GTM Level 3 Training Program

Started by Horn229, March 23, 2005, 06:25:20 PM

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Horn229

A while ago in another thread (that I can't find), I mentioned that I'm working on a course to get everyone GTM 3.  Well, here is what I've written up so far..


Ground Team Member Level 3 Training Program

1. Will consist of 3 Squadron Meetings and 1 weekend training bivouac

2. Members will need to have Gen ES done prior to having any tasks signed off.

3. Members will need to complete the Continuing Education Examination (CAPT 117) for Ground/UDF Teams after all tasks have been signed off. Also, members will be required to complete this before getting the Mission Participation signed off.

The following tasks will be taught on the set dates, and may be retested on at the weekend training bivouac or another squadron meeting.


Week 1 (Apr 12th)
   Natural Hazards, Field Sanitation and Hygiene, Prevent and Treat Fatigue, Conduct a Phone Alert

Week 2 (May 10th)
   Prevent and Treat Hot Weather Injuries, Prevent and Treat Cold Weather Injuries, Exercise Universal Safety Precautions

Week 3 (May 17th)
   BCUT, Basic Communications Procedures for ES Operations, Perform Radio Operating Procedures, Employ Appropriate Radio Frequencies and Repeaters




Weekend Training Schedule

Time   What
   
1200   Staff Arrive   
1700    Chow      
1800    Trainee's Arrive   
1815   Setup Camp   
1845   Gear Inspection
1915   Introductions   
1930   Actions if Lost      
2030   DF Class   
2045   DF Training   
2145   Personal Time      
2200   Trainee's Lights Out      
2215   Staff Meeting      
2300   Staff Lights Out      
         
0600   Wake Up      
0605   Personal Hygiene      
0620   Breakfast      
0655   Formation      
0700   Stretcher Class
0745   Line Search -  Scanning techniques on foot   
0815   Land Nav Class   
0845   Land Nav Course mark a route   
1100   Signal Mirror      
1120   Break Camp      
1200   Lunch      
1230   Refit      
1300   ELT Search      
1400   Identify Aircraft/MP search clues      
1500   Conduct Actions on locating a clue      
1530   Conduct Actions on locating a find      
1600   ELT Search - Attraction Techniques      
1700   Clean up area      
1800   Leave



Comments?
NICHOLAS A. HORN, Senior Member, CAP

Matt

I have but one question... and I'm not sure if I'm speaking from only myself.

As a GTL I'm expected to be able to rely on my team's knowledge, GTM3 is a building stage, granted, but how well will they know what they're taught each week and, moreso, on the weekend, in 1 Month.

The catch that true ground schools run into is that students don't retain knowledge.  We can teach basics to be PSC's, but what we teach won't be remembered in a week.

On another note:  I do LIKE the plan.  We've been attempting to get everyone on the same page with our ES program, and our ES officer is doing an awesome job at keeping it together, but the catch is matching some of the levels to get full classes.
<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Horn229

Well, I've actually scratched that idea, and moved it all to be done in one weekend. This is the new schedule...



1000  Staff arrive/setup
1200  Lunch
1630  Dinner
1700  Trainees Arrive
1710  Setup Camp
1740  Gear Check    O-0001
1815  In Brief
1830  Nat Hazards/Survival    O-0101, O-0601
1930  DF Class
1950  DF Training
2050  Comm Class
2110  Comm Exercise    L-0001, L-0002, L-0003
2215  Personal Time
2230  Lights Out/Staff Mtng
2300  Staff Lights Out


0500  Wake/Personal Hygiene
0510  Breakfast
0530  Stretchers    O-0502
0615  Line Searches Class
0625  Line, Wedge, Route    0403 0404 0406 0411 0412
0800  Land Nav Class
0915  Land Nav (individual)    O-0201
1200  Lunch
1230  ELT Search
1400  ELT Search
1530  Hot/Cold/Fatigue/USP    O-0003 0004 0102 0902
1800  Dinner
1830  Missing Person Search
2000  Night Nav
2215  Personal Time
2230  Lights Out/Staff Mtng
2300  Staff Lights Out


0530  Wake/Hygiene
0600  DF Course (individual)    O-0301
0900  Land Nav/Line Searches
1030  ELT Search
1200  Lunch
1230  Break Camp
1300  Line Search-Trash
1330  BCUT
1430  Leave
1330  Staff pack trng material
1500  Staff Leave



Now then, this will present the same problems that the previous one did. You'll also have the same problems at NGSAR, Hawk and other SAR schools done at the squadron, group and wing level. No one will remember what they're taught. However, this is why we have Practice SAR's, to check and make sure we know what we're doing, and if we don't, well then we can get someone to show us how to do it.

