Putting the ‘C’ Back in BCT: Creating Change Agents Through Initiative

Fall 2024 Putting the ‘C’ Back in BCT: Creating Change Agents Through Initiative by COL Scott C. White and CSM Jonathan M. Duncan In a message to our Army team Oct. 26, 2023, GEN Randy A. George, the 41st Army Chief of Staff, reinforced that our enduring purpose as a force is to fight and win our nation’s wars. He further stated that to do this we must stay grounded and dedicate our energy in four focus areas: warfighting, deliver ing combat-ready formations, continu ous transformation, and strengthening the profession. As of 2022, basic combat training (BCT) lacked a focus on sustained ground combat and failed to prepare new Sol diers for large-scale combat operations (LSCO). It was challenging but concen trated on events rather than tactical-based training which better prepares new Soldiers to fight and survive on the modern battlefield. As the charac ter of war changes, so must our train ing strategies, leader development, and resulting culture. Change is a dif ficult process, as “it’s the way we have always done it” clouds the thoughts of some practitioners and creates road blocks. By giving subordinate elements and external entities significant initia tives to own, develop, and create solu tions for, change becomes less about the new idea from “them” and more about how “we” make things the abso lute best that they can be. Throughout 2023, the 193rd Infantry Brigade at Fort Jackson, SC, focused heavily on creating a warfighting mind set and culture within our trainees and cadre. This transition aligned with GEN George’s vision of bringing warfighting back to the forefront of our profession and was already in motion within Ini tial Military Training (IMT) when he be came the Army Chief of Staff. Due to the changing character of war, MG John D. Kline, commanding general (CG) of the U.S. Army’s Center for Ini tial Military Training (CIMT), envi sioned a BCT environment that im mersed cadre and trainees within a scenario-driven LSCO environment. This vision was further discussed with IMT senior leaders for several months before MG Jason E. Kelly, the CG of Army Training Center and Fort Jackson (ATCFJ), tasked the 193rd Infantry Bri gade to develop a BCT training concept that better prepared new Soldiers for LSCO. MG Kelly’s guidance focused on increasing individual survivability and ensuring the nation’s largest BCT en terprise was not only “Making Ameri can Soldiers” but “Making Our Ameri can Soldiers Better.” This evolution, en visioned by MG Kline, embraced by MG Kelly, and operationalized as Forge 2.5 by the 193rd Infantry Brigade, focused on warrior tasks and battle drills (with a primacy on marksmanship), tactical discipline, grit, physical fitness, and teamwork. This field training exercise (FTX) is executed within a 72-hour, sce nario-driven format and led by drill sergeants.1 We aimed to produce not just Soldiers but incredibly proud warfighters who were ready and able to be value added to our profession’s purpose, and ready to fight and win our nation’s wars. As recently attested to by a battalion command sergeant major in the 193rd, “We’re now running continuous oper ations in austere conditions, and you can almost see a company of light In fantrymen by the time we get them back to Hilton Field. They’re tired, dirty, hungry — and most importantly, proud of what they were able to ac complish during those 72 hours. I in clude our drill sergeants in that pool of people as well. You can clearly see the amount of pride they have during the Soldier Induction Ceremony when they’re slapping ‘Star’ patches on new Soldiers.” Forge 2.5 is not about a change to the program of instruction (POI). It’s about a change in mindset, through which we are creating a warfighting culture among trainees and cadre. Simply put, Forge 2.5 puts the “C” back in BCT! Refocus on warfighting The process within the 193rd Infantry Brigade began in early April 2023 with a brigade commander/command ser geant major (CSM) whiteboard session and the establishment of the Forge 2.5 operational planning team (OPT). This council was made up of senior drill ser geants from each of the five BCT bat talions in the brigade and led by a com pany commander from 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment. This group of experienced professionals met throughout that month, operating with initial guidance from the brigade com mander to embed a tactical focus, de fined as noise and light discipline, per sonal and positional camouflage, to-standard fighting positions, security, and situational awareness within the

CUI

SUPPORT

SCENARIO

LEADER DEVELOPMENT

FORGE 2.5 Lines of Effort TSC Package Validation Logistics Road to War

BCT

Execution

LTB

H2F

DSA

Establish Scenario

OPFOR

Package

LOE LEADS:

