Army, Air Force, Marine combat training leaders share insights, ideas

FORT LEAVENWORTH, KAN. - Nearly 100 leaders from U.S. and international training groups met 13-14 April at Fort Leavenworth for the Combat Training Center (CTC) Conference. Hosted by Combined Arms Center-Training's Combat Training Center Directorate, the twice-yearly event focused on combat training center priorities, opportunities and challenges for the coming year.

For most of the CTC leaders, the meeting was their first with Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, the new Commanding General of the U.S. Army's Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth. Caslen, who previously served as the commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division and commanding general of the Multi-National Division-North for Operation Iraqi Freedom, oversees 18 Army schools, centers and training programs, as well as training support and training development efforts around the world. He is the Army's Responsible Official for the CTC program and its four combat training centers: the three maneuver CTCs (National Training Center, Joint National Training Center and the Joint Multinational Training Center) and the Battle Command Training Program.

The CTC Conference's opportunity to share ideas and learn first-hand about Lt. Gen. Caslen's priorities attracted a higher-than-normal number of key Army training leaders from FORSCOM, TRADOC, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of the Army Headquarters G3 and the Combined Arms Center. Attendees and presenters also included training leaders from the Canadian, Australian and British armies, as well as the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps.

The agenda for the April CTC Conference agenda was tailored to fit attendee interests and preferences, including video teleconferences with senior military leaders in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Attendees also met in closed-door session to discuss officer manning, program funding and modernization plans. The next CTC Conference is expected to be in late August.

Based at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., the U.S. Army's Combined Arms Center-Training delivers training programs, products and services to leaders and units in support of Army readiness. Wherever Army training occurs, the Combined Arms Center-Training helps make it happen. To learn more about the Combined Arms Center-Training, visit

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