Training Meetings

Training Circular (TC) 25-20 Field Manual (FM) 7-0/7-1 (Appendix B)

5/1/2020

The American soldier best performs his mission if he is well informed and knows the purpose of that mission.

SMA Silas L. Copeland 1

Company Training Meetings

• Training is the Army’s number one (#1) priority.

• Company training meetings are key to near-term planning and

are non-negotiable

. • Accordingly they

appear on the weekly training calendar.

• Training meetings create the bottom-up flow of information regarding specific training proficiency needs of the unit and individual soldiers. • Training meetings are conducted by leaders to review past training, identify & plan necessary retraining, plan & prepare future training, & exchange timely training information between leaders.

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Training Meeting Objectives

 Company training meetings review completed training, de-conflict training issues, plan & prepare future training, & exchange timely training information between participants.  Training meetings are NOT a forum for discussing administrative operations & activities. Training is the sole topic. The training meeting focuses on three (3) key tasks — 1. Assessing completed training to determine the effectiveness of individual, leader, & collective training conducted since the last training meeting.

2. Coordinating near-term training to confirm specific instructions and details to conduct the training.

3. Planning for short-range training to develop future training plans that refine the short-range training plan.

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PLANNING



LONG RANGE:

 Goes out as far as 10 years at the MACOM level.

  Out to

1 year at the company level for the AC The end of the Semester (6 months) for JROTC.



SHORT RANGE:

 Goes out from

3-6 months for the AC

.



Out 3 months (9 weeks) for JROTC.



NEAR TERM:



6 - 8 weeks prior to execution of training for the AC.



Out 1 month (4 weeks) for JROTC.

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PLANNING ECHELONS

Training Guidance & Planning starts at the top & then filters it’s way down to the lowest echelon or level.

Higher HQ resources lower HQ

DIVISION Brigade Brigade Brigade Battalion Battalion Battalion Company Company Company

Companies & Platoons execute COLLECTIVE training;

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BATTALION Training Meeting

BATTALION-LEVEL (2-9 weeks out):

 Review Quarterly or Yearly/Annual Training Guidance from higher HQ.

 Review

recently (past week) conducted

training

(typically briefed by Company Commanders to Battalion Commander & Staff):

• Assess training conducted since the last meeting.

• Review reasons for training planned, but not conducted.

• Update the current status of training proficiency.

 Brief

NEAR-TERM

( 1 month/4 weeks ) training to —  Discuss any new guidance received from higher commanders.

   Publish training scheduled for the next 4 to 6 weeks (1 month).

Review & complete pre-execution checks (document training distractors from higher headquarters).

Issue commander’s guidance for training scheduled 1 month/4 weeks out.

  Review the

SHORT-RANGE

( 3 months/9 weeks ) plan.

Review projected resources (logistical requirements & training aids).

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Company-Level Participants

Leader participation is essential for a successful training meeting. Attendance is MANDATORY!

         

Company commander.

Executive officer.

First sergeant.

Platoon leaders.

Platoon sergeants.

Supply sergeant.

Maintenance sergeant.

Administrative sergeant.

NBC NCO.

Others as required.

• •

Food service NCO.

Direct support, unit representatives (FSO, ALO, EN, ADA, MI & BSB).

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Responsibilities

 The

Company Commander

is responsible for the efficient conduct of the training meeting.

 The

XO

coordinates training for all the soldiers in sections or attachments without platoon leaders or platoon sergeants.

 The

1SG

assists the commander with individual soldier training assessments, provides guidance & advice on training plans, & reviews pre-execution checks discussed during the training meeting.

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Responsibilities (cont)



Platoon leaders

brief the collective task proficiency of their platoon, provide the commander and other members of the company with feedback on details of near-term training, and recommend collective training tasks for short –range training.



Platoon sergeants

brief individual soldier tasks , brief specific essential pre-execution checks for near-term training, and recommend individual soldier tasks for short-range training.

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Responsibilities (cont)

 Key

NCOs

, such as master gunners, attend training meetings & advise the commander on specialized training. For example, the master gunner works with the 1SG to track individual & crew-served weapon qualification, & helps leaders with gunnery training assessments.



Maintenance sergeant

coordinates the maintenance efforts of the company and work with the commander and XO to ensure that timely support is provided. The maintenance team chief provides input on the status of maintenance training in the company, recommends maintenance-related training, and informs the commander of scheduled services and inspections.



Supply sergeants

advise the commander on supply-related issues, inspections, and inventories. Supply sergeants also work with the XO and 1SG to coordinate necessary support from outside sources.

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TRAINING MEETING TIME & PLACE

  The

company meeting

follows the battalion training meeting by no more than 2 days.

NOTE: 6 th & 7 th Periods follow 4 th /5 th Period.

 Company training meetings generally are conducted on the

same day and time

each week (cyclical/repetitive).

WEDNESDAY for us.

   Should enable attendees to make meeting.

Should minimizing training disruptions.

Should allow subordinate leaders time to brief their soldier.

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TRAINING MEETING AGENDA

 

ROLL CALL ASSESSMENT (AAR) OF COMPLETED TRAINING (include training planned, but NOT conducted):



Strengths



Weaknesses



How to Improve



PREPARATION FOR NEAR-TERM (1 month)TRAINING:

 

Future Training Already Planned and Resources Verified Risk Management



PLANNING FOR SHORT-RANGE (3 months) TRAINING:



Plan for Future Unscheduled Training



Supports for Training Assessment

  

Equipment and Resources Identified Effective Use of Training Time Risk Management

 

MISCELLANEOUS FEEDBACK

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Time Requirements (Recommended)



Meeting should NOT exceed 1 hour:



Completed training 15 min.



