WRITING THE SOP(STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES)

THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDETO PURPOSES, STRATEGIES

AND TECHNIQUES INWRITING SOP's

Written By:MFreebyrd1st Officer

First EditionOctober 2015

WatchmenOfAmerica.com

INTRODUCTION

This presentation is designed to provide a newly vetted State Command Element with vital information on developing their State Group SOP's or Standard Operating Procedures.

Many leaders of State Groups within the Watchmen organization have prior U.S. military backgrounds and are therefore familiar with what SOP's are and their purpose. However, merely knowing what an SOP is and then having to know how to write one and all the required components can be two entirely different circumstances.

Even in cases of prior military backgrounds, this doesn't mean that person has retained their knowledge of SOP's including writing them from scratch. Therefore it helps to have this information available as perhaps a refresher course if nothing else.

Please read this material carefully and thoroughly and we certainly hope that it will provide adequate guidance and make the task of writing your State Group SOP's a lot easier.

M. Freebyrd 1st Officer

CONTENTS

SECTION # DESCRIPTION PAGE

1 What is an SOP? 42 Why is it important to have SOP's? 53 Who needs to prepare the SOP's? 64 When should I expect to have my SOP's completed? 7-85 How many SOP's should I have? 96 What is the best document format to use in creating SOP's 107 What happens after I get the SOP's completed? 118 Who do I share the SOP's with? 129 General writing presentation strategies and tips. 1310 Closing Statement 1411 Reference Material

Instructional Checklist for Creating SOP's 15 Priority SOP Checklist 16

SECTION 1 Page 4

WHAT IS AN SOP?

The acronym SOP stands for "Standard Operating Procedures." Think of an SOP as a guiding set of rules, details and/or general policies as to the various ways your State Group will function and operate in many different aspects.

They are meant to establish the OVERALL GUIDELINES of what each member must adhere to in the way of compliance and expectations. SOP's can also be used to detail specific instructions on how to perform certain tasks or special operations.

Here are just some general topic matters that will require an SOP:

Regular Monthly Meeting ProtocolsState Group Member Application Process

Type Of Group StructureConflict Resolution Protocols

Training Requirements and ProtocolsTermination Of Membership Guidelines

Rank Advancement GuidelinesUniform Requirements - Code of Dress

Code Of ConductMembership Initiation Oath

etc. etc......You should now get the idea.

There are a large amount of issues and topics that a State Group Command must prepare these guides for.

Once policies are written to cover the SOP for all the various topics, Commanders in essence compile all of these individual SOP's into a larger guide and sometimes call them their "State Group Membership Manual" or even "State Group Guidebook or Handbook"

.........The Choice is up to you.

SECTION 2 Page 5

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOP's?

Common sense tells us that as any State Group grows in membership, there simply has to be a structure or foundation established that will maintain order, cooperation and discipline within the group community.

Without this structured foundation, the environment can become too relaxed and volatile enough to allow total anarchy and disruption to destroy the group from within, very easily.

Whether a group chooses to function informally or with a rigid Command structure, the group will still have to maintain a specific set of rules to operate under.

If the Command Element does not have specific guidelines for example; "Training Requirements for each member", then you have opened the door for members to pick and choose whether they want to train or not. This can lead to total failure and extreme risks for everyone, in an emergency situation.

Without reasonable expectations set out in writing, members will become confused and frustrated when all of a sudden you later place demands or orders for certain performance levels, desired participation or even behavioral expectations.

You simply have to establish the rules and expectations up front in the recruitment process, otherwise your just going to lose those members eventually when you try to enforce expected standards they were not informed of from the beginning.

SECTION 3 Page 6

WHO NEEDS TO PREPARE THE SOP's?

It cannot be expected for every Commander or Executive Officer to know everything about every subject matter. therefore like any good Commander would do, it may be prudent to enlist the help from other knowledgeable members from within the group.

"Effective delegation of duties is a characteristic of any great Commander."

Commanders should always draw from the strengths and knowledge base of his membership and ask them to contribute, so long as they can do these tasks or perform these writing assignments and do so in a timely manner. Getting your SOP's written thoroughly and quickly will be vital in the early stages of group development.

