Growing Scouts

Growing Scouts I I by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Matheny And then there was light - lots of light and loud voices. The first day of real training for the new scout has begun. At 0530 hours, the drill sergeants descend on the moms and welcome the new trainees to the Army. By 0545 hours, the trainees are in the semblance of a formation dressed for PT. For 50 minutes, the drills roam up and down the platoons, attempting to “soldierize” the new recruits while introducing them to physical training. After chow, they fall into a training routine that generally begins at 0900 and runs until 1730 or the completion of training. For these young men, gone now are the days of leisurely wake ups, wild weekends, and the immediate comfort of family and friends. They are now committed to a strange new life, calling for selfdis-cipline, responsibility, and teamwork. They have begun the process of becoming soldiers - cavalrymen. This is OSUT - One Station Unit Training. This is Fort box, 1st Armor Training Brigade, the 5th Squadron, 15th Regiment of Cavalry, the place where the Army grows scouts. The Mission Fifth Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regimen! conducts one station unit training (OSUT) for initial entry and reclassified 19DD3/19D Bradley, MI13 Cavalry Scouts, soldiers in the Regular Army, Army Reserves, and the Na; tionaI Guard. Clearly, we must provide the Army a highly motivated, physically fit, and well trained scout. He must be trained not only in basic soldiering skills, but specific scout skills, capable of serving with any cavalry organization, regardless of how equipped. This process requires 15 weeks for the 19DD3 scout and 13 weeks for the 19D scout. The transition from civilian to soldier to scout is a product of quality recruits, a new training philosophy, and great execution. The New Scouts They come from all over the United States. It is unusual if a training troop does not hve more than 30 states represented in one cycle. The quality of the new soldiers is first rate. Almost all the recruits are high school graduates, with a good number having some college experience. The average trainee in our most recent cycle is 20 years old with 12.4 years of education. They come into the Army for many different reasons - college money, to get a job, or the traditional ‘‘just to get away from home.” Coming from a self-oriented society, one of our most important missions is to get them to acknowledge that there are things more important than self - buddy, unit, country. This process starts immediately. Within a few days of their arrival, they are gathered together and addressed by their squadron commander. The colonel proudly and loudly announces that they are now members of the last squadron of the 15th Regiment of Cavalry. He further impresses upon them that they are now the heirs to the soldiers who rode down the Shenandoah with Sheridan, drove into Bastogne with Abrams and. Patton, and are now following in the footsteps of all the other heroes who served in the last 200 years. As he warms to his subject, talking of challenges and sacrifice, undoubtedly more than a few of the new soldiers contemplate with mixed emotions their original decision to hold up their right hand and answer yes. They are sustained in these first few troublesome days by an insistent drill sergeant, fear of failure, and their battle buddy. As soon as they arrive, each soldier is assigned a buddy. The battle buddy is friend, cheerleader, and helper. The trainees must quickly draw strength from each other to meet the challenges, which come fast. Perhaps the greatest challenge for many is physical fitness. Trainees may report to basic training with four percent more body fat than that allowed in AR 600-9. It is not unusual to receive tminees as much as 30 pounds overweight. They may be smart, but like most of their civilian counterparts, they are often out of shape. The baby fat quickly melts away with daily PT, roadmarches, runs, and a schedule crammed with training six days a week. In summary, the new scouts are smart, self-oriented, and frequently out of shape. Certainly, not all of those who climb off the bus and file into the barracks are cut out to be soldiers. Most of the attrition occurs in the first few weeks as the inherent stress, both physical and emotional, sort out those who can’t adjust. Additionally, some who make it through the screening process are actually medically unqualified. Over the last two years, the attrition rate for scouts has steadily declined from 12 percent to six percent. Perhaps the best explanation for this trend is the quality of the new recruits. But a new philosophy and better training also help to keep the trainees turned on to soldiering. Training Phllosophy Each soldier comes with his own expectations of what the Army will be 10 ARMOR - September-October 7992 like. Expectations molded by Hollywood, or tall tales told by veteran relatives and friends, often cause a good deal of initial anxiety. Beginning in the late 1980s. TRADOC began a series of initiatives which put most of the Hollywood versions of basic training fmly in the past. Drill sergeants are selected and managed by Department of the Army. They receive monthly incentive pay of $275 to help compensate for the long hours involved in their two-year tours. TRADOC’s Initial Entry Training Strategy now emphasizes the insist/assist philosophy - insist on standards and assist the soldier in achieving them. The goal is to allow stress between the new soldier and the task, not the trainee and the drill sergeant. The emphasis here is on letting the drills use the same kind of leadership that earned them their stripes in the field Army. Initial entry training (ET) progresses through a phased course that begins with total control of the trainee and his environment by the drill sergeant. There is a gradual lessening of control throughout the course, until the trainee’s environment and responsibilities approximate those of his first assignment. If the new soldier can stick it out in the first few weeks, he can generally make it to graduation. Key to the new philosophy of training is the increased role for the drill sergeant. Training is done by platoon, and everywhere possible the platoon sergeants do the training. Currently, there are 191 Skill Level One tasks taught in 19DD3 OSUT. Of that number, 79 are taught by drills, 43 by the squadron’s track commanders, and the remainder by 1st Brigade’s Training Group. The new scout proceeds through four phases of training, each ending with a test of his skills. Although most of the basic training skills are clustered in Phases I and 11, OSUT allows the new soldiers to get their hands on the equipment early. Putting their hands on the big machines reinforces their image of themselves as cavalrymen and combat soldiers. This breaks the rigor of basic training and allows them to glimpse the end of a dark tunnel. It can reignite their interest. Phases 111 and IV concentrate on scout skills and vehicle-speci fic training. Training Organization I H M Asp.; E r n i * .__.___.___...... Ju~AAJOR END ITEMS

