Photo By Staff Sgt. Jameson Harris | U.S. Army OSUT trainees, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 197th...... read more read more
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For the U.S. Army to continue moving forward, the initiatives in change and innovation must not only come from higher ranks and commands, but rather from the newest generation of incoming Soldiers.
A senior drill sergeant stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia realized the massive potential he found in inspiring new trainees to invest their time in the U.S. Army by learning and applying skills and knowledge in technology, design, drones and 3D technology aimed at making the Army an even more capable force in the future.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Rance, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, 197th Infantry Brigade, introduced what he called “emergent warfare workshops” to the training company at Fort Benning, Georgia. These gave new recruits, fresh out of basic training, the opportunity to learn how combat is being revolutionized right now. It also gave them the freedom and means to experiment and receive hands-on training with drones, robotics, controllers and 3D printers.
“What I saw at Fort Benning was a consistent influx of recruits with a heavy amount of experience and training in the fields of science, technology, mathematics and 3D printing,” said Sgt. 1st Class Rance. “This was a wonderful opportunity to maximize the skills and talents of our incoming force to enhance and innovate the outgoing deploying forces going forward.”
The application of these civilian skills was significant for Rance. He would use the time in the workshops to help explain to these recruits how modern warfare is impacted by civilian advancements. One crucial example is the use of drones. Originally used for producing video imagery, the U.S. Army was able to utilize them to drop explosive payloads, conduct personnel surveillance and provide recon support for artillery units.
These workshops earned the attention of the 82nd Airborne Division, who invited Sgt. 1st Class Rance to Fort Bragg on March 15 to give a brief on what his training company has been able to accomplish.
“82nd Airborne Division saw what we were doing down at [Fort] Benning and wanted to learn firsthand how to inspire that culture of innovation in their own companies,” Rance said. “It was an honor to see that our platoon-level workshops could motivate a large organization like the 82nd into adopting new ways to train and fight.”
Audiences around Fort Bragg gathered in the lab to hear from Rance himself what the training companies have been learning at Fort Benning. The brief was designed to explain the recent innovations for which the U.S. Army has been advocating and how he, as a senior drill sergeant, has motivated the trainees at Fort Benning to start thinking about them.
Rance’s message was heard loud and clear. For the U.S. Army to continue leading the charge in defending the Nation’s interests and the Constitution, human intelligence and creativity was going to be the key. The trainees at Benning were regularly empowered to come up with their own technical configurations and ideas on developing different devices and systems.
One notable accomplishment, Rance explained, was leading a team to configure an FPV drone hobbyist kit to carry a military payload. A select group of Privates and Specialists got to work with soldering irons to create the rig and then 3D printers to create the makeshift payload. Once complete, the Soldiers programmed a flight controller that could successfully trigger the load. All of this was accomplished over one week.
“After I finished my brief, dozens of Soldiers stayed behind to ask me further questions about leading workshops and facilitating innovative projects,” recalled Rance. “I was blown away by how committed everyone was to see innovation move forward.”
The crowd was filled with familiar faces for the senior drill sergeant. Many of his former OSUT students, now stationed now at Fort Bragg, got the chance to see their former innovative mentor again, reminding them of everything they learned at Fort Benning. U.S. Army Pfc. David Hall, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was one of his former trainees who excitedly attended the brief to hear again from his former senior drill sergeant about innovation.
“It was great seeing Senior Drill Sergeant Rance again. He had a huge impact on how I view combat and warfare in the future,” said Pfc. Hall. “For junior enlisted Soldiers, this is the perfect time to present all your ideas to innovate the U.S. Army and improve modern warfare in the future.”
Fittingly, the brief was hosted at Airborne Innovation Labs, one of the newest establishments at Fort Bragg. It is a hub where Soldiers can begin testing, troubleshooting and manufacturing their own innovative ideas to enhance Army capabilities. For many, it provides Soldiers the ability to apply their civilian engineering and constructive knowledge directly to enhancing the U.S. Army. For even more, it is their first experience with using 3D printers as part of their daily military life.
U.S. Army Sgt. Kyle Boyle, assigned to 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was extremely impressed to learn about the resources available through the Airborne Innovation Labs.
“Everyone has a place and purpose here [at the Airborne Innovation Labs],” said Sgt. Boyle. “Whether you’re a private or a general, everyone has a serious platform here to present their ideas on how to advance the technology and capabilities of the U.S. Army, from the minute level of our own TA-50 to the more robust weapon systems and military vehicles.”
With an overall audience of a couple hundred Soldiers across Fort Bragg and the 82nd Airborne Division, the emergent warfare brief held by Sergeant Rance was a wonderful reminder that one single individual within the U.S. Army has the ability to inspire hundreds of changes around the installation. It is leadership like him that, once adopted across the Total Army, will be the driving force in leading Soldiers to be all they can be.
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| Date Taken: | 03.15.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.23.2023 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 440887 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 1,030 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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