement. Potential recruits are evaluated to make sure we are admitting individuals who are mature enough to do so. For example, our S2 department conducts a gaming background check on each recruit. They look at gaming history using sites such as PBBans and SteamRep. You can think of this step like an in-processing physical, but without awkwardly standing in line in your underwear. Soon, you'll be assigned to a Drill Instructor and enter Boot Camp where you will be evaluated on your ability to pay attention, follow instructions, and work as a member of a team.

The entire process takes a little bit of time to complete, and a bit of effort to coordinate. Please be patient during this process. We try to be quick, but sometimes it takes a few days rather than a few hours to complete these steps. You registered on our forums in order to submit a request for enlistment. When you created an account you were asked to supply an email address. Our forum software also includes a Personal Message feature. Personal messages are sometimes referred to as PMs. When someone sends you a PM you can see it by logging into the forum or by checking the inbox of the email account you provided during registration. Your recruiter, bootcamp instructor, and others may attempt to communicate with you via PM, so check for these messages frequently. Remember to read your Bootcamp Package and Welcome Letter PMs thoroughly. They contain important dates and details.

What to expect in Boot Camp

Drop and give me... Zero! Boot Camp in the 7th Cavalry have a different purpose than in the real Army. Instead of a lot of yelling and running and push-ups, you can expect a healthy dose of explanation and instruction. You will qualify on multiple weapon ranges and be able to successfully demonstrate your command of the game controls by the end of this training. Boot Camp does require that you do more listening than speaking. You'll need to demonstrate that you can listen, understand, and then execute simple instructions. If you can do this, you will have a wealth of follow-on opportunities waiting for you as a new Private in 7th Cavalry.

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ARMA 3 Troopers

If you play ARMA 3, your Drill Instructor will help you get our custom modpack installed which you will use on all official 7th Cavalry servers.

Installation of Arma 3 modpack CavPack is the official modpack for Arma 3. This pack is used in all official 1st Battalion boot camps, squad practices, field training exercises, and operations.

You can go to This Link for instructions on how to install and maintain the current CavPack.

After the Bootcamp

1st Battalion

What to expect in 1st Battalion Recruit Process

Troopers in 1st Battalion will have a briefing conducted by their Drill Instructor then they will have their basic skills tested in a boot camp. If you are successful you will be graduated and placed into a primary line unit shortly!

2nd Battalion

Upon completion of boot camp you will be placed directly with your line unit. They will help you prepare for you 7th Cavalry career.

Section Practice

All troopers assigned to a section in the 7th Cavalry regiment are required to attend one practice with their Section per week. Should a trooper be unable to attend a practice due to work, or other real life difficulties, the Section Leader must be informed as soon as possible, and arrangements made to make up the practice with another section (ideally from within the same Platoon / Company).

Chain of Command

The structure of a Chain of Command is a cornerstone of military organization. As a means of effectively managing a large group, and still remaining aware and being accountable for individual needs, the chain of command structure has proven itself to be highly effective for centuries. The 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment strives to reflect a realistic military unit as authentically as possible. This is part of what it means to be a military realism unit. We are also a large group. Managing large groups can be chaotic if you don't have a good system in place to delegate responsibilities. We adhere to the Chain of Command structure as our method of communicating and coordinating our members to work as one big effective team. You will soon find that the Chain of Command is present in all billets and positions within our clan. The chain of command includes both authority and responsibility. These flow up the chain as well as down the chain.

Those of you joining us with prior military experience may be familiar with Chain of Command systems which feature a roughly parallel Non-Commissioned Officer support channel. This is indeed the model used here, but for purposes of simplicity it may be easiest at first for new troopers to view the Chain of Command as a single structure which includes both Non-Commissioned Officers and Officers.

The Chain of Command, abbreviated as CoC, may seem daunting at first, especially for those of us without real-life military experience. Trust us when we say that after you have been here for a few months this will all make perfect sense and you will feel very comfortable with how it works. If you would like to learn more about it right now, you can read about the [wiki=Command Structure]Command Structure[/wiki] and [wiki=Ranks]Ranks[/wiki]. However, the most essential thing for you to learn as a new trooper is how to communicate with your immediate Chain of Command.

