Commanders 'share' and 'steal' ideas

Senior leaders from across the military came together at Fort Jackson this week to discuss issues that concern them all -- addressing sexual assault, including women in combat.

The gathering was the third annual meeting of the Council on Recruit and Basic Training, comprising more than 25 representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Department of Defense. The council was the first to be held on an Army post.

"This forum gives us the opportunity to share ideas willingly and steal ideas shamelessly," said Maj. Gen.

Anthony Funkhouser, commanding general of the Center for Initial Military Training.

In his position as conference host, Fort Jackson commander Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier welcomed the conference to the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy.

"We think we have a good model, and we deal with all the issues (other services) deal with," he said. "We're very, very interested in what you guys do, what we can share and what we can learn from each other."

The topic of sexual assault was first on the agenda.

"We're all in this together, and this is an opportunity to bring a forum together to address issues -- in particular, sexual harassment and assault," Funkhouser said.

Maj. Gen. Camille M. Nichols, DOD director of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, briefed the group on the latest guidance and information on sexual assault across the services.

Active and passionate discussions on what each service does to prevent and respond to sexual assault followed.

"The other challenge were dealing with right now is the opening of combat arms to females -- not that it's a challenge, but we're trying to do it right," Funkhouser said.

The Army is working to identify specific physical standards for the four combat military occupation specialties -- artillery and engineer, currently open to females, as well as infantry and armor, which will be opened to them.

After lunch, the group toured men's and women's barracks at the 3rd Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment.

Drill sergeant Sean M. Rodman, a staff sergeant, answered questions about issues and behaviors among the privates in Basic Combat Training, saying the battalion often relied on their reports to maintain order and safety.

"Privates tell on each other because they want to do the right thing, not because they are tattletales," he said.

The emphasis, he said, is on maintaining a "separate and secure" environment for Soldiers of both sexes.

The Army struggles to find enough female drill sergeants as the number of female recruits increases, Funkhouser said.

"It has a significant impact on us -- physical-training standards, facilities and other things that would impact our organization."

One transgender Guardsman has undergone Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, Cloutier said. The Soldier was "very discreet" and required "very little accommodation," he said.

On Wednesday, the group focused on physical standards, mental health conditions, recruit records and attrition.

"Challenging us every day is attrition," Funkhouser said. "We have about a 30 (percent) to 33 percent attrition rate in the first three years, all for different reasons.

"We're trying to figure out ways to reduce attrition (and) get higher-quality folks that we know would stay in the Army. That's a challenge."

The Army, to include the National Guard and Reserves, pushes 140,000 to 160,000 people through initial military training every year.

At Fort Jackson, 65,000 complete some type of training -- 45,000 of them, Basic Combat Training. Fort Jackson trains 54 percent of basic trainees and 61 percent of women who join the Army.

Council representatives also discussed Army plans to give a standard Occupational Physical Assessment Test to potential enlistees, as well as extending basic training.

The council will meet again next year to assess changes implemented after this year's discussions, and to seek ways to handle ever-present challenges.

The Air Force welcomed the first rotating conference to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Last year, conferees visited the Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois.

Next year, the Coast Guard will be conference host.