Ft. Wainwright's 172nd Infantry Brigade to serve as model for Army unit manning

Stars and Stripes ^ | European edition, Wednesday, May 7, 2003 | Lisa Burgess

[demlosers]

ARLINGTON, Va. — It’s official: the 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate) will be the first Army unit to adopt the service’s most recent attempt to return to a unit manning personnel policy instead of the current personnel system of individual replacements.

Under unit manning, “you will have groups of people who will arrive together at unit and train together day-to-day through a standard 36-month tour,” Lt. Col. Paul Thornton, unit manning action officer, said in a prepared statement Monday.

“With the current individual replacement system, you constantly have new people come into the unit as others leave on a monthly basis — requiring constant retraining of individual and collective tasks to get the new soldiers up to speed,” Thornton said.

An Army official said Monday that the 172nd, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is “the ideal unit” to inaugurate unit manning, because the group is in the process of becoming service’s third Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Army officials are now reviewing which of the 172nd’s soldiers should stay with the unit through its Stryker Brigade transformation. Selected soldiers will be offered incentives to extend their tour, including cash bonuses.

Officials hope to minimize the number of soldiers who leave the brigade in 2004, when the 172nd is scheduled to receive the Stryker vehicles, and in 2005 when it undergoes initial operating capability testing, Thornton said.

After 2005, soldiers will be replaced every year in “packages” to sustain the 172nd’s unit strength, he said.

The Army has tried unit manning at the battalion level and with smaller units at least 10 times over the last 100 years, with varying levels of success.

Last fall, Army Secretary Thomas White pinpointed unit manning as a possible solution to revamping the Army’s personnel system. He has said he believes that individual management is disruptive and counter to unit cohesiveness and morale.

In September, White tasked Lt. Gen. John LeMoyne, the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, to produce a fast-track study on unit manning. The study was completed in January.

LeMoyne then appointed Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, who is director of the Enlisted Personnel Management Directorate, to lead the unit manning task force, which in turn suggested that the 172nd should be the first unit to adopt the concept.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld fired White in April. His replacement has not yet been announced, although some Pentagon officials have suggested that Air Force Secretary James Roche will take the post.

[demlosers]

An Army official said Monday that the 172nd, based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, is “the ideal unit” to inaugurate unit manning, because the group is in the process of becoming service’s third Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

Do you have an opinion on the Stryker:

[SJSAMPLE]

Stryker:
1. Heavy at 19tons, it's BARELY air transportable on the C17. Transportability was one of the key performance measures.
2. Manueverability, not as great as the tracked Bradley. Given the weight, the move to a wheeled vehicle has significant tradeoffs and downsides.
3. Armor. Even at 19-tons, it lacks the armor necessary for the mission as a combat vehicle and not as a battle taxi, like the M113 Gavin.
4. Mission, the USMC is this country's expeditionary force of choice. As a former Army officer, I can admit that with no problem. It's always been up to the Army to carry the heavy corps and division load. Trying to transform specific brigades into light brigades is a mistake.

As a swimming scout vehicle, it's acceptable (if heavy), but as a combat vehicle, it gives up more than it gains. This is a politically-derived vehicle at best. Ask the 3rd ID if they had any complaints about the maneuverability, armor or firepower of the M2A3 Bradleys.

[RightWhale]

Haven't seen any of these Strykers up here. Maybe there are some and there will be an open house to show them off, but their use here would be very limited: cold weather training would be one reason. The chassis looks like it would be most useful on roads of some kind, something in short supply locally.

[dinok]

About time the Army returned to the unit concept instead of individual replacements. I entered the Army under a Unit program and all of us ended up in the 3rd ARMORED CAVALRY. It was one of the best experinces in my life and many of us felt like family.

The Stryker is someone's political golden goose that needs to end. It does not fit in the cargo planes (the air has to be let out the tires) it can not survive Shapped Charge rocket attack (RPGs designed in the 50's) and we can get the same effect by converting the 12000 M-113s we have in stock. Wheeled vehicles get flat tires alot more than tracked viehicles throw tracks. I would not want my son in one in the next war. Or anyone else's son.

It's a light viehicle and a pet project of those who think wars can be won by glorified SUVs. There is nothing like the might and survivability of a combined arms armored unit: main battle tanks and combat infantry vehicles.

[dinok]

Ditto.

"This is a politically-derived vehicle"

[duk]

UNIT MANNING IS TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My last year in the Army (Infantry) I was assigned to one of these units which came right out of Basic. ALL privates, except for the officers, NCO's who were staying from the last Unit Manning cycle. I came in from Alaska to be an NCO.

In a normal unit which the article explains you have fresh blood every month. Some are privates, some NCO's, some are spec.4, ect. In AK we had some Infantryman come from the 82nd, some from the 101st, Ranger Bt., Basic training, even some who came from Mech. units. FRESH ideas, varied experiance, different ranks. Each member was plugged in wherever they were needed.

Can you imagine an entire unit (Company) of Privates. The Team leaders (corporal), Squad leader (sargent) and Platton leader (E-6/E-7) were the only ones who knew what was going on. No E-3 or E-4 personnel to keep track of the new privates!!

I had an anti-tank team to train from scratch. Simple battle plans, how to wear equipment, how to walk with a weapon were unknown to these guys. Instead of honing skills, I was babysitting them by teaching things they would have picked up if they were roommates with someone who had been in the unit for awhile.

No doubt it is cheaper. But you can't imagine the importance of Fresh Blood. I also found that there is generally a disrespect toward those who are promoted to a leadership position in these UNIT MANNING groups. They know each other to well!

As for the Stryker Brigade in Farbanks. Yeah right. These things are already overweight, have wheels, and probably never seen - -60. If it don't have tracks and skis it don't move in winter.

Wade Mallard
6/327 172nd FT. Wainwright AK (83-85) Charlie Airborne

3/27 7th Ft. Ord CA (86-87) Wolf Hounds

Ranger Training In Between

[cavtrooper21]

We had the same sort of program when I was in the Army. It was called "COHORT" and was met with mixed feelings and did work fairly well. It was not carried through to any great extent. Glad to see that the Army is picking up this idea again.
As for STRYKER, its a comprimise, and that means trouble. Mostly for the kids that have to use it....

[fnord]

ditto what you said

The mix of new soldiers, somewhat experienced soldiers, and old-timers (me) is what makes it work. It's like the free market of military ideas.

[drachenfels]

Stryker: Overpriced piece of crap that is funding somebody in aquisition's retirement... the Israeli's have proven that field modified M113's can withstand RPG hits, and old T55's can be made into the best heavy APC out there. Gee, we could have done the same with M60s, if slick willie hadn't tossed them in the gulf of mexico...

CBT Manning, or the updated COHORT model: Trust me, you'll be seeing more 'training accidents'. Moving people keeps you from having problems when leadership can't or won't perform. Don't ask me how I know... BTDT.

Ya know, both strike me as solutions to problems that we DON'T have... yes, we need to continue and plan ahead.. but let's be rational about it.