How do I implement AWT into training?

2018-10-06T01:11:18-04:00

AR 350-1 says under Section F–6: Army warrior training
AWT maintains Soldier proficiency through the performance of WTBDs and supports the unit’s METL. The WTBD are geared toward the operating environment and lessons learned. All Soldiers must be ready to fight and complete the mission by applying the skills learned through the fundamentals of WTBD. Proficiency in WTBD is enhanced through the execu-tion of tasks in the following categories; shoot, move, communicate, and survive. The AWT is integrated into the unit collective training strategy.
a. AWT is progressive training using WTBD selected from skill levels 1 through 4 as found in STP 21–1–SMCT and STP 21–24–SMCT.
b. All Soldiers (E–1 to E–7, WO1, WO2, O–1, and O–2), on active duty (regardless of component) will complete AWT annually, unless waived by 2-star commander.

I am in a CSSB at Fort Bliss and I serve and the plans/training officer for our BN. Our training plan is a mess. We have over 30 MOS's and each one of those have their own STBs. So how do I enforce training? I've already forced the company's to use DTMS for weapons and APFT so the BN can track it. But when I asked about AWTs I got blank stares. Our SB hasn't had a grenade range in ages and nobody is tracking who is CLS qualified, ext. ext...

Is this just a sustainment problem? A Fort Bliss problem? I even had a company commander tell me that a HET driver doesn't need to go to the land nav course because if they're 88Ms they only need to learn JCR. So now I'm confused with that too. Are all Soldiers supposed to do AWTs as the regulation says or do company commanders have discretion to train their Soldiers however they like? What of STPs? Do they conflict with AWTs? Is the training equation AWTs - STP=Trained Soldier or is it AWTs + STP=Trained Soldier?

Also are companies supposed to have their QTBs approved by the BN commander? I have yet to see that at my unit. They just brief generic training meeting slides that say "drivers training" or APFT on them.

I apologize for the rant but I'm a young LT and I've only been to two different units and I still don't think I've seen what right looks like. And I'm supposed to be ensuring these companies are doing the right thing.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2018 3:26 AM

2018-10-06T03:26:35-04:00

That is a great question. I feel WE so often get stuck in our METL and daily unit tasks that we forget that everyone need reminders of AWT. I can tell you that this is especially true with Communicate and Survive (CBRN) tasks. Just ask a random person to set up and operate a radio.

There are a couple battles that you may need to win. A very important one is making sure you have the support of the command team. You do not want to go to the next training meeting and just blurt out that you think that more training is needed. Most commanders I have known like to have at least a basic plan, a simple CONOP presented with the idea.

You need to find NCOs to get on board with this. This is supposed to be what we do. I had a similar problem in my unit. I knew that when the Reserves moved from Strategic to Operational, we would need to become more self-trained in basic AWT to keep us just that much closer to ready status. Fortunately me 1SG and CO were all about it and gave me the reigns. I went to army training network and pulled the latest AWT list then I approached section leaders/sNCOs and asked for recommendations of which junior NCOs they would like to have report to me to conduct the training.
I pointed out that it was a great opportunity for the newer NCOs to develop themselves and to help the unit. Many of the junior NCOs were 10-level fairly recently and, quite frankly, have retained a better grasp on the AWT skill set. I left it to the instructors to develop the instruction, gather supplies and training aids and coordinate with me for planning.

This is all to say that AWT can be done, but sometimes it takes a motivated Soldier to kick the chock blocks out from under the wheels to get things rolling.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2018 7:28 AM

