There is No Conflict between Maintenance and Training: How to Develop a Maintenance Culture

There is No Conflict between Maintenance and Training: How to Establish an Effective Unit Maintenance Culture by LTC Colin P. Mahle and LTC Charles L. Montgomery Serving as an organizational leader in the most powerful army in the world represents an incredible opportunity! Based on our experiences as battalion commanders within an armored bri gade combat team (ABCT), we outline in this article the most important building blocks to assist organizational leaders in establishing and fostering a maintenance culture. Preparation prior to assuming posi tions of this magnitude is paramount, especially from an intellectual perspective. The last time battalion commanders commanded was likely 10 years previously at company level. This divide in time and space is massive, and your attention to detail can help rapidly shape success in your organization. The most earth-shattering epiphany during command is the realization that you as battalion commander, along with your battalion command ser geant major, are the most experienced leaders in the organization. Therefore commander’s dialogue and directives demand precision and clarity to ease friction for subordinates during execu tion. Although clear commander’sin tent is often thought of in relation to field training, it’s just as impactful in home-station functions such as establishing a maintenance culture. There is never conflict between main tenance and training. Conducting maintenance is training, and its effect when properly implemented will pay significant dividends toward increasing operational readiness (OR) in sup port of decisive-action operations. Un fortunately, based on competing op erational priorities, maintenance operations can be underprioritized or largely delegated to sustainment leadership. This lack of an established unit-maintenance culture translates over time to reduced leader involvement, inefficient processes and long-term impact on equipment readiness. The goal of this article is to highlight key foundational processes and intellectual approaches designed to shape the deliberate establishment of a maintenance culture in any type of or ganization within our Army. Establishing effective maintenance culture The sustainment warfighting function exists to extend the commander’s op erational reach, sustain operational tempo and enable freedom of action. The brigade command team maintenance and logistics synchronization meetings are the most powerful exec utive-level assemblies that provide de tailed synchronization of resources and organizational priorities. The bri gade-support battalion (BSB) commander serves as chief of sustainment, with a distinct responsibility to chair these meetings. The brigade executive officer and support-operations officer serve as facilitators. Production of executive-level notes al lows the brigade combat team (BCT) commander the ability to leverage or reprioritize resources to address iden tified gaps. The published notes serve as a key progression or regression indicator, with the goal to move the readiness needle forward continuous ly. The battalion executive officers and the maintenance warrant officers, combined with forward-support com pany (FSC) commanders and company executive officers, represent the preponderance of the audience and intellectual body of executioners. BCT leaders must take full advantage of division and external resources de signed to provide a range of technical/ supply assistance. Most of these enti ties include:

• Division/corps G-4;

• Sustainment brigade;

• Army field-support brigade;

• Defense Logistics Agency; and

• Army Materiel Command (AMC) lifecycle-management commands. Resources are finite. As organization al leaders, it’sour responsibly to un derstand available resources to stay ahead of potential resourcing short falls which may hinder OR. The goal is to establish a maintenance culture that effectively transitions to any operational environment. This mandates continuous leader involvement with a detailed task and purpose, which adds holistic credibility to the maintenance program. The standard is to maintain equipment at the 10/20 level, which requires equipment fully-mission-capable – all faults properly identified, installed or ordered; services per formed and up to date; modification work orders applied; and authorized basic-issue items and components of end items present and serviceable. The goal is to prevent mechanical failures by establishing a disciplined and deliberate service program committed to identifying impending failures. The second aspect involves minimizing the amount of time that equipment is non-mission-capable to ensure the unit maintains the highest possible OR rate. This structure allows the highest levels of OR, thus bringing to bear maximum levels of destruction on the enemy in combat. Recommendations: Make implicit standards explicit and highly encourage leader involvement at all levels. Overdue services, delinquencies and failure to secure supplies/equipment/ oil samples are key indicators that leaders are not involved. Publish main tenance standards early and implement the appropriate forecasting tools to avoid future failure. Finally, establish positive relationships with sustain ment professionals who are echelons above your assigned organization. The established relationships will provide valuable assistance reaching pre scribed Army maintenance standards.

