NAMING CONVENTION STANDARDS
1. PURPOSE
This section establishes the standardized naming conventions for all events created in the Operations Center. These standards exist for two reasons:
- Functional: Our dashboards, combat records, and unit profiles pull event data automatically. Inconsistent naming breaks automated record-keeping, causes events to display incorrectly, and creates gaps in member service records.
- Professional: Event names are displayed publicly on unit and member profiles. A uniform naming convention presents a professional, consistent image of the unit to current members, prospective recruits, and partner units.
Compliance with this section is mandatory for all personnel authorized to create events in the Operations Center.
2. SCOPE
This section applies to all events created in the Operations Center, including:
- Operations (main deployments)
- FunOps
- Troop Trainings and Field Training Exercises (FTX)
- Team Trainings
Any event type not listed above should follow the closest applicable format. When in doubt, contact J3 for a ruling before creating the event.
3. DEFINITIONS
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Operations Center (Ops Center) | The unit's central scheduling and event management system where all missions and trainings are created. |
| Operation Section | The parent container in the Ops Center under which individual missions are created. The Operation name is set once at the deployment level. |
| Deployment Name | The official name of the campaign or deployment (e.g., Red Dawn), assigned by MILHQ. |
| MILHQ | Military Headquarters. Automatically prefixes mission names with the Operation name for events created under an Operation section. |
| J2 | Intelligence staff section. Shares responsibility for titling missions. |
| J3 | Operations staff section. Shares responsibility for titling missions and owns this standard. |
| Combat Records | Automated service-record entries generated when the "Automatically create combat records" box is checked at event creation. |
| AAR | After Action Report. Required for all events that generate combat records. |
| Phase XX-YR | The phase designator. XX is the two-digit sequential phase number within the operation (01, 02, 03…), and YR is the two-digit calendar year (e.g., 26 for 2026). Example: Phase 01-26 is the first phase of an operation in 2026. |
4. GENERAL STANDARDS
The following rules apply to every event, regardless of type:
- Create every mission under the correct Operation section. Never create a mission as a standalone event when a parent Operation exists. The Operation section is what allows MILHQ to automatically apply the correct prefix.
- Do not manually type the Operation prefix into the mission title. MILHQ applies the Operation name automatically. Manually adding it will produce a doubled prefix (e.g., "Operation Red Dawn Operation Red Dawn…").
- Set the combat records checkbox correctly at creation. Whether "Automatically create combat records" is checked determines whether the event appears in members' combat records and whether an AAR is required. See the matrix in Section 6.
- Use proper capitalization. Title Case for all mission names. No all-caps, no all-lowercase.
- No unauthorized abbreviations, slang, or special characters. Mission names appear on public profiles. Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, and parentheses as shown in the approved formats.
- Phase designators are always two digits. Write Phase 01-26, not Phase 1-26.
- When in doubt, ask first. Renaming an event after members have signed up or after records have been generated creates record-keeping problems. Confirm the correct format with J3 before publishing.
5. NAMING FORMATS BY EVENT TYPE
5.1 Operations
Operations are the unit's primary combat deployments. All missions created under an Operation section are automatically prefixed with the Operation name by MILHQ.
Settings:
- ✅ CHECK the box "Automatically create combat records"
- Listed in Combat Records: Yes
- AAR required: Yes
Format:
Operation [Deployment Name] Phase XX-YR [Mission Name]
Example: Operation Red Dawn Phase 01-26 Mission Iron Square
| Component | Source |
|---|---|
| Operation Red Dawn | Applied automatically by MILHQ from the Operation name |
| Phase 01-26 Mission Iron Square | Entered by J3/J2 as the mission title |
Procedure:
- Open the correct Operation section in the Ops Center. Verify the Deployment Name matches the current MILHQ-assigned campaign.
- Create the new mission under that section.
- Enter only the phase designator and mission name (e.g., Phase 01-26 Mission Iron Square) as the title. Do not retype the Operation prefix.
- Check the box "Automatically create combat records."
- Verify the fully rendered name matches the approved format before publishing.
5.2 FunOps
FunOps are non-canonical, morale-focused events. FunOps are not listed in Combat Records and do not require AARs.
Settings:
- ❌ DO NOT CHECK the box "Automatically create combat records"
- Listed in Combat Records: No
- AAR required: No
Format:
[Year] Fun-Ops Mission [Name] (Phase, Part, etc...)
