35th Infantry Division Soldiers Learn from Doctrine Experts during Annual Training 2023

LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division hit the ground running June 5-9 during their first annual training since returning home from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield in 2022. Members of the staff received instruction from two partner organizations, the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate and Mission Command Training Support Program, which provided subject-matter experts to present information and facilitate discussion on changes to Field Manual 3-0: Multidomain Operations and the Military Decision-Making Process, respectively.

While identifying training priorities ahead of annual training, division leadership knew the time was right to focus on doctrine, said Col. Larry Leupold, 35th Inf. Div. Chief of Staff.

“As we come back from mobilization, we are really looking to rebuild the force,” said Leupold. “We have Soldiers that are moving out to other opportunities, and we are bringing new Soldiers into the Division, so we’re really looking to leverage the doctrine to be that framework, so that as we build the team, we ensure we have the right training focus.”

Fort Leavenworth’s CADD, which manages the Army Doctrine Program, was ready to assist. Lt. Col. Bruce Adams, a doctrinal editor with CADD, presented on the recently updated FM 3-0: Multidomain Operations. Adams explained that key operational Army doctrine was updated due to the changing conditions in the operational environment.

“We started looking at the shift of the U.S. Army from counterinsurgency – the Global War on Terror – to the recognition of the importance of large scale combat operations,” explained Adams. “In addition, we looked at current capabilities throughout the world, and how to define the threat that we’re facing. We needed to be able to write doctrine to combat that.”

When looking at where to begin updating the doctrine, Adams said his team prioritized FM 3-0 because it is so fundamental: it provides the operational construct for the Army at every level and sets conditions for how all Army units conduct operations, from the theater all the way down to the squad.

“We hope to set that mindset for today’s force,” said Adams. “We have a lot of institutional knowledge from operations we’ve conducted over the past 20-25 years, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we recognize that the threat has changed. We are hoping that this document really helps us solidify that threat change and change the mindset of the Army as we train.”

In addition to FM 3-0, division staff received training from the National Guard Bureau’s MCTSP. The MCTSP, which provides mission command staff training in order to enable unit commanders to meet mission training objectives and Army requirements, conducted a four-day training program with staff with an emphasis on the Military Decision-Making Process and executing mission command tables to a doctrinal standard at the division level.

“Mission Command training, also known as Command and Control training, is the most complex of all unit training challenges and it is the most rapidly lost skillset,” said Scott Cunningham, senior training advisor with the MCTSP. “Command and Control is also the most impactful of all the warfighting functions, so that’s why the Guard wants to put special emphasis on helping units get to C2 training goals.”

As a national-level program, the MCTSP assigns training advisors to every National Guard unit at the battalion level and above. Prior to the training event, the MCTSP discussed training objectives and priorities with the division commander in order to set priorities. Then they worked with the 35th Inf. Div. commander and staff to help them achieve their ambitious C2 training goals and be more effective in their C2 mission, Cunningham explained.

“The current operational environment is incredibly demanding for division level entities,” said Cunningham. “The requirements on a division headquarters in time and span of control and complexity and volatility are just immense. It is an incredible challenge, so you have to be training at it all the time or you won’t be able to do it effectively.”

The MCTSP uses a “Road to War” framework that includes a “crawl, walk, run” approach to help ensure readiness, with doctrinal training and mission command system training laying the foundation for future, more complex training environments including staff exercises, command post operations training, and culminating training events like warfighter exercises.

“Command and Control training is not a one-shot deal - it’s a pathway,” said Cunningham. “We did some great training here and we will build on it, so our skills and abilities and capabilities get better over time.”

“I want the staff to be hungry for that intellectual challenge – to be lifelong learners and to look at changes in the operational environment through a doctrinal lens as we refine our plans, standard operating procedures and tactical operating procedures,” said Leupold. “That’s what’s going to help us be successful as we move forward to warfighters, and then on to our next operational assignment.”

Moving ahead, the division plans to look for more opportunities to leverage subject matter experts to enhance division readiness.

“The Mission Command Training Support Program facilitated some great discussions,” said Leupold. “It was really good to hear from the subject matter experts who have all the best practices. We’ve got a lot of partners who can help us not only refine what our training plans are, but also act as enablers to get the staff reps and sets to build readiness and proficiency and really drive at all levels that professionalism to help our Soldiers master their craft.”