Think of the Chain of Command as a literal chain. If a chain is twisted into a knot, or if one of the links is broken, that entire chain becomes weak and ineffective. Every member of 7th Cavalry must follow their Chain of Command. This is explained in our Rules and Regulations. Don't skip the next link in the chain. Remember that everybody wants and deserves a fair chance to answer a question or resolve a problem. The next person in your Chain of Command has earned his or her billet, so make sure you respect that by not skipping them.

As a new trooper, many of your questions about the unit and about the game can be answered by fellow troopers. Of course, some advice is better than others. When it comes to direct orders, policy, or similar official-seeming information, you will always be correct if you are getting your answers through your chain of command. Your Fire Team Leader may be delegated certain responsibilities within your squad. Your Squad Leader has full authority and responsibility for all squad members. After exhausting every possible means to communicate and get an answer from your Fire Team Leader and Squad Leader, if you can not get your issue resolved the next person in you CoC is your Platoon Sergeant. You can escalate your issue to this level, but only if you have fully communicated the issue to your Squad Leader first. Still have questions? Ask your Squad Leader to discuss it with you in greater detail.

Communication

Familiarize yourself with the forums and the Private Message (PM) system. This is our primary method of communicating administrative information. It is how you will learn about upcoming operations, new departmental openings, available courses, changes to policies... and everything else which is essential to being part of the Cavalry and discharging your daily/weekly duties within the regiment. Remember that communication is your responsibility. If you have a question, ask it. If you have an issue in your section, PM or speak with your Section Leader, ASL or FTL. If it is an extremely pressing issue and no one in your immediate Chain of Command is present at the time, notify the next person in your Chain of Command. If there is an issue... speak up!

   "Don't assume, always ask questions when in doubt."
   -1LT.Grgich.A 1-7 XO (20 AUG 2013)[/quote]

Forums Guide

How to locate your Section's forums

The forum for the 7th Cavalry contains much information and could be overwhelming to take in when first confronted with it. Initially, the most important thing to learn is how to locate your Section's forums. This is key as it is required to post at least once on our forums per week in order to continue being a member. Once a week your Section Leader will create a new topic named roll call together with the contemporary dates. You, as a trooper, are required to reply to this topic. This is how you locate where your roll call is. In the following example we are imagining being a trooper of A/1/A/1-7.

• Click "Forums" at the top center of the page.
• Click your Platoon's forum.
• Click your Section's forum.
• You are now in your Section's forum. Here you can see all new posts and most importantly; the roll call for the week. A good tip is to click the "Follow this forum" (top right in the image below), you will then receive a notification whenever a new topic is created in this forum.

How to use Private Messaging

Click on the Inbox icon on the top of the website To read your messages, click the message title. To view all messages, click on "read more" at the bottom of the dropdown menu To start a conversation, click "start a new conversation" from the dropdown menu.

Use of the Personnel Action Form

A Personnel Action Form (PAF) is an administrative document any member can fill in to request various actions such as Game Transfers, Leave of Absence (LOA), Extended Leave of Absence (ELOA), Department Applications, Drop on Request (DoR), and discharge. It is also used to get excused from various 7th Cavalry events. Available forms can be found here.

PAF Guidelines for LOA
Leave of Absence is the term used for an absence of less then 14 days. During a member's leave of absence they are excused of all 7th Cavalry activities taking place during the absence. Troopers in Training Unit must have their LOAs approved by TU/1-7 Company Staff and may not be approved if the reason is not sufficient to justify loss of training. If you need to be excused from responsibilities for a period of 14 days or less, you may request a Leave of Absense (LOA) through the PAF system. When submitting a PAF for an LOA, make sure to also notify your Section/Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and Company XO via PM to ensure the PAF process is completed in a timely manner.

PAF Guidelines for ELOA
Extended Leave of Absence is the term used for an absence of more then 14 days. During a member's extended leave of absence they are excused from all 7th Cavalry activities taking place during the absence. In order to terminate an ELOA, a member ready to resume normal duties must fill in a separate PAF for "return to active duty". Only personnel whose rank is Private First Class (E-3) or higher are permitted to go on ELOA. If you need to be away longer than 14 days, you may request an Extended Leave of Absence (ELOA) for up to 45 days by submitting an ELOA request through the PAF system. When submitting a PAF for ELOA or return from ELOA, always be sure to notify your Section/Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Battalion SGM, Battalion XO, and Battalion CO in order to ensure the PAF process is completed in a timely manner.

