Planning and Preparing for Training in Reserve Component Units

Anecdotal reports have indicated that weekend drill training events are often delayed or disorganized, leading some to believe that unit commanders and their staffs are ineffective in planning and preparing for weekend training. The present research sought to document the extent of this problem and to identify causes and possible solutions Efforts were focused on a set of units that the authors felt had the most serious training management problems: combat service (CS) and combat service support (CSS) ground units in the Army National Guard (ARNG), the Army Reserve (AR), and the Marine Corps Reserve (MCR). Although a review of Service publications indicated that doctrine and procedures regarding training and planning did not differ substantially between the Army and the Marines, the interviews of RC personnel and other involved in RC training revealed several problems that need to be addressed E.G., RECRUITING AND RETENTION (R2) practices, scant knowledge of training management practices, and lack of proper resources MCR units experienced fewer problems than the Army units, and the authors concluded that the involvement of a full-time inspector and instructor (l&l) in all aspects of training planning and re preparation was the likely reason.