Do you agree that Powerpoint is out of control?

2014-10-05T03:51:00-04:00

So as I was driving home the other day, I was passing a few weapons ranges. On one range I saw the usual soldiers standing and waiting to fire while other were in the process of killing synthetic enemies. Standard data, good training. Granted they were still at work past a normal Close of Business but if I was able to fire off ammo for free just to get better at my job, while simultaneously having fun, I'd have no qualms with going home at 2100 or beyond. Quite honestly it always makes me a bit jealous.

But then I came upon a range where all the soldiers were gathered around in a horseshoe formation sitting down adjacent to the ammo shack. Lo and behold I see someone standing in front of them giving them a power point slideshow displayed on the side of the ammo shack. I had to do a double take as I could not believe what I was seeing. I was in such disbelief that I asked my peer to take an alternate route home just to confirm the madness I had just witnessed. He confirmed it and couldn't believe it himself.

Thinking about the amount of resources and planning it had to take in order to get that equipment out there and functioning, imagine the amount of real productivity and rehearsals the leaders could have done to make some realistic training that soldiers weren't going to drone over. Some things as simple as ready-up drills, glass houses, Individual Movement Techniques, damn near anything, but a PPT presentation? Are you shitting me? If it was a block of instruction on night fire then that should have been covered the day prior in a class along with PMI/BRM.

If it was something like 350-1 training or some other 'check the block' training I still say, if you are allowing that as a commander, you are fucking wrong. You finally have the majority of your unit performing tasks outside of their daily duties, in addition having weapons issued to them from your arms room, and you want to piss away that valuable time with shit training that 3/4 or more wont even pay attention to, or get anything from, you don't deserve the privilege to command.

I will end this with a quote from GEN Mattis "PowerPoint makes us stupid"

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2014 8:21 AM

2014-10-05T08:21:47-04:00

In my book, if you're using PPT to train - you're doing it wrong. PERIOD. DOT. Powerpoint is a great tool - if used properly. To rely on PPT for everything - you're just a lazy jacka$$. I've seen people spend weeks on a PPT presentation for something that could have been done on a white board in 20 minutes.

Response by LTC Joseph Gross made Oct 5 at 2014 1:51 PM

2014-10-05T13:51:31-04:00

I think that is kind of cool and if used properly then great but I can't think of any use of PPT that I could not do with a marker and white board out at the range. PPT is a great tool for briefing a plan but in general, leave it where it belongs and when you get to the field, you get dirty!

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2014 6:18 PM

2014-10-16T18:18:31-04:00

That's an interesting experience, SFC Private RallyPoint Member. I know where I work (an Army unit) we are all about PowerPoint. I read this article today about the heavy use of PowerPoint in corporate America, and I thought of your post here. Seems it's not just a military "problem." Check out the story:

http://theweek.com/article/index/269985/ban-powerpoint

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Sep 22 at 2016 9:35 AM

2016-09-22T09:35:33-04:00

PowerPoint good. Bad use of PowerPoint, bad. There. Is that simple enough to understand?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2016 1:52 PM

2016-09-22T13:52:00-04:00

They lack discipline time for woodline counseling!!!

Response by Maj John Bell made Sep 22 at 2016 6:50 PM

2016-09-22T18:50:50-04:00

Seems to me that we need to find a way to send some power point presentations to ISIS immediately prior to a ground attack. Can you say "Force Multiplier"?