METT-T to METT-TC ... the transition

[TheCurmudgeon]

Does anyone remember when, and more importantly, why, the Army transitioned from METT-T to METT-TC. I remember that it changed but I do not know what caused the change.

Thanks

[Starbuck]

I think I recall this occurring in either the late 90s or very early 00's...before 9/11 actually. I think it was spurred on by peacekeeping missions in the Balkans.

[TheCurmudgeon]

Seems the change was in the FM 5 about the late nighties. Looking to see if I have an older version of that document. I was hoping that someone here was familiar with the internal gestation that accompanied the change.

I recall that prior to that civilians were not even considered. It was us and the USSR maneuvering across Europe in large armored formations in the open fields and wood lines. Civilians were not part of the equation.

That fantasy was shattered with the fall of the Soviet Union combined with the peacekeeping mission in the Balkans. I am just curious if anyone has a bit of a back-story on it.

[Fuchs]

I think I've read it in context of Bosnia and IFOR/SFOR.

FM7-98 of Oct 1992: "METT-TC" not included ("METT-T" is included)
FM 8-42 of Oct 1997: "METT-TC" not included ("METT-T" is included)

FM 34-8-2 of May 1998:"METT-TC" on page 2-8
FM 3-0 of June 2001: "METT-TC" on page 3-8

So I basically pinned the change down to the months of Nov 97-May 98 assuming that TRADOC was consistent in the change.
There's no motivation to dig for a more accurate timing. :)


@TheCurmudgeon:
What FM 5? A FM 100-5 came out in '93 (with METT-T) and I suppose not in another version in the late 90's. The FM 5-x series is about very specialised engineer stuff. Bridging, Sewerage (incredible there's a FM for that !?) and the likes.

[Fuchs]

As I'm already at it: FM 5-420 "Plumbing and Pipefitting"

Dunno how the Bundeswehr does business in this regard, but I think it's no wonder former soldiers have difficulties finding a regular civilian job if the military insists on having a FM even for things such as these.

Give them civilian training materials, let them pass some civilian standard tests for the profession, save personnel costs on authors for field manual spam!

[TheCurmudgeon]

Fuchs, thanks. Moat of my stuff from that era got tossed out three PCS's ago.

As for the pipe fitting stuff, I must confess I am an Army Engineer, which means I know nothing about engineering (criminal justice and law degree) but the Army made me one sooooo... I look stuff up in these manuals and pretend I know what I am doing.

We should work toward applying civilian standards. I think they started down that path with the new 91W medics. We seem willing to apply civilian business models to our leadership, maybe we should apply them to our enlisted too.

Again, thanks.

I still wish I knew the history of the "why" the change was made. :confused: