What is a military 'term of art' used to characterize training exercises as non-threatening environments to learn from one's mistakes?

MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:20:49 -0400

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2017 11:27 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:27:42 -0400

Is that dude's muzzle packed full of mud?

Response by SFC George Smith made Mar 28 at 2017 11:31 AM

SFC George Smith — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:31:50 -0400

I've never heard the term used in that context
Must be something New...

Response by SFC William H. made Mar 28 at 2017 12:20 PM

SFC William H. — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:20:44 -0400

MSgt Ken Hardy: Term of art?........ We just used to call it "Green Hell". Wierd muzzle cap........not going to help much when it comes cleaning time.....

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2017 12:23 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:23:13 -0400

MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy There is a covering of some kind over the barrel and their M16's are in the water. Weapons need to be kept out of the water.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Mar 28 at 2017 12:32 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:32:45 -0400

I would have to guess you are referencing a locally used term or concept.
1985 to 2014 involved in just a little bit of training over the years individual to divisional level, Joint, Joint and combined, US and foreign nation..and I've never heard that phrase nor another used to describe the situation you are asking about.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2017 12:49 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 12:49:54 -0400

At one level, the Army would say that training is where you make mistakes, so that you won't make the same mistakes in combat. But reality was a very different thing, at least in the 80s and 90s. Zero Defects was actually the slogan proudly displayed at Ft Bragg when I got there in 78. And later, while the T in NTC stood for training, I can assure you that a commander and his staffs OERs and career potential was overtly tied to how one performed in those "training" rotations. Same for ARTEPs, and major field exercises and training. During the cold war period, absent actual long term combat deployments, training became the primary vehicle for sorting out the pecking order.

After operation Just cause, where the 7th ID (light) had some deaths and injuries due to accidental discharges of weapons, the CG put out a punitive policy letter that stated that any soldier having an accidental discharge with blanks during training would be subject to UCMJ action. Talk about viewing training as not a place to make mistakes.

So my guess would be that the Army never came up with a catchy term of art for what you describe, as while they paid lip service to that concept, in reality the ground truth was the exact opposite.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Mar 28 at 2017 1:15 PM

MSgt James Mullis — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:15:12 -0400

In the civilian classroom, the term you are looking for is "Supportive". While in a military training exercise, you would use terms like "Realistic", "Battle Focused", and "Full-Spectrum".

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2017 1:30 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 13:30:31 -0400

Just so you know this is a Video of the JWTC course. The endurance time course is just one part of an 8 day small unit leaders course that all Marines in that area and Navy personnel and Navy Units like Seabee Battalions and other NECC units will sand SQDs through.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Mar 28 at 2017 4:23 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 16:23:04 -0400

"Non-Attribution"sounds to me like the phrase "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger "I had a bit of that running day and night patrols for AIT trainees back at Ft.Polk LA. We were tasked with the mission of getting new Infantrymen ready for the jungle environment of Vietnam ,since most of us had just returned ,we tried to make this training as realistic as possible ,following an old Military axiom "better to sweat in training than bleed in combat"the Louisiana swamps and our training made this very "Non Attribution" to say the least!

Response by Sam Carter made Mar 29 at 2017 4:52 PM

Sam Carter — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 16:52:43 -0400

I don't know....maybe give them a challenge coin? LOL