Photo By Chuck Cannon | Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston presents an SMA coin to Staff Sgt. Carlo...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. — Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston paid a visit to the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk Oct. 21 to meet with units participating in JRTC Rotation 21-01 and get first-hand input on the Army’s new night vision gear.
He also took time to talk about what the Army might look like in the future, to include how it trains and prepares for the nation’s wars.
“I don’t see large-scale combat training changing much,” Grinston said. “I think with great leaders like (U.S. Forces Command commanding general) General (Michael X.) Garrett and (Commander, U.S. Forces Korea) General (Robert B.) Abrams, we saw this coming years ago and they brought back large scale combat training.”
Grinston said Army leadership has transitioned from a counter-insurgency fight to a decisive action training environment and is still heading in that direction.
“What we’re adding is the multi-domain task force,” he said.
The OPFOR (opposing force) will be more complex, Grinston said, and use techniques such as advanced jamming.
“You’re going to see the training evolve from the enemy perspective,” he said. “The training will still be a brigade-sized element, but will include a multi-level task force. We’ve seen some of that with the SFABs (Security Force Assistance Brigade), and we’re still excited to have the premiere training centers in the world.”
The changes are part of the Army’s Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM), a flexible, predictable force generation process that creates an Army that is regionally and functionally capable of supporting the Nation’s Defense Strategy, according to a report by Headquarters, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3-5-7, released Oct. 16.
Grinston said even though units will be regionally aligned, they will still be expected to complete a training event at JRTC, the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, or the Combat Maneuver Center in Hohenfels, Germany.
“We’re going to modernize that element before they get to training — the ready part — and they’re regionally aligned,” Grinston said. “In the past, you might have got the modernization after the training, or before you deployed or even sometimes when you were deployed; you didn’t know when you were going to get it.”
With ReARMM, Grinston said the time has been allotted to prepare units in the proper sequence: Modernization, training and then regional alignment. “I think it’s a good model and I’m excited,” he said.
Grinston also discussed the recent change in priorities addressed by Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville, and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, placing people as the Army’s No. 1 priority.
“It doesn’t mean we’re doing away with readiness and modernization, but people first is now No. 1,” he said. “It lines up with putting our resources into quality of life: Housing, child care, health care, spouse employment and PCS moves.”
From now until 2030, the Army is putting $9 billion into barracks, Grinston said, with a goal to get rid of all Q3 and Q4 barracks. Q3 barracks fail to meet the Army’s minimum standards and the cost to improve them is no more than 40% of the replacement value. Q4 barracks also fail to meet minimum standards, but the cost to improve them would exceed 40% of the replacement value.
“We have a plan to do that, so hopefully with all the right funding, we’ll stay on that plan,” Grinston said. “That’s what people first means, and that’s how we’re getting after the quality of life issue.”
After touching down at Hammerhead on Geronimo Drop Zone, Grinston visited with Soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, to get their take on the Army’s enhanced night vision goggles used by Soldiers during JRTC Rotation 21-01.
Staff Sgt. Carlo Rodriguez, C Co, 1st Bn, 21st Inf Reg, said he was skeptical when told the Sergeant Major of the Army was stopping by.
“I thought they were joking,” he said. “Why would he come out here and see us?”
Rodriguez said his opinion quickly changed once he spoke with Grinston.
“For him to actually come out here, and get with the Soldiers on the ground, was eye-opening,” Rodriguez said. “For a leader to ask me questions and seek my opinions, it was really heart-felt. He cares about what we are doing out here, and how the systems he is pushing for are affecting us. Getting our feedback means a lot. It restores my faith in leadership.”
JRTC and Fort Polk Command Sgt. Maj. Michael C. Henry said Grinston’s visit was important for the installation.
“His visit means he sees JRTC as a premiere combat training center, and as senior member of the Army, he wants to see Soldiers training to the best of their abilities and that we are providing that training,” Henry said. “Bringing the 25th Infantry Division here from Hawaii was a significant feat.”
Henry said Grinston was able to receive quality feedback from RTU Soldiers.
“He was able to visit with Soldiers who were actually using the ENGV-B (night vision goggles) and hear how that piece of equipment is raising the capabilities for Soldiers in the field,” Henry said.
Grinston was also able to see first-hand the effects of hurricanes Laura and Delta on Fort Polk.
“His visit allowed him to see how the hurricanes affected and challenged us, and how we’ve worked through them and continued to address our quality of life issues,” Henry said. “It shows that he and other senior leaders care about us.”
As for what it meant to the RTU Soldiers in the field, Henry said Grinston’s visit shows the Army cares.
“It showed the Soldiers that this most senior enlisted leader can connect and understand the applications of warfighting down to the Soldier/squad level,” Henry said. “That he genuinely cares about the training they receive and he understands them.”
Before leaving, Grinston offered advice to those who might seek the position of the Army’s top enlisted Soldier.
“Whatever you do, don’t try to be the sergeant major of the Army,” he said. “Be the best version of you that you can be.”
Grinston said he usually tells Soldiers to put theirs head down, set personal and professional goals, and do everything they can to make sure their Soldiers are fit, disciplined, well-trained, and feel like they are part of a cohesive team.
“If you get lucky enough to progress through those things and be the sergeant major of the Army, and you have that opportunity, you can do it,” he said. “If you focus on your Soldiers, be a great leader, have personal and professional goals, and work on that for 33 years, you might have the opportunity. But you need to focus on those small things.”
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2020 15:37 |
| Story ID: | 381660 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 425 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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