Voluntary Reclassification Initiative for 3rd ID 19K

Photo By Sgt. Duke Edwards | A U.S. Army Soldier assigned to the "Spartan Brigade," 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, poses for a photo while his modernized M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tank maneuvers through the terrain at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, March 7, 2023. The Spartan Brigade, the Army’s most modernized brigade, completed its rotation NTC 23-05, making it not only the best equipped but most lethal unit in America’s arsenal as the Army moves toward building the Army of 2030. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Duke Edwards, 50th Public Affairs Detachment)  

FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES

07.22.2023

Story by Pfc. Destiny Husband 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

The 3rd Infantry Division is leveraging the flexibility of its Soldiers by cross-training infantrymen (11B) to solve a shortage of M1 armor crewmen (19K) in the division, an issue the U.S. Army also faces nationwide. This coordinated effort began with a resources synchronization conference within the 18th Airborne Corps. The shortage is an issue across the U.S. Army, but the division’s solution allowed Dogface Soldiers from Fort Stewart to broaden their careers and learn new skills while leveraging a innovative way to transition to a new job field that is more efficient because it doesn’t require Soldiers to attend Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Two unique options available for an 11B to become a 19K. One is by qualifying as a loader during a live-fire exercise (commonly referred to in the Army as “gunnery”). The other is by completing a Combat Training Center rotation. As part of the Army training program, CTC rotations offer brigade-level training exercises for armored, infantry, and stryker brigade combat teams. Soldiers that need additional training ship to Fort Benning, Georgia for AIT to earn 19K as their primary MOS and continue as an 11B for their secondary occupational skill sets.
Spc. Jeremiah Salazar, a new 19K assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd ID, transitioned by qualifying as a loader at a gunnery event. He said that his experience with his new responsibilities made him realize how essential 19Ks are when protecting our nation anywhere in the world. “Having 19Ks means that we can definitely dominate the fight,” said Salazar.
Tanks are recognized for their distinctive armor, mounted cannons, and continuous metal tracks that enable them to go across difficult terrain. They are among the most recognizable representations of contemporary warfare and offer their crews excellent defense against adversaries. “Our main platform is the Abrams tank, so to have the crew trained and able to operate that platform is very significant for the 3rd Infantry Division,” said Sgt. Maj. Jason E. Insell, the senior enlisted advisor for 3rd ID’s G1 personnel office.
Insell, along with other senior enlisted personnel, became a vital part of executing this creative reclassification solution for 3rd ID where G1’s mission is to execute efficient personnel strategy, direct and oversee initiatives that increase sustained personnel preparedness, and manage projects that benefit the Army's most valuable resource: Soldiers. “For Soldier development, it's really good because it shows that a handful of Soldiers can not only do one job, but can also do another,” said Spc. Matthew Hondo, another new 19K assigned to 3rd Bn., 15th IR.
Hondo spoke about how getting into a tank for the first time made him notice the significance of being a tanker, and that he had made the right choice when he volunteered to transfer from 11B to 19K.
Early in 2023, Soldiers who volunteered for the program had nearly a month to complete hands-on training to prepare for an upcoming National Training Center (NTC) rotation that required 19Ks to complete.
“The first two weeks were a little stressful because when you get inside the tank, you have little idea of how things operate, but over time, you learn everything,” said Salazar.
This transition involved approximately 40 Soldiers who volunteered to reclass, many of whom did not need additional training. 19Ks have four different positions in a tank: a driver, loader, truck commander, and gunnery operator. The majority of infantrymen already have the necessary training to be a loader, which expedited the training process. The speed in which infantrymen could be trained to do the job not only increased the readiness of the entire division, but also spoke to the quality and trainability of the Army’s infantrymen.
“What it comes down to is essentially 3rd ID finding a way to try to solve our own manning issue,” said Insell.
Projections foresee a decline in the number of 19Ks across the Army, but 3rd ID has once again show that Soldiers are the most valuable asset in the U.S. Army, while also providing junior Soldiers new opportunities to broaden their military careers.

• Date Taken: 07.22.2023
• Date Posted: 07.22.2023 12:28
• Story ID: 449801
• Location: FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US