Example: 2026 Fun-Ops Mission Delta Found
| Component | Source |
|---|---|
| 2026 Fun-Ops | From the Deployment Title |
| Mission Delta Found (Phase, Part, etc...) | Entered as the mission title |
Procedure:
- Create the mission under the current year's Fun-Ops deployment section.
- Enter the mission name, adding a Phase/Part designator in parentheses only if the FunOp spans multiple sessions (e.g., Mission Delta Found (Part 2)).
- Confirm the box "Automatically create combat records" is UNCHECKED. Checking it in error will incorrectly place a FunOp in members' combat records and flag a phantom AAR requirement.
- Verify the rendered name before publishing.
5.3 Troop Trainings / FTX
Troop Trainings and Field Training Exercises are official unit-level training events. They are recorded in Combat Records and do require AARs.
Settings:
- ✅ CHECK the box "Automatically create combat records"
- Listed in Combat Records: Yes
- AAR required: Yes
Format:
5.4 Team Trainings
Team Trainings are internal training events run at the individual team level. Team Trainings are not listed in Combat Records and do not require AARs.
Settings
- ❌ DO NOT CHECK the box "Automatically create combat records"
- Listed in Combat Records: No
- AAR required: No
Format
Operation [Operation Title] Phase XX-YR - [Training Focus]
Example: Operation Team Standards Training Anvil 1 Phase 01-26 - CQB and Breaching
| Component | Source |
|---|---|
| Operation Team Standards Training Anvil 1 | Applied automatically from the Operation Title (includes the team's designation) |
| Phase 01-26 - CQB and Breaching | Entered as the mission title |
Procedure
- Create the training under the team's designated Team Training Operation section (each team has its own, named with the team's designation, e.g., Anvil 1).
- Enter the phase designator, a hyphen, and the training focus.
- Confirm the box "Automatically create combat records" is UNCHECKED. Team Trainings checked in error will pollute members' combat records.
- Verify the rendered name before publishing.
6. QUICK REFERENCE MATRIX
| Event Type | Combat Records Box | In Combat Records | AAR Required | Name Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations | ✅ Check | Yes | Yes | Operation [Deployment Name] Phase XX-YR [Mission Name] |
| FunOps | ❌ Do not check | No | No | [Year] Fun-Ops Mission [Name] (Phase, Part, etc...) |
| Troop Trainings / FTX | ✅ Check | Yes | Yes | Operation [Operation Title] Phase XX-YR - [Training Focus] |
| Team Trainings | ❌ Do not check | No | No | Operation [Operation Title] Phase XX-YR - [Training Focus] |
Rule of thumb: If the event counts toward a member's official service record, the box is checked and an AAR is owed. If it's a FunOp or internal team-level training, the box stays unchecked.
7. RESPONSIBILITIES
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| MILHQ | Assigns Deployment Names; maintains the Operation sections; system automatically applies Operation prefixes. |
| J3 | Owns this standard. Titles missions (with J2). Rules on naming questions for event types not covered here. Audits the Ops Center for compliance. |
| J2 | Titles missions jointly with J3, ensuring names align with campaign/intelligence narrative. |
| Event Creators | Follow the formats in Section 5, set the combat records checkbox correctly, and verify rendered names before publishing. |
| Team Leaders | Ensure Team Trainings are created under their team's Operation section with the combat records box unchecked. |
8. COMMON ERRORS AND CORRECTIONS
| Error | Consequence | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Manually typing the Operation prefix in the mission title | Doubled prefix on profiles and dashboards | Remove the manual prefix; keep only the phase designator and mission name in the title field |
| Combat records box checked on a FunOp or Team Training | Event incorrectly appears in members' combat records; phantom AAR requirement | Report to J3 immediately for record correction; do not attempt to fix records yourself |
| Combat records box unchecked on an Operation or Troop Training/FTX | Members receive no credit for attendance; no AAR generated | Report to J3 immediately so records can be generated retroactively |
| Single-digit phase numbers (Phase 1-26) | Breaks sort order on dashboards | Rename to two-digit format (Phase 01-26) before the event runs |
| Mission created outside its Operation section | No automatic prefix; event orphaned from the campaign | Delete and recreate under the correct Operation section before sign-ups open |
Naming errors discovered before an event has sign-ups or generated records should be corrected immediately by the event creator. Errors discovered after records exist must be reported to J3 — do not rename or delete events with existing records without J3 approval.
9. REVIEW
This section is reviewed by J3 as needed and at minimum annually, or whenever MILHQ changes Ops Center functionality that affects naming or automated record creation. Proposed changes to these standards are submitted through the chain of command to J3.