Near term training 30 min.



Short range training 15 min.

Occasional situations may require meetings to last more than 1 hour, but these are the exception. The key is for the commander to achieve the meeting objectives as quickly and efficiently as possible.

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TRAINING MEETING “OUTPUT”

TRAINING SCHEDULE DEVELOPMENT:

 Commanders receive input from all platoons & other elements of the company before formulating the draft training schedule.  Because of support limitations or other conflicts, the commander may have to disapprove a training event that a platoon requested, or move it to another week or month.  Once all conflicts are resolved, the commander develops a rough draft of the next training schedule.

Training schedules are then developed at company level and approved (& consolidated/deconflicted) by battalion.

See next slide!

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TRAINING SCHEDULES

 The

Company Commander signs

the training schedule, which identifies the specific unit training needs that have been planned.  The

Battalion Commander

giving it

final approval

.

then

signs

the training schedule, thereby  The Battalion Commander’s signature finalizes the training “

contract

,” and verifies that necessary resources will be provided.

 Once the Battalion Commander approves and the signs the training schedule, it is

locked in

and constitutes

an official order

. 

Only the approving authority can authorize changes to the training schedule.

 For example, the Battalion Commander is authorized to approve changes to an approved & signed company, battery, or troop training schedule. Higher headquarters must protect subordinate units from un-programmed events, activities, & other distracters.

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GRC JROTC Cadet Training Meetings

Cadet Battalion COMMANDER

:  Conducts Battalion Training Meetings in conjunction with Battalion Command & Staff (C&S) Meetings.

 Overall responsible for Cadet Battalion training planning & execution through coordination with the AI/SAI (“Brigade Commander”).

 Has input to the SAI/AI on any Cadet initiated/planned events.

 Ensures all recommended changes to Cadet Battalion training are coordinated with the SAI/AI.

 Oversee the Cadet Company/Platoon training.

 Ensure all events & training are supported by an MOI or OPORD.

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GRC JROTC Cadet Training Meetings

Cadet Battalion XO:

 Oversee the Cadet Battalion STAFF.

 Ensures staff is properly trained and performing their respective function(s) & meets all Cadre suspense's.

 Main focus is the management and “resourcing” of training (oversee the Company XO’s).

 Act in the absence of the Cadet Battalion Commander.

Cadet Battalion CSM:

 Oversee the Cadet Company & Bn Staff NCO’s.

 Ensures 1SG’s are properly trained & performing their respective function(s).

 Main focus is INDIVIDUAL cadet skills, to include physical fitness, personal appearance, and basic cadet knowledge.

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GRC JROTC Cadet Training Meetings

Cadet Battalion S3:

    Training & Operations Officer for the Cadet Battalion.

Publish all Cadet Training Schedules/Calendars.

Publish all MOIs/OPORDs/FRAGOs/WARNOs.

Prepare all MOI/OPORD Briefings for RCO.

 Plan, Coordinate, & Execute the Cadet Battalion Training Meetings.

 Coordinate ALL Cadet Training requirements with the SAI/AI.

 Coordinate with the Cadet Company Commanders on all Cadet training to ensure de-confliction of resources.

  Ensure all Cadre training suspense's are met.

Observe and monitor all Cadet training.

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GRC JROTC Cadet Training Meetings

Cadet Battalion STAFF (S1/2/4/5/6):

 Know, understand, & perform their respective staff duties and functions.

 Coordinate with the rest of the Cadet staff, especially with the Cadet Battalion XO.

 Coordinate all staff activities with the SAI/AI.

 Coordinate, as necessary, with the Cadet Company Commander(s) & 1SG’s.

 Maintain respective Staff Continuity Book of all on-going and completed staff actions (every week).

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GRC JROTC Cadet Training Meetings

Cadet COMPANY COMMANDER(s):

  Coordinate, Conduct, Execute, & Assess Cadet Training.

Ensure entire Company is informed on all training events:  Ensure Platoon Leaders & Platoon Sergeants are prepared for training.

 Ensure all training is observed and assessed.

 Ensure all cadet training is RESOURCED!

COMPANY XO/1SG(s):

   Resource Cadet training.

Supervise Cadet training.

Document Cadet training (attendance & evaluation).

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COMPLETED TRAINING



Conduct an After Action Review (AAR):

  Obtain feedback from cadets being trained.

Document all AAR comments.



Document the training conducted:

  Who received the training?

Who successfully completed the training?



Be prepared to brief & discuss at Training Meeting.

 A written AAR will be prepared for all major events.

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COMPANY / PLATOON / STAFF HUDDLES

5/1/2020

WHAT ARE THEY?

22

Cadet Leadership Huddles

    

Cover last minutes changes to training.

Final execution checklist review.

Special or new command guidance.

Resource status changes.

Should last no more than 5-10 minutes

Highly recommended !

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“Golden Rules” of Training Management



RULE #1

don’t put anything on the training schedule that YOU do not intend to execute.



RULE #2

schedule:     – don’t fill up every minute of the training Platoons need reaction time. Plan time for immediate re-training.

Ensure that there is preparation-time for training Plan for and conduct Make-up training for soldiers who missed it.

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