FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Officials with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Proponent Office for Protection, commonly called TPO-Protection, announced a new, two-week, in-person Protection Integration Course, with the first iteration set to take place in October at Fort Leonard Wood’s Digital Training Facility.
According to Dr. Michael Koren, chief of the TPO-Protection’s Training Development and Integration Division, the course is designed to enhance the skills and attributes of what’s called an echelon-above-brigade staff officer, warrant officer or NCO, particularly serving within a protection cell, where they advise division- or corps-level commanders on protection-related matters.
“We know our student population is seasoned,” Koren said. “By this time (in their careers), most will have served in a staff position in some capacity be it at the EAB or below levels. We hope our graduates leave with a better understanding of what protection and the protection warfighting function are; how it is managed, integrated and synchronized; and certainly, what it looks like across a hyper-paced and dynamic multi-domain battle space during large-scale combat operations.”
Koren said having the course in-person has many advantages.
“The PIC is facilitated through our state-of-the-art Digital Training Facility,” Koren said. “In that facility, we can replicate the division (tactical operations center)…while generating the necessary artificial stressors required to maximize the students’ staff member experiences. The DTF is absolutely a critical component of the course’s training effect.”
The first iteration of the course — set for Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 — will be limited to 25 Soldiers, Koren said. Attendees may be active duty, National Guard or Reserve Army NCOs (E-7 through E-9), warrant officers (2 through 4) and officers (O-4 through O-6), within the following military occupational specialties or areas of concentration: 12, 12A, 13, 13A, 14, 14A, 17, 17A, 17B, 25, 25A, 26, 26A, 26B, 26Z, 30, 30A, 31, 31A, 52, 52B, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 61J, 62A, 63A, 64A, 64B, 64C, 64D, 64E, 64F, 64Z, 65D, 66B, 66C, 66E, 66F, 66G, 66H, 66N, 66P, 66R, 66S, 66T, 66W, 67C, 68, 74, 74A, 89D, 89D4, 89D5, 89D6, 89E, 120A, 125D, 131A, 140A, 140K, 140L, 150A, 150U, 152C, 152E, 152H, 153D, 153E, 154E, 154F, 155E, 155F, 155G, 170A, 170B, 170D, 255A, 255N, 255S, 311A, 640A, 670A, and 740A.
Additionally, Soldiers interested in attending must either be serving in a protection cell or be on orders to an EAB staff — graduates of the course are awarded a skill identifier, Koren said, certifying them as a Protection Operations Planner.
Soldiers with questions about applying for the upcoming course — or the second iteration, scheduled for August 2025 — can email Mitch Darknell at mitchell.w.darknell.civ@army.mil, or Keely O’Connor at keely.d.oconnor.civ@army.mil.
Social Sharing