Are we being over saturated with SHARP/EO/MRT training?

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:09:02 -0400

This might just be my opinion but I believe this extreme amount of mandatory training gets away from it's intent after a while. We have so much of it now ( in my unit we do weekly videos, weekly briefs along with quarterly requirements) that the impact is resistance not interest.

I get the problem, we have had some Senior Leaders exposed so we need to show publicly an aggressive approach to reducing incidents. Here is an idea, when Soldiers of any rank are found guilty, destroy them with no reserve. Change some legislation and regs that so convicted seniors can't retire one rank down with a fat paycheck. Bring in external review boards for high profile cases, no reason to be scared if you don't plan to commit a felony.

People that are capable of doing these things to people are not going to have their morality resurrected by a PowerPoint slide. What significant change has come from this super campaign of training? I'm not saying some training is not good, it is important, but my mission is really affected by the time spent in training.

What is your perspective?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2014 10:13 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:13:16 -0400

I've been in a unit like that. Sounds a lot like a knee jerk backlash from lots of stupid stuff that others commit that you never hear about. Just bear with it, take care of guys in YOUR shop and don't worry too much about other BS training.

Remember: many times what you see is not the same what THEY see up there. They may not communicate it with you all the time, but the BS that they also have to deal with is perhaps far worse than yours. This maybe just some trying times, so hang in there!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2014 10:52 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:52:56 -0400

Every year the Army adds training to combat these issues. With any problem eventually you reach the point of diminishing returns, where your efforts pay off less and less the more you do.

The Army reached this point in 1980.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2014 11:12 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 23:12:57 -0400

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member , LTC Private RallyPoint Member I think made an excellent point. It does become limited to a certain extent. I was a military brat and been stuck watching AFN since I was 3 years old, worked on post as a teenager, and been in for 13 years now. Basically, I have seen and remember this stuff since being 3 years old and cannot absorb any more training at times. I think the Army should just have an annual proficiency exam and retrain those who fail (but this would be to robotic and would appear to be bad business if a violation would have occurred). I understand why we are doing this and the purpose that it serves. I just don't understand how some personnel just violate all this in the first place. It really comes down to respect. Regardless of how much we are trained on it, there are always going to be issues. I think at times, it has the reverse effect. The biggest thing that I notice that has a dramatic effect is when leaders are relieved, including a TWO star who was demoted to a ONE star for not handling such an incident.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 29 at 2014 11:32 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Aug 2014 23:32:42 -0400

We joke at work. If these courses were ever around during WWII and so on. The joke goes, how "nice" and "concerned" the military is with these courses. Next War, we get the crap beat out of us, but doesn't matter, the Russians or whoever are going to say, "Wow, those were the most well-rounded, EO compliant, SHARP qualified Soldiers I've ever fought in battle. They were so nice and really polite." It's just funny, I became an augmentee my last deployment & remember having Soldier's that would disregard my intent due to their "understanding" of ROE or they were literally concerned of being thrown in an Iraqi jail and tried in the Iraqi courts. (2010-11) I've never heard of such BS, MIND BLOWN! I couldn't believe that 95% of this Gun Truck crew, even after making contact, would not fire back....i'll bite my tongue here. BLUF, these courses are a way for our echelon to say "He knew better."

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2014 11:14 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:14:17 -0400

I concur that we are being oversaturated. This is especially prevalent in the National Guard (and I'm guessing Reserve as well) as leadership is forced to trying to shoehorn this in along with the real training we need to do.