| NORTH CAROLINA EMERGENCY RESERVES |
| 'From The Mountains To The Coast' |
| NCER Regulation #6 Journals |
1. Purpose
This regulation prescribes policies, responsibilities, and procedures for preparing and
maintaining journals and journal files.
2. Explanation of terms
a. Journal. Chronological record of events pertaining to a unit or a staff section during a given
period.
b. Journal file. A file containing material necessary to support entries in the journal.
3. Responsibilities
a. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS) and plans will establish policies and
procedures for the preparation and maintenance of journals and journal files.
b. Journals will be prepared and maintained by the following:
(1) Commanders of the Division, Brigades, Regiments, Battalions and Companies will
maintain journals.
(2) Staff section leaders of the Division, Brigades, Regiments, Battalions and Executive
Officers of Companies will maintain journals.
(3) Commanders of specialized units or task forces will maintain journals.
(4) Any unit at any time at the discretion of its commander or higher authority.
5. Objectives
Journals and journal files are designed to do the following:
a. Assist in a more efficient conduct of operations.
b. Provide a ready reference for the commander and staff and for higher and lower
headquarters.
c. Serve as a record for training matters, operational reviews, and historical research.
6. Guidance
a. Differences in size, organization, and missions of units and staff sections preclude rigid
adherence to a model form of journal.
b. Journal forms must be used on one side only because of the
following:
(1) Legal and historical information is recorded in the journal.
( 2 ) Problems encountered with normal 'bleed through characteristics.
c. Journals normally will cover a 24–hour period.
d. Journals and journal files will be maintained and disposed of under direction of the
DCSOPS.
7. Procedures
a . Accurate data with sufficient detail to fix the time and place and describe important events
will characterize all entries in
the journal.
(1) Events will be recorded as they occur. Examples are listed below.
(a) Purposes, subjects, and conclusions of command conferences will be described briefly.
(b) Command decisions will be set down.
(c) Plans will be summarized.
(d) Movements of units, down to company, battery, and troop level, will be described; this
description will enable their locations to be pinpointed and traced.
(e) Dates of changes of command will be set down; these entries will include initial assumption
of command.
(f) Change in unit status will be shown; examples are activation, inactivation, redesignation,
reduction to zero strength and assignment.
(2) The following will also be noted:
(a) Liaison activities.
(b) Training activities.
(c) Weather and other conditions influencing operations.
(d) Visits of commanders and staff officers of higher and adjacent units.
(3) Synopses of written, oral, electronic, and visual messages and orders will be entered and
identified for future reference.
(4) At the close of each period, the following will be entered:
(a) Summary of important events which took place during the
period. This summary should include, in particular, the reasons behind
decisions and happenings.
(b) Plans for the following period.
b. Preparation of the journal can be eased by referring to the sample—
NCER Form 1594 at figure 1.
c . A journal file will contain material necessary to support the entries in the journal itself. The
journal file will include the information listed below.
(1) Copies of orders.
( 2 ) Periodic reports of the unit and its subordinate and attached units.
(3) Available periodic reports of higher and adjacent units.
(4) Messages.
(5) Memorandums
(6) Conference notes.
(7) Maps.
(8) Overlays.
(9) Personnel reports.
(10) Other statistics and data considered appropriate.
This regulation prescribes policies, responsibilities, and procedures for preparing and
maintaining journals and journal files.
2. Explanation of terms
a. Journal. Chronological record of events pertaining to a unit or a staff section during a given
period.
b. Journal file. A file containing material necessary to support entries in the journal.
3. Responsibilities
a. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS) and plans will establish policies and
procedures for the preparation and maintenance of journals and journal files.
b. Journals will be prepared and maintained by the following:
(1) Commanders of the Division, Brigades, Regiments, Battalions and Companies will
maintain journals.
(2) Staff section leaders of the Division, Brigades, Regiments, Battalions and Executive
Officers of Companies will maintain journals.
(3) Commanders of specialized units or task forces will maintain journals.
(4) Any unit at any time at the discretion of its commander or higher authority.
5. Objectives
Journals and journal files are designed to do the following:
a. Assist in a more efficient conduct of operations.
b. Provide a ready reference for the commander and staff and for higher and lower
headquarters.
c. Serve as a record for training matters, operational reviews, and historical research.
6. Guidance
a. Differences in size, organization, and missions of units and staff sections preclude rigid
adherence to a model form of journal.
b. Journal forms must be used on one side only because of the
following:
(1) Legal and historical information is recorded in the journal.
( 2 ) Problems encountered with normal 'bleed through characteristics.
c. Journals normally will cover a 24–hour period.
d. Journals and journal files will be maintained and disposed of under direction of the
DCSOPS.
7. Procedures
a . Accurate data with sufficient detail to fix the time and place and describe important events
will characterize all entries in
the journal.
(1) Events will be recorded as they occur. Examples are listed below.
(a) Purposes, subjects, and conclusions of command conferences will be described briefly.
(b) Command decisions will be set down.
(c) Plans will be summarized.
(d) Movements of units, down to company, battery, and troop level, will be described; this
description will enable their locations to be pinpointed and traced.
(e) Dates of changes of command will be set down; these entries will include initial assumption
of command.
(f) Change in unit status will be shown; examples are activation, inactivation, redesignation,
reduction to zero strength and assignment.
(2) The following will also be noted:
(a) Liaison activities.
(b) Training activities.
(c) Weather and other conditions influencing operations.
(d) Visits of commanders and staff officers of higher and adjacent units.
(3) Synopses of written, oral, electronic, and visual messages and orders will be entered and
identified for future reference.
(4) At the close of each period, the following will be entered:
(a) Summary of important events which took place during the
period. This summary should include, in particular, the reasons behind
decisions and happenings.
(b) Plans for the following period.
b. Preparation of the journal can be eased by referring to the sample—
NCER Form 1594 at figure 1.
c . A journal file will contain material necessary to support the entries in the journal itself. The
journal file will include the information listed below.
(1) Copies of orders.
( 2 ) Periodic reports of the unit and its subordinate and attached units.
(3) Available periodic reports of higher and adjacent units.
(4) Messages.
(5) Memorandums
(6) Conference notes.
(7) Maps.
(8) Overlays.
(9) Personnel reports.
(10) Other statistics and data considered appropriate.