Regaining the Initiative: Garrison Operations for the Current Generation

It’s common for Army senior leaders to praise this current generation of officers and noncommissioned officers as the most adaptable and combat-proven force our country has fielded. Almost immediately following the praise is criticism about how this current generation doesn’t know how to train Soldiers, doesn’t know how to enforce discipline standards and, quite simply, isn’table to competently run garrison operations. Although the multitude of variables is different between the Army of the 90s and the current Army, we would argue that successful leaders are able to apply the same combat-proven mechanisms in garrison to garner an equal level of success. One mechanism used to gain clarity about the commander’s intent while deployed is the development of aline of effort. The three main LoEs within garrison operations are training, discipline and administrative actions. By conceptualizing garrison operations in terms of LoEs, the current generation of leaders understands it takes persistent pressure across all LoEs to be successful and prioritizes actions into manageable portions. Training The Army has operated for the past decade with a year-on-year-off deployment cycle. Leaders haven’t had the freedom to plan training for their unit, as most of their actions have been driven from the top down. Now, as unit dwell times are increasing between deployment cycles, leaders at all levels have to relearn the art of training. Key considerations when developing training include training the Mission-Essential Task List one and two levels higher; developing your unit METL through a proper METL crosswalk; de-Regaining the Initiative: Garrison Operations for the Current Generation by CPT Kyle T. Trottier and 1SG Christopher A. McMillian Administrative action

2. Training calendar

3. METL crosswalk

4. Training resourcing

5. Training meeting

6. Eight-step training model Training Discipline

• Plan the training

• Train and certify leaders

• Recon site

• Issue order

• Conduct after-action review

• Retrain Eight-step training model

1. Soldier reception

2. Physical training

3. Barracks presence

4. Home presence

6. Command supply discipline

7. Connect with families

1. Timely action at the troop level

2. Constant communication with the S-1 shop

3. Reward excellence

4. Re-enlistment Aggressive, intelligent, disciplined troop trained to conduct full-spectrum operations Fit and disciplined troop All administrative and personnel actions accomplished on time and to standard

Leadership Leadership Figure 1. Apache garrison design. 32 veloping a detailed training schedule; conducting the unit-level training meeting; and properly resourcing all training. METL. The first step to planning successful training is to understand the intent of the command one and two levels higher. Commanders will publish many documents upon taking command, but one of the most valuable to a subordinate leader is the METL. Each unit will tailor its METL depending on the type of organization, future overseas contingency operations and METL for one and two levels higher. By knowing your senior leaders’ priorities and tailoring your training events to fit within their intent, you will always be working to achieve the mission. After gaining a copy of higher-level METLs, it’s time to develop one for your specific unit. The Army Training Network ( https://atn.army.mil) is a consolidated site with every training manual or document current to the Army and is a great first step when you have any training-related questions. Within the ATN is a link to the Army Combined-Arms Training Strategy ( https://atn.army.mil/dsp_CATS-viewer01.aspx), described as: “CATS provides task-based, event-driven training strategies designed to assist the unit commander in planning and executing training events that enable the unit to build and sustain Soldier, leader and unit proficiency in mission-essential tasks. The CATS provides training events, frequency and duration that a commander uses in developing unit training guidance, strategy and calendars. The critical training events in CATS, standards in training commission and Army Force Generation templates are the common building blocks for the commander’s plan. In addition to CATS, this page offers links to task selections, their supporting collective tasks and their supporting individual tasks.” METL crosswalk. With ATN’sand CATS’ assistance, commanders can quickly pull up their type of organization and see all their METL tasks, compare them with their commanders’ METLs and forge a unit- and mission-specific METL. Commanders can use ATN and CATS to develop a METL crosswalk for each major training event to guide the training plan. For instance, if your unit is conducting a platoon live-fire in six months, evaluated tasks will include most of the following:

• Troop-leading procedures;

• Occupy an assembly area;

• Tactical movement;

• Conduct fire and maneuver;

• Conduct a breach;

• Integrate indirect-fire support;

• Evaluate-treat-evacuate casualties;

