The FORSCOM pre-deployment training "guidance" is near criminal. It's a CYA document that continues the shameful practice of stripping command authority, personal expertise and command responsibility so the higher command can have a physical document handy that acts as a get out of jail free card in case a unit gets mauled in theater.

FM 7-0 is another waste of trees, similar to FM 3-0 and FM 3-24. A few good points, mostly filler.

The entire issue with training comes down to two very simple problems and I don't have any great solutions at the ready:
1. Training management is a dying if not dead art. A good friend of mine in my CGSC small group and I have talked this to death. LT's and Junior NCO's have no concept of training management any longer, and it's going to bite us in the ass sooner rather than later. We're so focused on deployment related training and activities because of ARFORGEN that we often disguise or conviently gloss over certain training. It does not help with the FORSCOM pre-deployment training guidance being so broad and forceful at the same time.

2. There is not enough time to train on both COIN and conventional tasks in this environment. BRAC is also going to accentuate this problem by jamming more units into mega-bases with finite ranges, training areas and simulators. The personnel system also ensures mediocrity when the last fills for your upcoming deployment walk in the door with 45 days left on the clock. There is simply too much to do, with too little time and people to become masters of all training tasks. It might change in the future when the OPTEMPO reduces, but I doubt it. We'll continue to try and meet unrealistic training goals, and we'll half ass our way to being mediocre and hope that no major problems occur on our deployments.

Just like we're continuing to relearn lessons from Vietnam, we will have to relearn such basics of training management when the OPTEMPO decreases.