Edward L. Rowny
found they could do better in the maneuvers because larger percentages of their
equipment were in operable condition.
Q ..
What was your style of command? Did you go down to the company level to
observe the troops when they trained and maintained?
A ..
Yes. Just as I had instructed my subordinate commanders to devote half of their
time to training and half to maintenance, I followed the same pattern. When I went
to inspect a company at training, I would have all the intermediate commanders as
well as the division, brigade, and battalion operations officers accompany me. In
this way I was assured we all saw the same thing and that my favorable comments
and criticism was known to the company commander's entire chain of command.
I used the same technique when I visited a company maintaining its equipment,
except that in addition to the chain of command, I had the division, brigade, and
battalion supply and maintenance officers accompany me.
When I inspected training exercises I would go by helicopter, thus saving a great
deal of travel time. I would usually give the chain of command two hours' notice
so they could drop what they were doing and join me. Only if there was some
pressing business would I excuse the chain of command, and then I would have
them send their deputies.
We also trained a great deal at night. I insisted that each unit spend half of its
training time in night exercises.
I instituted one additional concept, that of giving company commanders one day a
week as their own time. On that day they could stress whatever they felt was
important, including taking care of personal business, such as going to the bank,
the dentist, etc., and having their men do the same. Since I insisted that as close
to 100 percent as possible of all the men be present at training or maintenance, I
had to give them some free time to take care of these essential and, at times,
menial tasks.
Q ..
Were you able to turn out 100 percent of the men for a training exercise or for a
maintenance program?
A ..
No, but we tried to approach 100 percent. There were always several men per
company on sick call. When the company took to the field for an exercise, we
would leave the sick men back to guard the barracks. I put a high premium on
getting every possible man to be with his unit, both during TRAIN and MAIN.
For every missing person who was not sick or on emergency leave, I would dock
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