HMMWV 28

M3 40 MI13 12 F Troop scheduled for activation Sep 92 At Fort Knox. the new soldiers are processed into the Army at the 46th AG Reception Battalion. Within 96 hours, they are shipped to Disney Barracks, the home of the 1st Armor Training Brigade, affectionately known as Disneyland. Once off the buses and into the barracks, the aspiring young 19Ds belong to the 5-15 CAV. The size of the squadron is determined by the number of scouts that need to be trained in the next fmal year. Currently, the squadron is organized (see Figure 1) with a headquarters troop and five line troops. An austere organization, the squadron has an authorized strength of 17 officers and 252 enlisted men. Four of the line troops, A-D, train Bradley scouts, while the fifth troop, Echo, trains M113 National Guard scouts. Regardless of sue, the squadron keeps busy and, in fact, does just about everything a TO&E squadron does except deploy. In terms of equip ment, the squadron maintains 40 Bradleys, 26 HMMWVs, 12 M113s, and a small fleet of support vehicles. The maximum fill for a training troop is 165 privates, so the squadron can easily swell to 1,OOO soldiers. The sole focus of the squadron is training, and.we certainly do a lot of it. In the last fiscal year, the CAV put down range over 680,OOO 5.56-mm (M16) and 108,637 25-mm rounds. Statistics on other calibers such as 7.62-mm, Figure 1. Organization of the 515 CAV 50 cal., and blank ammunition, are equally impressive. Since each training cycle concludes with a Gun/Field Week, the squadron is also frequently in the field. Last year our troopers spent over 140 days in the field. Everybody gets their share of the heat, the cold, the mud, and the bugs. In addition to training new scouts, our Mission Essential Task List also includes sustaining our own warfighting skills and traininglsupporting the Army Reserve. The squadron runs a semi-annual gunnery program through Bradley Table VIII. Staff rides, TEWTS, CPXs, and the normal run of both officer and noncommissioned officer development programs help to hone warrior skills. Proximity to ICOFI’ and SIMNET facilities assist in keeping current. The heart and soul of the organization, however, centers on METL ONE, “Train E T soldiers to 19D standards.” Quality Training The battle tasks for the squadron focus our efforts and describe the major training which each new scout receives. First Aid

