FORT EUSTIS, Va. (Nov. 27, 2012) -- Lt. Gen. John Campbell, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff G-3/5/7, traveled to U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters on Fort Eustis, Va., Nov. 15, to meet with command leadership and get a firsthand look at the hands-on training TRADOC students receive.
Gen. Robert W. Cone, TRADOC commanding general, greeted Campbell at the headquarters building and provided him with an overview of command initiatives that Cone referred to as "TRADOC 101," ranging from the human and structural transitions the Army faces to the implementation of the Army Learning Model.
"These kids today and how they learn -- it's amazing," Cone said, adding that Campbell would get a chance to see the Army Learning Model in action during his visit later that day.
"ALM is real, and we're using it in every schoolhouse," Cone said. "It's more of a mindset than a resource driver."
A goal of the Army Learning Model is to provide Soldiers and leaders with career-long learning experiences that are more rigorous, relevant and effective for each individual. Learning experiences are not confined to Army schoolhouses; rather they occur at the point of need and are more engaging and accessible through enabling technologies such as virtual environments, online gaming and mobile learning, according to "The U.S. Army Learning Concept for 2015," TRADOC Pamphlet 525-8-2, the precursor to the Army Learning Model.
In addition to the Army Learning Model, TRADOC leaders also presented information on other command initiatives, including updates on the Army of 2020, the Campaign of Learning and the Master Fitness Trainer Course.
Although familiar with the TRADOC topics, Campbell said the face-to-face visit was a great opportunity to discuss them in detail.
"A lot of the topic areas we talked through -- I've seen in different forums, but to come down and be able to have some really small group huddles with the subject matter experts and get more details -- it was very beneficial for me as the G-3/5/7," Campbell said.
In addition to small-group discussions, Campbell also received several opportunities to see the Army Learning Model during visits to the 128th Aviation Brigade and the Training Brain Operations Center.
During his time at the 128th, which is part of TRADOC's Aviation Center of Excellence, Campbell learned how Army Initial Entry Training students are taught in classrooms, as well as through virtual simulation and hands-on training models, using a "crawl, walk, run" approach, according to Sgt. 1st Class Kurt King, Aviation Center of Excellence Advanced Attack Armament Branch chief, who presented an overview of the 128th's training program.
After visiting the 128th, Campbell also received a tour of TRADOC's Training Brain Operations Center (TBOC), where he watched a demonstration of the "Training Brain Repository," a new capability that gives commanders an unprecedented ability to tailor exercises to reflect today's operational environment.
Campbell said although he knew of the TBOC and had seen slide presentations, it was difficult to visualize the full potential of the capability without seeing it.
"We talked about [TBOC] before, and we talked about how to continue to support it, but now -- walking into the operations piece and seeing what it can do - it really stands out, and I see the benefits all the way down the road," Campbell said.
At the close of his visit, Campbell said he appreciated the opportunity to visit and fully understands the hard work on-going within the command.
"TRADOC is doing a lot for our Army, and this visit just reinforced it, and gave us better visibility on some very critical areas that TRADOC is working," he said.
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