15th Signal Brigade undergoes quality assurances assessments in FY05

In fiscal year 2005 Signal military occupational specialties 25F: Network Switching System Operator-Maintainer and 25Q: Multichannel Transmission System Operator-Maintainer are scheduled to undergo quality assurance assessment visit. The purposes of the QA assessment visits are to appraise the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of each individual course in training Soldiers and provide feedback to key leaders.

The visit to the 25F and 25Q present some unique challenges to both the QA division and the 15th Signal Brigade Training Development Division over and above the challenges presented by previous QA assessments of the MOS 25P: Microwave Systems Operator--Maintainer course, which took place in FY04.

For both the 25F and 25Q courses these challenges are:

Due to the Transformation of the Army, both these courses are currently in the midst of a major revision of equipment, course materials, training strategies, and training tasks. This includes the addition of a Warrior Ethos Field Training Exercise in all courses, new training in routers in the 25F course, and the addition of new simulators in both courses.

Also, the vast majority of both courses are taught by General Dynamics under contract to the Signal Center and Fort Gordon. This means that co-ordination between the Contracting Officer's Representative, General Dynamics' training development and training departments and the 15th Signal Brigade TDD had to take place to facilitate the QA division's classroom observations and other activities at the contractors.

The QA Division assesses the course in 24 Accreditation Standards, broken down into three Performance Areas. The three Performance Areas are Conduct of Training, Training Support, and Proponent Functions.

Below are the 24 Training and Doctrine Command accreditation standards in the three performance areas:

Conduct of training

1. Institution complies with established instructor-to-student and equipment ratios.

2. Instructors meet qualifications and have evidence of having met proponent technical certification requirements.

3. Institution administers the required current, approved course materials (including tests) that train AC and RC Soldiers to the same task performance standard.

4. Institution conducts training that minimizes accident risk in both training and operations.

5. Institution conducts training that protects the environment.

6. Institution implements sequential, progressive training by scheduling and conducting training in accordance with the mandatory training sequence.

7. Instructors/cadre perform their instructional duties and responsibilities in accordance with regulatory guidance and lesson objectives.

8. Students can perform to the prescribed learning objective standards.

9. Institution provides students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their leadership skills and knowledge in a performance-based environment.

10. Institution uses required ranges and training areas as prescribed. Training support

11. Institution has corrected shortcomings identified during previous accreditation evaluations.

12. The institution is staffed and manages manpower effectively to meet mission requirements.

13. Institution provides required equipment, TADSS, ammunition, pyrotechnics, training material, consumable supplies, and references as prescribed.

14. Institution evaluates and tracks instructor/cadre performance and takes action, as appropriate, to sustain, improve, and develop instructor/cadre performance.

15. Facilities are adequate to promote learning and meet learning objectives (includes barracks, classrooms, shop areas, ranges, training areas, and learning facilities).

16. Institution has policies, procedures, and oversight in place to ensure effective training and administrative support.

Proponent functions

17. Institution has a Quality Assurance Program in place to conduct and ensure implementation of internal and external evaluations to improve, sustain, and develop effective education and training.

18. Institution has an effective system in place to forecast, update, and monitor its training and leader development-related resourcing requirements.

19. Proponent develops and maintains training products based on current and approved critical tasks and task analysis data.

20. Proponent designs and develops efficient, effective, and relevant active component and Reserve component training to the same task performance standard, using (as appropriate) live, constructive, and virtual training.

21. Institution develops and provides valid and reliable criterion-referenced tests.

22. Education/training reflects current joint, Army, and branch doctrine (e.g., contemporary operating environment, opposing forces) at the appropriate level and incorporates lessons learned from Combat Training Centers, unit operational deployments, and the Center for Army Lessons Learned.

23. Institution has a Staff and Faculty Development Program in place and develops its staff and faculty to meet regulatory, institutional, and career development requirements.

24. Institution and its subordinate training organizations develop, publish, and follow command training guidance in accordance with the Army's training doctrine.

The 15th Signal Brigade TDD is looking forward to the QA assessments with an eye to improving the training of Signal Soldiers, to make them tactically and technically proficient to support the Army in the Global War on Terrorism.

ACRONYM QUICKSCAN

COE--Contemporary Operating Environment

MOS--Military Occupational Specialties

TADSS--Training Aids, Devices, Simulators, and Simulations

TDD--Training Development Division

OPFOR--Opposing Forces

QA--Quality Assurance

Mr. Baker is currently the Area Communication Training Development chief in the 15th Signal Brigade at Fort Gordon. He has worked in the Signal Regimental Officers Academy (now the 442nd Signal Battalion) and the School of Information Technology as a training developer.

Baker is a graduate of the Trainer Developer Intern Program (CP-32 series 1750) at the Signal Center and Fort Gordon. He has served as a U.S. Army Field Artillery officer and is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia and Paine College in Augusta, Ga.

COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Army Signal Center
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group