PAF Guidelines for Discharge
If, for whatever reason, you want to discharge from the Regiment then the first step you should take is speak to someone. If you have an issue or concern, get with your Chain of Command and see if the problem can be resolved. Every single member of this unit is a valued member and your superiors will listen to you if you have a genuine worry. If the reason for discharge is not related to the unit and involves personal factors, then consider other options (such as LOA/ELOA) before filing discharge, as you may only discharge and re-enlist 3 times in total (with very, very rare exceptions).

When submitting a PAF for discharge, always be sure to notify your Section/Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, Battalion SGM, Battalion XO, and Battalion CO in order to ensure the PAF process is completed in a timely manner.

PAF Guidelines for Department Applications
When positions are available in departments, members of the Regiment who meet the department's minimum requirements can apply to join said department. Position openings are usually posted in this forum and may require additional actions such as the sending of PMs to appropriate personnel. An application for a department should only be made when the applicant is confident that they will be able to perform the required duties to the best of their ability.

PAF Guidelines for Drop on Request
If, for whatever reason, you need to leave a department that you are currently a part of (it must be a secondary billet) then you will need to file for a DoR. It is polite to inform your immediate superior within that department that you have submitted the PAF so that it can be completed in a timely manner.

PAF Guidelines for Game Transfers
If, for whatever reason, you want to change your assigned Area of Operations within the Regiment and switch to a combat billet in another game then you will need to file a PAF requesting transfer to that game. Transfers require the approval of your current combat billet's Chain of Command, so you will need to inform your immediate superior of your request either prior to filing the PAF (preferred) or at least at the time of filing the PAF.

Identify Yourself

Visual identification is something we largely take for granted, but in a virtual community this basic human ability requires careful attention and effort. We have a few ways to accomplish this. By using forum avatars, forum signatures, and MILPACS service jackets, it is possible to display of a member's rank, billet, awards, and qualifications. It helps to fill the void of intuitive recognition that would otherwise be present in face to face interactions. The 7th Cavalry S1 Department is in charge of our forum avatars, forum signatures & MILPACS. The S1 Department has 3 sub-departments: S1 Signature Shop, S1 Avatar Shop, and S1 MILPACS.

Forum Avatars
Forum avatars are the images displayed to the left of PMs and posts on the forums. They contain an OCP camouflage background, with the 7th Cavalry shield and the individual's rank insignia displayed within the shield. It is a requirement to use your 7th Cavalry avatar if you have one. You can find more information and downloads in this topic.

Linking your Avatar to your Forum Account
All you have to do is visit https://7cav.us/account/avatar and upload your avatar.

Now you should have a luxurious avatar linked with your forum profile which will appear next to your posts in the forums & PMs! If for some reason you have encountered a problem, contact your Training Sergeant and seek further assistance.

Updating your avatar
If your avatar is not up-to-date then simply repeat the steps mentioned above

Forum Signatures
Forum signatures are the images displayed at the bottom of PMs and posts on the forums. They are completely optional to use, and can be an image or text. Signatures are a good way to express your personality, and to help others identify you visually. Anyone can create their own signature or request one from the S1 Signature Shop.

Linking a signature to your forum account
You will first need to upload your .png file to a web host so that you can use the link in your signature. Once you have done that, simply click [URL='https://7cav.us/account/signature']this link[/URL] and in the large textbox, look for the picture / image icon. Click the icon and paste the image URL into the box that appears. Once that is done, click the "Save Changes" button to set your signature.

Requesting Signatures from S1 Signature Shop
If you wish to request a signature from the S1 Signature Shop department, there are 2 ways in which you can do so:

• Make a regular request in the Signature Request Forum
• Make a private request via PM to an S1 Signature Shop artist

Both methods still require the requester to meet the minimum requirements as outlined

MILPACS

An individual's Military Personnel Accounting Activity/Military Personnel Accounting Center (MILPAC) contains their entire service information, complete with Time-In-Grade (TIG), Time-In-Service (TIS), awards, medals, commendations, negative actions, etc. MILPACS are created and maintained by the S1 MILPACS department.

Service information updates 

Your service information on your MILPAC should be updated within 14 days of the official post for the change (such as promotion post) by your Company's MILPACS Clerk. If it is not up-to-date after 14 days, then you should raise a support ticket.

Uniform updates
Uniforms are updated less regularly than MILPACS or Avatars. They are updated by a small team of individuals who are responsible for uniforms throughout the whole Regiment. If a considerable amount of time has passed and your uniform is still missing something, then you should consider raising a support ticket.

