R 201620Z SEP 24 MARADMIN 427/24 MSGID/GENADMIN/CG TECOM QUANTICO VA// SUBJ/PUBLICATION OF THE ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN TRAINING AND OPERATING PROCEDURES STANDARDIZATION MANUAL// REF/A/DOC/AATOPS/6SEP2024// REF/B/DOC/RESUMPTION OF WATER OPERATIONS MESSAGE/9APR2021// REF/C/DOC/TECHNICAL MANUAL 13133A‐10/1rev2/31JUL23// REF/D/DOC/PRELIMINARY AATOPS/12DEC2023// POC/J. W. CRITZ/LTCOL/TECOM G‐3/QUANTICO/EMAIL: [email protected]// POC/F. D. LUDLOW/LTCOL/TRNGCMD TTU/CAMP PENDLETON/EMAIL: [email protected]// NARR/ REF A IS THE ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN TRAINING AND OPERATING PROCEDURES STANDARDIZATION MANUAL SIGNED 6 SEPTEMBER 2024. REF B IS THE PP&O MESSAGE WHICH DIRECTED THE AA COMMON SOP TO TRANSITION TO AN APPLICABLE DIRECTIVE. REF C IS THE TECHNICAL MANUAL PROVIDING OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ACV PERSONNEL. REF D IS THE PRELIMINARY AATOPS MANUAL SIGNED ESTABLISHED ON 12 DECEMBER 2023 PENDING FURTHER REFINEMENTS. GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This MARADMIN announces the establishment of the Assault Amphibian Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (AATOPS) Program and the availability of the AATOPS manual, reference (a). Effective immediately, reference (a), in conjunction with procedures outlined in the Technical Manual (TM), reference (c), are Service policy for the operation of the Assault Amphibian Mission Role Variants (MRVs) which includes all current and future Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) MRVs and the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) family of vehicles (FoV) that remain in service. A Marine Corps Order (MCO) with further details and requirements governing the AATOPS program is forthcoming; interim guidance on program execution is provided in this message. 2. Background. The 9 April 2021 Resumption of Water Operations Message, reference (b), directed the transition of the Assault Amphibian (AA) Common Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) into an applicable directive. Since August 2021, increased Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) operations highlighted the necessity for standardized training and operating procedures to ensure effective employment. Training and Education Command (TECOM) published the Preliminary AATOPS on 12 December 2023, reference (d), to codify those standardized training and operating procedures. During the utilization period of the Preliminary AATOPS manual, the AA Community accumulated numerous lessons and best practices from further testing and increased ACV operations across the Service. Those lessons are captured in reference (a). 3. Relation to other programs and manuals. The AA community derived the AATOPS program and reference (a) from applicable portions of the Naval Aviation Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) program. Unlike the aviation model, ground equipment technical operating procedures are governed by operator‐level technical manuals (TMs) published and updated under the authority of Marine Corps Systems Command or Program Executive Office – Land Systems. Reference (c) remains the authoritative document for technical procedures regarding the operation of the AA MRVs. Reference (a) will complement but does not replicate or duplicate instructions or procedures covered in applicable AA MRV TMs. Along with the AA Training and Readiness Manual, the references (a) and (c) form the base of authoritative documents relating to AA training and operations. The AATOPS program will govern process knowledge testing, instruction, individual and crew qualification procedures and requirements, quality assurance, and community standardization. 4. Authorities. The AATOPS program is directed by the Commanding General TECOM to support Marine Corps AA operations. The Commanding Officer, Assault Amphibian Center of Excellence (AA CoE) is delegated authority to approve interim changes (ICs) to reference (a) and will ensure those changes are so annotated in the document. Commanding Officer, AA CoE will manage an IC recommendation, adjudication, and dissemination process. The Commanding General, Training Command will conduct an annual review of all (ICs). Upon approval of interim changes, those changes will become permanent and IC indicators removed. Both interim and permanent changes are binding. Reference (a) supersedes any training and operating procedures found in local SOPs. 5. Department of Safety and Standardization. Effective with this message, the Commanding Officer, AA CoE will designate a Director of Safety and Standardization (DSS) who will serve as the AA Community DSS. The AA Community DSS will oversee the AA CoE Department of Safety and Standardization (DOSS) and provide oversight and guidance to battalion‐level DOSS programs. Ideally, the AA DSS is a field grade officer. AA O‐5 commanders are encouraged to designate an individual within their commands to serve as the battalion‐level DSS. The AATOPS MCO will detail further requirements and methods for resourcing the DOSS program. The Community DSS will ensure compliance with AATOPS manual requirements and the implementation of standardized AATOPS and technical procedure evaluations across all AA units. These evaluations will cover, among other key items in the AATOPS manual, those procedures outlined in the appropriate TM relating to the safe use of AA MRVs and emergency procedures, emphasizing those steps designated as critical memory items. Additionally, the AA CoE DOSS will track and manage the incident, hazard, and mishap reporting process to ensure the thorough collection and widest dissemination of lessons learned as well as the identification of trends that might negatively affect safe operation. 6. Qualification, Certification, and Quality Assurance. A critical element of the AATOPS program will be the qualification and certification standardization within the Assault Amphibian community as well as quality assurance related to corrective maintenance actions. Standard processes tracked and managed in the Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) will aid commanders in ensuring only those Marines and crews who are current and proficient in a linked or requisite requirement are asked to perform more challenging tasks. TECOM and the AA CoE are developing these processes now. All AA stakeholders, including MARFOR, MEF, and Division commanders are encouraged to provide feedback or recommendations via TECOM G‐3. 7. Access to the AATOPS manual. The most updated version of the AATOPS will be posted on the Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault (PM AAA) AA Community Website at [https:(slash)(slash)usmc.sharepoint‐mil.us.mcas ov.us(slash) sites(slash)MCSC_MCTSSA_AAA(slash)Pages(slash)Home.aspx#(slash)/](https://usmc.sharepoint‐mil.us.mcas ov.us/sites/MCSC_MCTSSA_AAA/Pages/Home.aspx#//) 8. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force. 9. Release authorized by Lieutenant General Benjamin T. Watson, Commanding General, TECOM.//