CAPP 1-2 01 October 2021
b. Supplements – auxiliary publications that augment CAP regulations. They cannot stand
alone; rather they must be linked to the parent regulation. Supplements are approved
by the NHQ office of primary responsibility (OPR) for the parent regulation, issued by a
commander at any level (unless prohibited by the regulation), and applicable to all
members of the issuing headquarters and their subordinate units. A template for
producing supplements is found on the CAP publications website.
c. Operating Instructions – publications
that mandate procedures or actions of
a local nature within one unit (charter
number) or office. Operating
Instructions (OIs) are approved by the
NHQ office of primary responsibility
(OPR) for the subject matter, issued by
a commander at any level (unless
prohibited by a regulation pertaining to the matter), and applicable to all members
within the chartered unit. OIs may stand alone and do not require a parent regulation. A
template for producing OIs is found on the CAP publications website.
All directive publications require an annual review to ensure the publication is current, essential
and relevant. Supplement and OI reviews are recorded as annual certifications (see CAPR 1-2).
Since new commanders might not be aware of all supplements or OIs issued by their
predecessor, it is recommended that they review these publications and direct a re-certification
after assuming command. In the future, all supplements and OIs, to include approved waivers
to regulations, will be posted on the CAP publications website for all members to view.
Nondirective Publications. These publications live up to their name too. Just like the pamphlet
you’re reading now, nondirective publications are informative or “how to” in nature and often
provide suggested methods, techniques or best practices for maintaining compliance with
directive publications. Pamphlets are less structured than directive publications and may be
released at any level.
The pamphlet structure and writing style depends largely on the subject matter. In essence,
due to the informative or “how to” nature of pamphlets, these documents should formatted
and styled in a manner that best presents the information to the reader. The use of graphics,
tables, flowcharts and colored text is highly encouraged to enhance readability and
comprehension. A template for producing pamphlets is available on the CAP publications
website.
Forms, Certificates and Visual Aids…Oh My! Okay, tests and controlled material are included
in this discussion too. Of these documents, forms are the most structured and, in accordance
with CAPR 1-2, their use must be prescribed in a regulation, supplement or Operating
Instruction. Historically, forms, certificates, visual aids, tests and controlled material have
collectively been kept separate from the traditional multi-page documents like regulations,
“The problem is that agencies
sometimes lose sight of common
sense as they create regulations.”
Fred Thompson