Navy Region Hawaii N-Focus: Spotlight on Operations Training and Exercises (N36)
15 May 2025
From Petty Officer 2nd Class Tristan Labuguen, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs
Operations Training & Exercises (N36) serves as the lead entity for integrated training, exercises, and readiness assessments. The unit coordinates with various functional areas including Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection and Emergency Management to ensure training objectives are planned for, exercised, and assessed. It also provides oversight and support to Installation Training Officers (ITO), ensuring they are manned, trained and equipped.
N36 is one of more than 30 N codes at Commander, Navy Region Hawaii (CNRH).
N-codes are the operational backbone of a Navy command. Each N-code functions as a department with a specific set of responsibilities and dedicated staff. Many N-codes have sub-codes that oversee specific programs. The N-code system was developed to provide a structure of the U.S. Navy for the chief of naval operations organization, which is typically illustrated in the command’s organizational chart.
Brooks Akana is the Operations Training & Exercises program manager, commonly known as the Region Training Officer (RTO).
The Operations Training & Exercises office is located in Building 150, Room 107.
N36 is charged with fulfilling the training goal of increasing and sustaining operational readiness, mission assurance and resiliency for CNRH and its subordinate installations. Akana participates in, and in some cases, leads planning meetings to ensure goals and objectives for the various exercises are addressed. “The entire community (Region, installations, tenants and families) benefits from realistic integrated training events accompanied by accurate assessments and achievable improvement plans,” he explained.
Exercises help commanders assess their unit’s mission readiness by identifying deficiencies, resource and capability gaps, training effectiveness, and leadership engagement.
N36’s Region Training Team (RTT) is the coordinator and facilitator of the Planning Board for Training (PB4T), which helps ITOs implement their training and exercise program.
Operations Training & Exercises serves as the principal advisor to CNRH and provides regional level management for operational training and exercises.
Akana and his ITOs are responsible for increasing fleet readiness through support of CNRH’s assigned mission using innovative and adaptable multi-mission area training exercises, assessments, and mission-essential task execution.
Each installation’s ITO serves as the integrated operations training and exercise program manager and training coordinator.
“Installation Training Officers who work with leadership, Navy Security Forces, emergency management officers, and other functional areas to properly plan, execute, and assess training events are subject matter experts in their field,” said Akana.
According to Akana, regulations require CNRH and subordinate installations to participate in a minimum of two integrated exercises annually.
“By doing this, they enhance the effectiveness of CNRH and its installations’ ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from imminent threats or hazards,” said Akana. “N36 takes the necessary actions required to increase and sustain operational readiness, mission assurance and resiliency for Navy Region Hawaii and its subordinate installations.”
Akana said he appreciates the willingness of the various departments and N-codes at CNRH and at installation levels to work with the department.
“We are proud of the fact that Navy Region Hawaii and our two installations exceed annual amounts of required exercises and demonstrate effectiveness in multiple areas,” he said.
“Bravo Zulu to the Installation Training Officers and the Installation Training Teams for the tremendous work they do to plan, execute, and assess the multitude of training requirements placed on our installations.”