Narrator: APEX translates policy decisions into operations plans. It provides the means to respond to emerging crisis situations or transition to war through rapid, coordinated execution planning and implementation. Depending on the crisis, there may be existing concept plans, or CONPLANS, that can be expanded by the Joint Staff and the supported COCOM. There may even be pre-developed operations plans, or OPLANS, that can be modified to meet the emerging situation. In rare cases, there is no pre-existing plan at all, and a plan must be developed from scratch. In any case, Marine involvement begins with establishing and maintaining situational awareness. Later, the Marine Component may be asked to plan, assess, refine and submit COA development and execution inputs. The resulting OPORD furnishes the basis of the military response. The COCOM and Joint Task Force Commanders issue their orders, and the Marine Corps Planning Process begins detailed planning in earnest.