• Consolidate and reorganize; and

• Conduct site exploitation. Each listed item is a collective task listed under CATS. By clicking the link for each collective task, you receive a list of subtasks at the squad level or individual level. For example, on the CATS page “Armor: Motorized Recon Troop, Recon Squadron ([Infantry Brigade Combat Team]) (17217G000),” you’ll see several tasks, including “Conduct Recce Troop Operations (17-TS-2100).” Clicking on this reveals a list of tasks such as the collective task No. 07-2-9008, “Conduct a raid (platoon-company).” The task is described and performance steps given when you check the box in that list and click on it. Finally, for each subtask, CATS provides performance measures of evaluation to ensure your unit is meeting the doctrinal task. This resource makes it easy to not only conceptualize the endstate but also all prerequisite tasks. Thus, a commander can then develop a doctrinally based, logical training plan to ensure his unit is trained to standard. A list of tasks supporting individual tasks and collective tasks is also given. Training schedule. With the knowledge gained from ATN/CATS, a commander can develop a training schedule. A standard troop-level training schedule plans all activities up to six weeks out. However, in our experience, to properly visualize, describe and direct a unit’straining, the commander needs to be planning at least 12 weeks out. For most installations, land use and ammunition are locked in at least 60 days out, if not earlier. Troop-level commanders must strategically plan and collaborate with the S-3 shop by aggressively projecting training needs 12 weeks out. Projecting training needs and planning effectively enables S-3 staff to project land and ammo requirements. The ability of a troop commander to synchronize and coordinate his actions with his battalion S-3’s long-range calendar positively impacts his unit’s level and quantity of training and resources. For a troop commander to project long-range (training weeks 7-12), he must delegate the development of near-term training (training weeks 1-6) to his platoon leaders. By completing the METL crosswalk for the specific impending training event, the commander visualizes the desired endstate and all required training to achieve that goal. The commander then describes his vision to his subordinates and directs them with specific guidance on accomplishment of the goal and which references to use (proper field manual or CATS). For example, if the task is a squad situational-training exercise, the commander tasks a PL to recon the site, develop two training lanes and backbrief the commander on the concept. Upon approval, the PL develops an operational order, the transportation plan and the composite risk-management worksheet; coordinates with range control; and coordinates all resourcing through the executive officer. Tasking a PL with this assignment gives him a hands-on learning experience. The PL will have to use FMs and other training aids like CATS to understand all tasks, conditions and standards of the training. The process naturally forces the PL to seek his NCOs’ input and, in return, empowers NCOs by giving them direct input into developing training. It also familiarizes the PL with all the on-post agencies available to assist with training (range control, training-support center, topography support) and prepares them to be better XOs or staff officers. Finally, by writing OPORDs and briefing them to the commander, the PL continues to hone his troop-leading skills in an audience other than his platoon. In the end, the PL becomes a more capable officer, NCOs are empowered and the commander is able to spend that time projecting on the deep fight (training weeks 7-12). During this process, it’s important to note that the commander and first sergeant will “certify leaders” for the training event according to the eight-step training model, which ensures training is conducted to standard. (See Table 1.)

1. Plan the training;

2. Train and certify leaders;

3. Recon the site;

4. Issue order;

7. Conduct after-action review(s);

8. Retrain Table 1. Eight-step training model. The training schedule doesn’t have to be an elaborate product, but it needs to have detail so all Soldiers know exactly what should be happening hourly throughout the day. Also, it’s important to list all appropriate references to your training so your subordinate leaders know where to find the appropriate materials to instruct their Soldiers. If Soldiers have a detailed training calendar available, they are able to plan their life with an increased level 33 of predictability and provide a more stable home life. Resourcing training. After the commander and his PLs have developed a training schedule, it’s important to provide proper resourcing for the training event. The troop XO works with the PL and commander to put in the necessary requests for land and ammunition with the battalion S-3. He will work with the first sergeant to resource Class I, and he should work to provide more training aids from TSC. TSC can provide auditory and visual stimulation to any training scenario to make training as realistic as possible. For example, among common items our troop incorporated into training were AK- 47s, rocket-propelled grenades, pneumatic machineguns, improvised-explosive-device simulators, weapons cache kit (mortars, land mines, grenades), suicide vest and a kit that included cellphones, documents, money and IED-making materials (copper wire, initiators, timers, detonation cord). Through the combination of materials, Soldiers were able to have many of the same auditory and visual stimuli associated with current theaters of operations and teach them proper responses to them. Training meeting. All these efforts come to ahead at the weekly troop-training meeting. Unit Training Management (September 2011) and Leader’s Guide to Company Training Meetings (September 2011; replaces Training Circular 25-

30) are two great documents to reference concerning developing and conducting a training meeting. Also, the eight-step training model is a guiding light to all training efforts. The published training schedule should lead the unit through training weeks 1-5, where PLs backbrief troop leadership on the training event they and their platoon are responsible for executing. For training weeks 6-8, the troop commander – using the “visualize, describe and direct” methodology – issues guidance to his subordinates and assigns PLs anew task while the troop commander is still coordinating and synchronizing training weeks 9-12 with the battalion S-3. Troop commanders can make a dramatic difference in the quality and quantity of training their unit receives by properly planning and resourcing that training. Empowering subordinate leaders creates better leaders for the future, ensures near-term mission success and allows continued long-range training development. A quality training calendar shows Soldiers their chain of command takes training seriously and has high expectations for their performance while also providing them predictability and stability on the home-front. Discipline Discipline is the cornerstone of great units. Like other LoEs, the scope of issues discipline encompasses is great. There are seven key areas to focus along this LoE:

