Photo By Zachary Mott | Major Gen. Darrell J. Guthrie, center, and Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory O. Betty, center...... read more read more
FORT SNELLING, Minn. – Huddled in the subterranean confines of a large conference room at the 88th Readiness Division’s headquarters here, commanders, senior staff and other members of the four Army Reserve readiness divisions, as well as 23 of the 26 functional commands, planned how to best address readiness issues at the quarterly effects coordination board, June 24 and 25, 2021.
“We had many of those representatives here in person and a whole lot more that were with us on the phone. I think over time we’ll see that that all grows so that the ECBs really achieve effects that improve the readiness of the Army Reserve,” said Maj. Gen. Darrell J. Guthrie, commanding general of the 88th RD and host for this event.
During the two-day meeting, attendees discussed various readiness-based topics and conducted break-out sessions to further talk about issues relating to personnel, supply, training and infrastructure before re-convening and reporting back on the discussions and planned way ahead.
“We’re continuing to build the ECB to incorporate the functional commands more,” said Col. Bob Wagner, G-3/5/7 for the 88th RD. “We’re getting that input and feedback from those functional commands. As we’re hearing today it seems to be of value and they’re finding the value of all of us coming together.”
Having functional commanders attend the ECB allows for a level of communication that can’t be replicated through email.
“You get as much work done on breaks and sidebars that you can’t do in a Microsoft Teams environment,” said Maj. Gen. John H. Phillips, commanding general, 335th Signal Battalion (Theater). “But just having side conversations on issues with each of the four RDs, because I have Soldiers in facilities in all four RDs, was invaluable. That would not have happened in a continued COVID, Microsoft Teams environment.”
Each quarter, a different readiness division hosts the ECB. Topics for each board are determined through various methods. There are some topics that continue from the previous meeting. Others are picked from discussions or selected at the suggestion of partner commands. Some topics are chosen as a result of surveys from supported commands.
“The last two times, we sent out surveys to the functional commands and tried to identify what topics they wanted,” Wagner said. “We’re trying to start to pull from our customers what topics (they want discussed), that’s what we did this time also. We’re starting to incorporate what our customer’s demands are.”
The ultimate goal of these meetings is to support the individual Soldier and unit to achieve an improved readiness level.
“That’s the end result,” Wagner said. “How are we going to impact our Soldiers? That service member, the individual or that company commander that’s influencing that Soldier.
“Our planning that we’re doing over here is going to impact that Soldier in the future by us coming together and having a single voice as we come down together and get the information all the way down to the lowest level – and the program all the way down to that lowest level – so that it’s a positive impact. It’s improving overall readiness to the Army Reserve because that Soldier is going to be ready.”
The next scheduled ECB is in September and hosted by the 99th Readiness Division at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.30.2021 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 400146 |
| Location: | FORT SNELLING, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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