Europe's reserve: Training Brigade

Soldiers Magazine, June, 2003 by John MAJ Dahms

FEW people are aware that there are Army Reserve units permanently stationed in Europe. Fewer still know that there is an Army Reserve training brigade there that offers officer and NCO professional development courses and MOS training to all components of the Army.

The 3747th Multi-Functional Training Brigade offers educational opportunities not found anywhere else in U.S. Army, Europe. Falling under the 7th Army Reserve Command, the Army's only major Reserve command totally stationed on foreign soil, the school is the only fully accredited Army school in Europe.

"We provide the courses that are key stepping stones to promotion and future success for all officers and NCOs," said brigade CSM Michael Harris. "And the best part about it is that all of our courses are fully accredited and recognized by the Total Army School System."

The 3747th's instructors teach the Primary Leadership Development Course; the Basic and Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Courses; and the Combined Arms and Services Staff School and Command and General Staff Officers Course for officers.

The school also provides MOS training for administrative and personnel services specialists, motor transportation coordinators and unit supply specialists.

"We train to one Army, one standard," said COL Christopher L. Winston, the 3747th's commander. "Prospective students have to meet the same enrollment and graduation requirements as those of the stateside active-component schools."

In fact, Winston said, the officer courses in Europe are very popular with active component officers.

"Around 70 percent of the students in our officer courses are active component officers," said LTC Michael Sinnott, the 3747th's General Studies Battalion commander. "Courses here are taught on compressed schedules, saving these officers the time they'd spend away from their units on long temporary assignments to stateside schools."

About 150 Reservists serve with the 3747th MFTB. Of that, one-third work at the academy as instructors, said CSM Patrick Hooper, the 3747th's NCO Academy commandant.

"Our emphasis is on education and professional development," Hooper said.

Each year the academy graduates classes of the Advanced and Basic NCO Courses and the Primary Leadership Development Course. Reserve instructors use their annual training time to lead the two-week courses.

PLDC and BNCOC instructors must be staff sergeants, while ANCOC instructors must be sergeants first class. Instructor candidates must have served in leadership positions for at least three years and be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test.

It takes about two years for a Reserve NCO to become an academy instructor, Hooper said. The soldiers first attend a two-week course on small-group-instruction techniques, followed by one class cycle serving as assistant instructors.

To enroll in most courses, soldiers are required to complete a commander's checklist, meet the Army's height and weight requirements, and pass the APFT upon arrival at the school.

Early last year instructors from the 3747th's NCO Academy conducted a video-teletraining distance learning pilot program for 163 NCOs in Germany and Italy. The program analyzed the effectiveness of training soldiers in a classroom and projecting that same training to distant locations.

"We conducted three basic and three advanced NCO courses under the pilot program," said Lee Brummell, the 7th ARCOM's staff operations and training officer. "The test showed that these courses can be taught to soldiers at remote locations."

In 1997 the academy opened its doors in Grafenwohr, which is also home to the 7th Army Training Conunand. The 7th ATC runs an NCO academy for active-duty soldiers at the base, located about 55 miles east of Nurnberg and just 20 miles from the Czech border. Units in Europe also use the base for gunnery training.

In 1999 the 3747th received accreditations from the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Proponent Schools and the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. The school will undergo reaccreditation this year.

MAJ Jon Dahms works for the 7th Army Reserve Command Public Affairs Office.