History of "PACE"

[LongTabSigO]

QPs/Gentlemen:

I hope I've done sufficient research before posting. I am looking for something more than anecdotal to describe the origins of "PACE". (I've been asked to include it in some training I'm developing, since it is such a prolific and useful planning mnemonic. ) I recall what i learned in the Q Course (circa 1987) but cannot find my notes (if I had any) that detail how this was originally derived.

It's interesting that the derivation of something as integral to SF/SOF planning as "PACE" is not codified anywhere in doctrine, or captured in any professional journal or publication (as best as I can tell).

To open the aperture a bit, and as a related question/thread, I'm interested at the more modern interpretations of PACE (especially as regards SOF Comms). I hope it spurs some debate.

Obviously, usual caveats regarding OPSEC apply; i'm sure there are ways to describe your ideas without violations.

I love discussing PACE planning at the operational level, since it doesn't fit into the same box, so to speak, as PACE at the tactical level. It's especially fun when you're discussing it with folks that learned about PACE second hand and are not really sure how the idea came about in the first place.

Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts, and ideas.

[glebo]

I remember hearing PACE for the first time aorund the time frame you mention. It was from a 10th Gp guy. IIRC, it may have been a 10th gp term for when they were doing all those planning exercises. Maybe someone from 10th gp that was around then can elaborate. I don't want to throw out those planning terms, but those guys from 10th could plan anything, (what "if" it to death!)

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

IIRC PACE was adopted from the systems we used in non-technical communications in developing our communications systems especially in urban UW. The PACE that is often reflected in radio comms is a bastardization of what we used in non-tech systems. As the non-tech systems and alternates are parts of TTPs they are not applicable for this forum. While non-tech refers basically to not using the frequency spectrum for two way comms, do not be fooled by the term non-tech. Some of it was very technical. Hope that helps.

[NousDefionsDoc]

Originally Posted by Jack Moroney

IIRC PACE was adopted from the systems we used in non-technical communications in developing our communications systems especially in urban UW. The PACE that is often reflected in radio comms is a bastardization of what we used in non-tech systems. As the non-tech systems and alternates are parts of TTPs they are not applicable for this forum. While non-tech refers basically to not using the frequency spectrum for two way comms, do not be fooled by the term non-tech. Some of it was very technical. Hope that helps.

LOL

[glebo]

I think Jack summed it up pretty good. It probably started with the "non-technical" stuff and rolled over to regular planning, especially commo. But it is used in other planning areas also to some extent.

I read your PM LTSO, boy....those names, I can see their faces still. Had some good times with most of those blokes!! And that's all I'm sayin

[LongTabSigO]

Originally Posted by Jack Moroney

IIRC PACE was adopted from the systems we used in non-technical communications in developing our communications systems especially in urban UW. The PACE that is often reflected in radio comms is a bastardization of what we used in non-tech systems. As the non-tech systems and alternates are parts of TTPs they are not applicable for this forum. While non-tech refers basically to not using the frequency spectrum for two way comms, do not be fooled by the term non-tech. Some of it was very technical. Hope that helps.

Thanks Jack, it does. I was specifically trying to stay away from major "TTP" stuff. But since PACE has come into such wide use, I thought there was a good, clean story associated with either its creation or how it is employed.

Thanks, all. for your inputs. This remains open (hopefully) in case other willing souls care to opine.

[Bechorg]

(used to offer to see a blank formatted PACE example)

[Ret10Echo]

I would strongly discourage providing information concerning active operations downrange or anything related to TTPs.

This is a public site...and you may not know who is at the receiving end.

R10

[Bechorg]

This was directed towards QP's and everything is sterile. Will follow suite, however.

[Box]

I always thought PACE was a tasty salsa best eaten with crispy tortilla chips.

...and its not made in NewYorkCity like that 'other' salsa is.


Beyond that, I was a medic and carried whatever radios the team sgt told me to carry.
As a team sgt I just rant and rave and threaten to fire everybody if they dont make commo.

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by Bechorg

This was directed towards QP's and everything is sterile. Will follow suite, however.