Establishing clear battalion-level expectations Like other parts of unit culture, a cul ture of maintenance begins with leaders establishing clear expectations and setting priorities. One shouldn’t as sume that leaders in your unit have ex perience with effective maintenance programs. Whether mounted or dis mounted, leaders and Soldiers arrive at your unit with diverse backgrounds and varied experience. This is a true strength of our military, but not all these skills are directly applicable to building an effective maintenance culture. Clearly articulating foundational guidance such as motorpool uniform standards, formation requirements and maintenance battle rhythm will help ensure shared understanding. Outlining leader expectations is also important. Where do you expect commanders and first sergeants during maintenance operations? What are the unit standards for Form 5988E completion, submission and fault vali dation? Further, how can Soldiers and leaders be right if there is not a pub lished standard to emulate? Delegat ing these decisions solely to executive officers or maintenance technicians could cause subordinates to misunder stand your prioritization of mainte nance operations. Executive officers, warrant officers and motor sergeants are critical as the execution arm of maintenance operations. However, their actions are not a substitute for clear commander’sin tent. Remember, it’s your (the com mander’s) maintenance program, and it’s your responsibility to set the tone and culture of the organization. Simply put, identify foundational unit standards and clearly articulate principles across the organization to shape the establishment of a maintenance culture. Recommendations: Start with a main tenance terrain walk with battalion leadership and determine the status of your maintenance program, including pride, ownership, leader involve ment and process efficiency according to division and brigade standards. Determine your shortfalls and conduct a subsequent terrain walk with company and platoon leadership to clearly articulate expectations. Supporting companies through synchronized battalion programs In addition to setting expectations, commanders should resource and syn chronize battalion-level maintenance programs. Leveraging battalion systems to track requirements and in crease awareness can empower subordinates and increase efficiency. Al though programs such as the Army Oil Analysis Program (AOAP), test and measurement diagnostic equipment (TMDE) and overaged repairable-item list are generally thought to be the do main of company-level executive officers to navigate. However, company programs can suffer in silence if not Figure 1. SPC Godspower Okoroh (left) and SPC Phillip Hutto, both with Head quarters Support Company, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, perform maintenance. A culture of unit maintenance moved this unit to Army-award-winning level. (U. S. Army photo) resourced and monitored at battalion level. Field-training exercises and lead er transitions make continuity for company programs challenging. The Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-A) is the Army’s system of record. Using this system as a forecast ing tool to identify future require ments and decision points can add tremendous value to your program. Look ing ahead toward projected require ments is always better than looking behind at delinquencies. An example of a company-level action having battalion-readiness implica tions are weapons gauges from the FSC armament section. Although clearly within the FSC commander/executive officer responsibilities, delin quent armament gauges could leave the battalion without the ability to conduct annual weapons gauging and impact weapons qualification, live-fire exercise requirements and rapid de ployability. With battalion-level fore casting through GCSS-A, the battalion executive officer or the battalion maintenance officer could recommend early calibration or adjacent unit coor dination as a mitigating measure be fore losing a critical battalion capabil ity. Although, in this specific example, we recommend having two sets of weapons gauges with six months off set calibration to never lose the ability to gauge weapons. Recommendation: Use GCSS-A as a forecasting tool and publish future requirements to increase awareness of upcoming services, AOAP, TMDE, etc. This resource provides companies the necessary information to execute company maintenance programs and reduces delinquencies. SSA operations The supply-support activity (SSA) is unequivocally the nucleus of logistical operations. This single BCT entity serves as the catalyst to improve OR and is governed by Army Techniques Publication 4-42.2, Supply Support Activity Operations. The SSA is com prised of the following sections: stock control, receiving, issue, storage and turn-in. Commanders at echelon must devote time and personal energy into SSA op erations to ensure that the return on this precious investment permeates throughout the entire formation. Commanders must instill discipline into the following daily activities:

• Clearing unit SSA bins;

• Company commander and first sergeant weekly visits;

