Posted on Jan 3, 2015
Can the miltary be a simpler place? USC, CFR, DOD, Branch, even VA regulations-directives-memo: Do they conflict and/or change too often?
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Has anyone ever been confused at how often regulations and directives change almost yearly? I am researching directives I have an interest in. With the internet it is easy to see the life cycle of a directive.
It seems if a new GENERAL or ADMIRAL takes a position they put their stamp on something and make a memo and change directives, with some warning that the COMMAND must implement all these changes and fast.
I was never a CO or in that level of leadership to read these changes and memos. But now that I do the research I am a bit surprised how often things change in directives.
It seems if a new GENERAL or ADMIRAL takes a position they put their stamp on something and make a memo and change directives, with some warning that the COMMAND must implement all these changes and fast.
I was never a CO or in that level of leadership to read these changes and memos. But now that I do the research I am a bit surprised how often things change in directives.
VA Claim
Branch
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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A few thoughts:
- Yes, easy to be confused by changing regs and directives at several different levels that are not nested.
- Especially at lower levels (CO/BN), it is almost impossible for a command or a commander to be in compliance with all regs and directives due to lack of time, resources, personnel, etc.
- As a younger officer, I looked at regs and directives as orders or laws that must be followed.
- As an older officer, I look at regs and directives as more guidelines to follow.
- The above statement is not meant as "we can blow off regs/directives". It is meant more as "a commander must make prioritization decisions with the limited resources that he/she has in order to accomplish the unit's mission and take care of unit personnel".
- Yes, easy to be confused by changing regs and directives at several different levels that are not nested.
- Especially at lower levels (CO/BN), it is almost impossible for a command or a commander to be in compliance with all regs and directives due to lack of time, resources, personnel, etc.
- As a younger officer, I looked at regs and directives as orders or laws that must be followed.
- As an older officer, I look at regs and directives as more guidelines to follow.
- The above statement is not meant as "we can blow off regs/directives". It is meant more as "a commander must make prioritization decisions with the limited resources that he/she has in order to accomplish the unit's mission and take care of unit personnel".
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PO3 Aaron Hassay
COL Smallfield, I appreciate your feedback Sir,
Coming from the NAVY side I am just starting to read directives when i was in the RESERVES and the ACTIVE DUTY COMBAT ship my unit was permanently attatched to augment for 2 days a month. But in this directive to the FLEET there is a complete chapter that basically outlines and impells enormous manhours to just 2 days a month. Now I don't wonder so much why that program is mothballed. Anyways it did last for nearly 20 years possibly give or take a few years. I always thought the program itself was not completely well thought out. Even from a junior enlisted I could feel it was not efficient. But we followed the orders and did our best. Here is a glimpse of that directive.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
COMMANDER NAVAL SURFACE FORCE
U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23511-5215
AND
COMMANDER NAVAL SURFACE FORCE
U.S. PACIFIC FLEET
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92115-5490
COMNAVSURFLANT/PACINST 3502.2E
CNSL N811/CNSP N8A
17 DECEMBER 1999
COMNAVSURFLANT/COMNAVSURFPAC INSTRUCTION 3502.2E
Subj: SURFACE FORCE TRAINING MANUAL
1. Purpose. To promulgate a revised Surface Force Training Manual to be used by all ships, staffs, and units of the
Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.
SECTION 3
NAVAL RESERVE FORCE TRAINING AND READINESS
Ref: (a) COMNAVSURFRESFORINST 3502.1C (COMNAVSURFRESFOR Master Training Plan)
1301. General The establishment of a close working relationship between the parent command and
their naval reserve unit(s) is required to maximize readiness for mobilization.
1302. Training Philosophy A primary objective in the training of the SELRES is the integration of
individuals and units with their active duty counterparts. This integration permits the SELRES to perform
the same or similar functions as those personnel assigned to active duty and enhances their ability to
perform their assigned mission when mobilized. To the maximum extent possible, commanding officers
should work to foster a close working relationship with their counterpart reserve units by frequently
communicating with them, coordinating the embarkation/debarkation of reserve unit personnel, and
developing tailored training programs designed to optimize limited reserve active duty training and
personnel qualification opportunities. To achieve these goals, commanding officers must recognize the
inherent limitations of the Reserve training environment and develop innovative programs to overcome
these limitations. Stand-alone reserve units will work in close coordination with their ISICs and
supported/supporting commanders. Training of reservists will be conducted per reference
a. Reserve Training Environment (1) Inactive Duty Training (IDT) is accomplished two days per month, usually on the
weekend; Annual Training (AT) is accomplished two weeks per year.
(2) Training for individual reservists must be sequenced, well orchestrated, well defined, and
must account for inherent problems of discontinuity. Close coordination and liaison between the NRF ship
CO/XO/Training Officer and the reserve unit SELRES Coordinator and Administrator (reserve unit
CO/XO) are key to a successful reserve training program.
b. Personnel Qualifications (NRF Ships). NRF ship commanding officers are to assign all primary
crew SELRES to Condition I and III watch stations.
