Update on Revisions to Army's FM 7-0

By TRADOC for STAND-TO!April 13, 2010

Update on Revisions to Army's FM 7-0

What is it'

FM 7-0 Training for Full Spectrum Operations is the keystone doctrine on Army training. It provides Soldiers, DA civilians and their leaders with fundamentals for how to train units and develop leaders to improve readiness for deployments on a rotational cycle.

What has the Army done'

The December 2008 version of FM 7-0 discussed training in a post-9/11 world and the need to train units for full-spectrum operations (offense, defense, and stability or civil support operations) in any operational environment, anywhere along the spectrum of conflict. It also introduced core mission essential task lists (CMETLs) and directed mission essential task lists (DMETLs), and emphasized the importance of the "commanders' dialog" in the training process. The Army Training Network, especially ATN's Training Management How-To feature, replaced FM 7-1 Battle-Focused Training.

However, too many people were confusing CMETL with major combat operations and DMETL with irregular warfare. The manual also indicated the training environment would tend to replicate either MCO or IW conditions rather than reflect the reality of a hybrid threat (a mix of conventional, irregular, terrorist and criminal elements). Also, the manual did not clearly reinforce the FM 3-0 Operations concept that offense, defense and stability or civil support ops will occur simultaneously and throughout the spectrum of conflict. Therefore, the Chief of Staff, Army, directed TRADOC to revise FM 7-0 to provide a single METL concept, based on full spectrum operations (FSO METL), better address complex threats and simplify the training management process.

What does the Army have planned'

The TRADOC FM 7-0 writing team (Combined Arms Center-Training's Collective Training Directorate) released an FM 7-0 draft in December 2009. The intent is to publish an updated FM 7-0 draft by May and release it at the Fall AUSA Conference. In addition to incorporating FSO METL, the new manual:

(1) Updates the importance of training against complex threats.

(2) Harnesses the power of the Internet to integrate FM and Army Training Network capabilities.

(3) Introduces the principle: Train Fundamentals First.

(4) Describes the Training Management Process in more general terms, rather than as a prescribed step-by-step process.

(5) Clarifies commander roles and responsibilities in the modular force.

(6) More clearly integrates training management and ARFORGEN.

Why is this important to the Army'

As AFORGEN and the modular force mature, FM 7-0 remains the basis for training ready forces and enabling and developing leaders to manage training effectively and efficiently.

Resources:

<a href="https://atn.army.mil" target="_blank">Army Training Network</a>

<a href="http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CTD/ " target="_blank"> Army Collective Training Directorate Web page</a>

Requires AKO login:

<a href="https://atn.army.mil/Media/docs/FM 7-0 Info Paper (111092009).pdf" target="_blank">FM 7-0 Information Paper</a>

<a href="https://atn.army.mil/Media/docs/Revised DRAFT FM 7-0 Summary of Changes.pdf" target="_blank"> Revised FM 7-0 Summary of Changes</a>

<a href="https://atn.army.mil/blog/default.aspx" target="_blank">FM 7-0 Revision Update (ATN Blog)</a>