The main tasks that people forget are the hot/cold weather injuries and the Fatigue. Which in reality they shouldn't need to really know, since we as GTL's should always be keeping an eye on the team members watching for the initial signs of the weather injuries.

So in reality, I've never seen someone complete all the tasks for GTM 3 or the old GTM, who was able to explain what every task was about. It takes time to let that info sink in, that and studying on your own time, and practicing what you've learned on SAREX's. If you're not being challenged on SAREX's to the point that all everything you should know is being tested, then you should tell your GBD you want harder taskings. Be aggressive to ensure all of your skills and your GTM's skills are being tested to keep you on your toes. Whether it be DF, Land Nav, Stretchers, or testing you as a GTL with maps, you should always be challenged and learning something new.

/rant from a GBD ;)
NICHOLAS A. HORN, Senior Member, CAP

Pylon

Quote from: Horn229So in reality, I've never seen someone complete all the tasks for GTM 3 or the old GTM, who was able to explain what every task was about. It takes time to let that info sink in, that and studying on your own time, and practicing what you've learned on SAREX's. If you're not being challenged on SAREX's to the point that all everything you should know is being tested, then you should tell your GBD you want harder taskings. Be aggressive to ensure all of your skills and your GTM's skills are being tested to keep you on your toes. Whether it be DF, Land Nav, Stretchers, or testing you as a GTL with maps, you should always be challenged and learning something new.

/rant from a GBD ;)

That's a great attitude towards training.  So many finish their initial sign-off on something and think they know everything there is to know and make no attempt to keep up their currency nor expand their knowledge or experience. 

Training never ends.  :)
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

Matt

So, just so that I'm straight on this....

You have it planned so that they reach GTM3 in less time then before even though they aren't ready for the duties of a GTM since they're so new to the program, am I the only one seeing a hole in that plan?


I, personally, love SAREX's they are fun, but sadly, most aren't as challenging as they should be, it's depressing really.

And to counter your arguement about people not completing it all in one weekend, I have seen it....  It is quite possible, not in the younger cadets, but in elder cadets and some SM's can retain the knowledge gained and apply it again soon after.  It's not a matter of throwing training at them, you can do that, it's HOW you train them that matters.  No matter what, you will have those who don't retain what you have taught, for those, you go one on one.

In my opinion, like I've stated before, I don't feel that one weekend should be able to qualify you as a GTM....  Most of the Rating is not tasks, but rather skills, ability, knowledge, and adaptation.  It's all a matter of knowing what to do in case something happens before it does happen; basically, countering Murphy's Law.

Pylon, I concur.
<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Horn229

There will always be a downside with any plan. NGSAR is a week long course, and the key training that they need to know is done in 3 days. Hawk does their own thing, and not to long ago NBB gave out 4 specialties in two weeks. There is always the downside of not enough time. But I do know that the vital training they need, they will learn or it won't be signed off. The Nav and DF Course, will be done individually, not as a team. The tasks that take a while to memorize (hot/cold weather injuries) have 2 1/2 hours to get done, which is incredibly possible, providing they don't sit around and talk.

Any way it's done, there will be someone who won't remember it all. That is why they are supposed to keep that handbook on their person whenever they are on a mission, because no one will remember everything. And again I'll say it, as GTL's we need to tell our GBD's what training we need, and ensure that both our GTM's and ourselves are being tested. Just because we've gotten to GTL and I've gotten to GBD doesn't mean we know it all. I long for the mission when I can supervise 5 teams at once, because I know I will learn a lot from it, but we don't have that many GT's in the state of Delaware.

