Continuous flow of trained forces relies on critical gatherings to prepare units for ARFORGEN reset

By Julie Carter, CECOM Logistics CorrespondentAugust 6, 2009

At one time, Army units were responsible for planning their own reset actions. Information concerning new fielding and training schedules trickled in from various supporting agencies.

The lack of a single, all encompassing conference to coordinate the process created inefficiencies and delays that encumbered the Warfighter's ability to attain the readiness levels required for the next deployment.

That has changed, thanks to Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) synchronization conferences. Today, ARFORGEN has evolved from a static process to a "strategy to provide a continuous flow of Army trained and ready forces for full-spectrum operations.

A structured progression builds unit readiness over time, resulting in recurring periods of available trained, ready and cohesive modular units to meet the requirements of both combatant commander and the Army.

When a brigade-size unit starts preparation for redeployment, the CECOM LCMC Logistics and Readiness Center Logistics Operations Cell ARFORGEN Branch begins planning for that unit's ARFORGEN synchronization conference.

While the Army Force Generation Synchronization Conference is an Army Material Command, (AMC) sponsored event, CECOM LCMC is the designated executive agent, through which the Logistics Operations Cell's (LOC) Branch is the lead agency and executor.

The synchronization conference enables the unit to synchronize long-range training with requirements for manning, equipping, resourcing, and training needed to advance the unit through the ARFORGEN process.

Current Army standards require that a redeployed unit reset its equipment within 180 days of its return to home station. The conferences allow units to prepare for entry into the Train-Ready Pool.

An enormous task by any standard, the ARFORGEN branch has refined this event into a carefully orchestrated two-day conference that brings multiple, complex and time-sensitive reset activities to the brigade combat team commander. The conference integrates and synchronizes the outputs to achieve unit readiness.

Originally developed out of the Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical's Unit Set Fielding concept, the ARFORGEN synchronization conferences provide an engineering and planning event specifically designed for future fieldings to transformational units.

In March 2008, the CECOM LCMC's Logistics and Readiness Center (LRC) Logistics Operations Cell (LOC) streamlined PEO C3T's conference concept by incorporating the AMC Enterprise and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology community. AMC officially designated CECOM LCMC as the executive agent for all ARFORGEN synchronization conferences earlier this year.

The ARFORGEN Branch successfully executed 20 ARFORGEN Synchronization Conferences in 2008, and it has scheduled another 25 this year.

Execution

ARFORGEN Synchronization conferences are typically conducted when a unit has been at home station about 45 days.

The planning and preparation starts long before this capstone event. Specifically, the responsible unit integration team (UIT) within the ARFORGEN Branch contacts the brigade combat team about mid-tour to tentatively schedule the conference based on the units' anticipated redeployment date.

About 60 days before redeployment, the UIT engages the BCT's rear detachment and forward brigade staff to establish official dates and begin coordinating facilities and participants. The process also includes analyzing the unit's organizational structure, modified table of organization and equipment, automated reset management tool, and reviewing long-range training calendars.

A fragmentary order (FRAGO) is drafted and distributed roughly six-to-eight weeks before the conference. The order provides participants with the standard mission and execution tasks, draft agenda, and annexes detailing unit organization charts and Modified Table of Organization and Equipment, briefing chart templates, teleconference schedule details, references and points of contact.

Shortly after FRAGO distribution, teleconferences are set up with the unit and program manager to discuss the upcoming conference, answer questions and resolve issues. About three weeks before the conference, the UIT updates charts, collects briefings and complete the agenda.

Comprehensive information folders are also prepared for key leaders and participants.

They include the agenda, consolidated briefing slides, lists of acronyms and definitions; equipment and system list; contact list; maps and local information sheets; unit calendars; an evaluation survey, and a compact disk of all briefings and charts.

At the end of the conference, the unit's long-range calendar is developed through the next mission readiness exercise.

Required Delivery Dates for reset systems are established and new fieldings are described and scheduled. Required training on upgraded reset systems and new equipment training is also scheduled. Additionally, collective, integrated system of systems training is scheduled.

(This article appeared in Spectra, the magazine of the CECOM Life Cycle Management Command. To access the full issue in PDF format, 3.2 megabytes, click on the link appearing in the "Related Links" box at the start of the article.)