U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s Post

To my active duty military community, As a senior NCO I experienced a plethora of issues in my transition out of the Army. Namely getting approval for my Skill bridge (my unit never processed), getting my CSP approved (Unit didnt know how to use IPPSA), to even actually getting out (still on my units Manning roster). My point? Military units operate in a way that lacks efficiency as demonstrated by my statements above and 14 years in the military. Before making a decision to stop a transitioning veteran their opportunities look at your workforce and analyze first. only got 1 crew qualified on gunnery? Look at if that unit sent people for sustainment gunnery (you need to qualify alternate crews to allow for hot swapping as needed) cant let go of X person because they do X? Who is the alternate? As an orginization you cannot fail because of 1 person that's on your leadership aka CSM or BDE XO for staff in the Army. Can't meet mission due to numbers for X mobilization? look at your USR....... you can't meet mission because of gains not Skill Bridge..... also if your unofficial system says you are low on PAX.... its actually way worse when you scrub the data and reject self reported numbers (always a lie) Your units can't complete a mission or task with numbers on hand? Create a troops to task and be truthful. dont look at appointments just tasking per soldier. Consider reclamation of a tasking. Look into a Field Manual to verify how many pax you need to accomplish X.... Ask for help or roll your sleeves up and verify your people are gainfully employed during a task. Handing mechanics tools every 30 minutes is not efficient. Taking all week to so a DTMS update ....not efficient. Police calling the motor pool because we have nothing to do.... not efficient. Soldiers doing training and not receiving a formal evaluation for a collective task against a TE&O..... Is literally a waste of time and money. Leaders lead however you can lead with facts, data, and objectives. Doing this will help those you turn down understand, make you a better manager, save tax payer money, and get more stuff done. #Management by Objectives #Data driven decisions #TrueManagement

I have been seeing a good number of people stating that they have been recalled back to military active duty -- even after being out of the military for quite some time. I am a 20-year Army retiree and noticed an Army-wide message put out about recall. I decided to do some investigation on the topic. I am not familiar with all the military branches, however, I believe that the recall standards are similar across all of them. The Army states that retirees are subject to mobilization for life; obviously, I was very interested in this message. This is the message I received back from the recall program manager: "The way the Retiree Recall program works is that a unit needs to request your skill set (No MOS Change) to fill a critical shortage, there are currently no databases or systems available to post or search for Retiree Recall positions. The only available option is a by-name request (BNR) from a command. If you are interested in a location or specific command, you will have to reach out to them, and they will assist them with the packet and BNR. If you find a unit that needs your skill set, then the packet can be sent to our team inbox for processing to the ASA M&RA." Are there actually people out there getting recalled back to active duty? I know that recruiting and retention across all the services has become very difficult. Please share your story.

Our 6981st Civilian Support Group recently hosted a series of training sessions with Soldiers and Civilians regarding essential safety protocols for working with fiber optics, starting with an overview of different types of fiber optic connectors. All participants engaged in hands-on workshops on how to build their own patch cords and connectors, ensuring they understand the quality requirements for fiber lines between cabinets and buildings. They also explored the construction of patch panels, emphasizing organization and efficiency within the fiber optic infrastructure. Key techniques such as splicing fiber optic cables were demonstrated, highlighting the importance of precision and safety. The training sessions provided valuable insights into the fiber optic technology used by the 6981st CSG. By mastering a variety of skills — from understanding fiber optic connectors to splicing techniques — participants gain the skills needed to enhance our communication capabilities efficiently and safely, while also strengthening our operational readiness and effectiveness. #StrongerTogether | #readiness | U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command

PDCA:  Don’t forget to Plan first.    As a new private in the Army National Guard, Darren was tasked with driving the CO during his first annual training exercise.  Over those two weeks, the CO shared some wisdom on executing missions.  One rule of thumb was that preparation and execution should be done in an 80/20 ratio.  Planning the mission and preparing the team and equipment should take 80% of the time and the remaining 20% is for execution.  For example, if the battalion HQ ordered a mission that they wanted completed in 10 days, the CO and team spent 8 days working out a plan, training their soldiers, and prepping their gear.

