Soldier training is in for a big overhaul

By Jim Tice - Staff writer

Posted : Sunday Apr 6, 2008 9:51:24 EDT
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FORT BLISS, Texas — A complex war and a new operations doctrine have prompted
the Army to make sweeping changes in the way it transforms civilian volunteers into
.combat soldiers
The programs revealed here March 18-20 at the Initial Military Training Forum are in
.varying stages of implementation
Taken together, the impending, current and future changes represent the largest
.overhaul of initial entry training since the end of the Vietnam War four decades ago
Not only the Army is revamping training processes, but it also is addressing such
.basic soldiering skills as marksmanship and physical fitness
:Related reading
Training changes are Topic No. 1
Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, commander of Accessions Command, said the
changes are limited to the training base for now, but over time, they likely will move
.to the operational force
Underlying the changes is a concept called Outcome-Based Training, spawned by the
research and analyses that led to the new operations doctrine described in Field
.Manual 3-0
That manual, published in February, describes the current operational environment as
one of “persistent conflict” that is complex and multidimensional, requiring initiative
.and adaptability at all levels
This, in turn, has led the training community to become less concerned with processes
.than the outcome of training
What we’re focusing on is what we want our soldiers to be at the end of their initial“
.military training,” Freakley said
We sometimes get overly focused on goals — passing a PT test, qualifying with a“
.weapon, learning Army values and being a good follower in basic training
Is that what we want,” Freakley asked, “or do we want soldiers who not only know“
Army values, but internalize them; who are proud to be a member of a team, and
”?whose pride motivates the team to a higher performance level
Freakley said trainers who are process-focused “check the box” when their soldiers
perform a skill, such as donning the protective mask, but never go back and revisit
.that learning experience
If you are outcome-focused, you want to know that soldiers, over time and various“
conditions, really understand their tasks, live the Army values and truly accept being a
member of a team,” said Freakley, a former commander of the 10th Mountain
.Division in Afghanistan and the Army Infantry Center
 There are a lot of ways to achieve goals, and if we stay process-centered, we will“
never be better than mediocre,” said Col. Craig Currey, of the Basic Combat Training
.Directorate at Fort Jackson, S.C
Freakley said the standard for success under Outcome-Based Training is for the drill
sergeant and company commander to look at a soldier and ask themselves whether
.they would feel comfortable taking that individual into combat
.If the answer is yes, then you have done your job,” he said“
.If the answer is no, then we have to determine if the soldier is trainable“
If, the answer is still no, then we probably need to separate him or her from the“
.Army,” Freakley said
However, if the soldier is trainable, training officials might want to reassign the
soldier to a company behind his current company so he will have additional time to
.learn skills required for graduation
So far, the Outcome-Based Training has been used at Fort Jackson and Fort Benning,
Ga. Freakley has asked the commandants of other training centers to assimilate the
.concept into their programs
The training center at Fort Jackson has been a major player in the development of
Outcome-Based Training, as it serves as a kind of think tank and testing ground for all
.aspects of basic training
As such, it also has played a central role in the development of three other programs
:that will profoundly change the way the Army trains new soldiers. Those are