FA CSM Conference at Fort Sill.

The Command Sergeant Major of the Field Artillery convened the five-day, first-ever FA Command Sergeants Major (CSMs) Conference at the Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on 18 September 2000. One hundred and twenty-eight Army CSMs from around the world--active, National Guard and retired--and some from other proponent or career management fields attended. The theme of the conference was "Today's Vision, Tomorrow's Transformation."

The conference included many briefings on subjects, including transformation, personnel management, training and updates from the field. The attendees then broke into five groups to discuss specific issues and make recommendations. (See the figure for a list of topics discussed by the groups.)

The group chairmen then back-briefed Chief of Field Artillery Major General Toney Stricklin on their topics, discussions and recommended solutions. Various departments in the Field Artillery School are researching the solutions and will forward some of their findings to the appropriate agencies inside and outside Fort Sill.

Several guest speakers traveled from higher headquarters and other agencies to brief at the conference. Total Army Personnel Command (PERSCOM) briefers generated discussions on career management issues, such as new assignment projections, policies and procedures.

PERSCOM discussions covered personnel shortages and what was being done to overcome the shortages. Of interest was the fact that promotions in "star" military occupational specialties (MOS) are tied to counseling sessions having been conducted for these soldiers.

Some of the discussions centered on promotion board selection procedures and the need for CSMs to volunteer for this duty. Also of interest was that assignments to Korea for 24 months will continue. The briefers clarified that non-resident Sergeant Major Academy graduates can compete for CSM positions.

The Army National Guard (ARNG) Bureau Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel (DCSPER) sergeant major (SGM) and the I Corps Artillery CSM facilitated discussions on many ARNG personnel and training issues during an off-line session with other ARNG CSM and SGMs. Also, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) CSM gave an overview on changes going on in TRADOC. Training Command CSMs provided updates about their units, which included Fort Sill's Artillery Training Center and the NCO Academy.

National Training Center (NTC), Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC) Operations Group SGMs briefed NCO training problems and possible solutions. Of note is that most, if not all, the training issues at the various Combat Training Centers (CTCs) were the same. The most significant issue was the lack of training time for units to prepare for CTC rotations.

The corps artillery CSMs updated attendees on their activities. Topics discussed ranged from equipment to retention and soldier quality of life.

The briefing on Army Transformation and its effect on the Field Artillery structure generated discussions about the required equipment and the lack of NCO participation in the decision-making process when it comes to the enlisted structure.

The discussion topics mentioned in this short article plus several more with recommended solutions and the briefings presented at the conference that were released by the expert presenters are posted on the Fort Sill home page menu as "CSM Conf." The web site is http://sill-www.army.mil/csmc/index.htm.

The first FA CSM Conference received many accolades. Its overall success was gauged by responses from the attendees; they wanted to know when the next FA CSM Conference would be held.

CSM of the FA Anthony J. Williams

SGM Wayne S. Hashimoto

* Adaptive NCO Leaders--"Right" command climate, how to develop them (experience vice institutional training), etc.

FA Proponency Office Fort Sill, OK

* Multi-Skilled Soldiers--How much development in the institution or the field, should we begin merging military occupational specialties (MOS), etc.

* NCO Career Development--Career maps for promotion boards, professional reading list, reasonable rank expectation for soldiers with 20 years, etc.

* Operations vs Command Tracks--Different MOS on separate tracks, which MOS on each track, etc.

* Training--does distance learning train adequately, is the schoolhouse teaching what NCOs need to know, what kind of training devices or simulators do we need, etc.

* Personnel Management--Define "taking care of soldiers," should a CSM attend the PreCommand Course with his commander, why MOS 13M/P retention rates are low, why MOS 13R has a shortage, etc.

* Force Structure--Should the sergeant major carry a 9-mm pistol vice an M-16, do we need a driver position for the CSM, how much should NCOs be involved in structure decisions, etc.

The CSM Conference had five discussion groups that addressed questions related to the topics listed in this figure. The specific questions and a short explanation of recommendations are listed on the Fort Sill home page at sill-www.army.mil/csmc/index.htm.