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Basic Rifle Marksmanship Physical Fitness Engineer Tasks ~ ARMOR - Sepfember-October 1992 11

Driver Training Corn mun ica tions US. Weapons Individual Tactical Training Intelligence Training Gunnery The scout you receive h m Fort Knox is trained as a driver and as an observer. As a driver, he should be able to perform PMCS on both the Bradley and the HMMWV. Each soldier drives for approximately 18 miles, including tactical and formation driving. Training on the HMMWV has recently been expanded from four to 12 hours. Whether in the HMMWV or Bradley, the scout driver should know what defilade is and how to achieve it. As an observer, he should be able to establish an OP/LP, call for fire, and send a spot report. Communications training includes operation of a TA-1, TA-312, and VRC-77 series radio. Trainees also receive a two-hour introduction to SINGARS. Intelligence training should also help ensure accuracy in spot reporting. Threat identification has recently been retooled to portray a more realistic picture. Additionally, there are some new initiatives to introduce htricide prevention at this level during the friendly recognition class. New scouts receive 26 hours of land navigation. This training is an introduction to the use of compass, map, and temin association. Their ability to get around on the ground with map and compass is weak. The course is much more successful fied on his M16 rifle. Additionally, the new soldier is trained to operate the M60 machine gun, M203, AT4, and the Claymore mine. By the end of their fmt week, they take the Basic Physical Fitness Test. The drills then sort out the trainees into ability groups and pick up the pace. Over the course of the next 13 weeks, they will do thousands of push-ups in the pursuit of upper body strength. Groans from aching stomach muscles and the smell of liniment for sore feet fills the barracks. Although the general goal is overall fitness, the aim is clearly on passing the APFT in their 13th week of training. Almost all PT failures are the result of the trainees’ inability to reach the minimum standard for push-ups. Once this major hurdle is overcome, it’s pack the troop up, lock, stock, and barrel - on to the field. In the 14th week, they head for the woods in a style most of us readily recognize. It begins with gunnery. Familiarization gunnery with the Bradley weapon system is packaged in a modified Table VI A and B. The gunnery program focuses on driver skills. The instructors emphasize target acquisition and emerging from defilade to engage targets. Fast starts and rough stops generally take some time to smooth out. Following gunnery, the troop moves to an assembly area and puts on its war paint. The troop begins a series of situational training exercises (see figures 2, 3, and 4). Each platoon rotates through an STX lane every 24 hours. In the mounted training, each platoon spends the morning conducting advanced tactical driving. The new scouts move in and out of the driver’s seat, practicing movement techniques, terrain driving, and seeking defilade. In the afternoon, and in some cases into the evening, they execute reconnaissance missions. The senior drill sergeant issues a warning order, conducts a wombat inspection (PCI), and then gathers the lads around for the operations order. They rehearse the operation, and then the new scout platoon launches into the mission. The Bradley platoon conducts a zone reconnaissance. The HMWWV platoon conducts a route reconnaissance, and the dismounted platoon moves off as a recon patrol to reconnoiter a specific area. We use MILES equipment to ensure realism and keep the soldiers fired up about training. The training concludes with a “by the book” after-action review. We focus on Skill Level One tasks, but within a completely tactical context. PCIs, rehearsals, MILES, and AARs are all aimed at providing the new soldiers with a familiar training environment once they reach their new assignment. Gudfield week concludes with Cavalry .Stakes. This end-ofcourse test samples all the skills the trainees have mastered and ensures a degree of retention. Out of the field and on to the wash rack, the troop recovers and prepares for out-processing. The day before they graduate, they muster out of the barracks for one in instilling basic engi-last PT challenge - neering skills. Each the squadron com-new scout should be mmder’s run. In the able to emplace or dis-early morning darkness arm the M15, M19, for about five miles, and M21 antitank the new scouts double mine. Demolition train-time around the back ing includes construct-roads of the 1st Bri-ing electric and non-gade. As they near the electric tiring systems squadron headquarters for use with plastic ex-upon their return and plosives. gear down to quick To defend himself, time, a tremendous the new scout is quali-sense of achievement Figure 2. GunnetyField Week Execution Matrix 12 ARMOR - September-October 1992

HOOAH!