• Eliminating free issue through responsible supply ownership; and

• Operationalizing SSA operations (executing operations with a tactical-logistics-package mindset). AMC owns the SSA, which is operated by American tax dollars through the Defense-Wide Working Capital Fund. As Soldiers we have a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard resources, combined with responsible financial exe cution. Commanders must ensure that their unit-level military-occupation specialty 92As (automated logistical specialists) are properly trained on GCSS-A functions, with appropriate supervision in parts ordering. Finally, the supply-chain management decision/execution loop must be properly closed through the execution of post goods issue and post goods receipt. This execution displays prudent management of supplies, which af fects tactical-, operational- and strate gic-level operations. Battalion com manders play an integral role in the preservation of our national supply system. The inability to deliberately manage this system will produce det rimental effects within our Army over time. Recommendation: Conduct mainte nance meetings at the SSA monthly meeting and execute BCT-level SSA terrain walks with the BCT command er. In addition, develop a certification for 92As and publish VL06I reports, which display supplies at the SSA that are ready for pick up. It’s also important to operationalize SSA pick-ups by using operations orders and mission briefs to improve tactical operations in field environments. Maintenance reporting: how to reinforce culture and unit priorities There are many ways to establish internal reporting requirements that re inforce maintenance culture and unit priorities. We recommend against structuring your battalion reporting or commander’s critical information requirements solely with OR rates and the equipment-status report (ESR) in mind. In fact, we believe it’s difficult to build an effective battalion mainte nance culture using only the ESR and OR rates, as these tools do not accu rately evaluate the building blocks of maintenance culture such as leader involvement and maintenance-efficiency rates. With a little creative thinking, commanders can establish maintenance reporting that gauges the maintenance culture while actively support ing leader development. We recom mend reporting that highlights high-payoff resources, which impacts all en tities such as a shop office. If the Very-Small-Aperture Terminal (VSAT) is nonmission-capable, the battalion has lost the ability to dispatch vehicles, order Class IX parts and update the ESR. How long do you want your battalion executive officer to work the issue be fore he/she makes you aware? 12 hours? 24 hours? Further, when do you notify your brigade commander that you have a critical sustainment shortfall and discuss a shift in resourc es? Whatever the answer, this exam ple helps to show how critical maintenance reporting supports commander decision points. There are obviously other battalion-level resources that can impact daily maintenance operations such as weld ing, fabrication and armament capabilities. With the help of your mainte nance leadership, identify mission-critical organic resources and deter mine a reporting framework that sup port unit priorities. Let’s shift to how maintenance report ing also supports leader development. A good example is the decision points surrounding controlled substitutions. Although your warrant officer is rou tinely first to identify a potential controlled substitution, the discussion and decision should involve both the gaining and losing company commanders. This small step requires the commanders to understand and artic ulate the maintenance action and develop a recommendation based on battalion-readiness priorities.

Whatever the decision, the knowledge and shared understanding gained fa cilitates leader development and helps to reinforce the unit maintenance culture. Recommendation: Establish a battal ion maintenance reporting framework that is aligned with critical capabilities and use routine maintenance actions as opportunities for leader development in your formation. As an example, we would recommend aligning maintenance reporting with assets unique to your formation or that do not have redundancy such as the VSAT, overhead lift and armament capabilities. Ethical ESR management The ESR epistemology correlates the methodology associated with the development of tactical plans, specifical ly up-to-date equipment/resources available to maneuver commanders they can employ against the enemy. Thus the ESR represents a binary con tract between higher- and subordi nate-level commanders, which stimu lates a tangible level of trust that as signed equipment is prepared or un prepared for combat. So when does prolonged trouble shooting or failure to correctly report the operational status of assigned equipment becomes unethical? This boils down simply to communication at echelon. Certainly, there are faults which may not seem prudent to place on the ESR – for instance: controlled substitutions, parts on hand or active troubleshooting. However, there must be a published timeframe that all lead ers understand at echelon. Most units incorporate a 72-hour timeline; we would argue that this is too long, as it relates to pace and tempo in combat. Regardless of the established timeline, leaders must have the fortitude to re port what’s truly non-mission-capable without fear of reprisal or retribution from superior leaders. Some potential indicators of inaccurate reporting are:

