Photo By Donald Ross | NTC and Fort Irwin Command Sgt. Maj. Carvet C. Tate, and U.S. Forces Command, Command...... read more read more
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The National Training Center (NTC) has begun an initiative to increase lethality within Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) to ensure that they are trained and ready to win the first and final fight of the next war.
The Master Gunner Lethality Observations Assessment & Duty Refinement (MG-LOADR) is designed to evaluate, refine, and enhance the effectiveness of Master Gunners in their role as subject matter experts on gunnery, weapons employment, and crew lethality during force-on-force and throughout the rotation.
“This initiative began last summer during a visit by Command Sgt. Maj. Holland, the FORSCOM Command Sergeant Major,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Carvet C. Tate, the NTC and Fort Irwin Command Sergeant Major. “We were observing force on force and noticed that Master Gunners were not significantly employed; they were essentially performing additional duties,” he said. “He [Holland] asked us to create something that better employs the Master Gunners during the force-on-force phase of the rotation. This will translate back to home station training and influence all future operations as they become better integrated into the staff and as an advisor to the commander,” he said.
While MG-LOADR is new, rotational units will be made aware of the requirements during the planning and preparation phase of the NTC rotation, which begins more than a year in advance. Once they arrive, “we brief them on the purpose of the MG-LOADR initiative and give them an overview of the Master Gunner Assessment Tools (MGAT) to show them what we’ll be looking for during their assessment,” said Master Sgt. Corey DaCosta, Operations Group, Dragon team.
Operations Group’s (OPSGRP) live fire Observer Coach/Trainers (OC/Ts), the Dragon Team developed the MGATs to not only assess Master Gunners, but to ensure they are integrated into all phases of an NTC rotation. “The MG LOADR program, utilized properly, is going to help the maneuver force better understand how the masters of lethality, our Master Gunners’ fit into a deployed environment. This understanding and lessons learned will help leaders at echelon build generational lethality helping us win the first and last battle of our next fight,” said Master Sgt. Nathan K. Stock, Operations Group, Dragon 40.
While in its’ infancy, MG-LOADR is already seeing results according to Tate. “We’re seeing results in Power BI on lethality and sustainment,” he said. Power BI is a data visualization tool that is used to present relevant information to the formation and to the commander, so they can make informed decisions.
During NTC Rotation 25-03, Master Gunners from 3-66 Armor said that they were not aware of MG-LOADR until they arrived and that their role during the rotation didn’t change significantly. Staff Sgt. Lake Keller, Tank Master Gunner from 3-66 Armor Battalion said, “I think 100% that the program [MG-LOADR] will increase lethality across the force and bring the original Master Gunner role back to light.”
“Much thanks to our Dragon Team, and the Master Gunner OC/Ts at First Army for the development of the MG-LOADR initiative,” said Tate whose preparing an information paper that will go out to the Centers of Excellence in the coming weeks.
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| Date Taken: | 03.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2025 14:56 |
| Story ID: | 492788 |
| Location: | FORT IRWIN, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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