Training Plan Submission and HHQ Approval - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The commander signs and submits the training plan. The unit training manager builds the plan from the published Commander's Training Guidance. The S-1 officer routes through staff for chop and submits to HHQ. The S-1 chief tracks HHQ approval timeline and publishes the approved plan in MCTIMS as a Unit Document per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(b).

Source documents flow from the published METL, the Commander's Training Guidance, the T-R Manual events tied to METs, and HHQ training guidance. Plans land as MCTIMS Unit Documents. Outputs include the submitted plan, the HHQ approval, the published plan in MCTIMS, and the MCTIMS calendar events derived from the plan.

MCAAT and the IGMC UTM functional area inspectors check MCTIMS for the published training plan as a required Unit Document per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(b). Plans missing HHQ approval signature or alignment per MCO 3502.6AMCO 3502.6A trigger findings.

Trigger events

• New training cycle opens (annual, semiannual, or per commander direction).
• Change of command requires new commander training plan.
• METL update triggers plan revision.
• Higher headquarters guidance change cascades down.
• Pre-deployment cycle requires deployment-focused plan.
• Major mission change requires updated plan.
• IGMC UTM inspection notice arrives requiring current approved plan.

Processing workflow

1. Confirm Commander's Training Guidance. Pull the published Training Guidance from MCTIMS per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(a). Plan derives from guidance.
2. Build the training plan. The unit training manager builds the plan against the METL and guidance per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.a.(2)(c) and MCRP 7-20A.2MCRP 7-20A.2.
3. Build the training schedule. Schedule calendar events tied to T-R events supporting the METL per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.b.(6)(g).
4. Align the plan per MCO 3502.6A. Per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.b.(6)(h), training plans align per MCO 3502.6AMCO 3502.6A.
5. Route through staff for chop. Coordinate with operations, logistics, and other staff sections.
6. Submit to HHQ. Per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.b.(6)(f), training plans and schedules submit to HHQ for review and approval per MCO 3500.110MCO 3500.110.
7. Capture HHQ approval signature. The S-1 chief tracks the approval timeline and pulls the signed approval.
8. Publish the approved plan. Upload as a Unit Document in MCTIMS per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(b).
9. Brief subordinate commanders. The S-1 officer presents the approved plan and execution timeline.
10. Refresh annually or on commander direction. Set a tickler for the annual refresh window.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• MCTIMS UTM Module. Holds the published training plan as a Unit Document per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(b).
• HHQ training plan submission portal (where applicable).
• Unit training folder. Local repository for drafts and HHQ correspondence.

Forms

• Training Plan Document. Local format documenting METs, T-R events, schedule, and resources.
• Staff Chop Sheet. Documents staff section input.
• HHQ Approval Letter. Signed by the higher headquarters approving authority.

Common pitfalls

• Plan published without HHQ approval. The Unit Document lacks the required approval per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.b.(6)(f). Hold publication until approval is in hand.
• Plan built without preceding Commander's Training Guidance. Per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.a.(2)(c), the plan translates the guidance. Publish guidance first.
• Plan not aligned per MCO 3502.6A. The plan diverges from the alignment standard. Apply MCO 3502.6AMCO 3502.6A at the build phase.
• Approved plan not published in MCTIMS. The plan sits in email or local files. Per MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraph 4.c.(4)(b), upload as a Unit Document.
• Subordinate commanders not briefed on the approved plan. Execution lags. The S-1 officer briefs at publication.

Decision points

• Plan revision threshold. Mid-cycle changes require re-approval through HHQ when scope shifts. The commander calls when re-submission is required per MCO 3500.110MCO 3500.110.
• Pre-deployment plan versus garrison plan. The unit transitions to deployment cycle. Build a deployment-focused plan per MCO P3500.72AMCO P3500.72A paragraph 7002.1.
• HHQ disapproval response. HHQ rejects the submitted plan. The S-1 officer routes revisions and resubmits per HHQ comments.

Authority

This sub-page sits under MCO 1553.3CMCO 1553.3C paragraphs 4.b.(6)(f) (HHQ submission), 4.b.(6)(h) (alignment per MCO 3502.6A), 4.c.(3) (reference maintenance), and 4.c.(4)(b) (Unit Document requirement). MCO 3500.110MCO 3500.110 sets the training plan submission and approval procedure. MCO 3502.6AMCO 3502.6A sets the alignment standard. NAVMC 3500.3ENAVMC 3500.3E T-R event 0170-OPER-2001 covers the 01XX training plan submission.

Related references

• MCO 1553.3C Unit Training Management Program. Paragraphs 4.b.(6)(f), (h), 4.c.(3), 4.c.(4)(b) set submission and publication rules.
• MCO 3500.110 Marine Corps Training Plan Approval. Submission and approval procedure.
• MCO 3502.6A Marine Corps Training Plan Alignment. Plan alignment standard.
• MCO P3500.72A Marine Corps Ground Training and Readiness Program. T-R framework underlying the plan.
• MCRP 7-20A.2 Training Plan Development. Doctrinal plan procedure.
• NAVMC 3500.3E Manpower and Administration T-R Manual. Event 0170-OPER-2001 covers plan submission.