Training the Warrior Mechanic to Meet Challenges of the 21st-Century Battlefield

As our Army continues to fight the war on terror and simultaneously transforms, 1st Battalion, 81st (1-81) Armor Regiment, 194th Armored Brigade, continues to train Abrams and Bradley systems maintainers to support maneuver forces. For the first time in a generation, many of our leaders and cadre are combat veterans with significant operational experience. We leverage this leadership experience to shape soldiers who are soundly grounded in the warrior ethos and build units based on standards and discipline. As we train our soldiers to fight and win against an adaptive enemy in a full-spectrum environment, 1-81 Armor embraces a culture of innovation. Our efforts on staying current and relevant constantly infuse insight, lessons, and best-practices gained from hard-won experiences into our training methodology. Today’s Warrior Mechanic Program of Instruction The reality of today’s Army assumes that a soldier’s first field training exercise (FTX) will be combat. The current program of instruction for Abrams and Bradley systems maintainers trains technically and tactically proficient soldiers who are ready to contribute immediately on arrival at their first unit. Today’s warrior mechanic program of instruction for Abrams and Bradley maintainers trains 6 days a week and focuses on the critical task list for their particular vehicle. There are four major phases of the warrior mechanic training. All maintainers begin with classroom blocks of instruction on subjects common to all maintenance personnel, such as shop and vehicle safety, technical manuals, principles of engines, and basic electronics. Students are then broken down into groups of four, each with their own instructor in a laboratory environment for hands-on training. Fault verification, troubleshooting, and replacing parts on critical power plant, hull, and turret systems are presented and demonstrated by instructors and executed by students until the standard is met. The same methodology is continued as students move to the turret systems and armaments packages. Students’ information retention and 46 — task proficiency are evaluated with performance-oriented testing procedures. Students who excel throughout the course are provided additional training through the battalion excellence in maintenance program, which develops students’ task proficiency at the next higher level. In addition to the combat platform, students are taught to maintain other types of vehicles, such as the M88, M113, forward repair system (FRS), light medium tactical vehicle (LMTV), and high-mobility, multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV), they will likely see in their operational units. Warrior tasks and drill reinforcement training is key to developing warrior mechanics. Small groups from classroom instruction are formed in tactical squads and led by instructors through a series of tactical exercises. Students are taken to a multipurpose range complex where they execute amounted combat patrol livefire exercise using armored personnel carriers and crew-served weapons. Instructors lead the students through a 3-day urban operation train-up, where they begin with basic tasks and culminate with a tactical mission at the collective level. Individual and crew-served weapons proficiency is further reinforced with mechanical training, as well as the engagement skills trainer. All of the warrior mechanics technical and tactical skills are brought into application during a 3-day field training exercise in a simulated combat environment. Ready to Meet the Challenge The warrior mechanics trained by 1-81 Armor are ready to meet the challenges of the 21st-century battlefield. During training, students are transformed into soldiers capable of accomplishing their mission in the full-spectrum environment. Now, and in the future, 1-81 Armor remains fully committed to providing the mounted community with soldiers who are prepared to contribute technically and tactically to a values-based Army from day one. Captain David R. Campbell is currently serving as commander, B Company, 1st Battalion, 81st Armor Regiment, 194th Armored Brigade, Fort Knox, KY. He received a B. A. from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. His military education includes the Armor Officer Basic Course and the Armor Captains Career Course. He has served in various command and staff positions, to include assistant S3 and battalion maintenance officer, 1st Battalion, 13th (1-13) Armor Regiment, Fort Riley, KS; and XO and platoon leader, A Company, 1-13th Armor Regiment, Fort Riley. “All maintainers begin with classroom blocks of instruction on subjects common to all maintenance personnel, such as shop and vehicle safety, technical manuals, principles of engines, and basic electronics. Students are then broken down into groups of four, each with their own instructor in a laboratory environment for hands-on training.” “The reality of today’s Army assumes that a soldier’s first field training exercise (FTX) will be combat. The current program of instruction for Abrams and Bradley systems maintainers train technically and tactically proficient soldiers who are ready to contribute immediately on arrival at their first unit.” — 47