Army Tests Readiness, Redeployment Program

Selected units returning from Iraq and Afghanistan will undergo a Reset Pilot program that involves not only equipment, but also a focus on families as part of a holistic approach to unit readiness. Photo by National Guard

Focus on Defense:

Pentagon Launches Reset Pilot

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2008 (ANS) -- The Army has launched a pilot test of the Reset model, an initiative designed to test the ability to accelerate reconstitution of the force, increase unit readiness, and improve preparation for deployment.

Army officials hope that with implementation of the Reset pilot, the service will better be able to systematically restore deployed units to an appropriate level of equipment, and better ready Soldiers and Families for future deployments and contingencies.

"Currently, we're out of balance," said Daniel Egbert, force management program manager for G/3 and lead integrator for the Reset pilot. "The Reset Pilot is a test program that will validate the process to systematically restore deployed units to a level of equipment, Soldier and Family readiness that prepares them to resume training for future missions."

Traditionally, the term Reset was used to describe equipment Reset. The Reset pilot will be more of a holistic Reset, according to Egbert, focusing on the needs of the unit, from individual Soldiers to family members.

The Reset pilot is an enabler to the "Grow the Army" initiative, said Egbert. As the Army grows the size of its force, he said, it can begin to phase into a more systematic, cyclical pattern that focuses on preparing units to respond to a range of possible contingencies. Reset pilot is a first step in creating a balance that restores that rotational capacity, said Egbert.

According to Egbert, the three phases of the Reset are well publicized. Phase one consists of tasks completed just prior to redeployment, with a focus on maintenance and property accountability, accessing battle damaged equipment and direct shipment of select items of equipment to the United States.

Phase two is a six month period - referred to as reconstitution - that allows for Soldier and Family re-integration. This period focuses on health assessments, briefings, and individual training, with a focus on providing Soldiers time to spend with their families.

In phase three Soldiers begin the collective training tasks and field training exercises that prepare them for upcoming deployments.

The difference, said Egbert, isn't in the process but in the focus on transitioning into a balanced rotation of one-year deployments to two-year dwell periods for active-component units and one-year deployments to four-year dwell periods for the reserve- component units as part of Army Force Generation.

The Reset Pilot involves eight active-component and five reserve-component redeploying units:

• 82nd Airborne Division headquarters
• 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division
• 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division
• 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division
• 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team
• 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade
• 43rd Area Support Group
• 864th Heavy Engineer Battalion
• 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (National Guard)
• 111th Engineer Brigade (National Guard)
• 478th Engineer Battalion (Army Reserve
• 325th Combat Support Hospital (Army Reserve)
• 396th Engineer Company (Army Reserve)

These units will test the new reset model in order to determine the institutional adjustments required to support implementation for the entire Army.

"The Army is using these units to identify how the Army as an institution has to adapt is processes and policies to implement this kind of a reset plan," said Egbert. "After testing this 15-month plan, we'll work toward progressing to an 18-month dwell, and eventually the full two-year dwell period."

Army commands, in conjunction with Department of the Army Headquarters, will monitor the Reset pilot to ensure required tasks are implemented to standard, Egbert said

"Army leadership is committed to restoring balance to preserve the all-volunteer force, restore necessary depth and breadth to Army capabilities, and build essential capacity for the future," said Egbert. "Standardizing reset processes is key to restoring balance in the Army and maintaining the quality of capabilities the Army provides the nation."

(Story by Lindy Dinklage, Army News Service.)

Tags: DOD, Military, Focus On Defense, United States, U.S., Open Thread
Global Tags: Washington DC, News and Politics, News, Politics, Current Events, Current Affairs, Life, Culture, Buzz, Tension

Blogstore: THE TENSION EXCHANGE
Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!