Logistics – BDE S4, CPT Turner H2F – 2-13, LTC Hargrove LPDs – 1-13, LTC Messenger LTB – 3-60, LTC Parker DSA – 3-60, CSM Kern Cadre Certification – 1-13, CSM Gudiel BRIC – 120th , LTC Boler / CSM Aquaowo Scenario – 2-60, LTC Bailey / CSM Henderson OPFOR – 3-13, LTC Hurdle

DESIRED STATE

1. LPD’s are LSCO focused. Exportable package to guide training throughout cycle. 2. Each company has standardized Cadre certification binders tracking progress and certification timeline. 3. Co CDR/1SG course and PCC discusses tactical duties and responsibility using Forge 2.5 overview. 4. The DSA curriculum supports tactical baseline knowledge and tactical leadership exposure. 5. BRIC incorporates tactical and RM classes. Refined FORGE 2.5 curriculum including scenario introduction.

DESIRED STATE

1. Established BDE standardized package and timeline. 2. H2F integrated into FTX preparation, execution, and recovery.

DESIRED STATE

1. Global/Enemy situation inject timeline and support package standardized by echelon. 2. Exportable synchronized plan for OPFOR manning and TASC equipment usage/set up.

BEGINNING STATE

1. No standardized scenario. 2. No standardized enemy threat. 3. No standardized plan for

OPFOR.

4. No standard order or plan for resource utilization.

BEGINING STATE

1. LPD’s are not LSCO focused. 2. Cadre certification is either not implemented and not standardized. 3. LTB does not integrate the Co CDR/1SG course and PCC.

BEGINING STATE

1. No standardized logistics package developed for BN/CO. 2. H2F disconnected form tactical portion of BCT. Figure 1. Forge 2.5 Lines of Effort. (U.S. Army graphic)

Fall 2024 Forge with drill sergeants, fulfilling the roles of squad leaders and platoon ser geants, leading trainees through. Bat talion staffs were to deploy to the field to establish tactical operations centers and perform their duties in a quasi-wartime manner. Every Forge iteration was to be evaluated utilizing training and evaluation outlines by a brigade-level evaluation team to enable contin ued refinement through each battal ion-level execution. The Forge was to remain 72 hours in duration and all POI tasks were to be completed, but signif icant work was needed to transition the existing event-driven administra tive exercise into a true tactical FTX built around a LSCO scenario. The OPT developed a viable plan and briefed it to the brigade commander and CSM on April 27, 2023. The impor tant work conducted by the OPT’s NCOs started to steer the aircraft car rier into the necessary direction. The first and second iterations of the tran sitional Forge were conducted by 2-13 Infantry and 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment from May 15-18 and July 10- 13, 2023, respectively. They were not without serious setbacks though; the most significant of which were the identification of structural shortcom ings within the brigade and a realiza tion of major deficiencies in the basic tactical knowledge of our cadre. We addressed these by developing lines of effort (LOEs) focused on increasing structural support to the battalions and the tactical competence of the cadre. The brigade executive officer led the staff in the development of three broad LOEs identified as essential in moving forward with the Forge 2.5 pro cess. (See Figure 1). The LOEs served two major roles: to push the brigade from current state to desired state and to design an improved Forge with input from as many stakeholders as possible, while using as many of our mission-en hancing resources as practical. This process, although cumbersome at times, gave every battalion within the brigade (as well as key stakeholders ex ternal to the brigade) an active role in the transformation process. The result of this approach was increased under standing, a sense of extreme owner ship, and a culture that encouraged and incentivized creativity and proac tive solutions. What began as the vi sion of the

