Traditional reading for the U.S. Army Engineer School has progressed from pages to online digits with the introduction of the Engineer Regiment's Resource Menu.
The ERRM is a digital compilation of self development materials tailored specifically for the self-development and personal knowledge of the Regiment's Soldiers, noncommissioned officers, officers and Department of the Army civilian workforce.
Data from engineer NCO and officer courses' end-of-course surveys indicated that the majority of company grade engineer officers dedicated relatively little time for professional reading. The numbers were slightly less for NCOs.
Rather than assuming the numbers meant engineer NCO and officers were not dedicated to self-development, the Regiment's training directorate formed a committee to look deeper into the situation.
"I came to the realization that maybe reading in the traditional way was not the chief means through which younger Soldiers and the Millenial Generation learned," said Col. Jason Smallfield, Engineer Regiment director of training.
An exploratory committee was formed in March of this year, an initial presentation fine-tuned and presented to the Regiment's senior leadership. With approval, ERRM became available in May to explore and join.
The resource menu, based on guiding principles or organizing thoughts, includes not only books and magazines, but also movies, lectures, studies and videos.
"While certain books appearing on professional reading lists may take a week or more of dedicated reading time, a movie or video could transmit the information in two or fewer hours," Smallfield.
"That resource could prove to be all the NCO or officer needs at the time, or it could spark his or her interest to read additional books or periodical articles about the particular topic," Smallfield added.
The ERRM provides the opportunity for Engineer professionals, of all grades and career levels, to collaborate with one another, to discuss topics or answer questions.
Additionally, because it is the Engineer Regiment's, participants have the opportunity to evaluate the suggested resources, suggest better or additional resources to support the organizing principles, and to recommend which resources should be deleted.
"In effect, they become the driving force that shapes the ERRM for future Engineer Soldiers and civilians," Smallfield said.
Whereas the traditional reading list tends to be an independent effort to stimulate reflection and thought, the ERRM is a true paradigm shift, able to link self development with organizational learning (occurring at the unit level) and institutional learning (for example, formal Army courses).
The ERRM is hosted in the Milbook repository at www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/usaes-commandant-resource-menu. It is available to all who have a common access card or a CAC-enabled computer.
(Editor's note: Greer is a training developer with U.S. Army Engineer School's Directorate of Training and Leader Development.)
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