Keep in mind the Commander is ultimately responsible to oversee, review material and assure that the SOP's are completed and are of professionally written quality.

If you are going to delegate the topics out to several knowledgeable members to prepare, then follow-up and make sure they will finish the tasks in short order and not prolong the process.

If there are topic areas that a Commander is not confident in and they do not have an available member to assist them, they can always draw upon the resources of the Watchmen of America National Command Board.

Fellow Watchmen Command Board members are always willing to help and can provide a wealth of material of their own for you to utilize in your own SOP's. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance. Remember, there is a National Group Affairs Officer at your disposal, who will also be able to provide a multitude of resources.

You can contact them through the Watchmen web site or on SKYPE.

SECTION 4 Page 7

WHEN SHOULD I EXPECT TO HAVE MY SOP's COMPLETED?

Completing your initial SOP's is going to be a daunting task indeed, especially depending on how formal or informal you have decided your group structure is going to be.

Obviously, if you choose a formal rank type structure environment (Most Typical) and have a more rigid operational standard, then your going to need more extensive SOP topic matters to prepare.

When first starting off with the fewest of members, it is wise to establish all of your Command Staff as soon as possible. Be careful though and fill the positions with the "RIGHT" candidates and do not rush in putting people into positions they cannot or really do not "want" to do.

With your Command Staff in place you can focus on the SOP's that are immediately necessary to inform new recruits when seeking your early membership growth. It would be wise to have as many of these necessary Priority SOP's completed BEFORE you spend a lot of effort recruiting large numbers.

Most of the necessary SOP's that will be needed in the beginning should be completed in your first 60 days as a Commander. This is a typical standard time frame if you are working diligently on the this task. Just remember, you do not necessarily have to create everything from scratch. You can draw from already available resources to simply copy and paste the areas you need and want.

You are perfectly free to modify and adjust these resources to meet your needs and become uniquely your own. YOU CAN ALSO DRAW MATERIAL FROM THE WATCHMEN COMMANDERS GUIDE BOOK. There are a wide variety of excellent Policies found there that you may find useful to modify for your own group use.

SECTION 4 Page 8

You also have a fellow Commander-Mentor that can guide you in the right directions all through your probationary period.

Here is a "Suggested" list of some PRORITY items and SOP's you will want to focus on and establish first so you can get started building your group on a solid foundation. There are also some FORM titles included.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES New Member Application, Interview and Vetting Procedures

Initiation Procedures and Membership Oath

Material, Supplies and Gear needs for each Member

Standard Uniform Requirements

Uniform Dress Code

Training Schedule, Guidelines and Expectations

Code Of Conduct

Conflict Resolution Procedures

Disciplinary Action Protocols

Membership Termination Guidelines and Protocols

Standard Drill and/or Assembly Protocol

Regular Monthly Meeting Schedule and Requirements

Firearm Safety, Training, Protocols and Range Rules

Command Staff Titles, Duties and Responsibilities

Rank Structure Titles, Duties and Responsibilities

Rank Promotion Guidelines and Requirements

FORMS Membership Hard Copy Form

Standard Membership Oath

State Group Mission Statement

Membership Agreement Form

FTX /Activity Waiver Form

Firearm Safety Compliance Signature Form

THIS IS JUST TO GET THINGS STARTED !!!!!but don't let this initial list scare you.

SECTION 5 Page 9

How many SOP's should I have?

The actual number of SOP's you will need depends on many different factors. Determining the type of State Group you are creating will play the most important role in establishing how much material will need to be written.

Informal and less structured groups will not necessarily require as many SOP's as a more formal and rigidly organized group.

Although there will need to be certain SOP's, such as "Application Procedures" etc., common to all groups, specific kinds of groups may not need SOP's regarding "Rank Designations" for example.

There may be instances when two or more topic matters can be combined into a single SOP, depending on your writing style. Combining topics is usually acceptable, only when they are specifically related to each other in some way.

Example: Combining "Rank Promotion Guidelines" with a list of "Group Rank Designations and Responsibilities" would be related and appropriate.

