text: Appendix B
  B-4. The staff derives the running estimate from facts, assumptions, and situational analysis (terrain,
  friendly situation, enemy situation, and support requirements). Signal planners use the running estimate
  through each step of the military decision-making process. Planners update the running estimate when—
  * The commander and staff recognize new facts.
  * The staff can replace assumptions with facts or find previous assumptions invalid.
  * The mission changes.
  * Planners receive updated information from other staff sections.
  B-5. The staff adjusts the running estimate based on the course of action development and war-gaming.
  After course of action approval, the signal running estimate forms the basis for annex H (Signal) of the
  operation plan or order.
  PRIMARY, ALTERNATE, CONTINGENCY, AND EMERGENCY PLAN
  B-6. Building an effective PACE plan may be simultaneously the most useful and challenging practice for
  communications planners. The key to a good PACE plan is to establish redundancy, so some means of
  communication is always available. Signal leaders and planners must understand their organization’s
  authorized and available communications capabilities and limitations, as well as the personnel and logistic
  requirements to employ and sustain the capabilities. During the military decision making process, G-6 (S-6)
  planners ensure proposed PACE plans are feasible, acceptable, suitable, distinguishable, and complete.
  * Feasible. The unit and subordinates must have enough working systems to implement each step
  of the PACE plan.
  * Acceptable. Time needed to set up a redundant capability must not interfere with the unit’s
  operation or command post displacement.
  * Suitable. Redundant capabilities must have the capacity to meet the commander’s requirements.
  * Distinguishable. Redundant communications means cannot rely on a denied method. For
  example, if network data is not available, voice over Internet protocol would be a poor backup
  method. If VHF radio communications are degraded or denied, the next step in the PACE plan
  should use a different transmission medium.
  * Complete. The scheme of signal support should outline each means of communication, along with
  triggers for execution.
  B-7. The PACE plan should be as simple as possible to support reliable communications during dynamic
  operations. If possible, PACE plans should revolve around warfighting functions. The principal warfighting
  functions for the purposes of PACE planning are movement and maneuver, intelligence, fires, and
  sustainment. The G-6 (S-6) does not dictate PACE plans for these warfighting functions, but does educate
  the warfighting function leads on available capabilities during operations and assists the warfighting function
  staff in formulating a PACE plan.
  B-8. Planners should identify appropriate PACE systems for each phase—for example, defense, offense, or
  consolidating gains—and publish them in annex H (Signal) of the operation order. An emergency means of
  communications does not necessarily have to be equipment; it may be a procedure such as moving back to
  the last known effective communications point or rallying at a specified grid coordinate. The PACE plan
  helps ensure communications availability if the primary means of communication fails. Units should rehearse
  and validate the PACE plan during mission and communication rehearsals to ensure all personnel can execute
  the plan as necessary. Refer to ATP 6-0.5 for information about communication rehearsals. Table B-1 shows
  an example of a simple PACE plan for one phase of an operation, aligned with warfighting functions.