appropriate in the event of special incidents that may
attract national and/or high-level U.S. Navy interest, and
in addition, other incidents that are of interest to the
Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command (CNMOC).
Mission Impairment
Incidents impairing mission performance are
reported as a Unit Situation Report (UNIT SITEEP)
in the format of CNMOC 3100.2, while
certain weather-related incidents are reported in
accordance with enclosure (1) of the instruction (UNIT
SITREP Weather-Related Accidents/Incidents).
COMNAVMETOCCOM interest is in incidents causing
significant and extended mission impairment that is not
adequately covered by the CASREP System.
Weather-Related Accidents/Incidents
We will now briefly discuss required actions in the
event of weather-related accidents/incidents.
PURPOSE.— To notify the chain of command of
weather-related/high seas accidents/incidents involving
ships, aircraft, personnel, facilities, or other resources
that may generate press interest, or become the subject
of formal inquiries.
REPORTING CRITERIA.— A UNIT SITREP is
required when accidents/incidents are weather-related
or potentially so.
Reports are not desired when
accident/incidents are clearly not weather-related.
For amplifying instructions for the proper
procedures for submitting accurate and timely
OPREP-3’S and UNITS SITREPs, refer to CNMOC
3100.2, as well as the instruction, Special lncident
Reporting, OPNAVINST 3100.6.
The remaining portions of this chapter will deal with
training functions associated with all METOC activities.
TRAINING FUNCTIONS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Describe
instrument ground school training for naval
aviators and naval flight officers. Explain the
requirement to update command local area
forecaster handbooks. Review the U.S. Navy
Oceanographic and Meteorological Support
System Manual, METOC technical bulletins,
METOC OPORDs, and climatology
publications for possible data inclusion in
pre-deployment briefings.
In the following sections we will discuss the training
functions for which the METOCs are responsible.
INSTRUMENT GROUND SCHOOL
All METOCCENs,
METOCFACs, and
METOCDETs with aviation units are required to
annually conduct Instrument Ground School for all
naval aviators and naval flight officers.
Instruction, at a minimum, should include
meteorological parameters, pilot reporting procedures,
code formats, briefing forms, OPARS forms and
procedures, NATOPS requirements, and severe weather
warnings.
For further discussion of minimum content of
Instrument Ground School, refer to the instruction,
NATOPS General Flight and Operating Instructions,
OPNAVINST 3710.7, chapter 13.
LOCAL AREA FORECASTER HANDBOOKS
One of the first publications that all newly reporting
forecasters should review upon reporting to a new
command is the Local Area Forecaster’s Handbook.
These handbooks are an invaluable source in
anticipating local meteorological and oceanographic
phenomena.
The instruction, Local Area and Area of
Responsibility (AOR) Forecaster’s Handbooks,
NAVMETOCCOMINST 3140.2, states the
requirements for maintenance of Forecaster’s
Handbooks and basic guidance on their form and
content.
There is a continuing need to update Forecaster’s
Handbooks. Each command should have a program in
place that continually verifies local thumb rules, as well
as a program to develop new forecasting techniques.
For this reason, all Forecaster’s Handbooks are to be
reviewed and updated at least annually.
The Naval Oceanographic Office is now in the
process of assembling and publishing a compendium of
all Forecaster’s Handbooks developed by
NAVMETOCCOM and USMC activities in compact
disc-read only memory (CD-ROM).
For further discussion of the need and content
of the Forecaster’s Handbooks, refer to
NAVMETOCCOMINST 3140.2.
The forecaster will find there are a multitude of
details involved in the planning and execution of
underway evolutions, as well as in the everyday
operation of METGCCOM activities. In the following
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