USINDOPACOM Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat — Hands-On Course
| Duration | 4 Hours |
| Classification | UNCLASSIFIED |
| Environment | GCC High |
This course provides hands-on, scenario-based training for USINDOPACOM personnel on Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. Participants will learn to access Copilot Chat, write effective prompts, detect and prevent AI hallucinations, and use Copilot across the Microsoft 365 suite to accomplish real-world military staff tasks.
All exercises use fictitious but realistic scenarios relevant to Indo-Pacific operations. Do not enter classified or sensitive information into Copilot Chat.
| # | Exercise | Duration | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Exercise Guide | — | Full schedule, prerequisites, GCC High notes, and asset descriptions |
| 1 | Getting Started with Copilot Chat | 30 min | Access Copilot Chat, explore the interface, enter your first prompts, and verify Enterprise Data Protection |
| 2 | Writing Effective Prompts for Military Operations | 75 min | Master the four prompt elements (Goal, Context, Source, Expectations), detect and prevent AI hallucinations, and write prompts for intelligence summaries and operational planning |
| 3 | Work Smarter — Plan a Joint Readiness Review | 120 min | Use Copilot across Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Pages to research, draft documents, analyze budgets, and collaborate on a Joint Readiness Review |
Supporting files used during the exercises are located in the assets/ folder:
| File | Used In | Description |
|---|---|---|
| JRR-Budget-Data.csv | Exercise 3 | INDOPACOM directorate budget data for Excel analysis |
| HADR-After-Action-Report.md | Exercises 2 & 3 | Fictitious HA/DR after-action report for summarization and anti-hallucination practice |
| Theater-Security-Cooperation-Activities.csv | Exercises 2 & 3 | 2026 theater exercise schedule for analysis and planning |
- Download the CopilotResources.zip file.
- Save it to your Desktop.
- Right-click the file and select Extract All… to unzip it to your Desktop.
These files are used throughout the exercises — have them ready before starting Exercise 1.
- Microsoft 365 work account with Copilot Chat access (GCC High: M365 F1/F3/G3/G5 or Office 365 F1/F3/G3/G5)
- Web browser (Microsoft Edge recommended)
- Access to Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint