Commission for the Guard and Reserve

1
Commission for the Guard and Reserve

• Battalion Operations Officer Testimony
• 20 Sep 2006
• FASWCOM, Point Loma, CA
• Major David S. Owen
• S-3, 2nd Bn, 24th Marines (former)
• OIF II-2, June 2004 May 2005

2
Overview

• 2nd Bn, 24th Mar (2/24) activated 01 Jun 2004
• Deployed to Camp Pendleton, CA for Intermediate
  Location Training (ILOC) which commenced in
  earnest on 10 Jun 2004 and lasted until
  mid-September 2004
• Deployed to Iraq mid-September 2004 and chopped
  OPCON to 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) AO
  S Baghdad/N Babil Provinces
• Mission conduct full-spectrum Counter-Insurgency
  Operations (COIN) in order to set the conditions
  for free/fair Iraqi elections on 30 Jan 2005

3
Unique History

• 2/24 had a unique operational history that may be
  of particular interest to this panel in the
  number and types of HHQs that we served from an
  OPCON perspective
• 24th MEU, 1st Mar Div, I MEF Sep Dec 04
• 2nd BCT, 1st CAVDIV Dec 04 Feb 05
• 5th BCT, 1st CAVDIV Feb 05 Mar 05
• 256th BCT, 3rd ID Mar 05 Apr 05 (National
  Guard Brigade, Headquartered in Louisiana)

4
General Issue 1How was the Battalion trained
and equipped prior to activation?

• Training
• Conventional training
• Limited Security and Stability Operations (SASO)
  training
• Limited Military Operations Other than War
  (MOOTW) training
• Shortfall in Military Operations on Urban Terrain
  (MOUT) training
• Battalion Training Cycle
• 1st Quarter FY Individual Skills Training
• Battalion Fire Support Exercise (FSCEX)
• Individual Skills (Rifle/Pistol Requal, Wpns
  Trng, Swim Qual, NBC)
• 2nd Quarter FY Collective Skills Training
• Battalion Staff Training (Marine Corps Planning /
  Military Decision Making Process)
• Squad to Platoon-level Tactical and Live Fire
  Problems

5
General Issue 1 (Cont)How was the Battalion
trained and equipped prior to activation?

• Battalion Training Cycle (Cont)
• 3rd Quarter FY Unit Proficiency
• Battalion Staff Planning for Annual Training
• Battalion FSCEX (Fire Support Team focus)
• Company-level Tactical and Live-Fire Problems
• 4th Quarter FY Annual Training
• Continued Battalion Staff and Company-level
  proficiency training
• Pre-deployment readiness
• Family readiness
• Annual Training
• Subject to manipulation due to scheduling of
  ranges and AT
• Equipment
• Shortfalls within all functional areas
• Material readiness limited Train as you fight
  mentality

6
General Issue 2What deficiencies needed to be
addressed after activation and how successful
was the pre-deployment training process?

• Training Deficiencies
• Administration Personnel Movement and
  Accountability
• Intelligence Intelligence Systems, Analyst
  Notebook, Every Marine a Collector
• Operations Operations Systems (MDACT, C2PC, BFT,
  CPOF, FBCB2, AFATDS), Info Ops, CMO, MOUT, SASO,
  Fire Support, Supported Attacks, Defensive
  Operations, Mounted/Dismounted Patrolling,
  Company Command Post Operations, Time Sensitive
  Targeting, Weapons Proficiency, Language/Culture
• Logistics Sustainment Operations, Convoy
  Operations, Driver Training, Engineering
  Construction Statements of Work
• Communications PRC-117, PSC-5, MBITR, MDACT,
  C2PC, BFT, FBCB2, CPOF, Network Integration,
  SMART-T, Radio Re-transmission

7
General Issue 2(cont)What deficiencies needed
to be addressed after activation and how
successful was the pre-deployment training
process?

