What tips do you have on helping to build a training office from nothing?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 07:52:36 -0500

I have just been appointed training NCO and need helping building a training office from nothing. I work at the DES here in k-town and they never had any accountability of training at all... I need to build something from the ground up... I need pointers anything to set my commander up for success. Thanks for the help and leadership.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2016 9:16 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 09:16:50 -0500

Get friendly with range control fast... Bring those guys some donuts and coffee. Get certified Ammo Handler certified or maybe get 2 soldiers and certify them instead. Start a couple APFT, and weapons Qual binders from A-M N-Z. Build trackers that reflect every soldiers APFT score, weapons score, and Profile limitations, profile type and expiration date. Make sure the commander gives you appointment orders for BEING CERTIFIED to administere tape test. If you are good at Microsoft Access it can make your life easy if you use it to build each soldier a profile.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2016 9:21 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 09:21:26 -0500

SFC Private RallyPoint Member it's a lot of things brother it just depends on if you want to be ok at training or very successful. Also get you some MEMO for the time lines to request Ammo and Training areas from your PSG's/PL's. I suggest you make them 45-60 days out. Also suggest to the commander to pick your own Special emphasis PT instructor.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Jan 1 at 2016 9:57 AM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 09:57:44 -0500

SSG Theobald, send me your enterprise email on a message. I'll will be out of the office for the next week but immediately upon my arrival I'll shoot you a laundry list of items that you should become very familiar as a company training NCO. And SSG Davison is guiding you in the right tack! Also, try to get DTMS certified ASAP!

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Jan 1 at 2016 10:47 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 10:47:01 -0500

Get best practices and planning templates and forms from people and units who conduct planning really well. Don't reinvent the wheel, it's often helpful to see how the best units do these tasks, and emulate them.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 1 at 2016 12:28 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:28:36 -0500

I would ask what training am I responsible for setting up to include resources. Then organize it in a SOP.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jan 1 at 2016 3:08 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 15:08:59 -0500

Get copies of METL, YTP from higher headquarters, range regs, unit specific FMs, TMs for major items of TOE equipment. Gather any readiness data available, get up to date rosters, get weapons qual and APFT data on ALl unit members, get maps of local training areas. Either get unit load out plans or know where to get them. That should be enough to give you a start. Insure that you you have sufficient office space , computer.etc. Know the formats for trading documents required by higher headquarters. Ago of luck.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2016 3:10 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 15:10:07 -0500

First, determine what training is required and how often it is required. Then build a schedule to accomplish it. Coordinate with everyone and coordinate everything.

Work with others to identify the best trainers and work through them.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 1 at 2016 11:57 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 23:57:51 -0500

build yourself a wall

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 3 at 2016 7:46 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 19:46:02 -0500

One thing that has always helped me was to write down Function, POC, and phone number on excel spreadsheets.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Jan 4 at 2016 9:10 AM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 09:10:18 -0500

EXCEL is your friend!

Response by SFC Ernest Thurston made Jan 8 at 2016 2:11 PM

SFC Ernest Thurston — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 14:11:06 -0500

Step number one get your hands on every reg about training and read, read, read. Gather up all of the training records in the unit and start organizing them. Record keeping is key for a training NCO. You should be working hand in hand with Operations so you can set up a calendar of events to meet your training requirements. Second get in touch with the training NCO in your higher HQ. They are required to assist you, because when inspection time comes they are the ones that will be doing the inspections. Don't be afraid to reach out to other units for help. In K-town you may even be able to get some guidance for the AF. I was an Operations NCO in the DSPO of 29th ASG in K-town and had to start almost from scratch also. I also found that if you have a civilian in your office they can be a good source of institutional information. Many of the civilians have have been around for 20+ years and worked in a variety of positions and have seen a lot of things. It doesn't hurt to ask for help. I've had to start from scratch as an Admin NCO of a unit where almost all of the senior staff had been relieved of duty. I also set up an Abandoned Vehicle section in Berlin having nothing but a stack of 1408's issued by patrols. I set up an MPI crime information system in Ft Carson that was so good CID and the Colorado Springs PD came to me for information.
You are lucky to have the internet where you can get advice. I had to do it the old fashioned way. Flipping through pages of regs, face to face or on a land line phone.
Just don't let it overwhelm you. Remember the Army is a team effort not a solo event.

Response by SSG Douglas Smith made Apr 11 at 2016 3:37 PM

SSG Douglas Smith — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:37:57 -0400

Do you have a TAC OPS NCO? If you do they should have some things started. All training PT, Quals, are input in DTMS I believe. You need to get training on that as well as given access to it. TAMMIS for ammo and I don't remember what we used for land. Training Schedules were super important and gets inspected by higher echelons. ATRRS was for schools and MEDPROS all information needed for training meetings which you could/should be responsible for briefing the command team.