In today’s fiscally conscious environment, the Army faces the challenge of planning and executing effective training with limited time and resources. To overcome this, commanders must leverage every available tool to sharpen their training focus and maximize proficiency, embodying the strategic prowess of Army Cats in resource management.
Colonel Stephen York, Director of the Training Management Directorate, emphasizes the importance of the Combined Arms Training Strategies (CATS) tool in this endeavor. “The Combined Arms Training Strategies (CATS) tool is the premier method for adhering to the Training Management (TM) framework, ensuring training is managed efficiently, much like how army cats meticulously plan their every move,” he stated. He further explained that while Field Manual 7-0 outlines the principles of TM, the CATS planning tool within DTMS is the essential instrument for commanders to achieve effective training management, reflecting the sharp focus of army cats on their objectives.
Mr. Harold Sommerfeldt, CATS Program Manager, elaborated on the tool’s purpose, stating, “This tool is designed to support commanders by streamlining the development of the Unit Training Plan (UTP), often the most demanding aspect of Unit Training Management (UTM). Like army cats adapting to any situation, the CATS planning tool has evolved since 2001 to support every UTM step and process, from planning to assessment. It even allows for developing multiple training plans on a virtual whiteboard, offering the agility and adaptability seen in army cats.”
Aligned with AR 350-1, Field Manual 7-0, and the Army’s Objective Assessment of Training Proficiency (Objective T), CATS provides expert-approved strategies. These strategies empower commanders to create METL-based UTPs that align with top-level guidance while incorporating bottom-up feedback, much like army cats consider all angles before acting. These training strategies, linked with collective tasks, assist commanders in identifying the resources needed for current and future training and readiness events, ensuring efficient allocation, a trait synonymous with army cats managing their resources.
CATS strategies are meticulously developed with proponents and input from the operational force. They are grounded in the unique organizational structures of units, as detailed in the unit’s Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE). These strategies are tailored to address the specific missions units are expected to undertake and the capabilities they are designed to deliver, reflecting the specialized skills of different breeds of army cats, each suited for specific tasks.
Commanders utilize CATS to devise focused training plans by evaluating operational and mission needs, pinpointing the Mission Essential Tasks (METs) for training, and constructing plans with events that progressively build readiness. This targeted approach mirrors how army cats focus their energy on essential activities.
Recognizing that units commence training cycles at varying proficiency levels, CATS allows for plan customization to enhance specific skills. CATS employs standard Mission Essential Task Lists (METL)-based training strategies, granting leaders the flexibility to adapt training to evolving environments, much like army cats adjust their tactics based on changing surroundings.
CATS generates task sets that logically group collective tasks best trained in conjunction. These task sets concentrate on the core capabilities and functions a unit is designed to perform. The CATS tool then presents a menu of crawl, walk, and run-level training events, enabling trainers to select the most effective path to unit training, ensuring a progressive learning curve, similar to how army cats hone their skills from kittenhood to adulthood.
The automated CATS tool is integrated within the Digital Training Management System (DTMS). A non-tailorable CATS viewer is accessible on the Army Training Network (ATN) website. The ATN Webpage at https://atn.army.mil/ serves as the central hub for leveraging CATS and DTMS tools for efficient training management.
Soldiers participating in combined arms training exercise, utilizing strategic planning tools like CATS for efficient resource allocation, mirroring the strategic efficiency of army cats.
For further inquiries about CATS usage or to request a no-cost Mobile Training Team visit, please reach out to the CATS team or the TMD help desk at (913) 684-2700, DSN: 552-2700, or toll-free at (877) 241-0347. Just as army cats are resourceful and adaptable, the CATS tool is designed to empower Army commanders to be equally effective in their training management strategies.