• Addressing Training Deficiencies
• Administration Personnel Movement and
  Accountability
• Train as you fight procedures for movement
  control, etc
• Intelligence Intelligence Systems, Analyst
  Notebook, Every Marine a Collector
• 1st MarDiv supported training sought by Battalion
  S-2
• Operations
• Operations Systems 1st MarDiv supported
  MDACT/C2PC Training other systems learned on
  the job
• Info Ops 1st MarDiv and Battalion IO Officer
  Training
• CMO Trained but in limited depth
• MOUT/SASO 1st MarDiv SASOFEX (March AFB),
  Company level training, Stu Segall Strategic
  Operations Battalion Training Pacakge
• Fire Support Battalion level training (CPEN
  Chocolate Mountains)
• Supported Attacks/Defensive Operations
  Company-level training
• Mounted Patrolling 1st MarDiv Convoy Course,
  Unit Training, Battalion Training
• Command Post Operations SASOFEX, Stu Segall,
  Battalion CPEX
• Time Sensitive Targeting Limited
• Weapons Proficiency 1st MarDiv, Battalion and
  Company Training (required Ammunition plus-ups)
• Language and Cultural Training Continuous
  (pre-ILOC through ILOC)

8
General Issue 2(cont)What deficiencies needed
to be addressed after activation and how
successful was the pre-deployment training
process?

• Addressing Training Deficiencies
• Logistics
• Sustainment Operations Limited
• Convoy Operations 1st MarDiv Convoy Course,
  Battalion and Company Training
• Driver Training Limited and unrealistic
• Engineering Construction Statements of Work None
• Communications
• PRC-117, PSC-5, MBITR Battalion Radio Training
  package
• MDACT, C2PC 1st MarDiv and Battalion Training
• BFT, FBCB2, CPOF None
• Network Integration Limited
• SMART-T Limited
• Radio Re-transmission Stu Segall FEX and
  Battalion CPEX
• Overall success due to the hard work and
  innovation of Marines

9
General Issue 3How could pre-activation
equipment and training policies be improved to
optimize the time spent on essential training and
to minimize time spent mobilized but not deployed?

• Pre-activation Equipment policy
• Equipment on-hand NLT one year prior to
  activation
• Material readiness supports pre-deployment
  non-ILOC training
• Supply priority increased to same level as ILOC
  period one yer prior
• Pre-activation Training Policy
• Train As You Fight Increase Hyper-realistic
  Training
• Quarterly drill periods would be progressive in
  nature and coincide with the USMC Training
  Continuum for OIF-OEF deployments
• 1st Quarter FY Main Effort - Block I skills
• Individual Mobilization Readiness and required
  skills
• 2nd Quarter FY Main Effort Block II Skills
• Individual Skills, theater specific
• 3rd Quarter FY Main Effort Block II Skills,
  Block IV Skills Introduction
• Individual Skills, theater specific
• Unit Skills, theater specific (introduction and
  PME)

10
General Issue 3How could pre-activation
equipment and training policies be improved to
optimize the time spent on essential training and
to minimize time spent mobilized but not deployed?

• Pre-activation Training Policy
• Quarterly drill periods would be progressive in
  nature and coincide with the USMC Training
  Continuum for OIF-OEF deployments
• Annual Training Block IV Skills
• PME and mission rehearsal of Service Level
  Training
• 4th Quarter FY Main Effort Remediation
• Cmdr determination of remediation effort
• Family Readiness/Employer Readiness updates
• Ensure familiarity with next FY training plan

11
General Issue 3 (Cont)How could pre-activation
equipment and training policies be improved to
optimize the time spent on essential training and
to minimize time spent mobilized but not deployed?

• Essential Training Time vs Minimal Mobilized
  Non-Deployed Time
• Quality of Life and Family Readiness a function
  of overall readiness to include training
• Mobilization dates should be set based on
  rotation date into theater
• Recommend minus 120 days for ILOC training (min
  90 days)
• Training in Kuwait is a pre-combat rehearsal not
  a substitute for initial, collective and
  unit-level proficiency training

12
Specific Issues from Commission 1What prevents
Reserve Component units from being fully trained
prior to mobilization?

