Sill leaders synchronize installation priorities

The Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill stakeholders took an active role in developing the way ahead. During the first Installation Planning Board (IPB) in two years, stakeholders from across post gave insight Oct. 27 into their current organizational needs and synchronized the focus of Fort Sill’s future.

Vince Grewatz, Installation Management Command-Training director, attended the IPB. While he shared that energy will be the focus at some point in the future, he emphasized the group’s efforts in ensuring priorities are nested is the focus now.

“If this is your first IPB, don’t leave here without understanding how you fit in the plan. It is critically important for us to align resources as an installation,” said Grewatz.

Col. Rhett Taylor, Fort Sill Garrison commander, led the IPB and discussed progress that was made under past priorities, such as the stewardship of facilities, infrastructure, and services.

An example was Fort Sill’s Department of Public Works completing numerous projects to include the new Treadwell Tower and a new Basic Combat Training starship, while also repairing 210 buildings in 60 days from severe weather.

“FY21 was an interesting year. You all survived Winter Storm Uri. Five other installations were hit with the same ferocity as Sill, but I don’t think I saw an installation recover better,” said Grewatz.

Fort Sill’s Family Morale Welfare and Recreation also followed through with their part of the integrated priorities by continuing to offer services and childcare during COVID-19.

Facility Installation Priority

The process to resource what is needed has changed. Now called Facility Installation Priority, Grewatz explained how critical it is to not only show numbers, but the effects those numbers have on an organization.

“That kind of frank discussion helps us,” said Darin Pemberton, Plans Analysis Integration plans officer. “He let us know that framing our resource request from the perspective of risk to mission accomplishment is the best way to get the attention of those that can help.”

Grewatz stated that while projecting future goals is a challenge, providing input in tools like the Needs Assessment helps.

Grewatz added one final note to the IPB.

“In [Fiscal Year 22] I would like to see us improve in terms of both partnering and transparency. By transparency I mean allowing us to share the best practices and successes of this installation with the rest of the Army. I think that’s our obligation within Installation Management community — to not let you succeed in isolation, but to let us amplify and share best practices from each installation.”

Grewatz spent three days at Fort Sill having breakout sessions with different directorates. He said he appreciated the efforts of those in the Directorate of Human Resources for emphasizing workforce development. He also applauded Fort Sill for standing up a pilot program to improve the sexual harassment assault and response program.

"While numbers are great — it is remembering to put people first that is the most important,” he said.

Current Integrated Priority List:

Deliver readiness: Mission, Soldiers, families, employees

Resource management excellence: Financial and human resource efficiency

Whole Soldier initiatives: Leadership, training, health, fitness

Active community partnerships: Federal, Department of Defense, State, and local agencies