Just a note of caution...we get a little comfortable in our surroundings here.

R10

Billy_Bach..

That's how the Echos like it.....

[Bechorg]

The color scheme is quite inviting to share information

Pace plans just get me excited. You should of seen how busy this plan was. Wowza! So many OBJ's and different people playing ball. This slide would put asleep geek squad. Lines going everywhere. Whipped out the aircraft graphics and had every aircraft in janes on that beast. ha!

[Mitch]

I have doen a search - and did try, but except for the reference to PACE being a tasty salsa, I can't find anything that actually says what PACE is.

What is it?

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Mitch

I have doen a search - and did try, but except for the reference to PACE being a tasty salsa, I can't find anything that actually says what PACE is.

What is it?

Your search skills are weak.

Keep looking.

TR

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Your search skills are weak.

Keep looking.

TR

Well damn - just poke a stick in my eye. You can call my skills lots of things, but don't call them weak fella - that is a challenge.


Originally, after just putting PACE out there and getting litteraly thousands of things popping up, mostly about, "Keeping up the PACE" "Setting the PACE" etc.

I then added the word Planning. That got me 26 postings - but after reading half of those, I found that when the word PACE seemed to apply to the Acronym I was searching for, it didn't define it, just used it. So feeling frustrated and impatient, I gave up and posted the previous, and quickly got the stick in the eye.

So this time, I added the word COMMO to the string - got 5 postings, two of the five were in the ball park, and finally, the last one provided the answer. Of course, the key here was to begin slowly learning the context of the thing without understanding the thing, in order to narrow the search - all verry entertaining. (see these postings below)

I'm going to go back and reread this history thread" and see if might make more sense - I've got nothing else better to do this chilly Sunday afternoon anyway.

Mitch


First Posting:

PACE is having three contingency plans. Originally used for our commo planning.

Seatback evacuation card has all of the layout data. Take one, if you fly a lot. Most of the online reservation sites let you pick your seat assignments, that has a diagram as well.

Count rows to exits, and I try to sit on the aisle, exit row if available. Keep an eye on people gathering, and moving toward the front of the plane.

Surefire 6P is great emergency evac gear, just the right size to fill my fist, and blinding to the eyes if it is not broad daylight. I have the heavy belt as well, and a few other items. Molon Labe!

TR
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De Oppresso Liber 012013


Second Posting:
Peregrino,

First, thanks for correctly defining the problem -- that's always more than half the battle. And thanks for the references, I'll start tracking those down.

PACE, is that a military term? What I see everywhere I look is the 'P' part mostly handled ("we'll call you") but nothing done after that. I don't know enough about the local gov's plans to know if that is a bad thing, as that was my personal approach as well: develop a 'primary' plan for each category and then make the loop through them again to make alternate plans. It may be they are simply in the 'primary' planning mode and when those needs are met we'll see alternates put into place.

That said, the more I look into this stuff them more I think we are well and truly buggered if something serious hits. Talk about culture shock; someone who's been running a business for twenty years butting up against departmental, village, township, and county bureaucracies. I'll never complain about the feds again.

An epidemiologist once said to me that pandemics weren't a bad thing at the species level -- they burn off all the dead brush that's been developing on the hillsides. I'm starting to see her point.

Third Posting:
Originally Posted by FrontSight

I think it's harder to consciously realize when a situation is slowly going wrong or getting slowly worse. One way is to take a mental checkpoint and assess, "If [this situation] were to get worse, what would it be like?"

FrontSight
And here I thought you had your MBA all sewed up. We military types use a variety of tools (operations estimate, intell estimate, troop leading procedures, METTTS, area studies, area assessements and NDD's favorite OODA) to think thru stuff like this. I would have thought that you could use a similar tool from your marketing course or strategic planning course to do the same thing. Just change some of the parameters to identify where you currently are and then plug in the variables that impact on where you want to go.

Jack Moroney-cautioning that any plan is locked in jello and has to change as the variables that impact it change. Also recommending the acronymn PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) from my non-technical commo days.
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