Exercises

NPHS 1510: Federal and International

Exercises

National Exercise Program

Definition:

National Exercise Program: A Department of Homeland Security-coordinated exercise program based upon the National Planning Scenarios contained which are the National Preparedness Guidelines. This program coordinates and, where appropriate, integrates a 5-year homeland security exercise schedule across Federal agencies and incorporates exercises at the State and local levels.

Source: National Response Framework Resource Center

National Exercise Program

Tier I:	White House directed, U.S. Government-wide Strategy & Policy Focus, Full Participation
Tier II:	Federal Strategy & Policy Focus, Significant Simulation
Tier III:	Other Federal Exercises, Operational, Tactical or Organizational Focus, Simulation
Tier IV:	State, Territorial, Local, Tribal or Private Sector Focus

NLE = National Level Exercise
PLE = Principal Level Exercise

Exercise Schedule

Five year cycle
Based on strategic direction and policy priorities
Sets forth goals, themes, and schedule slots for NLEs, PLEs
May involve progressive level of detail (implementation plan issue)
Requires process for discouraging changes less than two fiscal years out (implementation plan issue)
Submitted by June 30 each year (in time for budget call)
Allows for departments and agencies to align other exercises, training activities, and preparatory reviews of policies, plans, and procedures
Leverages existing interagency exercise conferences of DHS and DOD for development

Corrective Action Program (CAP)

CAP provides the basis for systematically developing, prioritizing, and tracking corrective actions following exercises, real-world events, and policy discussions
The Web-based CAP System supports the CAP by enabling assignment and automated tracking of corrective actions
The CAP methodology provides a disciplined process for Interagency-level corrective action implementation
Validated corrective actions become lessons learned for a broader audience
- Shared on Lessons Learned Information Sharing (www.LLIS.gov)
The CAP process applies to exercise issues which:
- Arise from National-Level Exercises; or
- Require Interagency coordination