The end result of all this‘is a new scout proud of himself and generally fired up about soldiering. Not only is he proud, but so, too, are his family members. We send out invitations to parents and wives to attend their new scout’s graduation. A Troop, with 130 soldiers, can generate as many as 300 loved ones, all gathered for the grand event, Some come thousands of miles, from all over the United States. Far West, deep South, they represent all points of the compass. The Army is built on tradition and, inasmuch as everything in OSUT is a training event, graduation is also built around tradition. The night before their last formation, the troop stands *retreat by the brigade flagpole. The history of retreat is read while the families look on their young men. Some of these new soldiers look completely recast in the eyes of their admiring patents. They stand tall, thinner, disciplined, with a sense of purpose unknown in earlier days. These are always emotional mOments for me, as they surely must be for all parents who have also served. A quick look can always reveal the old veterans among the families. They stiffen with the very first note of retreat. Some salute or just put their hands over their hearts. The pride is visible, in themselves, but mostly in their sons. The torch is passed - a new generation bears arms. Graduation comes, and how like a microcosm of the military experience ~~ Figure 4. HMMWV STX Route Recon it is. Families embrace after long weeks of separation. Pride and sorrow mix with the sure knowledge that tomorrow brings yet more separation and challenging duty. But the essential truth is that, for many of these new soldiers, the Army has helped them discover self-discipline, responsibility, and teamwork. These traits will ensure success in life long after the uniform is hung in the closet. For the cadre soldiers of the squadron, we have touched these mens’ lives, provided the force with great cavalrymen, and perhaps, if only for an afternoon, the Army has really embraced the nation it defends. The Future As the Army changes, so must the training base. In the past year, the 1st Training Brigade has cased the colors on two battalions and one squadron. The 4th Basic Training Brigade has also cased its colors and its units have merged into the 1st Brigade. The impact on cavalry is simply that now only one squadron provides scouts to the field. The squadron must continue to find the most effective ways to tmin the new cavalrymen to meet the needs of the force. Currently, three out of every five graduates of 19DD3 OSUT go to Bradley-equipped units. As the scout platoons of armor/mech battalions become equipped with HMMwVs, the majority of our new scouts will work with wheeled vehicles. Now, we train each of our new scouts on both Bradleys and HMMWVs, so they can be ARMOR - September-October 1992 assigned to either type unit. Force structure changes and cost may well argue for the development of HMMWV OSUT in the near future. If this happens, the challenge to the Army will be to track and assign the right scout to the right unit. One thing is certain - the Army will continue to change in the coming decade. Undoubtedly, our philosophy, organization, and method of training new soldiers will also reflect changes in the total Army. Amidst this change there will be one constant, however, the continuing mission of Fort Knox to grow the scouts who will lead the Army now and in the future. Lieutenant Colonel Mike Matheny commands 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry. He has served as a tactical planner with the 111 Corps and 1st Cavalry Division at Ft. Hood; XO, 3d Battalion, 32d Armor; operations officer, 1 st Battalion, 64th Armor; commander, A Company, 1 st Battalion, 64th Company; and tank platoon leader and company XO, A Company, 4th Battalion, 69th Armor. He has served as a history instructor at the U.S. Military Academy and at the U.S. Army Armor School.

LTC

Matheny is a 1972 graduate of the University of Dayton and holds an MA Degree from Wright State University and an MMAS Degree from the Army Command and Staff College. 13