Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division staff take notes during a block of training while at annual training at the division headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, June 8. Training was given by subject matter experts from Fort Leavenworth’s Mission Command Training Support Program and Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate and topics included the Military Decision-Making Process and recent changes to Field Manual 3-0: Multidomain Operations. The 35th Inf. Div. recently returned home from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East and is focusing training on doctrinal foundations as they prepare for future missions. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Margaret St. Pierre)
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Scott Cunningham, instructor from Fort Leavenworth’s Mission Command Training Support Program, addresses members of the 35th Infantry Division staff at the division headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, during their annual training June 9. The 35th Inf. Div. recently returned home from a none-month deployment to the Middle East and is spending their annual training focusing on doctrine and enhancing readiness for upcoming missions. The MCTSP, which supports the collective training of Army units as directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army and provides commanders and leaders the opportunity to train on mission command operations, conducted a four-day training program with staff with an emphasis on the Military Decision Making Process at the division level. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Margaret St. Pierre)
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The 35th Infantry Division Assistant Division Commander for Operations, Brig. Gen. Martin Clay, presents a token of appreciation to Scott Cunningham of Fort Leavenworth’s Mission Command Training Support Program. The MCTSP, which supports the collective training of Army units as directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army and provides commanders and leaders the opportunity to train on mission command operations, conducted a four-day training program with 35th Inf. Div. staff with an emphasis on the Military Decision Making Process at the division level. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Margaret St. Pierre)
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Lt. Col. Bruce Adams of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center held a discussion of the newly revised FM 3-0 with Maj. Gen. John Rueger, Division Commander, and Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division at the Division Headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, June 5, 2023. The revised FM 3-0 describes how the Army fights and addresses the challenges the Nation faces between now and 2030, and is a product of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate at Fort Leavenworth. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Evan Anderson)on)
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Lt. Col. Bruce Adams of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center held a discussion of the newly revised FM 3-0 with Maj. Gen. John Rueger, Division Commander, and Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division at the Division Headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, June 5, 2023. The revised FM 3-0 describes how the Army fights and addresses the challenges the Nation faces between now and 2030, and is a product of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate at Fort Leavenworth. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Evan Anderson)
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Lt. Col. Bruce Adams of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center held a discussion of the newly revised FM 3-0 with Maj. Gen. John Rueger, Division Commander, and Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division at the Division Headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, June 5, 2023. The revised FM 3-0 describes how the Army fights and addresses the challenges the Nation faces between now and 2030, and is a product of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate at Fort Leavenworth. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Evan Anderson)
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LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – Soldiers of the 35th Infantry Division hit the ground running June 3-17 during their first annual training since returning home from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East in 2022. Members of the staff received instruction from Fort Leavenworth’s Combined Arms Center, whose Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate and Mission Command Training Support Program provided subject-matter experts to present information and facilitate discussion on changes to Field Manual 3-0: Multidomain Operations and the Military Decision-Making Process, respectively.
While identifying training priorities ahead of annual training, division leadership knew the time was right for a return to a focus on doctrine, said Col. Larry Leupold, 35th Inf. Div. Chief of Staff.
“As we come back from mobilization, we are really looking to rebuild the force,” said Leupold. “We have Soldiers that are moving out to other opportunities, and we are bringing new Soldiers into the Division, so we’re really looking to leverage the doctrine to be that framework, so that as we build the team, we ensure we have the right training focus.”
The Mission Command Training Support Program was ready to assist. The MCSTP, which supports the collective training of Army units as directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army and provides commanders and leaders the opportunity to train on mission command operations, conducted a four-day training program with staff with an emphasis on the Military Decision Making Process at the division level.
“It was really good to hear from the subject matter experts who have all the best practices,” said Leupold. “The Mission Command Support Training Program came in and refocused us back on doctrine. We focused on navigating through mission analysis, really looking at understanding our commander’s intent, how he wants to receive information, and how he is able to visualize and take in the information the staff is generating.”
In addition to revisiting MDMP fundamentals, division staff received training on several significant doctrinal changes.
Lt. Col. Bruce Adams, a doctrinal editor at the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, presented on the recently updated FM 3-0: Multidomain Operations. Adams explained that key operational Army doctrine has been updated due to the changing conditions in the operational environment.
“We started looking at the shift of the U.S. Army from counterinsurgency – the Global War on Terror – to the recognition of the importance of large scale combat operations,” explained Adams. “In addition, we looked at current capabilities throughout the world, and how to define the threat that we’re facing. We needed to be able to write doctrine to combat that.”
When looking at where to begin updating the doctrine, Adams said his team prioritized FM 3-0 because it is so fundamental: it provides the operational construct for the Army at every level and sets conditions for how all Army units conduct operations, from theater all the way down to the squad.
“We hope to set that mindset for today’s force,” said Adams. “We have a lot of institutional knowledge from operations we’ve conducted over the past 20-25 years, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we recognize that the threat has changed. We are hoping that this document really helps us solidify that threat change and change the mindset of the Army as we train.”
Having the right mindset is going to be key for the staff moving forward, said 35th Inf. Div. Chief of Staff Col. Larry Leupold.
“I want the staff to be hungry for that intellectual challenge – to be lifelong learners and to look through a doctrinal lens as we refine our plans, standard operating procedures and tactical operating procedures. It’s critical to understand what’s changed in our environment, the battlefield framework of divisions and how they fight, and then also be able to utilize that to understand the processes that we currently have and be able to refine those processes where necessary. That’s what is going to allow us to get from where we’re at today to our next warfighter, and then eventually on to our next operational assignment.”
Looking forward, the division plans to look for more opportunities to leverage subject matter experts to enhance division readiness built on a doctrinal foundation.
“We’ve got a lot of partners within the Fort Leavenworth footprint,” said Leupold. “They can help us not only refine what our training plans are, but also act as enablers to get the staff reps and sets to build readiness and proficiency and really drive at all levels that professionalism to help our Soldiers master their craft.”
With this summer’s successful annual training behind them, that firm doctrinal foundation is set for the division to build on as it moves forward.