• Severe degradation of OR rate within the first 36 hours of afield exercise;

• The inability to perform rollout exercises; and

• The lack of in-transit visibility of Class IX parts flow. The establishment of an effective and efficient maintenance system takes the proactive involvement of every leader in the organization. Once the organization has established a true maintenance culture, its ability to wage effective combat operations will significantly increase. The battalion commander is the only leader who can establish organization al culture and climate. If maintenance and sustainment are commander pri orities, the behavior and actions of the formation will reflect it. Therefore the commander must also certify the for mation on maintenance practices just as he/she does for battle drills and live-fire scenarios. Although the BSB commander serves as the BCT’s chief of sustainment, every commander plays a vital role in establishing an ef fective maintenance culture that sup ports operational requirements. The effectiveness of your formation to execute the assigned mission depends on the durability of the equipment and Soldiers within the formation. Recommendation: Establish a binding contract within your organization that is easily understood and simple to ex ecute at the lowest level. Implement ing the six-hour rule is prudent technique. This rule includes the following guidelines:

• Equipment that requires more than six hours to troubleshoot must enter the ESR.

• If troubleshooting occurs under six hours and the equipment can be repaired within 24 hours, equipment does not enter the ESR.

• If the part is on hand, can be installed and repaired within 24 hours, the equipment does not enter the ESR.

• Repairs longer than 24 hours will always enter the ESR. The standard 72 hours of trouble shooting is unrealistic, and it provides significantly less clarity on the ESR. This detracts from the power this document is designed to portray to commanders. LTC Colin Mahle is attending the Senior Service College as part of the George

C. Marshall Scholars program at the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). Previous assignments include executive officer to the commanding general of the Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, KS; commander, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 3rd ABCT, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX; commander, Regimental Figure 2. A Soldier assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, pulls maintenance on an armored vehicle to ensure things are in good order after arriving in Korea from Fort Hood, TX, for a nine-month deployment. The unit, a combined-arms battalion, is assigned to 2nd Infantry Division’s 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team. It deployed to Korea with about 800 Soldiers, 20 M1A2 Abrams tanks and 30 M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The Soldiers are stationed at Camp Stanley and Camp Hovey. (U. S. Army photo)

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Ben ning, GA; and commander, Company A, 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st ABCT, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, TX. LTC Mahle’s military schools include the Engineer Officer Basic Course, U. S. Army Ranger School, Pathfinder School, Jumpmaster School and Joint Firepower Course. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute with a bachelor’s of arts degree in history. LTC Mahle also has a mas ter’s of military arts and science degree in history from the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College. LTC Charles Montgomery is the senior sustainment trainer at the Joint Multi national Readiness Center, Hohenfels, Germany. His previous assignments include commander, 123rd Brigade Sup port Battalion, 3rd ABCT, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX; assignments manager (majors), Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, KY; support-operations officer, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA; brigade S-4, 2nd IBCT, Fort Stewart; and G-5 SAMS plan ner, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart. LTC Montgomery’s military schools in clude the Transportation Officer Basic Course, Airborne School, Pathfinder School, Joint Planner’s Course, Joint Firepower Course and SAMS. He holds a master’s degree in military operational art and science from SAMS, a master’s of science degree in human-resource management from Tarleton State University and a master’s of science degree in history from the University of Southern Mississippi. Among LTC Montgomery’s awards are the Bronze Star Medal with oak-leaf clus ter and the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak-leaf clusters. ABCT – armored brigade combat team AMC – Army Materiel Command AOAP – Army Oil Analysis Program BCT – brigade combat team BSB – brigade-support battalion ESR – equipment-status report FSC – forward-support company GCSS-A – Global Combat Support System-Army IBCT – infantry brigade combat team OR – operational readiness SAMS – School of Advanced Military Studies SSA – supply-support activity TMDE – test and measurement diagnostic equipment VSAT – Very-Small-Aperture Terminal Acronym Quick-Scan Send Us Your Manuscripts ARMOR magazine’s manuscript suspenses for 2022:

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