Basic Ground Team School - Feedback Requested

[winterg]

I have been working on a standardized curriculum for a few months now to help my students move efficiently into ES training through the GTM3 specialty certification. Most of you have already seen my training manuals combining the most of the required information.  I think I am in a good place with what I have come up with and I would very much like other members here to give it a look and let me know if you have any suggestions that might make it work better or see tasks that could be grouped differently.  It is designed around a 1 to 1.5 hour block of instruction at the weekly meetings over a few weeks to accomplish many of the Familiarization & Preparatory tasks with the the hands-on tasks conducted at a weekend training session.  Alternatively, the weekly training blocks could be combined into another weekend of training.  But that may rushing things since the best use of the limited time available hinges on the student being prepared for each block by reviewing the required material prior to the class.  Any constructive criticism or feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Capt Thompson]

Very thorough manual. Very straightforward guide that outlines exactly the steps a new student should take. Coming back to CAP after 14 years off, I had to do a lot of digging to find answers to all of my questions, and a few were still unanswered, but I found them easily with this, very good job!

I think blocks at weekly meetings would be the best way to go, since members are committed to going to them anyway. That's how my Squadron is currently tackling the training. If you do everything on weekend exercises, you're right in that students will have to do a lot of prep beforehand, but you also run the risk of running into conflicts with other activities they may have outside of CAP. The only downside to meetings is, if you space the training out over 7 or 8 weeks, and someone misses week 4, you're playing catchup, so the commitment to attendance has to be made up front, or something put in place to catch up absentees.

I will forward this to our ES trainer and see if he has any input, he's on CT as well.

[stixco1]

It looks good to me. The only problem for our Squadron is finding the time at every meeting to dedicate to ES.  As it is now we struggle to get out on time every meeting night.

[winterg]

It looks good to me. The only problem for our Squadron is finding the time at every meeting to dedicate to ES.  As it is now we struggle to get out on time every meeting night.

The weekly blocks do not need to be conducted every week.  You could devote an hour at a meeting every other week, or once a month to ES.  The drawback comes when there is too large of a gap between the early classroom blocks and the later hands on sessions.  But it is still possible to work it in when you can find the time.

Finding time for any training in CAP requires the squadron staff officers to decide to focus on that training and make a plan.  If you are not getting out of your meetings on time, perhaps a better time management plan is in order.  You have identified a problem, using that, make a list of possible ways to correct that and then choose one (or more) and try them out to see if the problem gets better or worse.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  Move on to the next problem.   I know.  If it were only that easy.

[Capt Thompson]

Agreed, a weekly schedule needs to be created and adhered to. If someone is given a half hour to present a class, it can't run 45 mins without cutting into someone else's time, or causing the meeting to run over. Prioritize, schedule, and then hold people to the plan.

My squadron decided to make ES a priority, and so we have an hour block a week scheduled for GTM3 tasks. The Wing has SAREX's planned for April, May and June, so we can have someone completed with all tasks and 2 missions by Summer. I agree that waiting too long in between the familiarization tasks and the hands on might create issues. If a Squadron decides to do it, make it a priority and get it done, rather than dragging it out.

The way we have it set up, I can get my GTM3 qualification just in time to attend MIWG SAR Academy in July and work towards GTM2 and GTL.

[sarmed1]

One of the methods I used years ago (more geared towards seniors vs cadets) was a CD rom that ran web based, that had the PPT's with notes for the classroom only portions as well as all of the reference material.  They could work on those sessions at their leisure, reserving meeting times for those areas that require a more hands on approach.

mk

[winterg]

UPDATE

I began teaching this GTM3 curriculum in June using the weekly meetings, usually a one hour class, twice a month.  Everyone was provided with the Student Handbook and the GTM3 Training Manual which contains all the tasks and the Reference Text chapters for GTM 3.

The students are told in advance what task we will be learning and what chapter to read in the Reference Text.  We are just about finished with the Fam & Prep portion and ready to move to the Advanced Tasks.

I updated the material based on how some of the classes went and thought I would provide them here for anyone who is interested.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2CzkgrZ6hyMV2JLTHQ3NDIxUU0&usp=sharing

Feedback is always welcome.

[Spam]

You've put a lot of effort in this, and it shows. Very nice.  My command has folded the prep and fam tasks into our basic training flight curriculum in a similar fashion and is a graduation requirement from the flight, so we do something similar.


One comment: the field sanitation prep and fam tasks cannot by definition be signed off as complete on a unit training night (a field training exercise is required with an overnight) and a wooded 600 meter compass course is required for the Compass Course task, which is rarely found or performed at most unit meeting sites. You might consider making that clearer in the student manual, lest people start lining up to be signed off without the required eval to standards:


"This task is tested over the course of an overnight field exercise. The exercise should include at least
two miles of dismounted movement." "Choose a wooded area where a course can be established that is at least 600
meters long. Choose a start and a finish point and turning points along the course..."