• Soldier reception;

• Physical training;

• Barracks presence;

• Home presence;

• Command supply discipline; and

• Connecting with Soldiers’ families. Reception. New-Soldier reception makes a lasting impact (positive or negative) and gives the Soldier a taste of what his future will hold while in a unit. The unit’s first sergeant counsels Soldiers within the first 24 hours. The first sergeant and commander write a letter to the Soldier’s parents letting them know their son made a great decision to join the Army, they have joined a stellar unit and, if they have any questions, to contact the command with their concerns. Within their first week in the unit, new Soldiers receive a briefing from the troop commander detailing his command philosophy and reviewing all policy letters. This process ensures the Soldier understands all standards and expectations of his actions on and off duty. PT. The first experience for most new Soldiers will be the conduct of PT their first day. If they fall into a unit that conducts hard, focused PT, they will see they have joined a band of warriors committed to the highest standards and values. We treat PT the same as training events and require PLs to develop PT plans with two-week projections, then provide us a backbrief on their intentions for 1½ hours each day. NCOs execute PT; this requires the PL to interact with his platoon sergeant and squad leaders to develop a coherent plan. It needs to be ready in enough time to allow the NCO leading PT to prepare to lead that day’s events. Barracks presence. In recent years, the Army privatized the barracks and first sergeants lost direct control over the day-today operations of the barracks. However, what privatization did not do was prevent NCOs from holding their Soldiers accountable for their actions within the barracks. Coauthor 1SG Christopher McMillian developed a policy where all team leaders would be at his office at 5:45 a.m. daily. They would inspect the Soldiers’ living conditions at 6 a.m. prior to 6:30 a.m. PT. This sent a clear message through the barracks; soon Soldiers were policing up after themselves and holding their battle-buddies accountable to ensure the morning inspection would be a smooth process. The fruit of this labor came after three health-and-welfare inspections, including drug K9s, resulted in zero violations within our troop. Home presence. After the NCOs gained the initiative within the barracks, a series of events throughout the squadron within the homes of Soldiers made all leaders rethink the discipline of Soldiers not living in the barracks. As a result, we began a process where platoon sergeants and PLs visited the on- or off-post houses of Soldiers. The visit’s purpose was to ensure a level of cleanliness and introduce ourselves to family members. We assessed their living expenses to ensure Soldiers weren’t living above their means. Further, we ensured that the accuracy of the strip maps within their counseling packet to their house were accurate and ascertained whether they had any neighbor/landlord issues or health issues at the dwelling. We published the inspection notice weeks in advance to allow spouses and children an appropriate level of information before our unit’s arrival. We found no major health issues or illegal substances. Most importantly, we were able to evaluate finances of many Soldiers and refer them to the military family-life consultant to develop a budget and financial stability prior to major field exercises. We made these efforts to prevent the need for Army Emergency Relief loans or other reactionary measures. Table 2 is an example home-inspection sheet. Urinalysis. A major part of the discipline LoE is proper drug testing. Our unit worked hard to conduct a random urinalysis test once a week so long as the training schedule permitted. Army Regulation 600-85 encourages a more frequent drug-testing program vs. one or two 100-percent urinalyses per year. We initially conducted all urinalyses on the first duty day of the week since that day is typically command maintenance and would not interfere with training. After about six weeks of building this pattern, we began to throw a few curves with some midweek urinalyses, then went back to the beginning of the week. Over the first six months of implementation, our unit conducted 21 urinalyses over 30 weeks, which resulted in one positive test. The one positive urinalysis was from a specialist with less than 90 days left until his end-term-of-service. He felt that he was on the final stretch and untouchable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 34

