Section 1: Operational Context

You will generally need—and will greatly leverage—a validated ICD or some other validated requirements document (e.g. the Army’s Abbreviated CDD (A-CDD), the Navy’s Top Level Requirements Document (TRD), etc.) to complete this portion of the DCR. Alternatively, if you do not have a previously validated document, you must address the requirements as laid out in the analogous section (Section 1 – Operational Context) from the Initial Capabilities Document (ICD). See Section 2.5.2 from Appendix A to Enclosure B. If this is the case, you will have substantial, original work to do in this section.

The purpose of this section is laid out plainly in Section 2.5.1.1.1, “to provide the operational context and conceptual basis for the recommendations addressed by the Joint DCR.”

Narrative in the Operational Context Section is to be consistent with DoDAF OVs generated during prior analysis--unless your recommendations within this DCR would change them. If any of the OVs would change as a result of your recommendations, highlight them in this section and ensure they are modified and made available within the architecture repository. (See Section 4.2 of Appendix H to Enclosure B).

This section should feature your OV-1—and no other DoDAF views, “unless specifically needed for illustration purposes in the body of the Joint DCR.”

The term “Range of Military Operations (ROMO) has been replaced in Joint lexicon by the term “Competition Continuum.” The concepts behind the terms are not very different, however. Just be sensitive to the nuanced differences. You can learn more about the concept of Competition Continuum by reading the documents in the “Other Joint Documents” folder under “Show Help” and “View Documents.”

• Make sure to address where the capability gaps identified in this document most appropriately fit along the competition continuum—campaigning through cooperation, competition below armed conflict, or armed conflict.

• As appropriate, or if you can, identify how closing the identified gap enhances campaigning and cooperation with specific partners, or prepares our forces to compete with and/or win in conflict over specific state or non-state actors.

Section 2.5.1.1.4 reminds you to address exportability, particularly as it relates to any “little m” solutions you may recommend.

Section 2.5.1.1.6 alerts you to, “reference to relevant JROCMs, CCMD Integrated Priority List (IPL)s, joint monthly readiness reviews, quarterly reports to the SecDef, etc., that relate to the change recommendations.”