So if we aren't, and our GTM's aren't using some skill other than DF and shooting an azimuth on training missions, then we need to step up to the plate and say "hey, give us a challenge, this is old" or "Hey, my guys need practice in Line Searches and Litter carry's can we do that next time?". Lately, I've been the one setting out the targets for the training mission in my area, and I can say that the GT's that show up will learn something. The state of delaware is basically flat, except for the northwestern part of the state. Care to guess where I'm going to hide the next ELT? The GT's are use the simply find the ELT and go to McDonalds, this one, they will have to work as a team and with the Aircrew to find.

Do you see what I'm saying now?
NICHOLAS A. HORN, Senior Member, CAP

Matt

Sure, it's hurry up and wait.

As for the flat ground, I do have some ideas if you want to hear them....  Other then the woods a little to our North, here in Milwaukee, it's not much better.  There's a lot that can be done, DF-wise, out in the open.  We've gotten REAL creative on what we do.  McDonalds actually would be a good target, but it might be a little better sitting next to that garbage pile at the airport burried in some tires, plows, lawn equipment...

Right now, I'm in the midst of gaining about 20 cadets (we're merging 3 units) and I have to get some weekend plans together, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like trying your plan.

Next time I'm out that way, might stop by (have family out East).  If you want some new ideas for hiding spots and tasking, drop me a line....  I have some decent generalized places to give GT's a challenge.

Matt
<a href=mailto:mkopp@ncr.cap.gov> Matthew Kopp</a>, Maj, CAP
Director of Information Technology
<a href=https://www.ncrcap.us.org> North Central Region</a>

Horn229

I'm always open to new idea's, and yes you can use the schedule, that's why I've posted it on here. :D
NICHOLAS A. HORN, Senior Member, CAP

Schmidty06

Quote from: Horn229 on August 11, 2005, 04:50:02 PM
There will always be a downside with any plan. NGSAR is a week long course, and the key training that they need to know is done in 3 days. Hawk does their own thing, and not to long ago NBB gave out 4 specialties in two weeks. There is always the downside of not enough time. But I do know that the vital training they need, they will learn or it won't be signed off. The Nav and DF Course, will be done individually, not as a team. The tasks that take a while to memorize (hot/cold weather injuries) have 2 1/2 hours to get done, which is incredibly possible, providing they don't sit around and talk.

...snip...

You mentioned the "Big 3" ES schools/activities.  Anyone that has been to NGSAR or Hawk can chime in as they wish, but I'm going to focus on NBB, since I've been there two years running now.  Personally, I believe that specialty knowledge is retained rather well from NBB simply because attendees use that knowledge on a daily basis.  The initial training is given during the first 3 to 4 days of training and "partial" operations, and then the rest of the two weeks is essentially OJT. 

The three qualifications that you can leave NBB with are FLM, MRO, and UDF.  During the first phase of NBB, which is refered to as either the Training Phase, or Super High Intensive Training (that's an acronym spelled out, by the way), attendees get all of their classroom training done for these qualifications.  Then come the first day of partial operations, flights are cycled through their duty stations, and any classes that were missed or need to be worked on are taken care of.  Partial Operations is basically the begining of the On The Job training and the ending/wrap up of the classroom style training.  Then, once NBB slides into it's fully operational schedual, attendees are actually working in their specialties and are mentored by returning Berets and SM staff on the little "tricks of the trade" and what not for the remainder of the activity until they become fully proficient in their newly gained specialties.

And that's pretty much the gist of that. 

Also, there have been noises made about NBB adding GTM3 to the list of specialties available or replacing UDF with GTM3 and adding the DF skills in as a bonus.  But keep in mind, those are only noises.

Horn229

Welp, my bivouac ended today. Went pretty good, but it seems that either I set the nav up to hard, or they had no clue what they were doing (probably both :) ) as no one could finish their individual courses. Other than that and going over time to get them through the Nav Course I'd say it went pretty well.

I've been asked to run a GT training program at the wing level in Oct, Nov, Dec along side an Air Crew training push. So over the next few month or so, I should have some stuff typed up for GTM level 2, 1 and GTL.

Oh, and if you're going to do any sort of GT training, use the slides available on national's site. There's a lot of good info in them.  8)
NICHOLAS A. HORN, Senior Member, CAP