CIMT

CG was operationalized with input from six battalions and many entities external to the brigade, and thus the initiative became transformational vice transac tional. As the brigade iterated through execu tions of the Forge with each battalion, the lack of an overarching LSCO-fo cused scenario proved to be problem atic. It prevented the creation of real ism and detracted from the purpose of the enhanced FTX. The U.S. Army Train ing and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) G-2 became the brigade’s main effort for enabling the achievement of train ing realism and scenario immersion. Coordination between the 2-60 Infan try command team and the TRADOC G-2 led to the development of an over arching global scenario, informed by the National Defense Strategy, that provided the operational framework, through the backdrop of a series of nine scenario injects that added train ing realism and tactical purpose to ev ery BCT event, starting with reception (see Figure 2). In addition to the important LSCO sce nario contributions, 2-60 Infantry de veloped the brigade’s overarching friendly situation and the battalion lin ear defense concept. This was not without debate within the brigade, but a standardized execution enabled a quicker organizational transition and provided for more accurate and consis tent evaluations. Henceforth, every 193rd unit conducting the Forge, ex cept for 3-60 Infantry, would establish a battalion linear defense. From the outset, MG Kelly was laser fo cused on ensuring the exportability of the Forge 2.5 concept. Out of the three major BCT installations (Fort Jackson; Fort Leonard Wood, MO; and Fort Sill, OK) only Fort Jackson operationalizes BCT at the battalion level. This makes Fort Jackson’s throughput much great er but also puts a battalion command er, CSM, and the requisite support staff on top of every Soldier’s initial military training experience. The differences between levels of command involved created some skepticism to this initia tive at first. The 3rd Battalion, 13th In fantry and 3-60 Infantry commanders conducted site surveys at Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Sill respectively to bet ter understand their operating condi tions and procedures. From their visits, the brigade acquired a wealth of knowledge that enabled them to meet the exportability intent. Accordingly, over the course of two BCT cycles, 3-60 Infantry developed and implemented a concept by which four companies op erated detached from the battalion throughout the execution of the Forge and its preparatory tactical FTXs. This important initiative proved the support received by the battalion headquarters could be provided at echelon by the company, and that the level of com mand in control of the exercise had no measurable impact on the focus, train ing value, or supportability of Forge 2.5. The 120th Adjutant General (AG) Battal ion is charged with receiving and inprocessing upwards of 30,000 civilians annually who are destined for both the 193rd and 165th Infantry Brigades. Un der the legacy BCT culture, the 120th AG was where Fort Jackson welcomed civilians into the Army. As the Figure 2 - Overview of Forge 2.5 scenario injects. (U.S. Army graphic)

Fall 2024 warfighting culture within BCT began to take root and develop, the battalion identified an opportunity to introduce the newly arrived civilians into the con cept of scenario-based training, begin the LSCO scenario immersion, and more appropriately welcome these new trainees into their future warfighting profession. Scenario injects, battle-focused discussions, and physical train ing were easily threaded into the stan dard reception tasks to immediately provide a stronger sense of purpose and increased excitement and pride about what these trainees had com mitted to accomplish during the next 10 weeks. While working to transform how we welcome civilians into our warfighting profession, the 120th AG also refocused the brigade’s permanent party onboarding mechanism, the Bayonet Re ception and Integration Course (BRIC). It took a multi-day event that served as an administrative onboarding of new cadre members and completely revised it by adding blocks of instruction on ri fle marksmanship, holistic health and fitness (H2F), and the Forge 2.5 scenar io and expectations. This effort, cou pled with the refined reception initia tive, began to plant the warfighting mindset in trainees and cadre before even arriving to BCT. The 120th’s renewed focus on onboarding warfighters created a desire to re visit our standardized handoff mecha nism — structured and disciplined pickup. The handoff between recep tion and the BCT battalions has morphed through the years, but the standard at ATCFJ developed into an extremely professional event focused on Army and unit history, discipline, and Army Combat Fitness Test demon strations. With the newly found em phasis on warfighting, this event again changed, but this time with the addi tion of instilling our Army’s warfighting purpose. The Army and unit histories were maintained as a means of ensur ing ongoing education on the impor tant feats accomplished by those who had previously filled the ranks of BCT, while also applying these important lessons learned to the present and connecting the new crop of trainees to the Army’s future. Adding a LSCO-driv en scenario into the disciplined pickup affords drill sergeants an early opportunity to introduce the unit’s his tory and lead trainees through physi cally demanding tactical tasks. The ear ly inculcation enables their absolute connection to the Army’s past and fu ture. Through the introduction to the tactical scenario and our warfighting profession in reception, built upon through a refined structured and disci plined pickup, and then codified throughout BCT, realism, purpose, and pride emerged to replace anxiety and confusion. As in any tactical FTX, the presence and realistic use of opposing forces (OPFORs) within Forge 2.5 became essen tial. The enemy concept, created by the TRADOC G-2, called for a Southeast Asia-focused threat situation with a fic titious country named Olvana. With the assistance of the Fort Jackson Training Support Center (TSC), 3-13 In fantry developed and sourced a com plete package of OPFOR support items: tiger stripe uniforms, pneumatic guns, improvised explosive device (IED) sim ulators, and a full complement of Ka lashnikov assault rifles (AK-47s), Sovi et-type light machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. With the equipment packages sourced and built, the team developed what became the brigade’s tactics, techniques, and pro cedures (TTPs) for OPFOR utilization, including element size, where they are sourced from, tactical control, scenar io control, and day-by-day OPFOR mis sion sets to ensure the training objec tives were achieved. Scenario immer sion was further solidified by 3-13 In fantry’s creation of more than 20 World War II-inspired propaganda posters. These were devised and de signed by the battalion, produced by TSC at Fort Eustis, VA, and posted around the BCT battalion and company areas on Fort Jackson to immerse train ees in a realistic and well-sourced sce nario that provides added benefit to, and purpose for, every training event within BCT. Strengthening the profession The quest to better prepare our cadre focused internally through the devel opment of a LSCO-focused leader pro fessional development (LPD) program, led by 1-13 Infantry. They developed a holistic plan that progressed weekly throughout cycle reset and the weeks of BCT leading up to the Forge. This LPD plan provided cadre the education necessary to break the mold produced by 20 years of the global war on terror ism (GWOT). It enabled them to think and act in preparation for the next war instead of being anchored to the les sons learned from the GWOT. Simulta neously, 1-13 Infantry worked diligent ly to identify the key tasks that were imperative for cadre to master. This re sulted in the creation of a certification process that succeeded in enabling all cadre, no matter their military occupa tional specialty (MOS), to embody competence and confidence as tactical leaders. Although the leadership within the bri gade developed effective solutions to the immediate concerns uncovered from our initial iterations of Forge 2.5, lasting change would require educa tion of new cadre members before they were to fill their important roles within BCT. LPDs and cadre certifica tion were enough to get us back on track, but foundational change in our future cadre, instituted through the Leader Training Brigade (LTB) and the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy (US ADSA), was necessary to create the “competence to be confident” across every IMT installation. These efforts were spearheaded by 3-60 Infantry. Drill sergeants are masters of training the POI and have been finely honed by the USADSA to expertly train basic Sol dier skills. However, without a focus on tactical leadership and survivability in LSCO, we had asked our drill sergeants (and company command teams) to en ter a realm where they weren’t com petent enough to be confident. There existed a grave delta between what our cadre knew and understood about tactical leadership and where we were demanding that they go during Forge 2.5. Tactical leadership across the cad re spectrum was integral to bringing realism and relevance into training, and the brigade’s initial Forge 2.5 iter ations uncovered a need for significant cadre investment. The 3-60 Infantry worked hard refining and establishing the means to fully prepare the battalion’s cadre to excel as tactical drill sergeants (as squad

