Company Team Leader Development Course shapes today's leaders

"We're looking for leaders of innovation, ingenuity; initiative, and strength--not bureaucrats, whose satisfaction in life is achieved by making it to 5 (o'clock) in the afternoon, reporting to the commander that 'I've processed all the papers.' We're looking for life-long learning, rooted in values and the Warrior Ethos. We want every learner rewarded for innovation, ingenuity, and the courage to change as opposed to the completion of a process. (We want leaders to be) product--versus process-oriented."--LTG James R. Helmly, chief the Army Reserve, and commander of the U.S Army Reserve Command

Punching up slides with questions written on a "stars and stripes" background, LTC Mark Anspach moderated an Army version of "Family Feud."

Question: "Master Fitness trainers are required to score 300 points on the Army fitness test."

"False," a Soldier called out.

"Correct. Point for this group," Anspach said, referring to the right side of the class. Question: "TDA units do not need a mission-essential task list because they generally do not go to war."

"False," said CPT Kris Overman of the 425th Transportation Company. "They need one because they still have a mission."

The scene was a classroom at the B.T. Collins U.S. Army Reserve Center, Sacramento, Calif. Taking a moment from in-depth lectures and group exercises, nearly 30 NCOs, officers, and unit administrators took part in an informal game-show-type review of issues they had been studying.

All were attending the Company Team Leader Development Course (CTLDC) for an intensive 52 hours over five days, typically lasting from 6:15 a.m. to 10 p.m. or later. The goal is to meld the officers, NCOs, and administrators into a team with a common understanding and agenda, whether in peace or war.

Training the three different types of leaders together is a unique concept. Normally the civilian, NCO, and officer have separate training programs and traditionally different perspectives.

Led by cadre and guest speakers, the course rapidly covered a new subject about every two hours. They included:

* Drill and Ceremony

* Developing a Commander's Vision

* Elements of Success

* Conduct the Army Physical Readiness Test

* Instilling Army Values

* Judge Advocate Group Resources

But this was not just another class among the many conducted during the last five years. The course was part of a national "rollout," expanding CTLDC from the 63rd Regional Readiness Command to Army Reserve-wide. The class held in May 2004 was different--signaling a clear transition--with teams from the 88th and 89th Regional Readiness Commands out of Minneapolis, Minn., and Wichita, Kan., respectively, along with unit teams from Nebraska, California, Indiana, and Nevada.

Furthermore, three people from the Army Reserve Readiness Training Center, Fort McCoy, Wis., attended. They comprised CTLDC mobile training teams that will assist the RRCs in the course set-up and delivery nationwide.

"We're taking the existing program of instruction and changing some parts to making them more adaptable for other Regional Readiness Commands," explained CPT Jane Tamboli, team leader for the mobile team. "We will help implement and teach at various RRCs as the plan begins to roll out."

She said the implementation begins this year and will continue into fiscal year 2006.

The Soldiers and civilians at the Reserve Center practiced their drill and ceremony skills each morning. On a cold, windy morning, CPT Darren Antal, commander of the 823rd AG Replacement Company, called the formation to attention. "Platoon leaders," he bellowed, "Prepare your Soldiers for inspection."

After finishing, they went back to the classroom that was ringed with posters shouting themes such as "Excellence," "Teamwork," and "Perseverance." In the middle was a picture with steely-eyed Army Rangers bristling with weapons.

COL (Ret.) Christopher Green, CTLDC course developer and master trainer for 63rd RRC, asked for feedback on the morning parade.

"What kind of problems did you see?" he asked. "What can we do to improve?"

"Some people in the back were talking in the ranks," said SFC Tom Clausson of 425th Transportation Company, Salina, Kan. "I didn't like that."

MSG Priamo Paulino of the Readiness Training Center gave another observation.

"You don't give the last squad an 'at ease' after an inspection," he said.

"Right," said Green. "There's no point. You're done."

Among the course topics was "Effective Leadership in Army Reserve Units," with class members and cadre interacting.

"Quality training needs to be MOS specific," said MSG Garren Fulmer of the 313th Military Police Detachment in Las Vegas, summarizing study material. "Training needs to be hands-on, organized into a plan, and adhered to."

Green agreed.

"Units often shoot themselves in the foot, don't have a training plan or adequately conduct training," he said. "There can be be a problem like 'we wanted weapons training, but didn't order ammunition.'"

