TRADOC Losing Its Edge?

[Cole]

If TRADOC has responsibility for training and leader development, then that is a problem.

"Taking a knee" generally refers to taking a breather. "Tapping out" would be the proper phrase for quitting. I don't know how it can be considered a "put down" to consider a non-operational assignment to be "taking a knee." It's just an acknowledgment that the tempo in operational assignments is far more intense than a non-deployable position.

Several points:

* Many Soldiers have earned "taking a knee" given repeated combat deployments in austere and dangerous conditions away from their families
* Using TRADOC contractors frees Soldiers for resetting TOE units so their expertise is best applied in units preparing for combat while still "taking a knee" stateside with their families
* TRADOC contractors are a necessity because the Army deploys more often and for longer durations than any other service...which might, IMO, indicate an unbalanced distribution of service personnel if some branches can deploy 4-7 months while the Army is deploying 12-15 months....with a year break in between.
* TRADOC contractors often are less expensive than military personnel and develop writing and research expertise that are lost when Soldiers learn a TRADOC job and then leave it
* TRADOC contractors provide institutional memory without the cost of extra permanent civil service personnel who we complement by working programs for several years and then moving on to other programs without the billet still being there

As part of an Army-contractor team, for the past 8 years I have written doctrine, worked FCS task analysis and training, and currently we are conducting doctrine and tactics training for a new Army system. The Army is getting it's money's worth from company team members who work TRADOC-related jobs, just as it does for our company's government and private sector clients. Our extensive experience working for TRADOC coupled with past military experience, gives us some unique capabilities and perspectives.

True military personnel could do the same thing, but some of the drudgery associated with technical requirements for doctrine writing and lesson plan development are the intellectual equivalent of KP. We long ago decided contractors could accomplish KP and other dull work to spare Soldiers from such duties. It's all the worse if Soldiers perform such dull duties and it does not help their careers much in the process.

[Schmedlap]

Just to be clear, I wasn't concerned about civilian contractors in TRADOC. My concern is that TRADOC (regardless of whom it is composed of) is purported to have "responsibility for training and leader development." That is the job of the chain of command within units, not the faculty at some place where we send people on TDY. Yeah, I get it, OBC, Career Cource, CGSC, etc. Basically "here's a course in the stuff that you learned in your last duty assignment - you should have done it this way. Oh and here's an introduction to some other new thing. Enjoy the weekend."

[Steve Blair]

Just to be clear, I wasn't concerned about civilian contractors in TRADOC. My concern is that TRADOC (regardless of whom it is composed of) is purported to have "responsibility for training and leader development." That is the job of the chain of command within units, not the faculty at some place where we send people on TDY. Yeah, I get it, OBC, Career Cource, CGSC, etc. Basically "here's a course in the stuff that you learned in your last duty assignment - you should have done it this way. Oh and here's an introduction to some other new thing. Enjoy the weekend."

But until we get stable unit chains of command (regimental-type system, anyone?) I don't think you're going to see this happen. One of the unfortunate results of the massive rotation system is the need for external education programs, since you can't necessarily count on a stable chain of command to pass along lessons and educate new leaders on the way of doing things. It also might come from the compulsive desire for "standard solutions."

IMO, anyhow.