Equally important as catching drug users is the method of and speed in how their punishment is administered. This Soldier was reduced to private (E-1) and served a 45/45 sentence before being chaptered out of the Army under Article 14-12c (pattern of misconduct). It sent a clear message throughout the ranks to be disciplined Soldiers on and off duty until officially discharged. Supply discipline. Another important aspect of discipline is supply discipline. According to AR 735-5, we are all accountable for the property we use at one of the five levels of responsibility, but none is more important than command responsibility. As the commander, it is imperative to set a clear black-and-white tone to property accountability or you will be paying out-of-pocket at your change of command. Incoming commanders must be firm on the standards they set for missing property or shortages. Once a commander signs for the property, it’s imperative to maintain the same tone on all sensitive-item inventories and cyclic inventories, and demand the same from all sub-hand-receipt holders. Achieve this by conducting initial counseling with all sub-hand-receipt holders upon taking command, clearly explaining your standards of property accountability and consequences of failure. The commander must not only scrub his property book, sensitive items and cyclic inventory each month, but he must also spot check his sub-hand-receipt holders to ensure that they are maintaining proper shortage annexes and that they too are sub-hand-re-ceipting property to end users as necessary. Connecting with families. The final piece to the discipline LoE is the ability of a commander to connect with families. Quite simply, if spouses and family members aren’t happy, the Soldiers’ work performance will suffer. Parents and spouses should receive a letter from the commander and first sergeant where they make first contact. Also, the unit should obtain electronic-mail addresses from parents, spouses or both, and forward them to the unit’s family-readiness-group leader. The commander develops a monthly FRG newsletter to inform families of the great things their Soldiers have done that month. The newsletter highlights achievements (Warrior Leader’s Course graduates, Air Assault School graduates, the birth of children) and provides an easy-to-use calendar family members can place in a convenient location. The calendar provides details like the training schedule Soldiers have access to at work. It serves as a quick reference for the parent or spouse to know when their Soldier will be in the field training – especially overnight or on extended training events – and days of no scheduled activities. The family can have stability and predictability in their life and plan their personal activities around a busy predeployment schedule. The final piece to connecting with families is developing a strong FRG, where spouses actively participate in FRG meetings and other social events. This fosters bonds among spouses, which they will lean upon during deployments to Joint Readiness Training Center and overseas contingency operations. Administrative actions The final LoE is performing administrative actions. It’s vital and directly supports the training and discipline LoEs. When all administrative and personnel actions are accomplished on time and to standard, this allows Soldiers to focus on training. It gives them peace of mind their chain of command is working to ensure their well-being and supports the discipline LoE when punitive or corrective actions are certain, swift and firm. Four main areas of focus within the administrative action LoE are:

• Timely actions at the troop level;

• Constant communication with the S-1 shop;

• Rewarding excellence; and

• Re-enlistment. Timely actions. Whether dealing with awards, NCO evaluation reports or UCMJ, all administrative actions start at the troop level. All awards have standard timelines attached to them: Meritorious Service Medals take 120 days to process through division; Army Commendation Medals take 60 days to process through brigade; and Army Achievement Medals take 30 days to process through battalion. It’s imperative a unit understands these timelines and doesn’t deviate from them – otherwise Soldiers will potentially be reassigned or ETS without their award in hand, which is an injustice to the Soldiers. Timely submission of these awards may require leaders to start writing an award four to six months before an ETS/PCS occurs to ensure proper levels of review are done on the award and submission of a final version meets prescribed timelines. Initiation of NCOERs and UCMJ are at the platoon level. The troop first sergeant should provide an NCO professional-development session to his platoon sergeants on how to properly fill out these documents and explain the standard he expects from his platoon sergeants before they submit the product to him. Part of these standards includes what the first sergeant expects in NCO counseling packets and counseling frequency. Army regulations require counseling for NCOs at least every 90 days. However, if a troop first sergeant wants a greater frequency of counseling to increase communication between leaders and subordinates, the platoon sergeants must be aware of that standard to meet it. The first sergeant must also make these standards known to the commander so he can dedicate time on the training calendar to NCO counseling or other administrative actions. By standardizing this whole process, the first sergeant ensures receipt of timely and accurate products from his subordinate NCOs. It also ensures he only has to make minimal changes or corrections prior to sending products to the troop commander for review and signature. Success of the mission is ensured when the first sergeant reviews administrative actions in a Name of inspector Name of Soldier inspected Location Overall condition: Type of dwelling (apartment, house, government house) Cost of utilities: rent Electricity Cable Telephone Other Accuracy of strip map Problems with landlord/neighbors Soldier comments Leader comments Table 2. Example home-inspection sheet. 35 timely manner and a common standard of quality is understood. The first sergeant ensures he is providing the battalion S-1 shop with everything they need on time. Communications with S-1. The unit first sergeant and orderly room must have daily communication with the battalion S-1 shop to track the status of actions and meet suspense dates. Positive daily communication ensures both parties maintain accountability. It’s imperative that the unit maintains both digital and hard copies of all documents submitted to battalion – documents often become misplaced while processing actions for more than 800 Soldiers. It’s also vital that a unit maintains a Department of the Army Form 200 for all documents delivered to the battalion S-1 shop because documents are often misplaced or not processed. If you don’t have a document trail showing when your unit turned in that respective administrative action, you’ll be at fault for missing a deadline, not the battalion S-1. Rewarding excellence. It’s imperative that a unit recognizes excellence when it appears within the ranks. Soldiers work hard every day, and when an individual’s actions far exceed the expectations the unit sets for him, that achievement must be recognized in the form of an award. Equally important as rewarding excellence is the timeliness of that action. If a Soldier receives an award in the mail after he has already PCSed/ETSed, it’san injustice to him and sends a clear message that individual performance doesn’t really matter. Instead, when a unit receives an award back in a timely manner and can present the award to the Soldier in front of his peers, superiors and subordinates, it’s a humbling moment for that individual. If the Soldier has a spouse or family members who can attend the award presentation, that makes an even larger lasting impression for that individual and his family. It’s important to bring spouses and family members forward to recognize their hard work and sacrifice alongside their Soldier. This sends an important message to all that the unit not only values individual contributions but also that of families. Re-enlistment. Family members have an enormous amount of influence on a Soldier; to not leverage their input on a Soldier as he is considering re-enlistment is a mistake. A phone call to parents or spouses asking them what they think about their son/husband staying in the Army and explaining some options to them can have a tremendous impact on the decision the Soldier makes. AR – Army regulation ATN – Army Training Network BCT – brigade combat team CATS – Combined Army Training Strategy ETS – end-term-of-service FM – field manual FRG – family-readiness group IED – improvised explosive device LoE – line of effort METL – Mission-Essential Task List MOS – military-occupation specialty NCO – noncommissioned officer NCOER – noncommissioned officer evaluation report OPORD – operation order PCS – permanent change of station PL – platoon leader PT – physical training TSC – training-support center UCMJ – Uniform Code of Military Justice XO – executive officer PT – physical training TSC – training-support center UCMJ – Uniform Code of Military Justice XO – executive officer Acronym Quick-Scan Unit leaders need to not only engage the Soldier and his family on re-enlistment but also encourage them to try anew military-occupation specialty or duty station if appropriate. If a Soldier doesn’t meet your unit’s standards, work with him to find a different MOS. It’s important that leaders scrutinize officer-record briefs to keep them updated and identify Soldiers with low general-technical scores so they have an appropriate amount of time to try to raise them before their window for reenlistment opens. If leaders work hard for their Soldiers, they will in turn work hard for their leaders. Also, family members can play an integral part in a Soldier’s discipline. Leaders can leverage the influence of parents or spouses when the Soldier displays the behavior of ill discipline or misconduct. A conference call with the Soldier, his chain of command and, say, the 19-year old Soldier’smother on the other line may have more influence than any corrective action his NCO could enact. By conceptualizing garrison operations in terms of LoEs – like in combat – and applying persistent pressure across all LoEs, leaders of the current generation will be successful in developing trained, fit and disciplined units. By developing proper METL crosswalks for each training event; empowering subordinate leaders; and gaining the appropriate level of resources, this current force can maintain its combat-sharpened edge. By enforcing standards of living (on and off post); conducting regular random drug testing; holding personnel accountable for all property; and developing a robust FRG, units will transform into a highly disciplined organization. By conducting administrative and personnel actions in a timely manner and to standard, Soldiers will understand their leadership has their best interest in mind and will be willing to work hard for their leaders. CPT Kyle Trottier is troop commander, Troop A, 1-33 Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY. His previous assignments include battalion S-4, executive officer and PL with 2-7 Infantry, 1st Heavy BCT, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized). CPT Trottier’s military education includes Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger and Northern Warfare schools; Armor Officer’s Basic Course, Maneuver Captains Career Course and Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Defense Course. He holds a bachelor‘s degree in criminal justice from Texas Christian University. CPT Trottier’s awards include the Combat Action Badge and two Bronze Star medals. 1SG Christopher McMillian is a leader with Troop A, 1-33 Cavalry, 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne (Air Assault), Fort Campbell. His previous assignments include first sergeant, Company B, 4-31 Infantry, Fort Drum, NY; senior drill sergeant, Company E, 1-34 Infantry, Fort Jackson, SC; section leader, Company D, 2-502 Infantry, Fort Campbell; and squad leader, Company D, 3-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, NC. 1SG McMillian’s military education includes Airborne and Air Assault schools; Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic NCO Course, Drill Sergeant School, Advanced NCO Course, Pathfinder School and Rappel Master Course. He is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in intelligence studies, with an emphasis in terrorism, from American Military University. His awards include the Bronze Star medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal with one oak-leaf cluster. 36