7Cav-SACD-001

Starter Platoon Standard Operating Procedures

• Starter Platoons can only receive a maximum of two operation credits per week which will be processed by S1 as normal and does count towards their service award if one is created in the future. One operation will be a dedicated recruiting event, and the second can be of Starter Platoon’s choosing with approval of the SPD Coordinator as long as it abides by standard S3 procedures.
• Starter Platoons will not receive official S Shop support such as S3 or S7 until they graduate out of Starter Platoon status, with the exception of S1 and S5 for recruiting purposes.
• The focus of Starter Platoons is to solely be on recruitment and retention.
• Starter Platoons are led by an SPD Coordinator who is assigned to ACD Battalion perSPD Roles and Responsibilities. Coordination and involvement from ACD Battalion Staff is also a must in order to efficiently prepare both ACD leadership and the Starter Platoon for their graduation and subsequent transfer of oversight from SPD to ACD HQ.
• Starter Platoons are not to have billeted leadership positions unless a unique situation arises where ACD Battalion Staff, SPD, and the Chief of Staff unanimously agree that it is warranted.
• Starter Platoon “leadership” is determined not solely on the experience of senior troopers, however, seniority is taken into account as well as commitment to completing tasks and organizing members during the initial stages of the start up.
• Leadership selection will occur by ACD Battalion Staff upon graduation of the start up and after receiving recommendations from the SPD Coordinator. Recommendations submitted by the Coordinator are not definitive, and ACD HQ reserves the right to make the final decision. Initial leadership selections may be done independently of Regimental SOPs but have to be approved by the COS, and future selections should abide by standard selection SOPs.
• Starter Platoons will sign roll calls once per week in accordance with theMinimum Requirementsfor Troopers. Roll calls will be posted by the Coordinator unless a member of the start-up wishes to take on the responsibility, in which case the Coordinator can make the determination on giving permission to do so.
• While section practices are not required during the start-up phase, one hour of playtime must be documented for the week during the two permitted operations, or, have a “make-up” which can occur at any point as long as it is with another trooper who can attest as a witness.
• Troopers who go into AWOL status as outlined in theAccountability for Minimum Requirementswill be out-processed and discharged as Away Without Leave with Re-Enlistment eligibility by the SPD Coordinator. Coordinators must make a documented attempt of making contact with the AWOL trooper after 7 days, and then process the discharge if failure to comply occurs after 14 days.

Any situation that falls outside of this SOP may be directed to the assigned SPD Coordinator to provide a solution for the relevant parties.