Courtesy Photo | Transportation Corps Soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., participate in the...... read more read more
FORT LEE, Va. – Citing advantages like improved deployment capability, cost effectiveness and tailor-made blocks of instruction, the Army Driver Standardization Office at the U.S. Army Transportation School here is promoting the mobile training program it launched in 2014.
“We’re filling a gap that has existed for a long time,” said ADSO Director Jeffrey Skinner in reference to the Master Driver Trainer Qualification Course that is among the offerings at the T-School. “Even though they were not previously recognized on manning documents, master drivers have long been a part of the culture within wheeled vehicle units. They are a valuable tool for managing and executing unit driver training programs. Thus, the development of the MDTQC, the M9 skill identifier and authorized MTOE (modification table of organization and equipment) positions have all been steps in the right direction.”
Not long after the qualification course was established here, Skinner further explained, the chief of transportation, Brig. Gen. John P. Sullivan, learned high operational tempo units were having difficulty freeing up NCOs to attend the course.
“Taking it on the road was the next logical step,” he said. “We answered the call of the field ... one of our most important jobs at the T-School.”
The mobile training course has been a resounding success from the get-go. During debut training iterations at Fort Riley, Kansas, and, most recently in November, Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, the ADSO team learned a “localized” course of instruction offered many advantages.
“For one thing, we can focus on the unit’s actual resources,” said Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Lee III, noncommissioned officer in charge of the ADSO. “For example, if the organization is equipped with 915s (M915A5 long-haul tractor truck) like they have up in Alaska, we can spend more time talking about operations with that type of equipment versus MRAP (mine-resistant ambush protected) vehicles that would be more prevalent at, say, Lewis-McChord, or bulldozers at an engineer unit at Fort Polk (Louisiana). It also puts it on their home turf; training in an environment that they’re most familiar with.”
State and municipal transportation laws also are different at each location, noted Staff Sgt. Arnold Bayani, a course instructor.
“That really comes into play in cases where the organization conducts frequent convoy operations,” he said. “It’s a safety consideration as well ... master drivers have to be knowledgeable of the local laws military vehicle operators have to follow.”
Of course, cost is another huge benefit. Paying temporary duty travel dollars for three instructors is far cheaper than the price tag for 20 students attending a resident class at Fort Lee.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to do this instead of that,” Skinner quickly emphasized. “Resident MDTQC at the schoolhouse will continue, and it’s a great option for units that have the resources to send their transporters here where they’re going to get the most robust training available.”
Shifting their focus to the course itself, the ADSO staffers explained how it benefits the operational Army as a whole. All M9-qualified transportation NCOs know how to organize and conduct convoy operations with required security measures. They have studied risk management, accident avoidance and vehicle recovery. Their skill set also includes writing standard operating procedures, conducting accident investigations, and operating a motorcycle mentorship program, among other tasks.
“They’re a valuable resource for any commander,” Lee noted. “A master driver trainer knows the Army standard for vehicle operations and what it takes to bring an organization up to that level. There is a lot of shared experience within our field as well – most of the 88-Mikes (motor transport operators) at our rank have at least five deployments under their belt. That’s a lot of operational knowledge that needs to be shared.”
The topic of credentialing was discussed as well.
“Master driver trainer skill sets are definitely marketable in the civilian world,” Bayani said. “During the course, we focus on that also, and we encourage our students to take advantage of state-sponsored CDL (commercial driver’s license) testing opportunities.”
One final selling point for the mobile training course is the reactions it has received from recent participants. During the November class at Lewis-McChord, Staff Sgt. Thomas Moss, a squad leader for 523rd Transportation Company, 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, recognized the value of “learning the standard, by the book.” That knowledge, he said, would ensure his ability to effectively perform in a joint deployment environment.
Following that same train of thought, Staff Sgt. Aaron Pierce, logistics squad leader, 125th Forward Support Company, 1st Battalion, 94th Field Artillery Regiment, said, “For (motor transport operators) specifically, this is something we have to be able to do. It’s a really good program; it’s definitely something we needed.”
According to Skinner, the MDTQC Mobile Training Team will be on the road again in April with scheduled classes at forts Buchanan (Puerto Rico) and Polk, and possibly Fort Wainwright, Alaska, by the end of the fiscal year.
Army organizations that have questions or want to learn more about the Master Driver Trainer Qualification Course and/or the Mobile Training Team program can contact the ADSO at (804) 765-1859.
| Date Taken: | 01.08.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.08.2015 12:53 |
| Story ID: | 151534 |
| Location: | FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 434 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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