Lt. Gen. Hertling visits Fort Leonard Wood

By Emily AthensSeptember 13, 2010

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the deputy commanding general of initial military training at U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in Fort Monroe, Va., visited Fort Leonard Wood, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, to meet with leaders, talk with instructors, interact with students and tour the installation to observe the numerous ongoing training activities across the units.

"You have to see what's going on. You can't just read about it in a report. Every one of our 17 different places that train ... train just a little bit differently, so you have to be out there where it's being done," Hertling said. "It's not only required to go visit them, but it's also fun to see what they're doing."

Hertling, who recently made significant changes to Basic Combat Training to reflect the modern battlefield, spoke of the positive reinforcements that have come with the transformations.

"We're feeling that it's actually producing a little bit better Soldiers. ... What I've heard talking to peers, battalion commanders, brigade commanders, is that the Soldier is coming (to the unit) better prepared for the mission, in rifle marksmanships, physical capability, values training and the ability to understand culture, first aid, and even a little bit better discipline. I think we're seeing some trend lines that are very positive in terms of what we're producing," he said, emphasizing the continued need for relevant training to reflect the current operating environment.

During his visit, Hertling observed lieutenants of class 007-10 Military Police Officer Basic Course, Company B, 701st Military Police Battalion, as they conducted a training exercise, simulating an at-home spousal dispute. The lieutenants, acting as the MPs reacting to the situation, were tasked with assessing the situation, calming individuals and making arrests, if necessary. At the conclusion of the exercise, Hertling participated in their after action report, providing feedback and seeking input from the Soldiers.

"We're always happy to see senior leaders, especially the ones that put together the training and the ones that pick our (small group leaders) to make sure we have the best personnel to train us. As a junior officer, I like to see leaders out here and I love that fact that Gen. Hertling gave us input," said 2nd Lt. Cassandra Harris, of 007-10 MP OBC, as Hertling exited the training site.

For some students, Hertling's visit gave them the added experience of interacting with senior leaders within the Army, providing them with motivation and inspiration.

"I haven't had much interaction with senior officers, so the fact that he came in and observed what we were doing spoke a lot for him and his character," said 2nd Lt. Jacob Fellows, also of class 007-10 MP. "You always want to put your troops first and him coming out here, seeing what we're doing to try and better ourselves and become the officers that we need to be, sets a good example for all of us."

Hertling commended the Fort Leonard Wood team for their important mission of training young Soldiers to be future Army leaders.

"The (individuals) here that are leading the brigades, the drill sergeants, platoon sergeants, BOLC sergeants ... they are doing unbelievably tough work training the citizens of today to be Soldiers," he said, stressing that training Soldiers is an essential and critical job in the Army.

With an estimated 47,000 Army Soldiers currently in initial training, Hertling continues to seek ways to enhance Army training standards, designed to prepare and produce better Soldiers and forge continued success in today's Army mission.

(Editor's note: Emily Athens is a photojournalist assigned to the Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Guidon.)