Fall 2024 leaders and platoon sergeants leading trainees in simulated combat). Their experiences were enthusiastically re ceived by the USADSA. With 3-60 In fantry’s assistance, USADSA staff mem bers immediately identified where they could evolve training and educa tion to produce not only a better drill sergeant but a better NCO who was ready to lead trainees in a tactical en vironment. Similarly, 3-60 Infantry Sol diers worked with LTB to investigate their portfolio and identify where they could assist with the endeavor. LTB’s offerings, the TRADOC Company Com mander and First Sergeant courses and the TRADOC Pre-Command Course, provided other essential venues to ed ucate and market the growing tactical focus in BCT. LTB developed and refined blocks of in struction to better prepare incoming command teams for the new training environment. The efforts with the US ADSA and LTB, led by 3-60 Infantry, re sulted in institutional change that en sured cadre and leader training evolved at pace with the changing character of war. H2F is a powerful weapon in the Sol dier’s arsenal, the application of which makes them the absolute best versions of themselves possible. As the brigade sought to create irreversible change in the mindset of those within the unit, it became apparent that cadre/trainee investment in each of the five H2F do mains (Mental, Sleep, Nutritional, Physical, and Spiritual) was necessary to reach peak performance due to the stress created by 72 hours of simulat ed combat. Not only would this pre pare them for Forge 2.5 and empower them throughout execution, it would also facilitate post-execution recovery. The 2-13 Infantry, in conjunction with the 193rd’s H2F Team, led the operation alization of H2F as a mission-enhancing element of our Forge 2.5 transition. This effort started by immersing our H2F team within the BCT environment throughout the cycle, while simultane ously instituting full five-domain as sessments on the brigade’s entire cad re population. The assessments edu cated cadre on their performance blind spots, while the immersion enabled the H2F team to assess the physical and mental demands on both trainees and BCT cadre. Once the subject mat ter experts understood the stressors on both cadre and trainees, they were able to devise a training strategy to in crease performance, not just in Forge 2.5 but throughout BCT (see Figure 4). This led to many supporting H2F initia tives, all geared towards increasing in dividual and collective performance, developing a strong sense of a warfighting purpose, increasing confidence through competence, and strengthen ing the sense of team at every echelon. Continuous transformation After nearly nine months and almost 15 iterations of Forge 2.5, the 193rd In fantry Brigade had achieved a com plete transition. Throughout the pro cess, leaders at every echelon within the brigade laid a substantial founda tion of tactical knowledge and capabil ity within their cadre. The combination of the BRIC, LPDs, cadre certification, and USADSA and LTB instructional modifications, assess ments, and battalion/company-level training improvements laid the ground work for the added complexity that was necessary to complete the LSCO-focused transition and incorporate les sons learned from the ongoing war in Imagery Objective: Similar to the way dynamic stretching primes your nerves and muscles for exercise, performance imagery primes your brain to be ready for mental challenges. Performance imagery rehearses every step of a task, including reactions to potential obstacles. This preventive action can increase confidence and improve outcomes in a performance. Skill: Imagery Apply: Try this for RM: I look at my target. I am confident and in control. Range operator gives the command. I load the magazine, switch from safe to semi, and take a deep breath. I align my target and breathe in, exhale, hold, and deliberately, smoothly squeeze the trigger.” Grasp the Thorns Objective: Increase Ability to Endure Emotional Pain and Disappointment. Improved Spiritual Coping Skills and Soldier Perception of Emotional Pain Reduced. Skill: Coping Strategy Apply: FORGE week. This is the Super Bow, the World Series… the “fill in the blank sports metaphor” of Basic Combat Training. Everything you’ve trained up until this point will be tested this week. There’s a good chance that this week will be your hardest yet. With trials or hardships, you can build endurance and perspective. Paul, an Apostle in the New Testament counseled us to, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Spend time this week during your ruck, or the STX lanes, or the night infiltration course thinking about how trials have strengthened you.

HOLISTIC HEALTH AND FITNESS

Blue Phas e: FORGE 2.5 Sleep Facts Objective: Sleep is so important to performance. Researchers found that 5 nights with less than 5 hours of sleep creates a 20% cognitive deficiency; the equivalent of a 0.08 blood alcohol level (5 alcoholic drinks in a 180 lb. male). Skill: Sleep Apply: Whenever you are offered the opportunity, take advantage of sleep. Don’t stay up at night talking, your performance will suffer. Nutrition Objective: Ensure proper fueling during physical demanding tasks, such as foot marches or FTX Skill: Increase energy intake through Modular Operation Ration Enhancement

(MORE)

Educate: MOREs are used for fueling between meals, offering energy + electrolytes. • Before: caffeinated/carbohydrate-containing items: pudding, First Strike Bar, carb-electrolyte beverage. • During: carbohydrate-containing foods sustain us: dried fruit, First Strike Bar, applesauce, carb-electrolyte beverage. • After: protein, carbs and fats replenish the body: fruit & nut mix, toasted corn kernels, filled pretzels, nuts. Injury Prevention Objective: Reduce likelihood of overuse injuries during week eight of BCT Skill: World's Greatest Stretch: Hold positions A, B, C, and D as pictured below for a period of 10 seconds each for 3 total repetitions. Alternate legs and repeat. Apply: When you have down time or used as an activation technique during warmup prior to running or marching. Figure 4. This H2F smart card focuses on enabling top tier performance throughout the execution of Forge 2.5. A simi lar card was developed for preparation during each preceding week of BCT. (U.S. Army)

