Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Chris Durney | 1037th Route Clearance Company, 3rd Platoon, Soldiers are briefed before heading out...... read more read more
Subscribe
ARLINGTON, Va. — Mobilizations for most Army National Guard units run for a total of 12 months, which includes training and deployment time.
However, recent changes have been made that allow units to conduct pre-deployment training in Title 32 status before moving to their post-mobilization site in Title 10 status. This adjacent training can be up to 45 days for aviation units and up to 30 days for other units based on their assigned missions.
The secretary of defense recently granted temporary authority to allow unit commanders and adjutants general to request the additional training time under the Contiguous Mobilization Policy, which will allow the unit to remain under a Title 32 state status while preparing for the upcoming deployment.
In representing the collective view of 53 of his colleagues, Army Maj. Gen. Greg Wayt, the adjutant general of Ohio, said, "We believe this is the right decision for the members of the National Guard, their families and employers as we continue to provide trained and ready Soldiers and Airmen in support of overseas contingency operations, and I appreciate the secretary's support of this initiative."
Contiguous mobilization training is conducted by a traditional Guard unit. "It is connected to its mobilization date, so there is no break between when their orders have them report to an Army mobilization platform and when they complete the state training," said Col. Robert Moore, chief of the Army National Guard training division. "They just go completely through it."
The program is designed for units that because of their mission requirements don't necessarily fit into the 12-month deployment mold.
"What we found out ... is that not every unit fits in that template and that things change, and we need to set some other options," Moore said.
The option of additional training time can allow the Soldiers of a deploying unit additional time to hone the skills required for the mission of the unit.
"Sometimes a unit will find out it ... has an unusual mission or a difficult mission or something different than it normally trains for and it needs to train adjacent to federal mobilization," said Moore. "Or, some of the big units—the brigade combat teams—are just so large it takes a little bit more time to get them ready."
It also allows unit members to develop and build on the collective tasks of the unit.
"Our job is to provide trained and ready units," said Moore. "Without being able to have everybody together for a period of time, to include the leadership, you can't do that. You can only concentrate on individual skills. This allows them to perfect their training as a unit to the appropriate level."
Capt. Rick Scoggins, who is currently deployed with the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the North Carolina Army National Guard, said contiguous training kept critical Soldier skills from perishing due to breaks in service. "This led to a better trained, more proficient, confident force," he said. "The teamwork established early on was reinforced by contiguous operations."
There are other benefits to additional training time. Many units will spread out training opportunities over a period of weeks or months prior to a deployment. The contiguous training option allows for that training to be consolidated into one block giving the Guardmember greater stability with his family and civilian employer, said Moore.
"It means that a traditional Guardsman has a little more security in terms of benefits and not having broken employment," said Moore. "It just allows him to have the security that he will leave his employer, have his benefits and be assured that he will be able to pay his rent and then be transitioned into the regular Army (for the deployment)."
The contiguous training option, however, isn't automatically granted. Unit commanders must request authorization for the additional training time through their state's adjutant general. The request will then be forwarded through the National Guard Bureau to the office of the secretary of the Army, who is the final deciding authority, said Moore.
And the amount of adjacent training time authorized varies with each unit. For many units up to 30 days are authorized, however, for aviation units up to 45 days could be authorized, said Moore.
While many families may view the change as adding on additional deployment time, the decision to make that change was made with input from a variety of sources.
"This wasn't a decision made in a vacuum," said Moore. "All the players who have a vested interest — the chief of the Army Reserve, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, all 54 adjutants general and a host of other very important players to include the chairman of the joints chief of staff—were all involved and they all agreed that this is a very important thing to temporarily allow and that a study is needed to make sure we are doing the right thing."
That study is currently ongoing and will let the secretary of defense know "whether it's the right thing to do, whether it needs to be calibrated or adjusted or dropped all together," said Moore.
Until that report is finalized, Moore said that units will be granted the additional training time on a case-by-case basis.
"The secretary of defense has given us temporary authority to do this and we're going to move out and use it very sparingly," said Moore.
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2009 15:56 |
| Story ID: | 41320 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 492 |
| Downloads: | 376 |
This work, DoD authorizes contiguous training for Army Guard, by SFC Jon Soucy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
