A platoon leader gives Soldiers assigned to Bravo "Barbarians" Company, 40th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, guidance during dismounted operations as part of the Engineer Qualification Tables at Grafenwoehr, Germany on December 23, 2023. Soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team are stationed throughout Europe to support Operation European Assure Deter and Reinforce. Army photo by Capt. Gabriel Gonzaga.
The Army’s Training Management Directorate (TMD) at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., develops, sustains, and maintains a myriad of training doctrine and resources that can benefit unit commanders and staffs throughout unit training plan development and in all stages of the Training Management Cycle. TMD maintains the Army Training Management System which is comprised of the Army Training Network (ATN), Combined Arms Training Strategies, and the Digital Training Management System (DTMS).
Army Doctrine Publication 7‑0 Training and Field Manual 7‑0 Training are doctrinal publications developed by TMD. In addition to the principles and processes presented within the publications, the appendices provide more detail on topics such as battle task crosswalk, lane training, and live-fire training. ADP 7‑0 and FM 7‑0 are on ATN at https://atn.army.mil and the Army Publishing Directorate at https://armypubs.army.mil.
The Unit Training Management (UTM) page on ATN provides complimentary videos, presentations and products to assist leaders in conducting training management. Additionally, TMD is developing a series of Training Circulars (TC) to assist the operational force with better understanding and executing a variety of training management activities. The TC topics in order of release are TC 7-0.1 After Action Reviews, 7-0.2 Training Meetings, 7‑0.3 Plan an Event, 7-0.4 Training and Evaluation Outlines, and 7.0‑5 Lane Training. These TCs will be available via the Interactive Training Doctrine page on ATN and the Army Publishing Directorate within the coming months.
At home station, the commander drives the training management cycle, which involves prioritizing, planning, preparation, execution, and the evaluation and assessment of training. Units also focus on training individual skills in MOS competence, warrior task proficiency, and field craft, ensuring that each leader and Soldier is fully prepared to contribute to the unit’s mission.
Unit training proficiency is achieved through a deliberately planned and executed training evolution that directly supports the successful performance of the unit’s mission.
“Senior leader investment in the development of leaders and units during home station training informs brigade-level readiness and enables agile formations capable of executing in a multi-domain decisive action environment,” FM 7-0 appendix I.
The Training Management Cycle, Field Manual 7-0 Training.
Commanders and their staffs design unit training plans focused on achieving desired proficiency levels for the commander’s prioritized Mission Essential Tasks (METs) from the Mission Essential Task List (METL). Leaders below the company level identify and train battle tasks, which are critical to the execution of the company MET and must be performed by lower echelons. Detailed descriptions and various examples of the battle tasks crosswalk process can be found on the ATN UTM page at https://atn.army.mil/unit-training-management-(utm)
After developing the unit’s prioritized tasks, commanders identify events that logically progress and train the designated tasks (see figure 3-1). The commander also provides written training objectives for each training event, clearly identifying the tasks and the expected proficiency levels after the training. This process allows the unit to develop task proficiency by following a progressive training methodology, starting with supporting individual tasks and advancing through the unit’s prioritized METs. Users can find the Headquarters Department of the Army Standard METL for their unit type on ATN and the DTMS METL Viewer.
Sample of training progression from Field Manual 7-0 Training.
Unit leaders use the crawl-walk-run method to sequence progressive training events that increase in complexity and build upon one another. Adding more complex tasks and training conditions makes the training more challenging throughout the progression. Leaders and Soldiers enhance their understanding of where and how they, and their unit echelon, fit into the larger operation through multi-echelon and combined-arms training.
Commanders can use Combined Arms Training Strategies (CATS) to assist in building unit training plans. CATS task sets, which are groups of tasks logically trained together during training events, can be accessed via the CATS Planning Tool on ATN and in DTMS. The CATS presents commanders with a suggested crawl-walk-run methodology in the form of recommended events to train each task set. Additional information and points of contact for utilizing CATS can be found on ATN at https://atn.army.mil/unit-training-management-(utm)-cats-knowledge-base.
Once the training plan is complete, company commanders and their DTMS operators can build the unit calendar and company training schedule with DTMS at https://dtms.army.mil. Collective and individual tasks with task numbers can be included in the training schedules. TMD’s ATMS help desk answers questions by phone, chat, or email on DTMS and other unit training management topics. Current contact information can be found on the help desk page on ATN.
TMD maintains training doctrine podcasts and videos to assist leaders with subjects such as commander’s training guidance, task crosswalk, training meetings, and after-action reviews on the Interactive Training Doctrine page of ATN. There, users are encouraged to share thoughts and comments on training doctrine directly with the directorate’s doctrine writing team.
TMD has great references and tools on ATN for echelons below company-level such as the Platoon Leader's Guide to Training Management, the Digital Job Book (DJB), and the Small Unit Leader Tool (SULT).
The Platoon Leader’s Guide provides platoon and below leaders with effective training management techniques and procedures in support of the Army’s training doctrine in ADP and FM 7-0. The DJB allows Soldiers access to their Army Combat Fitness Test scores, height/weight, weapons qualifications, and completed Army Warrior Tasks and Individual Critical Tasks. Soldiers can also view tasks assigned to them by their small unit leader or receive notifications for Army course registration. Soldiers can add the DJB to their personal device. Through the SULT, junior leaders can assign and record qualifications on all categories of training data that Soldiers can view on the DJB. Once entries are recorded in the SULT, Soldier records are also updated in DTMS. Small unit leaders gain access to the SULT when assigned to a leadership role in DTMS.
Another useful tool is the Platoon Task and Training and Evaluation Outline (T&EO) Viewer which enables users to access proponent-approved T&EOs for platoon tasks. This tool automatically displays platoon tasks relevant to a Soldier’s unit of assignment, and the search function helps leaders locate tasks and T&EOs by unit type.
The most hands-on resource that TMD can provide to units is an in-person, UTM Mobile Training Team (MTT) seminar, consisting of presentations, discussions, and workshops to assist with broadening leaders’ understanding and ability to manage unit training. Leaders can expect to engage in a thoughtful exchange of ideas and to be guided through the interactive training doctrine, supplemental references, knowledge bases, and tools that TMD maintains. A critical part of the seminar is the exploration of techniques that work best for the unit and align with the commander’s vision. Units can begin coordination for an MTT on the Unit Training Management page of ATN. Priority is given to requests from brigade and above echelons.
With the training management doctrine, references, and tools maintained by TMD on ATN, commanders and small unit leaders are empowered to build sound training plans, conduct more efficient and informative training meetings and briefings, and successfully plan, prepare, execute, evaluate, and assess training exercises. TMD provides the necessary materials through doctrinal publications, supplemental references, and the resources on ATN. The MTTs are available to jumpstart leader and unit focus on unit training management concepts that can bear immediate, positive results.
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