Training the Force: A Vulture’s Story

Photo By Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Grant A. Matthes, right, native of Jackson, Mich., public affairs platoon sergeant and Observer, Coach/Trainer with the National Training Center Public Affairs office at Fort Irwin, Calif., observes rotational unit training on Aug. 20, 2017. The NTC provides a tough, realistic, joint and combined arms training that focuses on the battalion task force and brigade levels. NTC has been used as the premiere training center and has continued the legacy to ensure the U.S. Army remains prepared to face any adversary. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tanya M. Van Buskirk)  

FORT IRWIN, CA, UNITED STATES

08.22.2017

Story by Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk 

Exercise News Day

FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- “Funny story,” said Army Staff Sgt. Grant Matthes, “I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life after high school so I began working in retail. My buddy came back from boot camp with the U.S. Marine Corps telling me he would get $100.00 if I signed up, so I did.”
Matthes, from Jackson, Michigan, is an Observer, Coach/Trainer for Soldiers as well as a role player for the media teams and producer for public affairs.
Matthes joined the Marines in 2004 and after serving four years as an infantryman, he transitioned to the U.S. Army and began his career in public affairs.
As part of Vulture Team here, he develops, organizes and provides instrumentation simulations, communications, information systems, audio-visual and integration support to rotational training units at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif.
There are 14 different teams based on individual military jobs that are tasked to train the RTUs that arrive here. The Vultures OC/T team members at NTC attend the OC/T Academy here for four days. The intense training provides the institutional knowledge governing the “Be, Know and Do” of training techniques and procedures designed for combat trainers at the NTC.
“The goal here is to make sure that each rotational unit is trained based on U.S. Army doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures, to improve their war fighting capabilities, and enable them to leave the NTC better trained than when they arrived,” said Matthes.
OC/Ts create the training scenarios, establish exercise parameters, conduct rehearsals, identify hazards, and implement control measures to mitigate unnecessary risk. OC/Ts observe and evaluate the RTUs reactions to scenarios. The post mission after-action reviews and written take-home packets for the unit wrap up the RTUs training here. This gives the unit knowledge of areas that need or could use improvement and give response to lessons-learned.
“We have a lot of scenarios put into place to give them a serious test, and we throw a lot at them at once in situations they might be uncomfortable with,” said Matthes. “Safety is the number one priority here; and as long as that is understood, we allow them to handle it in the way they would handle it, and we let them roll with their tactics, techniques and procedures, and then we give them feedback based off how they react and respond to the events that we have.”
The OC/Ts are mentoring and coaching the rotational units, and the Vulture Team is tasked with giving the rotational units a realistic experience in dealing with the media. Through the AAR, Matthes explained that feedback is given based on performance and what could be done differently to provide them the best possible training that follows the U.S. Army doctrine.
“I feel like it is very rewarding,” he said. “We are put in these positions because the Soldiers that are coming here to train may not have much experience in dealing with the media, and we give them feedback on how they react to the media. We don’t make up stories; we allow the rotational units to respond how they are going to naturally and we give them feedback. This is a learning experience and there is always something to learn.”
As a member of the Vulture Team, Matthes credits his success as an Army platoon sergeant to his early years as a Marine infantryman. “Being a Marine, I am thankful for the training I received that focused on military bearing, confidence and discipline. The Army has been the filler allowing me to progress in my military career, said Matthes. “Being a Marine was a very valuable stepping stone to get where I am today,” he added.

• Date Taken: 08.22.2017
• Date Posted: 08.27.2017 20:43
• Story ID: 246204
• Location: FORT IRWIN, CA, US
• Hometown: JACKSON, MI, US