a. AUSA News – “What new soldier tech is in the pipeline?”
The Army‘s “Top 10” modernization programs in 2016 ranged from a new hand grenade designed to be easier for lefthanders to throw to hydrogen-powered vehicles, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) said in a recent release.
b. AUSA Moderator – “The U.S. is getting more armored units in Europe.”
“The largest U.S. Army armored brigade combat team to deploy to Europe since the end of the Cold War is underway, with convoys fanning out from Bremerhaven, Germany to training sites stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea for a nine-month rotation on the Continent. About 4,000 soldiers of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, Colo., arrived in Germany along with about 90 heavy Abrams tanks and almost 3,000 other pieces of rolling stock, including artillery and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, according to the Army.”
c. AUSA Five Things – “New hands-on training is coming to your post soon.”
AUSA Five Things: A Weekly Tip Sheet for AUSA Members, dated January 9, 2017: “C4ISR Training at Home Stations.”
“The Army is giving a green light to a new concept called the Home Station Training Initiative, designed to provide soldiers “targeted” instruction at their home stations in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Classroom and hands-on training will be conducted by C4ISR field representatives who are already at unit locations. The concept was first tested within the 82nd Airborne Division.
What to watch: In 2017, officials with the U.S. Army Materiel Command’s Communications-Electronics Command will meet with brigade combat team commanders to lay groundwork for spreading the training forcewide. The long-term goal is to make this part of the regular training cycle.”
d. Family Readiness – “A Sister’s Final Lesson.”
I'm on my way to my sister’s funeral. Not something I expected to do in the first few days of a new year, but then bad news has its own timeline. Getting the news of her passing really stopped me in my tracks. After the initial shock and sadness came a great deal of reflection and, yes, guilt.
My 30 years of military life have kept me far away from my California roots.
THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION:
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Should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?
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