Photo By Sgt. Elizabeth Clark | BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Master Sgt. Jeffrey Larue, the noncommissioned officer...... read more read more
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The United States Forces - Afghanistan Inspector General office initiated a new process that promotes readiness by ensuring that unit programs are upholding standard procedures. Twice every quarter they will travel the Combined Joint Operations Area - Afghanistan to inspect units on various programs.
For this quarter, the IG team traveled to four different forward operating bases in one month’s time to review drivers training programs.
A long-term goal is to establish a permanent, central site for master drivers training at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The goal is to make sure that every Soldier in the CJOA-A that needs this program receives it. By selecting a central site for all master drivers to be trained, this would establish the standard that could be implemented by current and future units.
The IG office team consists of Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Matthew and Army Master Sgt. Osborne Scales, both assistant inspector generals with the United States Forces - Afghanistan, and J. Cobb, a deputy inspector general for the Department of the Air Force.
Subject matter experts on drivers training also came to the bases to assist with the inspections: Master Sgt. Jeffrey Larue, the noncommissioned officer in charge of support operations transportation, Sgt. 1st Class Jesus Morales, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the drivers training program, and Staff Sgt. Arturo Amaro, the master driver, all with the 3rd Inf. Div. Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade.
With the team assembled, the group visited units at BAF, Camp Dwyer, Forward Operating Base Lightning and FOB Fenty, conducting sensing sessions with the units’ master drivers, leadership and Soldiers.
“The goal is to improve things across the CJOA-A,” said Cobb. “[These inspections] show you the truth on the ground and you are able to see discrepancies.”
By hearing suggestions from the units on what can be improved with drivers training, the IG and master driver are able to implement improvements in the BAF program.
“It was an eye-opener getting a snapshot of these four units who all had roughly the same issues,” said Amaro. “A problem that was presented was the short amount of time on vehicles in the U.S. before coming to Afghanistan.”
Amaro said that the inspections would help them gather more information that they could put out to Soldiers. If the Soldiers retain the information they learn in classes readiness goes up, safety is increased and accidents are prevented, he said.
Typically, when someone hears “inspection” they would draw back or have a negative reaction to the process. A pleasant surprise for the IG team was the amount of feedback they received from their sensing sessions. The units were prepared to see the IG and were prepared for the mission.
“Leadership was open to us, they welcomed outside eyes,” said Scales. “A lot of units understand that this [mission] was new to them.”
Drivers training is essential for units whose primary mission consists of route clearance. For the units stationed at these bases, route clearance is a new task. One shortfall in the initial training process was Soldiers worked with different vehicles in the U.S. than the ones they would operate in Afghanistan. But that didn’t slow down these Soldiers.
“They were able to adapt,” said Amaro. “They were able to accomplish their mission even if they were initially trained on other vehicles.”
Talking to leadership, unit master drivers and Soldiers in sensing sessions gave the IG and subject matter expert team a clear view of improvements that can be implemented in drivers training. By taking what they have learned and applying higher levels of training to the budding BAF drivers training program, they can ensure that units on the ground and future forces are better equipped to handle their tasks.
“There were lots of lessons learned, so when it comes time to train, the units are tracking in the same direction,” said Cobb. “[We are] increasing lethality and combat power so our Soldiers can do their jobs better.”
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2017 04:48 |
| Story ID: | 259562 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Hometown: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 133 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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