V/R,
Spam

[winterg]

My squadron meets at an air park, so setting up a 600m course that gave a chance to become familiar with taking bearings was pretty easy.  Other squadrons most likely won't be able to do that on a meeting night.

[Spam]

Our unit just did this task yesterday in the woods and fields of Dawson Forest (former USAF/Lockheed Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory... what do you get when you give rednecks plutonium).

The combination of open-sight-line trails plus thick woods (which drive the student to the legs around the obstacles) work great. The thing I don't like is that this task really does NOT belong in the prep and fam task set for GTM3 - and it is up front without and before the Pace Count task and other land nav tasks.  When Spam is NHQ/CC (grin) Spam will revamp the GTM curriculum to keep the GTM3 prep and fam limited to the true safety stuff (e.g. hug a tree actions on lost task, heat/cold, field hygiene, etc.) and will move all land nav tasks to be functionally grouped in GTM2. It makes no sense to teach Use a Compass totally out of context up front, at the same time while we tell newbies to sit down and be safe if separated, when they might be tempted to apply their halfway trained skills to go mobile and become even more lost.

But I digress...

V/R,
Spam

[winterg]

Spam,

I agree. Some of the tasks in the Fam/Prep section either need to be moved to advanced or modified to be more realistic.

As I have mentioned before, the gear task in the Fam/Prep needs to be for just trainee items with a complete set required in the advanced section. And the compass work would be better grouped with similar tasks in the advanced sections you mentioned.

If we agree that the Fam/Prep section of the GTM3 training is designed to provide a basic familiarization to allow safe training as the student moves forward, why do we mandate that we must conduct an overnight bivouac as part of one of the required tasks? While almost every other task can be completed through classroom, discussion, and tasks able to be accomplished with a qualified trainer at the local unit.  The amount of equipment required by every participant as well as basic skills needed that are not part of Fam/Prep means that this one task alone ensures that the majority of students are not able to complete the basic training necessary to sign off as a GTM3 trainee and participate in a SAREX. Never mind that 95% of the actual missions we conduct do not use any type of bivouac skills or digging of catholes.

And why are does the universal precautions task recommend a full moulage when the entire tasks is focused on wearing gloves, not actually performing assessments. Every Basic First Aid course I have taken stresses universal precautions. But that is not until the advanced tasks.

I agree that teaching cadets (and many seniors) as early as possible about proper foot care and hygiene is essential. But do we really need to go camping to do it?

[Capt Thompson]

My command has folded the prep and fam tasks into our basic training flight curriculum in a similar fashion and is a graduation requirement from the flight, so we do something similar.

I have to agree and disagree with this statement.......I like the idea, but how can we require Cadets who come in having no interest in ES put together the 24 hour gear list and purchase BDU's as a requirement for promotion? Ideally I would love for all Cadets to become ground team members, but it can't be a requirement of the program, and the only uniform they're required to have is a set of Blues. If the squadron has the means to supply the BDU's and 100% of the field gear, then that's awesome, but if they don't get signed off on all the tasks we still can't prevent them from graduating Great Start/Tango Flight and moving on in the program.

With that said, I'm now convinced that new Cadets should go through UDF before starting GTM3. I agree the compass task as an F&P for GTM3 is a little out of place, but if they already went through UDF they would already have the knowledge. The gear list is smaller, and after only 2 tasks they can become trainees and are assets in the event a mission comes up. When they do get to GTM3, they already have map and compass skills, and more importantly triangulation skills that normal GTM3's don't posess, that could be invaluable on a real mission.

winterg your curriculum is on point, and I agree the effort and attention to detail shows greatly. Thank you for the resource.

[Spam]

LT, the logic behind including the prep and fam tasks for GTM3 in our basic cadet training flight curriculum (along with the Great Start elements, which many cadets seemingly chuck in the back of their closet) is this:  we provide detailed briefs on these initial, safety related tasks (such as recognizing and responding to heat injuries and cold injuries, which are directly related to safe operations whether cadets are in the field on ES activities or on the ramp at an airshow.  We have a locally derived (note: derived from the task book and Great Start, not invented from whole cloth) test which we administer and a passing score is necessary for the trainee to be awarded our Squadron patch and graduate to our Advanced Flight.

Although they do get the gear list brief in the first module, our trainees are not required to buy gear to win the patch. For those interested in ES, we take their test result and add the practical/demo elements to give them SQTR task credit - and then get them in the field ASAP.