Fall 2024 Ukraine such as the use of small un manned aerial systems (sUAS). Since their first usage in the GWOT, sUAS have continued to become ever more present throughout global con flicts. From Syria to Ukraine, sUAS have proven to be a normal aspect of mod ern warfare, and with that, they have reinforced the need for the basic tacti cal skills that Forge 2.5 produces as part of the foundation of our warfighters. The inclusion of sUAS in BCT pro vided a means by which cadre could train and reinforce foundational tacti cal skills, using real-world threat sce narios to provide the “why” behind tasks inherent to individual survival on the modern battlefield. Reacting to sUAS is as important to the individual Soldier today as the GWOT’s signature “5s & 25s” were to individual avoid ance of IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 193rd’s quest for realism and rele vance through the inclusion of sUAS began with cross talking and visits with the 197th and 198th Infantry Brigades, as well as cadre from the U.S. Army Sniper Course, all under the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Moore, GA. The 197th and 198th conduct Infan try One Station Unit Training (OSUT) and have spearheaded sUAS usage within their training evolutions for al most a year. The OSUT brigades shared valuable lessons learned with refer ence to gaining approval for sUAS in the airspace, training of operators, and the implementation of sUAS in train ing. Additionally, they developed and implemented the first react to sUAS battle drill for usage in OSUT, which sparked further refinement and devel opment for usage at BCT. Furthermore, they trained and certified ATCFJ’s first operators (one from each brigade). The U.S. Army Sniper School assisted 193rd leadership with understanding how best to defeat detection through the application of basic tactical skills, such as personal and positional camouflage, noise and light discipline, cover/concealment, situational awareness, secu rity, and proper tactical movement (all important basic tasks to be trained in

BCT).

Open-source lessons learned from Ukraine illustrate sUAS being used pri marily in two ways: to identify adver sary formations and to drop munitions or spot for artillery. The 193rd’s use of sUAS within Forge 2.5 followed these two tactical applications, and hence, our mitigation techniques focused to wards diminishing a sUAS’s ability to identify forces to target. This was con ducted primarily through reinforcing the foundational tactical standards called for initially in Forge 2.5: noise and light discipline, personal and posi tional camouflage, to-standard fighting positions (including overhead conceal ment), security, and situational aware ness (SA). The brigade developed two reactions to sUAS that were passive in nature, did not call for engaging the platforms, and required no specialized equipment or skills. These reactions address the types of sUAS contact in the individual Soldier task framework that is essential in BCT (see Figure 5). In a defensive scenario, the emphasis was put on overhead concealment us ing natural vegetation. While patrolling or stationary in the open, vertically aligning oneself against a tree trunk enabled the usage of the tree’s branch es to conceal the Soldier from obser vation. While “seeking cover” often times involves laying prone, in a sUAS scenario a horizontal body is much eas ier to observe from the air than a ver tical one. Delivering combat ready Soldiers for modern war By incorporating a LSCO scenario and continuous tactical operations, the Forge became purposeful, realistic, and more challenging; ensured a firm er foundation of basic skills within our trainees; and empowered our cadre and staffs to develop as leaders. By fo cusing on the foundational tactical skills of noise and light discipline, per sonal and positional camouflage, to-standard fighting positions, security, and situational awareness (including SA of aerial threats), it creates an en try-level Soldier with the skills inherent to survive on the modern battlefield. As the process began, it was evident that change within a TRADOC BCT bri gade materialized like the turn of an aircraft carrier. But serious change needed to happen, and it needed to take place on a compressed timeline much more like the turn of a speed boat. Every BCT cycle that graduated before we could accomplish it was an other 800-1,200 new Soldiers who were not prepared for the wars that might lie ahead. They would be disci plined and fit yet would lack the tacti cal foundation necessary to survive in LSCO. A team comprised of these Sol diers would be sub-optimal on the modern battlefield, regardless of their combat mission. As illustrated throughout the preced ing text, creating a warfighting mindset in BCT was a whole of brigade effort. Every battalion had an essential piece of the initiative. Change started with guidance from a few but was planned for, refined, and operationalized by a brigade staff, six incredibly talented battalion command teams and their re spective formations, as well as a few Figure 5. sUAS photos of trainees during exercise Forge 2.5. (U.S. Army)

Fall 2024 key external stake holders (USADSA,

LTB, TSC).

