Photo By Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony L Taylor | First Army, Division-West and 85th Support Command staff pose for a photo following a...... read more read more
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – All eight First Army, Division-West brigade commanders and command sergeants major; also with Col. Greg Reilly, chief of staff for Division West -based out of Fort Hood, Texas and Col. Daniel Hurlbut, Division West operations chief attended a commander's initial orientation brief hosted by the 85th Support Command at their headquarters in Arlington Heights, Ill. - 25 miles northwest of Chicago, Aug. 19.
The Division West incoming command teams took part in the brief as an orientation and understanding of how Army Reserve procedures work. Both staffs were eager to exchange thoughts and ideas of how these organizations can better mutually support each other in First Army, Division West’s mission of training deployed expeditionary forces, and rotational distributed forces.
The 85th support command shares a unique multi-component relationship with First Army, Division West, that includes soldiers made up of active component, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard soldiers.
“The sole purpose is to familiarize [the new commanders] with the nuances of the reserve component as compared to the active duty component with regards to soldier care, pay, and life support issues for their future missions,” said Col. Robert Rauchle, chief of staff for the 85th Support Command.
Throughout the Division West and 85th Support Command footprint, there are approximately 3,500 Army Reserve soldiers, and each brigade is task-organized for a specific mission from aviation and infantry to command and control organizations according to Rauchle.
“The 85th Support Command has a unique mission. We are one of the few multi-component units in the Army Reserve, and as such, the lines of communication and resource support are not as clear cut as it would be in a traditional line unit within the Army Reserve. That requires a higher level of thinking, and much more coordination between commands both at First Army, Division-West, and also from Army Reserve command,” said Rauchle. “We are the intermediating unit which translates needs and requirements from First Army to resourcing requirements, and resourced opportunities from Army Reserve command.”
The brigades are located all across the Western U.S. from Joint Base-Lewis-McChord, Wash. and Fort McCoy, Wis., to Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas. Rauchle stated that this was a great opportunity to save dollars by briefing all the commanders in one location here prior to their travel to First Army’s headquarters at Rock Island, Illinois – approximately three hours from Chicago- for their briefing on mission accomplishments with regards to mobilization of soldiers and the deployment of soldiers.
Presentations that explained Army Reserve processes were provided by each of the staff sections.
“A main requirement is that the commanders are responsible for recruiting the strength of their units, … which is significantly different from the active component,” explained Col. Robert Spinelli, personnel chief. “In the Army Reserve, you have to find soldiers and bring them to your unit.”
For Col. Shawn Klawunder, incoming commander of 181st Infantry Brigade based out of Fort McCoy, Wis., it was a first look into the make up of the Army Reserve.
“I’ve been in command for about a month and a half, but I’ve never worked with the Army Reserve before,” said Klawunder. “It’s a good opportunity for me to meet the [other] commanders and command sergeants major from the Division West formation for the first time, and to get an understanding of reserve affairs and how we work in this multi-component organization.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Edward Johnson, command sergeant major for the 120th Infantry Brigade, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, explained the brief was about understanding the different avenues and different approaches.
“When you’re talking about personnel with the reserve component battalions, who do you call when you have a shortage, and how do you go about the process of recruiting someone to be an Army Reserve soldier in that reserve unit,” Johnson stated.
Reilly, who is also new to the organization, received the opportunity to familiarize himself with the new command teams and the 85th Support Command staff.
“I was looking forward to this from the perspective of really getting a rich idea of how the 85th Support Command is arrayed across the Division West area of operations to support us,” said Reilly. “Relationships are being built here so that [commanders] have a way to be more effective at gaining solutions to problems quicker.”
Rauchle explained that this was a mutual exclusive opportunity.
“What [commanders] gain is a better understanding of reserve soldiers, reserve terms, and processes. Their gain is a reduced frustration as they learn the new language associated with the reserve component. The gain for our command is a better understanding [provided to commanders] of where we’re coming from, and the why and when we ask for information – as a result of trying to take care of soldiers. So, the soldier within the command is ultimately who wins in both situations,” said Rauchle. “If the brigade commander understands better of the requirements that we are asking of them, the better the reserve soldier within those formations are being taken care of.”
Brig. Gen. Gracus K. Dunn, commanding general of the 85th Support Command and deputy commanding general for support of First Army, Division-West, began the process to present this brief with the previous Division-West commanding general, Maj. Gen. Perry Wiggins, and finalized it with the current Division-West commanding general, Maj. Gen. Warren Phipps.
“I am pleased that we are becoming a model of success with the education, structure and operational process of a true multi-component organization for our Army. Maj. Gen. Phipps and I knew that there was a need for these leaders to have a clear understanding of Army Reserve Title 10 authorities, business rules, processes, training and requirements in leading our Army Reserve soldiers and units assigned to Division-West,” said Dunn.
| Date Taken: | 08.19.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2013 15:50 |
| Story ID: | 112520 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 359 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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