________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
the engineer commander has bigger battlefield problems than his peers that he has to wrestle
with.
Q:
That requires different training?
A:
It requires us to concentrate, like in our basic course, on a module that trains a maneuver task
force engineer. Now EForce solves those things because it puts people at the right
commensurate level. The maneuver task force will be supported by an engineer company, so
the task force commander will look down to infantry, armor, artillery, and engineer company
commanders as his next command element. So, now we have raised the engineer working at
that level from platoon leader to company commander. We would now say that his problems
and his requirements are commensurate with his maneuver brother. The brigade commander
looks down to a lieutenant colonel battalion commander and staff of infantry, armor, artillery,
and logistics but an engineer captain, company commander, divisional, and maybe a couple
of Corps type engineer company commanders with no battalion commander or staff. In the
future, EForce will be commensurate as well, with a lieutenant colonel engineer battalion
with staff--the same as armor, infantry, artillery. So, our current archaic structure affects
command capability as well. EForce then becomes the solution to that problem. We'll now
have a commensurate level at all battlefield command levels.
Q:
It's been a long time coming to solve that problem.
A:
That's why we say EForce is not magic. It solves "ad hocrisy" and solves a whole lot of
battlefield problems; what it does is bring together organization, materiel, and command and
control. The major changes are really command and control when you look at it because
you've taken the over 1,700 engineer folks in the current divisional engineer battalion and
Corps engineer battalion and reorganized them into this division engineer regimental
structure, and with fewer people. They're now in groups that can be command and controlled
to have the right piece of materiel or the right organization to be responsive to the maneuver
commander at the right place on the battlefield.
Q:
How would you contrast this command here at Fort Belvoir with your most recent command
at Ohio River Division?
A:
Well, before I contrast it, let me talk about some things that are probably the same, and that is
high-level responsibility, a requirement to make things happen--I'm speaking about my
personal position in that command--the ability to work with a lot of good people. What I
think was similar was a charge to make things happen from my bosses in either case and an
arena where, in either case, I could let the status quo continue and not succeed from the
standpoint of the engineer force here or programs in the Ohio River Division there, or things
could be improved and get better.
In contrast, I would say the pace and scope of TRADOC is much faster. The fact is that
geographically I have total force responsibilities throughout the world as opposed to one very
large river basin, which was very big in those days. My travel requirements as commandant
take me to Korea, to Germany, to Israel, and to Honduras. I work in an arena of a much more
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