The class also listened to guest speakers. LTC Lisa Windsor, staff judge advocate for 63rd Regional Readiness Command spoke to them about proper discipline procedures.

"Discipline is a part of command," she said. "It must be linear and ascending. If an enlisted Soldier keeps mouthing off to officers and gets nothing but counseling statements, he'll think 'I can do this indefinitely.' Then I'll see commanders say, 'I want him out!' But I need to see different techniques to rehabilitate." She said examples are Article 15s or bars to reenlistment.

Each team of commander, NCO, and civilian worked jointly to develop plans for effectively dealing with issues such as retention, attendance, and instilling Army Values. The plans included spelling out who in the unit would be responsible. SFC Stephen Neu, unit administrator Julie Miller and Chief Warrant Officer Robert Justice of the 639th Transportation Company, Vallejo, Calif., wrote a three-point drill attendance improvement plan. Details included:

* Create and implement an award-recognition program for perfect attendance (commander, first sergeant, and unit administrator responsible);

* Schedule some creative training, e.g., car wash for donations to Family Readiness Group and to encourage team building, instilling Army Values (NCOs responsible); and

* Create a buddy system for contact, transportation, and other needs, and to fix a potential "no show" (first sergeant, NCOs responsible).

Justice appreciated the training in the course.

"If we sit down and do the hard stuff in the beginning, it will make us a better team," he said.

CPT Gabriella Cook, commander of the 313th Military Police Detachment in Las Vegas, Nev. on "alert" status for potential deployment, praised the course as well.

"It's improved our teamwork and cooperation," she said. "We know how to approach it better. We communicated more and said, 'This is my strength and this is your strength.' When we are at drill, we hardly ever have time to sit down and go over things."

The course and the scheduled "roll out" are components of the Army Reserve Leadership Campaign Plan. This initiative began in May 2003 under LTG James R. Helmly, chief of the Army Reserve. COL Sharon Stanley, chief of the Leadership Initiative, was present for the CTLDC "train-the-trainer" session in Sacramento, Calif.

"The ultimate goal of the leadership campaign is a change in our culture of leadership," Stanley said. "The three key leadership competencies are: 1. Self Awareness--'Who am I as a leader and what effect am I having on those around me?' 2. Agility and Adaptability--'Do it now, get it done, and we may have to be flexible to complete the mission. We don't have to be perfect; we need to move ahead'; 3. Life-long learners--'Soldiers and civilians who choose to continue their learning outside the school house.'"

The Company Team Leader Development Course was a groundbreaking concept developed in 1999 by the 63rd Regional Readiness Command (then named 63rd Regional Support Command). The issue: Reserve units would conduct monthly training and the first sergeants, commanders, and civilian administrators would experience friction and misunderstandings that undermined readiness.

The course began in April 1999 at Oakland Army Base, Calif., and more than 300 people have since graduated. As more classes were conducted, CTLDC resulted in improvements in unit readiness and increased leadership efficiency. The roll-out Army Reserve-wide was later approved by Helmly.

Each position has a different function, training, and perspective, observed Anspach, co-designer of the course. "They're in three different silos," he said.

"Officers go down one path of training with other officers. NCOs go down their path and UAs have their own as well."

Conditions are further complicated by unit commanders and first sergeants not being full-time and by all having to get caught up during weekend training.

"These guys come in on a training weekend and run around at Warp 9 and they don't have quiet time to get together and plan," Anspach continued. "Or a new commander comes in with his own assumptions without dealing with other peoples' assumptions."

The course organizers even include touches from the fine arts, showing movie clips with themes relevant to military leadership.

One segment was from "Memphis Belle," a 1990 story about World War II aviators. A fleet of U.S. bombers are on their way to strike German targets during World War II. They reach a smoke screen and veer out of the area.

The commander then makes a dangerous decision to turn back and make another run even though anti-aircraft gunners would anticipate them returning. The copilot walks to the back of the plane, talks to the tail gunner, who then shoots down a German plane. It is the wrong moment. The damaged plane comes crashing downward on an American bomber. Both aircraft plummet to the ground.

"Let's talk about this," Anspach said, in front of the class. "What did you see as far as the co-pilots deal with the tail gunner?"

"He abandoned his post for his own personal satisfaction," said one Soldier.

"And he didn't demonstrate loyalty to his team," Anspach observed. "He was trying to do something for himself."

Others chimed in opinions that the commander showed personal courage in ordering the return bombing run.

COPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Army Reserve
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group