You would NOT want to combine "Conflict Resolution Procedures" with "Vetting Procedures" or "FTX Protocols."

Think of SOP's as many small chapters or sections of a large book of guides. A good example is the Watchmen Commanders Guide Book. It is merely a compilation of many SOP's and general information. You in essence will be creating the same thing.

With respect to how many SOP's you will need, all I can say is, if your guidebook does not have at least 15 chapters or sections in the index up front, then you probably have not written enough material to build a proper and durable foundation for your State Group.

SECTION 6 Page 10

What Is The Best Document Format To Use In Creating SOP's?

There are many various types of word processing softwares out there these days and you are certainly welcome to use whichever one you feel most comfortable in writing with. However, keep in mind that not all members may have or use your particular software, therefore they may not be able to open or access the file.

For this reason, we typically recommend saving your document in a .PDF file format if your software allows. If not, you will want to convert your file format to the .PDF format at some point.

If you use a .DOC, .XDOC or any other document format, and need assistance in converting the file to a .PDF, we can most likely assist you here at Watchmen National in doing so when you submit your final drafts for archives.

By using the .PDF format, this ensures that most all of your members can access and view the files as most computers have the Acrobat Reader program needed to at least read .PDF files.

SECTION 7 Page 11

What Happens After I Get The SOP's Completed?

SOP's are uniquely something that can evolve and become necessary to update from time to time. For this reason, we always proclaim that SOP's could be considered to never be entirely finished.

It is important however, to at least get the foundation material established in order for the State group to start functioning properly and in an appropriate direction.

Once you have the set of "Foundation" SOP's completed, you will need to SUBMIT a copy to Watchmen National and more specifically to the National Group Affairs Officer in order for them to be kept on file in our archives system.

These documents become a vitally important part of the framework of your State Group's Official affiliation to Watchmen of America.

Naturally, as you progress and complete more SOP's or update existing ones, you will need to submit these to the Group Affairs Office for National updating purposes.

PROPER SOP's ARE THE FOUNDATION OF ANY GOOD GROUP

SECTION 8 Page 12

Who Do I Share The SOP's With?

Of course you will need to provide copies to your State Group Members once they come on board as vetted and "Official Members" of Watchmen of America and your State Group. The Group Affairs Officer maintains a copy of all SOP's documents in archives as well.

Other than voluntarily sharing them with fellow Commanders who may need assistance, you should NEVER share your SOP's with anyone or any group outside the Watchmen organization.

You should consider your State Group SOP's and/or Membership Guidebooks as OPSEC/COMSEC at all times. For this reason, you should NEVER include any vital, sensitive or confidential information pertaining to your group operations in your SOP's or general guidebooks.

Example: You DO NOT want to publish information about established "Safe Zones", "Rally Points", "Storage and Cache Locations", etc. in any

SOP that is distributed to your general membership or in their Handbook material.

You need to be very selective when it comes to divulging sensitive material even within your own general membership, as people sometimes come and go and will take these things with them to the outside.

Some types of information just simply needs to be distributed on an "AS NEEDED" Basis and only to Command Staff members.

TIP: One thing to remember is, some types of material will be required to change on a regularly frequent basis, such as Officer Positions, Membership Rosters, Training Locations, etc.

It is best to NOT INCLUDE these types of lists or information inside a generalized SOP or handbook. This way you will not have to constantly be updating the material. Instead make these separate documents that can be selectively distributed according to their confidentiality as well.

SECTION 9 Page 13

General Writing Presentation Strategies And Tips.

If you think writing SOP's can be hard, reading some of them can even be grueling. Everyone has their own unique writing style and this will determine a lot about how much material will actually be absorbed by the readers, depending on how easy or hard the material is to read and later recall.

Hopefully, as you have read through this document, you noticed that I put great efforts into creating and writing the pages in a specific manner so that the reader is simply NOT looking at sentence after sentence of just plain text. To me there is nothing more boring and mundane than to read through books or publications such as that.

I like to add images as filler for large spaces when appropriate and you may notice I even highlight the first letter of nearly every sentence and even change the font size and boldness. I like to break up paragraphs with related Lists or Charts, etc. This is perfectly fine when the material is directly related to the subject matter of the chapter text.

