Engineer Memoirs _____________________________________________________________________
out here at Fort Belvoir in different buildings all in one building. Those facilities are needed
before we move.
Q:
And, of course, if you don't move then it just goes on back, doesn't it? Causes lots of
problems.
A:
That's right.
Q:
How much time have you spent on this particular aspect of your function?
A:
The school move?
Q:
Yes.
A:
Oh, I don't know, quite a bit of time. I guess I've never thought about that aspect. What I
have said is that breaking down my time--I spend about 85 percent on proponency-related
functions. What I really say is that I wear three hats. I really wear two hats, commandant of
the school and commander of the post. The commandant of the school has two connotations,
and I break it into two parts. One is being the school principal, that is, operating the school
and doing those training functions associated with the classes every day. The other one, still a
school commandant function, is the engineer proponency function, which involves a total
force doctrine, force modernization, combat developments, and so forth.
That makes the three hats, with the commandant broken into two. I spend 85 percent of my
time on the engineer proponent functions, 10 percent of my time on school principal
functions, 5 percent of my time on running the Fort Belvoir installation functions. That's
how I see the demands on my time. Now, I would put the school move into the proponent
part of that 85 percent. What percentage that is, I don't know. We established a year ago the
Engineer School Transition Office, as a functional element to do the direct liaison with Fort
Leonard Wood, with Headquarters, TRADOC, and work with all the staff. I made the
assistant commandant the principal guy for pulling all that together. He can coordinate
directly with the chief of staff of Fort Leonard Wood and keep all those various things pulled
together.
Q:
Is there anything further you want to discuss about the move or planned move?
A:
No, I can't think of anything at the moment.
Q:
What is your evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of your subordinates? That includes
senior officers, junior officers, noncommissioned officers, soldiers, and civilians.
A:
You're talking about in general?
Q:
In general, right.
A:
You're talking about the ones at the Engineer School here, rather than engineer force?
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