Priority One - Leader Development

By Matthew Montgomery, (Combined Arms Support Command)July 14, 2011

Caslen Visit
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT LEE, Va. - Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen (Center), deputy commanding general for Combined Arms, Training and Doctrine Command, accompanied by Maj. Gen. James. L. Hodge, Combined Arms Support Command commanding general, William F. Moore, CASCOM deput... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Caslen Visit
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – FORT LEE, Va. - Maj. Gen. James. L. Hodge (standing), Combined Arms Support Command commanding general, introduces Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, deputy commanding general for Combined Arms, Training and Doctrine Command, to students from the Army Logist... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEE, Va. - Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen visited the Combined Arms Support Command July 7 to see new training initiatives firsthand and learn about how leader development is being implemented at the Army Logistics University.

Caslen is the commanding general for the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth. He also serves as the deputy commanding general for Combined Arms, Training and Doctrine Command, where one of his major priorities is leader development. For this reason, he was very interested in how CASCOM is training new officers and using digital technology in the classroom.

According to William F. Moore, CASCOM deputy to the commanding general, “Lt. Gen. Caslen heard great things about our ‘Connecting Soldiers to Digital Media’ initiatives.” For this reason, he wanted to see how CASCOM was implementing the new CSDM program that focuses on getting new technology into the hands of military personnel.

To accomplish this, Caslen was provided an overview of CASCOM training and leader development as they relate to Army Learning Concept 2015 doctrine. He was then briefed on the current status of CSDA programs by members of the Technology Integration Branch, and how they are leading the Army in application development.

Following the briefings, Caslen joined ALU students at one of the newest buildings on the installation, the Navy/Air Force dining facility. The small, but diverse, group of captains shared a meal with the general in an intimate setting that afforded them the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics.

“He loves to talk to new captains and we are the largest producer of captains career course graduates in the Army,” said Moore. “The last time he visited CASCOM, he spoke to more than 450 captains and he couldn’t believe we had that many attending ALU.

“This meeting served as a great opportunity for him to mentor the captains and discuss Army initiatives,” continued Moore. “He also explained why we are implementing certain programs and got deep into the discussion of the Profession of Arms and how important it is. He finished with the importance of Army values and how they apply to every aspect of life.”

Moore said the visit was beneficial for CASCOM as it allowed the organization to showcase current training. It also provided Caslen with a comprehensive look at how leader development is being transformed with the use of technology and application implementation in the classroom.