One aspect of the National Training Center’s (NTC) mission is to identify training deficiencies for Rotational Training Units (RTU). Simply identifying re-occurring or one-off training shortfalls is not enough to improve the readiness and proficiency of leaders, units, and the Army. To provide feedback on home station training, Operations Group and the National Training Center routinely conducts Outreach to the Force. This set of Tactical Decision Exercises (TDE) is one example of that outreach.
Col. Dave Wright is an armor officer and a graduate of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). He previously commanded the 1st SQDN, 1st Cavalry Regiment and is currently Panther 07, the Combined Arms Battalion Senior Trainer at the National Training Center. Follow his tweets on training, leadership, and doctrine @102ndblackhawk6 on Twitter.
TDEs, also referred to as TDGs, are a great, low-cost method to train leaders at echelon. When executed properly, leaders can employ them to train collective tasks. TDEs can help develop shared understanding in how an organization will fight. After nearly two years at NTC, I have routinely observed units challenged with one or more aspects of planning, preparing, or executing a defensive task. In order to help address these shortfall, the Panther Team sought to provide a series of doctrinally-sound TDEs with teach slides that could help leaders improve their proficiency.
This specific TDE was designed as a ready, off-the-shelf training aid for use in either one-sitting or through a Leader Professional Development Series over a couple of days. The low overhead cost makes it something that can be executed over lunch in the dining facility with company commanders or in a larger venue with the entirety of the BN staff. The open construct and teach slides are designed to spark conversation with leaders and solidify standard operating procedures.
For example:
- How will the BN will build target reference points and what are the standard loadouts per vehicle?
- How does the BN and its COs integrate MDMP and TLPs with the steps of EA DEV?
- Who is responsible for sighting and marking the trace of obstacle groups and arrays?
- Who is responsible for managing blade assets (“CINC DOZER”)?
- How will the command post track counter-mobility and survivability completion?
- How will the BN make recommendations to the commander for re-allocating assets based on priorities?
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7 Steps of Engagement Area Development; FM 3-21.8
As explained in its introduction, this TDE varies from “traditional” TDEs. One variance is that this TDE intentionally forces leaders to conduct engagement area development (EA DEV). At NTC, we often observe that BNs and companies consistently bypass steps 1 and 2 of EA DEV. Consequently, they fail to see the influence of the terrain nor understand how the enemy will attack. The hope is that BCT, BN, and even CO commanders can utilize this TDE to improve proficiency at EA DEV and defense tasks through repetition. Any feedback or requests for specific TDEs are welcome. Train the Force!
Click HERE for the Tactical Decision Game and Teach.
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