Posted on Mar 29, 2014
Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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We've all been through countless hour of training, and of course with good training almost always comes... yes, you guessed it--outstanding 'attention getters!' It could've been an interesting video, an entertaining story, strategically placed joke or skit, or just about anything designed to 'wake up' a weary audience. So, what were your most memorable 'attention getters?' Did it make you laugh, or make you cringe... did it hit center mass, or miss the target altogether? Some become somewhat of an inside at the schoolhouse and others seem to almost take on a life of their own with a further reach; a good attention gainer can do more than just keep folks awake, it can become legendary. I know we have some absolutely awesome 'wake-me-ups' out there, so please feel free to add any photos, videos, or anything needed to tell your story; now strap on your seatbelts and let's get this thing started; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
Edited 11 y ago
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MCPO Couch Potato
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We used a BUNCH of good attention steps when I taught at the Air Force Senior NCO Academy. For the class on conflict resolution, we always used this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBvysuewIOs
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CPT Senior Battle Staff Analysy Oc/T   Team Air Officer
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"Get in my guard" has always been a popular video from YouTube in combatives.
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SSgt Gregory Guina
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I used this as an attention gainer prior to instructing a piece of comm gear that translates different signals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSLcYQHqFQ
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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This is a great video entitled "Why Leaders Eat Last," perhaps a bit too long to use as an effective attention getter, although there are several clips that could be parceled out to reinforce certain points in a presentation. It is certainly worth a moment to check it out: http://vimeo.com/79899786
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MCPO Couch Potato
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That was the hardest thing to "learn" when I left the Army and went Coast Guard. The CG and Navy all eat from highest rank to lowest rate... the CO eats first, and the lowliest E-1 eats last.

Peers and superiors thought I was crazy when I insisted on getting in line after all my people - but my people loved me for it.
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PO2 Jonathan Scharff
PO2 Jonathan Scharff
11 y
MCPO (Join to see) that was not my experience at all in the Coast Guard! I served on a ship, then "A School" then at a base in Maine. I never once had a CO or any leader eat before his men. I was even an SA on a cutter assigned to the ward room and was ordered to never serve the officers until ALL the enlisted crew ate. I carried on this tradition or leadership style as I advance in rank. Yes I was only in six years, but I never saw what you are stating.
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PO2 Steven Barkley
PO2 Steven Barkley
11 y
Although I was in engineering as a DC, I observed the same tradition and honor by honorable Command staff. While on incident assignments with my Incident management as Logistics Section Chief, I follow that honor by making sure my team and responders are all fed, and taken care of appropriately prior to my needs. The team responds above and beyond our expectations when treated as exceptional members that they are.
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MCPO Couch Potato
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Wow, Jon and Steve. I saw it on Cutter after Cutter - and even when deployed with a PSU ashore. Yeah, it caused heartache with me.
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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Here's a great attention getter, it's brief and to-the-point, it engages the imagination, and would make an excellent compliment to numerous military subjects... check it out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjgtLSHhTPg
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LTC Physician Assistant
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I remember when that commercial came out....was a high point of us Apple owners who "Think Different"
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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This is a great "attention gainer" that shows the U.S. military in a positive light, great video, great program, and when seen in a large group it has the full and complete attention of the audience... very powerful, you can check it out for yourself here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H3iiI1hPAM

 

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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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In order to promote continued discussion on this and related subjects, here are just a few discussions that you'll want to check-out; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
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<p>Yes, I definitely remember this series used as attention gainers a number of years back, good stuff; here's a blast from the past, and for those who haven't seen the series, here's a compilation of the famous Suburban Auto Group ads... enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y</p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/8avOiTUcD4Y/hqdefault.jpg"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y" target="_blank">Trunk Monkey Compilation</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">Compilation of Trunk Monkeys - a Suburban Auto Group Ad</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
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SSgt Owner/Operator
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As a Corporal, I taught a class to 2 companies from our Battalion on the use of field comm gear when you are not a field radio operator. We were out in the field for our yearly NBC qualifications. I had everyone, Officers included, sitting in the field as I started talking about the need for everyone to know the basic assembly, operation and how to call in for support when their radio operator is taken out of action.

Once I knew enough of the Marines were starting to zone out (not hard with 2 days straight of instruction and gas chamber work) 2 of my Platoon mates discharged a couple of CS canisters behind the class (we sat them this way so the wind would drift it across the whole class). I casually disconnected the antennae from the PRC-77 I was holding and threw it to the right. Disconnected the handset, threw it to the left, dropped the battery case and tossed the battery behind me. By then, most of the Marines were looking around for that annoying gas - none of them putting on their gas masks!

Our Comm Chief, our Platoon Commander and a couple other Staff Sergeants started running around yelling "You are dead". I started yelling "Who is going to call in the Medivac?" At the end, we had less than 20 Marines with gas masks on as they were trying to figure out how to reassemble the radio and do - something.

My class was only another 30 minutes after that but I had every eyeball, from the Colonel on down.
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SSG Environmental Specialist
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Back in 92 all engineers got some sort of demolitions training, so all the constructions AIT trainees spent 3 weeks training with a combat engineer. Day one the Staff Sergeant holds a block of C-4 and goes thru the destructive power of C-4 the throws it as hard as he can across the room, we all hit the floor. He laughs at us and tells us "hell fella's we cook with that stuff". Then explains unless you use a blasting cap or some other source to detonate, it is perfectly safe. Best 3 weeks of training I ever had in the military.
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CPT Jack Durish
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My most memorable training attention-getter was supplied by our platoon sergeant at the conclusion of hand-to-hand combat training in BCT when he commented, "When you run out of ammunition, go find more."
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