Combat operations and Exercises

Operations / Missions
Combat operations are organised missions provided by the S3 Battle Staff Department on a regular basis that stack with other operations to form a Campaign. Operations usually involve the entire Battalion and last several hours. Operations take place in a formal, organised environment where all Companies work as a cognitive unit to accomplish the goals set forth prior to the mission's execution.

Field Training Exercise
A Field Training Exercise (FTX) describes a coordinated exercise conducted by military units for training purposes. In the 7th Cavalry, FTXs come in many shapes & forms. The most common types of FTXs are; those used in Training Unit training sessions at the end of each chapter to evaluate the trooper's understanding of the information covered, those used at platoon level to run an entire platoon through a single training exercise, and those used at company level to run an entire company through a single training exercise.

1st Battalion FTX Policies
Elsewhere in the Battalion, FTXs are conducted at platoon & company level through-out the year. FTXs take place once per month (rotating between platoon & company level FTXs) and will involve the completion of; an operation style mission, or training exercise. Through-out the year, companies will hold Joint FTXs (JFTXs) between 2 or more companies. JFTXs operate in the same way as regular FTXs, but with a larger allied force involved and more focus on improving the co-working efficiency of the 2 companies.

Requirements to attend Operations

1. You must have completed your weekly training or have been excused
2. You must have signed in on roll-call
3. You must not be AWOL or on LOA/ELOA and
4. You must not have any active negative action penalties

There are no minimum rank requirements for operations
Official Operations are announced in this forum.

More helpful References for New Troopers

Section Abbreviation
All sections in the 7th Cavalry are often referred to in their abbreviated form. Learn your section's abbreviation, as this will be most useful when conveying information.
A section abbreviation often looks something like this:
"A/1/A/1-7" or e.g. "D/2/B/2-7"
The abbreviations follow the following form: "Section Initial/Platoon Number/Company Initial/Battalion Number-Regiment Number"
So the two examples spelled out would be:

   Alpha Section/1st Platoon/Alpha Company/1st Battalion-7th Cavalry
   and
   Delta Section/2nd Platoon/Bravo Company/2nd Battalion-7th Cavalry

24-Hour Clock System & Date SOP
The 7th Cavalry utilizes the 24-Hour Zulu Time Zone Clock for communicating set times for official duties. This encompasses times for Section Practices, Operations, Schools, Meetings, etc. Please familiarize yourself with the system if you are unacquainted with it:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/timezone/zulu
Furthermore, members of the 7th Cavalry come from all over the world. There is a difference in how to write out dates depending on where you are from, in the Cavalry the following format is used:

DDMONYY e.g. 20AUG13 for 20th of August 2013.

Please refrain from using DD/MON/YEAR or MON/DD/YEAR or YEAR/MON/DD as these formats most frequently differ from country to country.

FAQ Why haven't I been assigned to a Drill Instructor yet?

• Recruit Training Command processes a lot of paperwork concerning new recruits in the 7th Cavalry. The best thing to do is to wait, it can take up to three days before you are assigned to a DI.

When will my boot camp be scheduled?

• Speak with your DI and (s)he will inform you when your boot camp will be scheduled.

I just got assigned to a DI, I'm going to show up for the Bootcamp on DAY.

• Slow down there. First step in the process is a Briefing. Policy states that we must do a briefing 1 day prior to the bootcamp you attend. Get with your DI to schedule a time for a briefing.

How long until I get this rank/billet/position?

• All ranks have minimum requirements that have to be fulfilled prior to being eligible for the rank. However, remember that eligibility does not imply a guarantee. If you want to know more about the requirements and the ranks in the Cavalry click here.

What are the requirements for this specialty school?

• All additional training schools within the Cavalry have different requirements and/or prerequisites that need to be fulfilled prior to attending them. If you want to read more follow this link.

When do I get to fly stuff?

• That depends on the Company in which you operate. For 1st Battalion, Alpha Company is the aviation company. They have several requirements and tests that need to be accomplished before you receiving your Army Aviator Badge. Only personnel who hold this badge or having completed other Special training such as Ranger School may fly in any capacity of 7th Cavalry official operations, practices or other instances.

Where can I find my Section Practice time?

• Your Section Leader will always post the set time for the Section Practice in the week's roll call. In order to locate your section's roll call for the week, follow the guide above.