2018-10-06T07:28:00-04:00

You're facing the challenge of all Sustainment units. Your unit has precious little time, missions to perform in order to allow other units to train, and there remains a long list of tasks which the Army has deemed necessary for Soldiers. Sergeant's time often gets overtaken by those missions, but none of that is visible when higher logs into DTMS to see where your unit stands, even more so now given OBJ-T.
What I've always advised is to find ways to incorporate those other requirements into those missions. (That will not go away, nor should they.) For example (not yours specifically, but this will show the concept): You mentioned a HET company. Those platoons seem to spend all their hours driving, leaving very little for training. Let's say night driving with NVDs is a training shortfall that needs to be addressed. Instead of starting mission at 0700 ( some time near first light) you could start a mission at 0200 get in night driving, and finish some time in the morning. Now you've knocked out two things instead of one. (You may want to do the night driving without a load on the back the first few times) You could incorporate land nav (without JCR, since as we prepare to face peer adversaries in future conflict we must be skilled in operating in a degraded environment) in a similar fashion with a little creativity as well. Get with the CAB and see if you can incorporate a MEDEVAC mission, or drop a load off and then proceed to a small-arms range, etc. In short, it's not about finding more time (there isn't, I've looked for more than 20 years), it's about maximizing the time you have.
That said, you'll still find that you have many more things to do than you will have training hours to accomplish them. This is where priorities and assumed risk come into play. As you're at Bliss, an example where a commander MAY (I'm not the one setting the priorities) assume to choose risk could be cold weather training, or something your unit is less likely to face, instead, placing a higher priority on hot weather training. An overly simplistic example, I know, but it clearly illustrates the point. This is commanders' domain. Your job at that point is to advise and help mitigate that risk. Don't take is as a personal dismissal, commanders have to make these types of choices everyday.
Start with the list of everything, work with your NCOs and the XO and S3 to rack and stack those lists. Don't remove anything, just prioritize. Then look at the long-range training calendar and look for those 2-for-1 windows of opportunity. Then you can take the proposal to the commander and allow them to put their stamp on it. (Run it by the CSM first for a better shot!) Hope this helps!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 6 at 2018 11:46 AM

2018-10-06T11:46:50-04:00

https://www.army.mil/aps/08/information_papers/prepare/Warrior_Tasks_and_Battle_Drills.html It will behoove of you to understand the crawl, walk, run phases to training, and be creative.

2008 U.S. Army Posture Statement - Information Papers - Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills

2008 U.S. Army Posture Statement

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Oct 6 at 2018 1:52 PM

2018-10-06T13:52:01-04:00

1LT Private RallyPoint Member there is always a tension between mission and training in a sustainment formation. There is always something. We just got 02 parts in. We have to haul tanks to Gunnery. Etc etc. I have been on all sides of it. Shop Officer getting pounded about the 026 and my Troop is out digging foxholes. A Platoon Leader horse trading with Warrants to train and do mission. HHC Company Commander working with the DCO to balance mission and training. maintenance company commander striving to issue executable training guidance that hits what is needed and essential while preparing ourselves and customers to deploy. SPO/XO trying to ensure mission answer training are focused on what must be done and what must be supported. A staff officer trying to support HHC and get everything done. A Sqdn S3A and a BN S3 trying to ensure we have a coherent training calendar that is following guidance and there are no whammies in the SATB/QTB.

What does your Brigade and Battalion Annual traInning Guidance (ATG) look like? The Commander's should be executing their training plan nested within the ATG. If you can issue timely QTG, you are a super star. Training Guidance comes from the Battalion Commander, based on Brigade and Divisional guidance, but guess who writes the draft?

The QTB and SATB are supposed to be a contract between the Commanders, higher to lower: i am underwriting what you just briefed, now go do it. The resources you asked for are contingently approved....S3 go fix it. Closing third shop on Thursday? OK come back with your slides or upon them. Lower to higher: this is where I'm at. This is where I am going. This is how I'm going to get there.

The ATG needs to be based on a sober assessment of where you are relative to METL tasks...not THe ATG has to have a major theme and goal,something simple that everyone can latch onto. A CTC rotation. a Deployment, Building Strong sergeants, Shoot move communicate, fundamentals like blocking and tackling. The quarters should have training events that lead to that goal and the METL rating goal. Ask a field grade about logical lines of effort.

Have you done a METL Crosswalk? The Battalion has METL collective tasks that boil down to Company collective tasks that boil down to collective tasks at the section, Platoon level. These tasks are built of individual tasks which are the warrior tasks and drills. Some of these are common to more than one collective task. These are the high pay off tasks common to two or more collective tasks. Focus on these. Once you have an 80% solution the S3 needs to block out ime for the Comany Command teams, Truck Master, Maintennace Control team, Master gunner, CSM and other key SMEs like from SpO like Ammo and fuel to look at it and contribute.

Where is your CSM in all this? She/He should be the champion of soldier level tasks and drills?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 6 at 2018 4:10 PM

2018-10-06T16:10:28-04:00

I would suggest Companies focus on the training. However when there are economies of scale make the training Battalion sponsored. Get guidance from the S-3 on QTBs and training.