Branches and Sequels
“The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.”
- Prussian General Karl von Clausewitz, On War, 1832
In military planning we know flexibility and options must be built into any plan. Branches are designed to anticipate situations, such as contingencies, that provide alternative options to the basic plan. Sequels anticipate and plan subsequent operations based on the possible outcomes of the current operation-victory, defeat, or stalemate. (ref Joint Publication 5-0 Joint Planning)
Update: This time last week I should have been flying over to France to link up with Terminal Leave and kick off this upcoming adventure. I should be there right now at the Port of Trinité-sur-Mer waiting for the flatbed truck to pull into the marina any minute now with my boat and all of my sailing gear.
The plan is in place and all of the stars have aligned so far…except for one. The French Consulate in Washington, D.C. has not released my passport or approved my visa yet, both required for entry.
Based off the provided criteria, I requested a “passeport talent” visa to compete in sport. In addition to providing significant documentation proving the caliber of this campaign and support of the American sailing community, I also presented a signed letter from the French Sailing Federation inviting me to compete. The letter (translated to English) begins with the following paragraph:
“The French Sailing Federation is pleased to welcome in France the Professional American (US) skipper of Mini 650, Peter Gibbons-Neff (Annapolis, USA), to participate in the various professional competitions of the Mini 650 Class qualifying for the Mini Transat which will start from Les Sables d'Olonne on the 26th next September.”
There is precedent for requesting entry into France during this time of COVID, even though the country is closed to Americans. After discussing this process with a few American sailors who were invited into France, I knew this option was possible but would not be easy.
I believe the timing for this request is not unreasonable as Europe begins its transition to a new phase of the pandemic. In mid-April French President Macron announced France would begin to progressively ease travel restrictions into the country in early May. This would include allowing vaccinated Americans with a special pass allowed into France.
However, every day I check the VFS Global website for updates only to see the same answer each time: “Your visa application has been sent to Consulate General of France in Washington DC for further processing.”
VFS Global is a commercial company contracted by many countries to run visa application centers. They receive the visa request paperwork, supporting documentation, and take biometric data (finger prints, iris scan, pictures) for the consulates.
The visa process is inherently set up so the applicant cannot reach out and explain their situation to the embassy. In fact, they are extremely clear about this on the website:
“DO NOT CALL THE FRENCH EMBASSY OR ANY OF THE FRENCH CONSULATES IN THE US”
Of course, I tried the email address they provided, but each time received the standard response which includes “There is no expedite process. We always recommend to apply as early as possible (but not earlier than 90 days before your date of departure).”
Since this campaign began last year, I used the initial months to build momentum and support. If I had started this visa request process any earlier, I don’t believe the campaign would have reached the level it has to prove it meets the passeport talent requirements. This is also why I hired a law firm in France who specializes in immigration to help compile the necessary documentation for the visa application.
Where does this leave the campaign?
While this visa timing is not as expected, we are still pressing forward with the original overall plan. The boat is currently on its way to the marina and I will work on the boat immediately once I arrive in France.
Branches and sequels in military planning are tied to Decision Points to determine how early or late a decision might be made. There are a few important decision points on the horizon, but none we have to make today. While we are not necessarily on track with the original plan, the goal of racing in the Mini Transat is attainable and remains the desired end state.
My bags are packed and I remain committed to getting Terminal Leave out on the race course in France this summer.
Thank you for continuing to support this campaign with the ultimate goal of raising awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing.
