An official website of the United States government Here's how you know

Providing Professional Military Education through Continuous Transformation While Strengthening the Profession of Arms

By CSM Oscar LlamasJanuary 22, 2025

(Photo Credit: Sarah Lancia) VIEW ORIGINAL

The Logistics Noncommissioned Officer Academy (LNCOA) was established at Fort Lee (known as Fort Gregg-Adams since April of 2023), Virginia, in August 2009. The academy delivers professional military education (PME) for three schools (Ordnance, Quartermaster, and Transportation), teaching, educating, and developing logistics NCOs throughout the Army. From 2009, LNCOA provided education in a traditional format until an initiative was established to conduct an analysis of presenting PME in a mobile training team (MTT) format.

In February 2024, LNCOA was challenged to conduct an analysis of considering training, educating, and developing NCOs through an MTT. PME normally has been presented in a traditional classroom environment, until now.

LNCOA is the largest NCO academy in the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. LNCOA delivers program of instruction (POI) to over 11,000 students annually across its three schools. The annual throughput for LNCOA consists of over 38 military occupational specialties and an excess of 600 course start dates. So, when the challenge presented itself to conduct POI through an MTT, the cadre and staff were eager to provide an analysis that would support the request.

MG Michelle K. Donahue, commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and the Sustainment Center of Excellence, proposed a consideration to the president of Army Sustainment University at the time, Ms. Sydney A. Smith, to perform an MTT at Fort Moore, Georgia. The MTT was aimed at providing support to the 1-507th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) with PME support to their 92R Parachute Rigger community.

Upon receiving guidance from Ms. Smith, LNCOA began conducting mission analysis with the support of the Army Sustainment University Provost team in developing several courses of action. After five-months of deliberate analysis and the military decision-making process (MDMP), LNCOA sent two 92R Senior Leader Course and Advanced Leader Course (ALC) senior small group leaders (SSGLs), SFC Kevin L. Predmore and SFC Jonathan A. Lopez, to Fort Moore, Georgia, to perform the historic first-ever MTT from LNCOA. On July 27, 2024, the SSGLs arrived to prepare for a six-week 92R3O Parachute Rigger ALC, Class 24-701. Phase I began on Monday, July 29, 2024, and concluded on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, a three-day Phase I, which consisted of 24 hours of instruction that included NCO common core competencies.

Phase II, which consisted of classroom POI, began on August 1, 2024. The technical aspect of the course included the packing of the MC-6 parachute, T-11 parachute, and the T-11 reserve parachute, conducted with Echo Company, 1-507th PIR parachute rigger pack facility annex. The annex provided necessary resources to perform dedicated packing operations.

On August 20, 2024, Class 24-701 conducted an airborne operation on Fryar Drop Zone on Fort Moore. Eight students conducted an MC-6 proficiency jump as a reinforcement of concepts learned and a conclusion of personnel parachute pack technical training.

Through deliberate coordination, synchronization, and communication, the LNCOA SSGLs were able to create synergy, action, and momentum in performing an airborne operation that included eight students exiting from a C-130J aircraft at 1,250 feet above ground level over Fryar Drop Zone using MC-6 parachutes. The parachutes used for the operations were packed by students of MTT Class 24-701. The operation was led by one of the students of Class 24-701, SSG Anthony G. Duhon, primary jumpmaster.

The event served as a culminating event of the hands-on parachute pack technical training that students received just two weeks earlier in their POI. Additionally, this marked the transition into the parachute rigger classroom technical training. Students were able to demonstrate packing proficiency and apply real-world concepts directly relating to upcoming lessons. These lessons included airdrop planning, elements of an airdrop operation, and duties of key personnel within an airdrop operation.

Graduation for 92R3O MTT ALC, Class 24-701, was held on September 6 at Nett Hall on Fort Moore. The Distinguished Honor Graduate for the course was SGT Ernie Ramirez, the Distinguished Leader and Lead Motivator for the course was SSG Anthony G. Duhon, and the Iron Soldier for the course was SGT Seth H. Gilley. The remaining graduates for Class 24-701 were SSG Christopher L. Moran, SGT Aiden E. Cuvas, SGT Jonah M. Martin, SGT Mario A. Valladares, and SGT Jose L. Velazquez. The guest speaker for 92R3O MTT ALC, Class 24-701, was SGM Kevin J. Beatty, who currently serves as the XVIII Airborne Corps airdrop operations sergeant major on Fort Liberty, North Carolina.

There are a myriad of advantages and disadvantages of conducting mobile training to distant locations in the delivery of PME normally conducted at the institutional domain. During this MTT, the advantage in conducting PME at Fort Moore allowed for students to remain at home station, reducing travel time and cost to the organization. Resources needed for training and education were readily available through the support of the hosting organization, 1-507th PIR and the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE), allowing for learning to remain intact throughout the POI. The ease of having access to the required resources was beneficial to both the students and the cadre.

On the other hand, an MTT does not allow for equal flexibility and adaptability comparative to performing POI at the institutional domain. Lessons learned provided valuable information identified with logistical challenges experienced by the SSGLs. Normally, an instructor facilitates learning directly out of the academy at home station. During the MTT, the SSGLs were away from their families for the duration of the time. This has the potentiality to lead to fatigue or stress.

Overall, while MTTs offers benefits in cost savings, deliberate planning and MDMP are necessary in addressing inherent challenges. Although LNCOA does not have the resources to perform MTTs, Predmore and Lopez conducted themselves as professionals of their craft and performed their duties as SSGLs with the upmost professionalism, setting the standard and remaining disciplined in strengthening the parachute rigger community.

LNCOA, with the support or Army Sustainment University, staff and faculty of the Sustainment Center of Excellence, MCoE, and the 1-507th PIR, was able to provide PME to eight 92R3O ALC parachute riggers, delivering ready combat warfighters through continuous transformation while strengthening the profession of arms.

--------------------

CSM Oscar Llamas currently serves as the commandant of the Logistics Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. He graduated from all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development System, culminating with the Sergeant Majors Academy. He holds a master’s degree in psychology. He is also a graduate of the Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course and the Supervisor Development Course.

--------------------

This article was published with the winter 2025 issue of Army Sustainment.

RELATED LINKS

Army Sustainment homepage

The Current issue of Army Sustainment in pdf format

Current Army Sustainment Online Articles

Connect with Army Sustainment on LinkedIn

Connect with Army Sustainment on Facebook

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------