1303. Naval Reserve Force (NRF) Training Requirements. The specified wartime mission for NRF
units requires that training requirements remain the same as for active duty counterparts to provide a
benchmark for measuring the actual status of NRF readiness.
Coming from the NAVY side I am just starting to read directives when i was in the RESERVES and the ACTIVE DUTY COMBAT ship my unit was permanently attatched to augment for 2 days a month. But in this directive to the FLEET there is a complete chapter that basically outlines and impells enormous manhours to just 2 days a month. Now I don't wonder so much why that program is mothballed. Anyways it did last for nearly 20 years possibly give or take a few years. I always thought the program itself was not completely well thought out. Even from a junior enlisted I could feel it was not efficient. But we followed the orders and did our best. Here is a glimpse of that directive.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
COMMANDER NAVAL SURFACE FORCE
U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23511-5215
AND
COMMANDER NAVAL SURFACE FORCE
U.S. PACIFIC FLEET
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92115-5490
COMNAVSURFLANT/PACINST 3502.2E
CNSL N811/CNSP N8A
17 DECEMBER 1999
COMNAVSURFLANT/COMNAVSURFPAC INSTRUCTION 3502.2E
Subj: SURFACE FORCE TRAINING MANUAL
1. Purpose. To promulgate a revised Surface Force Training Manual to be used by all ships, staffs, and units of the
Naval Surface Forces, U.S. Atlantic and Pacific Fleets.
SECTION 3
NAVAL RESERVE FORCE TRAINING AND READINESS
Ref: (a) COMNAVSURFRESFORINST 3502.1C (COMNAVSURFRESFOR Master Training Plan)
1301. General The establishment of a close working relationship between the parent command and
their naval reserve unit(s) is required to maximize readiness for mobilization.
1302. Training Philosophy A primary objective in the training of the SELRES is the integration of
individuals and units with their active duty counterparts. This integration permits the SELRES to perform
the same or similar functions as those personnel assigned to active duty and enhances their ability to
perform their assigned mission when mobilized. To the maximum extent possible, commanding officers
should work to foster a close working relationship with their counterpart reserve units by frequently
communicating with them, coordinating the embarkation/debarkation of reserve unit personnel, and
developing tailored training programs designed to optimize limited reserve active duty training and
personnel qualification opportunities. To achieve these goals, commanding officers must recognize the
inherent limitations of the Reserve training environment and develop innovative programs to overcome
these limitations. Stand-alone reserve units will work in close coordination with their ISICs and
supported/supporting commanders. Training of reservists will be conducted per reference
a. Reserve Training Environment (1) Inactive Duty Training (IDT) is accomplished two days per month, usually on the
weekend; Annual Training (AT) is accomplished two weeks per year.
(2) Training for individual reservists must be sequenced, well orchestrated, well defined, and
must account for inherent problems of discontinuity. Close coordination and liaison between the NRF ship
CO/XO/Training Officer and the reserve unit SELRES Coordinator and Administrator (reserve unit
CO/XO) are key to a successful reserve training program.
b. Personnel Qualifications (NRF Ships). NRF ship commanding officers are to assign all primary
crew SELRES to Condition I and III watch stations.
1303. Naval Reserve Force (NRF) Training Requirements. The specified wartime mission for NRF
units requires that training requirements remain the same as for active duty counterparts to provide a
benchmark for measuring the actual status of NRF readiness.
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My only solution I think to put any kind of normalcy to all the directives and or regulations that can be changed or implemented seemingly without much master planning is to do this. And maybe it is already done and I just am not seeing it.
But from my studying of directives and regulations changes I notice that they can change irregulary based on a new co change.
What if for example regulations and directives were only allowed to change after a vetting process similar to congress with checks and balances for laws and not just based on a CO changeover.
What if for example directives and regulations were only allowed to be brought up for review on a timed period in years, for example 1: 5 : 10 Years scheduling reviews changes of directives and regulations, to go throught the VETTING process desribed previous.
And lastly the VETTING process and REGULATION or DIRECTIVE REVIEW PERIOD at the time period agreed upon would be driven by recommendations of those who in the end must live and implement and have a quality of life in defense of the nation during peace time training time and war time to best extent possible, that include non other then the enlisted and unit COs or Unit Division Officers in charge etc etc.
Basically it would be a BOTTOM UP REVIEW and Change of directives etc and Not the typical TOP DOWN REVIEW
But from my studying of directives and regulations changes I notice that they can change irregulary based on a new co change.
What if for example regulations and directives were only allowed to change after a vetting process similar to congress with checks and balances for laws and not just based on a CO changeover.
What if for example directives and regulations were only allowed to be brought up for review on a timed period in years, for example 1: 5 : 10 Years scheduling reviews changes of directives and regulations, to go throught the VETTING process desribed previous.
And lastly the VETTING process and REGULATION or DIRECTIVE REVIEW PERIOD at the time period agreed upon would be driven by recommendations of those who in the end must live and implement and have a quality of life in defense of the nation during peace time training time and war time to best extent possible, that include non other then the enlisted and unit COs or Unit Division Officers in charge etc etc.
Basically it would be a BOTTOM UP REVIEW and Change of directives etc and Not the typical TOP DOWN REVIEW
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