• Personnel Turbulence Officer and Senior-Enlisted
  
• Approximately 40 shortfall of Officers upon
  mobilization
• Limited continuity
• Variety of experience levels and PME
• Equipment
• Material readiness forces un-realistic
  alternative solutions
• Equipment availability limits the ability to
  Train as you fight
• Time
• Travel time to/from training areas (1/3 Training
  vs 2/3 Admin/Travel/Etc)
• Training time (1-2 days) limits integrated
  battalion-level training within the full spectrum
  of operations
• Environment
• 4th Generation Warfare is complex
• Training must adapt to the assessment of enemy
  TTPs

13
Specific Issues from Commission 2How would
changing the 39 day training model effect this?

• Current 39 day period (24 Drill Days and 15 AT
  Days) is sufficient
• Acceptance of 4th GW/ ASW as the fight we are
  engaged in
• Quarterly drill periods would be progressive in
  nature and coincide with training continuum for
  OIF-OEF deployments
• Execute Annual Training overseas when available
  to maintain theater focus, global engagement and
  to exercise deployment process

14
Specific Issues from Commission 2How would
changing the 39 day training model effect this?

• 1st Quarter FY Main Effort - Block I skills
• Individual Mobilization Readiness and required
  skills
• Combat Marksmanship/Swim Qual, etc.
• 2nd Quarter FY Main Effort Block II Skills
• Individual Skills, theater specific
• 3rd Quarter FY Main Effort Block II Skills,
  Block IV Skills Introduction
• Individual Skills, theater specific
• Unit Skills, theater specific (introduction and
  PME)
• Annual Training Block IV Skills
• PME and mission rehearsal of Service Level
  Training
• 4th Quarter FY Main Effort Remediation
• Cmdr determination of remediation effort
• Family Readiness/Employer Readiness updates
• Ensure familiarity with next FY training plan

15
Specific Issues from Commission 2How would
changing the 39 day training model effect this?

• Recommendation for MARFORRES to establish a
  Asymmetric Warfare Center of Excellence (AWC of
  E)
• Similar to JRTC but units would rotate through
  for their AT, and would execute every other year,
  similar to the CAX program for 3rd GW excellence
  (not replace Service Certification Exercises
  JRTC, NTC or Mojave Viper)
• AWC of E available for Staff Training during
  Spring Quarter and prior to Annual Training
• Execution (6) of (9) Bns train at the AWC of E
  during a FY
• Following year focused on a 3rd GW skillset and
  AT

16
Specific Issues from Commission 2How would
changing the 39 day training model effect this?

• Employer and Family Support for this training
  concept
• Employer support hinges on tax breaks for
  sacrifice of employers serving in the Guard and
  Reserve
• Family support hinges on stability of knowing
  what is ahead
• Benefits reduction of age of retirement pay,
  increased use of Tri-Care and timely pay and
  benefits will increase family support
• Education of Service member, families and
  employers

17
Specific Issues from Commission 3Where was
time wasted in pre-activation training and
pre-deployment training and why?

• Pre-activation Training
• Travel time to/from training areas/facilities
• Individual skills training (language, culture,
  PME, etc) limitations
• Voluntary
• Pursue virtual (webcam) training to support
  participation
• Attendance of pre-activation Annual Training
• Student personnel
• Pre-deployment Training
• Travel due to limited facilities (specifically
  MOUT)
• Time was maximized at every turn
• Battalion worked 7 days/week averaging 14-18 hour
  days
• Leave period positively executed
• Provided for family time
• Prevented training burn-out

18
Specific Issues from Commission 4How could
this be prevented in the future?

• Pre-activation Training
• Increase training time at areas/facilities
• Maximize participation with combat support units
• Individual skills training (language, culture,
  PME, etc)
• Pursue virtual (webcam) training to support
  participation
• Re-design training concept
• Pre-deployment Training
• Provide training and support cadre
• Leverage 7 days/week training capability
• Reduce travel from ILOC to training sites
• Increase theater specific MOUT training
  infrastructure across DOD (support squad to BCT
  sized operations)
• Focus on regional mobilization support bases
• Joint Requirement Oversight Council Memorandum
  (JROCM) specifically cites the need for urban
  training areas (2004)

19
Questions

• POC
• Maj David S. Owen
• HQ, United States Special Operations Command,
  Chief, Trng Policy Branch, SOKF J7-T
• david.owen_at_socom.mil
• Phone
• 262-339-0744 (personal cell)
• 813-828-4780 (work // DSN 299-xxxx)