These types of initiatives are difficult and not without resistance from cadre who operated under the antiquated and process-driven FTXs. A clear vision and initiative ownership at the lowest echelons are essential to transforma tional change, both increasing relevan cies now and in the future. This pro cess has created incredibly proud warfighters who are ready, able, and capa ble of taking on the responsibility of our Profession of Arms to fight and win our nation’s wars. At the time this article was written, COL Scott C. White served as the com mander of the 193rd Infantry Brigade at Fort Jackson, SC. He currently serves as the U.S. Army Special Operations Com mand G-3. His former assignments in clude serving as the assistant chief of staff, G-3 for the U.S. Army John F. Ken nedy Special Warfare Center and School; commander of 6th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Air borne); operations officer for 2nd Bat talion, 3rd Special Forces Group (A); commander of Delta Company, 2nd Bat talion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (A); and commander of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (A). COL White’s military schools include the Infantry Officer Ba sic Course, Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Static Line Jumpmaster Course, Military Freefall Course, Military Freefall Jumpmaster Course, Military Tan dem and Tethered Bundle Course, Spe cial Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis and Exploitation Tech niques Course, Special Forces Sniper Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, Intermediate Level Educa tion/ Advanced Operations Warfighting Course, and SSC. He holds a mas ter’s of science degree in defense analysis/irregular warfare from the Naval Post Graduate School, a master’s de gree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College and a bachelor’s of arts degree in political science from The Citadel. CSM Jonathan M. Duncan is the com mand sergeant major of the 193rd In fantry Brigade. His former assignments include command sergeant major of 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment; op erations sergeant major in 1st Battal ion, 6th Infantry Regiment; operations sergeant major in 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment; first sergeant of Iron Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regi ment; and first sergeant of Headquar ters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment. CSM Duncan’s military schools include Com bat Lifesavers Course, Basic Leaders Course, Army Combatives Level 1 Course, Advanced Leaders Course, Pathfinder Course, U.S. Army Recon naissance and Surveillance Leaders Course, Battle Staff Course, Senior Leader Course, Mechanized Leader M2A3 Course, Air Assault Course, Stryker Brigade Combat Leader Course, Company Commander / First Sergeant Course, Master Resilience Training Course, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, Battalion Pre-Command/ Command Sergeant Major Course, Command Sergeant Major Develop ment Program Follow-On Battalion, TRADOC Brigade/Battalion Command er Sergeant Major Pre-Command Course, and the Command Sergeant Major Development Program Follow-On Brigade. He holds a master’s of sci ence degree in human resources and organization development from the University of Louisville, a bachelor’s of science degree in organizational lead ership from the University of Louisville, Figure 6. Soldiers in training from the 193rd Infantry Brigade occupy a fighting position at Fort Jackson, SC. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment).

Fall 2024 and associates degree in liberal arts from Barton County Community Col lege. Notes 1 Emphasis added to highlight a major shift in how drill sergeants operate. A key aspect of this warfighting focus is drill sergeants leading as squad lead ers and platoon sergeants. As they transition from trainers to leaders, they show trainees true NCO leader ship and what it can accomplish. Acronym Quick-Scan AG – adjutant general ATCFJ – Army Training Center and Fort Jackson BCT – basic combat training BRIC – Bayonet Reception and Integration Course CG – commanding general CIMT – Center for Initial Military Training CSM – command sergeant major FTX – field training exercise GWOT – global war on terrorism H2F – holistic health and fitness IED – improvised explosive device IMT – initial military training LPD – leader professional development LSCO – large-scale combat operations LTB – Leader Training Brigade OPFOR – opposing force OPT – operational planning team OSUT – One Station Unit Training POI – program of instruction SA – situational awareness sUAS – small unmanned aerial system TRADOC – U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command TSC – Training Support Center USADSA – U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy

Fall 2024 X From the ARMOR art archive: “Lessons from OIF”