Multifaceted RC Workshop assists in meeting challenges to get the future right

Directorate of Training, Systems of Integration Division.

The Reserve Component Workshop at the 31st Annual Regimental Signal Symposium numbered among the most ambitious and informative of the entire week. The two-day workshop included two mini-workshops, two executive sessions, 14 presentations, a general officer luncheon and the Annual Reserve Component Barbeque.

Mini-workshops took place Monday of Symposium week. A Schoolhouse-Proponent Mini-Workshop allowed attendees to glean the latest information available on officer, warrant officer, enlisted issues and training. For the first time, a technical mini-workshop provided opportunity for officers and noncommissioned officers to discuss and share new equipment operations efforts and methodologies within various commands.

The General Officer Luncheon on Monday kicked off the RC Workshop enabling the Chief of Signal and deputy commanding general to have an informal meal and some light discussion at the Gordon Club before moving to the Reserve Center. There BG Janet A. Hicks gave opening remarks to a standing-room-only audience of RC commanders and leaders. In attendance were the deputy CGs from both the 311th and 335th Signal Commands, the Headquarters Department of the Army deputy Communications Information Officer/G6 and the brigade commanders from the 142nd, 228th, 261st and 359th Signal Brigades.

The Army National Guard Tactical Signal Advisory Committee and the Army Reserve Executive Steering Committee met Monday and Tuesday. The TSAC and Army Reserve Executive Steering Committee purposes are to discuss issues and develop courses of action relevant to Signal units in the RC and provide feedback to the director, Army National Guard and chief, Army Reserve respectively.

Fourteen presenters provided overviews and discussion on a number of topics including Signal Transformation, Operation Iraqi Freedom lessons learned, new equipment disposition, Total Army Analysis, Homeland Defense and Assignment Oriented Training/ University of Information Technology. The Signal Center director of Combat Developments, all three Training and Doctrine Command Systems Managers, the G-6s for both Forces Command and United States Northern Command (Homeland Security), the Communications Electronics Command readiness director, the HQDA G-3 and G-8 were all represented or individually present and provided presentations. Two Operation Iraqi Freedom lessons learned discussions by COL Charles Nichols, deputy chief of staff for Operations and Plans, 335th Signal Command, Army Reserve, and LTC Heather Meeds, commander, 151st Signal Battalion, South Carolina Army National Guard were highlights of the workshop. The finale of the workshop was a two-hour question and answer discussion with BG Gregory J. Premo, DCG of the Signal Center.

Monday night, the RC hosted its annual barbeque at the American Legion Post on Highland Avenue, Augusta, Ga. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie and revelry as officer and noncommissioned officer, active army and RC Soldiers shared good-natured fun, a few war-stories and some darned good barbeque to boot.

This was also the first RC Workshop to have vendors present. Although, nothing compared to the display tent on Chamberlain Avenue, visits from Ultra-Electronics, Codem Systems and the Unified Command Suite of the Atlanta-based Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team garnered plenty of attention from workshop attendees.

Overall, this year's workshop was arguably the best ever. Without question, the Reserve Components are doing their part in, "Meeting Today's Challenges" and "Getting the Future Right."

ACRONYM QUICKSCAN

CIO--Communications Information Officer

DCG--Deputy Commanding General

HQDA--Headquarters Department of the Army

RC--Reserve Component

TSAC--Tactical Signal Advisory Committee

MAJ Schrader is a Title-10 Active Guard Reserve officer attached to the Signal Center as division chief, Systems Integration Division, Directorate of Training at Fort Gordon.

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