Don't be afraid to BOLD some words or phrases in order to draw special attention to certain points of emphasis either. I think as you read through these pages you will notice that when I strategically highlight certain parts of a sentence or words and phrases, that when you merely glance across the page you can still pick out the highlights of what the overall page of text is saying. I do not recommend reading this way but it's a natural way to strategically get the data into the head of the readers who hates reading large bodies of text.

When creating your SOP's, you need to think about the presentation itself. You want to capture their attention and make every page important and exciting to your intended reader as much as possible.

Be creative in the way you actually place the material on the page. By breaking up large amounts of text with unique graphics, images, highlights, boxes, using columns, etc., you can make the material a lot more pleasant to read and take in the content. This will usually increase memory recall because we remember more from what we see visually than just what we read.

Good Luck in creating your own unique SOP's

SECTION 10 Page 14

CLOSING

In closing, I would like to extend some friendly advice I hope you can appreciate as you move forward in your endeavors.

All too often, when groups are first starting out, there is a lot of confusion from all the questions that have to be answered and details that need to be established. I recommend you approach each item one at a time and systematically and group any and all related topics together when your resolving your policies and protocols.

This will make things a lot easier rather than bouncing back and forth from different topics. Instead make a list of all items to be discussed and approach them one at a time until you complete the list.

Another bit of advice I have when your starting out like this is to ALWAYS keep in mind that the actual people that you will be taking into your group will be coming from a very diverse set of backgrounds and knowledge levels. But MORE IMPORTANTLY they may not likely have any type of formal military background or training.

Civilians cannot often adhere to an excessive amount of military styled structure, especially if the Commander sets the bars too high in the beginning and expects them to act like the robots the military typically tries to build.

My advice is to be more compassionate in the policies you establish and remember all of these people are strictly volunteers and desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves, but not at the cost of destroying their self esteem and humiliating them.

While respect and discipline are always important, you may find yourself needing to realize that you need to be more ACCEPTING of what you will have to work with and capitalizing on their strengths while helping them to compromise their weaknesses or lack of rigid and structured behavior.

Your not building an Army or Normal Soldiers......Your building a Civilian Defensive Based Community.

SECTION 11 Page 15

Instructional Checklist For Creating SOP's

1. TITLE of the Section or SOP

2. What is the PRIMARY topic of this SOP about?3. Are there going to be SECONDARY related topics included?

4 If so, List these Secondary topics as Sub-Sections.5. Choose the Nature of the Primary Topic

A) General information B) Procedural Protocol

C) Rules or Regulation D) Expectations

E) Codes and Principles F) Consequences

Typically most topics will fall under one of these categories listed above.6. Create a very brief title list of subjects of items to be detailed in the chosen

within the category

7. Are any illustrations or photos needed for details in this SOP?8. Write the details for each subject item within the list.

9. Are any sample forms needed to present in this SOP10. Are there any consequences or policy that needs to be attached to the specific

subject matter? If so, Detail them as well.

Once you have established all these criteria, it is time to start writing the material for this specific SOP.

PRIORITY SOP TOPIC CHECKLIST

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES New Member Application, Interview and Vetting Procedures

Initiation Procedures and Membership Oath

Material, Supplies and Gear needs for each Member

Standard Uniform Requirements

Uniform Dress Code

Training Schedule, Guidelines and Expectations

Code Of Conduct

Conflict Resolution Procedures

Disciplinary Action Protocols

Membership Termination Guidelines and Protocols

Standard Drill and/or Assembly Protocol

Regular Monthly Meeting Schedule and Requirements

Firearm Safety, Training, Protocols and Range Rules

Command Staff Titles, Duties and Responsibilities

Rank Structure Titles, Duties and Responsibilities

Rank Promotion Guidelines and Requirements

FORMS Membership Hard Copy Form

Standard Membership Oath

State Group Mission Statement

Membership Agreement Form

FTX /Activity Waiver Form

Firearm Safety Compliance Signature Form

NOTE SHEET

NOTE SHEET