North Dakota Army National Guard schoolhouse earns 'Institution of Excellence' status

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brett Miller | Students at the 164th Regional Training Institute at Camp Grafton, N.D., practice their carpentry skills on March 28, 2014. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Brett Miller/ Released)  

DEVILS LAKE, ND, UNITED STATES

05.07.2014

Courtesy Story

North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. - After undergoing a series of detailed inspections, N.D. Army National Guard instructors and cadre at the 164th Regiment's Regional Training Institute (RTI) this year reestablished its Army schoolhouse as an "Institution of Excellence," as deemed by a team of evaluators from the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC).

The TRADOC accreditation process is administered in three-year cycles to Army training institutions nationwide. This is the third time the 164th Regiment RTI has received a "Fully Accredited" rating and "Institution of Excellence" status since 2008.

"The 164th Regiment has a steady history of providing the best training to National Guard, Army Reserve and active-duty Soldiers across the United States. Achieving 'Institution of Excellence' status from TRADOC for a third time is remarkable," said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general. "We opened a new, top-notch RTI facility at Camp Grafton Training Center in 2010, and our dedicated 164th Regiment staff has made it a premiere Army training schoolhouse. I am proud of their achievements and for providing the best military occupational specialty training and noncommissioned officer training to our Army engineers and logisticians."

To achieve "Institution of Excellence" status from TRADOC, the 164th Regiment's training battalions were required to score 95 percent or higher in all evaluated areas. The 1st Engineer Battalion and 2nd Modular Battalion offer two types of Army training: engineer and quartermaster, which include Noncommissioned Officer Education System (NCOES) schools and Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training. Both 164th Regiment RTI engineer and quartermaster staff and training functions scored 100 percent, receiving the highest possible accreditation level.

"We are very proud of our instructors and staff. Acing this accreditation is more than just a snapshot of the world class instruction currently being executed at the RTI. This achievement is the culmination of a process. It reflects years of effort by instructors and leaders that have constantly improved these practices," said Col. Leo Ryan, 164th Regiment RTI commander.

TRADOC evaluators examined the 164th Regiment RTI in a number of areas, including self-assessment reports from the schoolhouse, onsite facility observations, instructor and staff interviews, reviews of documents and organizational records, written questionnaires, and interviews with students attending courses at the RTI.

A congratulatory memo sent to the 164th Regiment RTI staff and signed by Gen. Robert Cone, the former TRADOC commander, who retired in March 2014, said, "I commend the 164th Regiment RTI for the dedication and hard work that contributed to this coveted distinction. Your efforts to maintain strong doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel and facilities functions will ensure our leaders and Soldiers possess the qualities and skill necessary to dominate across the spectrum of conflict."

While the 164th Regiment RTI has achieved "Institution of Excellence" status in previous years, this is the first year that it's received scores of 100 percent across the board. Additionally, TRADOC evaluators cited a number of "best practices" being applied by 164th Regiment RTI instructors and staff, including implementation of the Army Learning Model. According to TRADOC, the training guidance was developed to promote "career-long learning and sustained adaptation" and blends traditional classroom training with new technologies for "adaptive, thinking Soldiers and leaders."

The 164th Regiment RTI instructors had to attend courses to become certified in using the Army Learning Model and, subsequently, adjusted their teaching methods to incorporate training guidelines.

The 164th RTI's "best practices" will be shared by TRADOC with other Army learning institutions across the nation.

"It's a rarity for TRADOC to come in and give you a 'best practice.' We had four 'best practices.' The officer in charge of the TRADOC team said that she has not done that before, to (cite) four 'best practices' at one institution," said Command Sgt. Maj. Alan Grinsteinner, 164th Regiment RTI commandant. "There are so many places to have a misstep along the way. For a 100 percent to happen, everything has to be lined up just perfect."

Currently, there are 68 full-time Soldiers and 26 traditional Guardsmen who support the RTI. In 2010, the 164th Regiment unveiled a new 182,825-square-foot RTI building. The facility features rooms for housing students, plumbing and electrical labs, an assembly hall with volleyball courts and basketball hoops and a building material storage space to house carpentry, electrical, masonry and plumbing materials for training.

In addition to TRADOC-approved engineer and quartermaster NCOES and MOS training, the 164th Regiment RTI also provides an Officer Candidate School - primarily for in-state Soldiers - and trains Army food service and water treatment specialists.

• Date Taken: 05.07.2014
• Date Posted: 05.07.2014 19:24
• Story ID: 129089
• Location: DEVILS LAKE, ND, US