This local implementation of basic training is part of a nominal six week rotation of classes, during which trainees also get the CD intro, are fitted with uniforms, etc. The local test is NOT linked to the National requirements for the Curry Achievement, which is awarded purely on national level criteria. This is similar to how my unit has run THREE miles, not one, for decades, but only counts the first mile for CPFT purposes - we expect more, and we don't 'pencil whip' requirements. We've been doing it this way for a few decades, with updates now and then (SQTR mapping, Great Start, etc.). 

On the BDU issue, I guess we differ; CAPR 52-16 5.2(a)2 requires cadets to have a uniform to promote, and NHQ provides a Curry voucher only AFTER they promote. We do require that cadets get in a complete BDU set before promoting, - as it IS required for encampments - and we've never had an objection. With a string of cadets at the academies, an unbroken record of quality cadet unit awards, eight GTLs and a dozen or so qualified cadets, and a number of us who turned SM and entered the military/aerospace, it seems to work.

V/R,
Spam

[Capt Thompson]

Spam,

Thank you for the clarification, and please don't think that I was questioning your judgement, or the effectiveness of your program, just curious as to how it's implemented.

Our Squadron is currently in the process of revamping our Cadet Program, including promoting a new C/CC, CDC, myself as Leadership etc., and implementing a new schedule and training curriculum. If you happen to have a copy of your training schedule for basic training, I would be very interested in seeing it, and seeing how we can possibly implement a version at our Squadron.

As for BDU's, I agree they should be required for every Cadet, regardless. When I was a Cadet, we were required to purchase BDU's, and obtain Blues before Encampment. Currently, my Squadron is in a position to issue most of the components to new Cadets, so it's not really an issue for us.

For GTM training, our Squadron did a fundraiser several years ago, and purchased six fully outfitted 24 hour packs. Just school backpacks, nothing special, but they meet requirements. Trainees can sign out packs, add water/mre/personal meds, while they're doing their F&P's and deciding if ES is right for them. If they decide they want to persue Ground Team, they have to present their own gear before being awarded the badge.

[winterg]

Lt Thompson,

You bring up an interesting point as far as the gear is concerned. The Task requires a member to have a full kit to be signed off. I have always taken this to mean that a member who wants to be qualified as a GTM3 must purchase and assemble a complete kit themselves.

But what if a squadron has multiple complete kits that are kept ready for deployment? A GTM3 must be familiar with a complete kit and how to correctly use the items in it. Could a person theoretically be signed off using a squadron kit?

[TheSkyHornet]

Only skimmed through the manual you posted very briefly, but I really appreciate the professionalism and detail in it. It seems like there are some areas people suggest for tweaking, but, so far, I like what I see.

Kudos.

[Capt Thompson]

Technically, they can't get signed off unless they have all of the gear. You could supply the gear while they're doing F&P's, and leave that task for last, not allowing them to advance to the advanced tasks until they present gear. That at least gives them some time do decide if ES is right for them before making the investment. I've had a few Cadets decide to get into ES, then realize how much work is involved, or how boring it can be at times, and decide not to make the investment in gear and continue on with the program.

Having the kits onhand also helps in those situations where a member shows up for an actual mission or Sarex, and something is missing/broken from their own gear. It's easy to dig into a pack and issue out a compass or safety vest if needed.

[winterg]

Good points. But what I am say is, where in the Tasks or Regs does it say that the gear a member uses for a mission must legally belong to them or be purchased by them?

If Squadron X has 6 complete 24 hour packs, why not train and certify as many GTM3 personnel as want to complete the training using the squadron equipment? Thus ensuring a larger pool of potential responders for a mission?

If the squadron in question only has 4 people total who have the $$$ to assemble a complete 24 hour pack, but only half of them are available at any given time, what is gained?

But if the squadron is able to assemble 4 each 24 hour kits and has 8 people trained as GTM3 and half are able to respond at any given time, it becomes a net win for mission readiness.

[Capt Thompson]

I see where you're coming from. Looking through the regs, you are correct, it doesn't actually say that the member has to own their own equipment.

I would say in the event of an actual mission, I wouldn't hesitate to issue out a pack if needed.

My concern would be if 8 members show up needing gear, and we only have 6 packs. Members should still be encouraged to purchase their own gear, with the Squadron packs as emergency backups.

My other issue, is that for most of us, gear is a personal preference. The way I carry and pack my gear is different from the way you do it. It's hard to become familiar and proficient with your gear if it's not your own, especially if you're issued a different pack each time.

Either way, good call out.

[winterg]

On the other hand, if every person carries the same gear in the same way it breeds familiarity. A standardized load layout means people can be rotated as well. 

If a team returns from a long or difficult sortie, and you have replacement personnel ready to go, gear can be signed over.

I agree that the ideal is for each member to own and maintain their gear. But we don't always make it to the ideal level in CAP and sometimes need to think of ways to get the mission done.

I'm just spit balling here.