Noncommissioned officers prioritize the individual tasks Soldiers train. These include military occupational specialty (MOS)-specific tasks, otherwise known as individual critical tasks. Individual critical task training consists of MOS tasks by skill level (1-4), which support Soldiers achieving and sustaining proficiency in their particular MOS. Soldiers can find tasks on the MOS individual critical task list (known as ICTL) posted on the Central Army Registry website. The Digital Job Book allows Soldiers to view to their individual critical tasks. Soldiers can also access the Digital Job Book to stay current on individual training records and research tasks for training. To access the Digital Job Book, go to ATN at: https://atn.army.mil maintained by TMD, the Training Management Directorate.

CIF Overhaul is Long Overdue: My Recent Experience I need to vent about an experience that highlights why the Military’s Central Issue Facility (CIF) needs a massive overhaul. After 17 years of service without ever having a missing item in any inspection, I found myself in a frustrating situation while preparing for a PCS. My PCS checklist flagged a BDU Gortex jacket and pants from 2015 that I couldn't account for. I went to my local CIF, and they acknowledged it wasn’t on me but said only the issuing location could remove it from my records. So, I called the issuing CIF, staying civil and upbeat. The response? I got yelled at. I was told, “As a SNCO, you should know better.” Despite my professionalism, the treatment was appalling. The person checked the system, realized the items had been turned in, and told me I had to speak with his supervisor. When I called the supervisor, things got even worse. He was rude, dismissive, and said, "How about you go to your records like a good NCO and prove it? Even if you do, you’ll probably have to pay anyway.” It was shocking—I've never been talked down to by a GS employee like that. What should have been a simple resolution turned into unnecessary hostility. All CIFs need to be linked under one central organization. Any installation should be able to assist without needing to go back to the point of origin for documentation. Soldiers shouldn't have to deal with this kind of mistreatment, especially when they’ve done everything right. Every service member has a CIF story, and it's time they truly focus on overhauling the entire system. The current process is broken, and those who serve deserve better. #militarylogistics #CIF #leadership #accountability #PCS #militaryservice #veterans #militaryimprovement #logistics #servicemember #CIF #army #military #TA50 #Reform #MilitaryLife #MilitaryGear #NCO #Officer #Warrant

I’d offer that they’re not only a Low Density MOS, but they’re also at an increased risk of being misused. An Insider Threat Professional should not be restricted to DLP (data loss prevention). Just like a CI Professional should not be stuck on guard duty. Too often companies are so focused on the new shiny things (in the case of #351X that’s okay!!) they aren’t able to realize some of their risks could easily be mitigated or managed with even a single person focused on insider risk. (Focused and given appropriate authority and access.)

Every government client has different needs in the realm of construction safety and quality control. Some agencies follow the EM-385, the US Army Corps of Engineer's Safety and Health requirements manual and the relevant paradigm for QC as well. Other agencies follow their own guidelines and specifications. It's important to have Safety and QC Directors who can advise upper level management on the ins and outs of these complex systems.

Another argument on why virtual Insider Threat Programs makes sense.   In the military, we had "low-density MOSs". MOS is an acronym for Military Occupational Specialty for those who don't know. A low-density MOS is when there's only one person of a certain specialty in an organization. A great example is a medic in an infantry company. No Infantry soldier would ever deny that having a medic is critically important when things go bad. But very few Infantry soldiers know how to train, manage, evaluate, and mentor a medic on a day-to-day basis. That's why, when in garrison, medics typically spend most of their time at the local hospital or clinic to make sure their skills stay current. We bring this up, because we see InTR professionals as a low-density MOS in the corporate environment. They don't fit neatly in physical or cybersecurity teams, Legal, HR, or Compliance. Corporate execs know they need InTR professionals, but generally don't understand how to train, manage, evaluate, and mentor these professionals. And to be fair, like a medic, InTR professionals are only needed in certain situations. This is another reason why vInTR programs are the future. And special thanks to our military's medics and low-density MOS professionals! Please reach out if you'd like to discuss our vInT offering. #counterintelligence #insiderthreat #insiderrisk #osint Jeremy Clark M. Scott Sparks Ryan Rambo