Notes from JAEC T2 Block Assessment working group WJTSC 07-1 05 March 2007, Ft. Leavenworth, KS 1. JAEC Director Mr Fred Hartman began the Workshop with a description of the Training Transformation (T2) Block Assessment. He discussed the path to the 2007 Block Assessment as an outcome of the 2005 Block Assessment and lessons learned from it. Mr Hartman stated the Block Assessment would move forward over time to focus on cost, schedule, and performance metrics and assessment. 2. Mr. Hartman emphasized the importance of institutionalizing the assessment processes, metrics, data collection, and data in “corporate” automated systems. JTIMS will be the principle data collection system and data repository for the Block Assessment and assessment data will be provided from JTIMS to DRRS. 3. Mr Dave Baranek continued the briefing with a discussion of the Block Assessment analytic issues and the components of the block assessment report. Mr Baranek discussed the components of the assessment including the T2 Implementation Plan Goals, Joint Training Community Feedback, Qualitative Assessment, and Quantitative Assessment. Mr Baranek discussed the use of “Attributes” as an analytical framework and to develop the Block Assessment Report. Mr Baranek stated the data collection spreadsheets are “frozen” unless there is a major requirement for change for the remainder of the 2007 Block Assessment. 4. One COCOM representative stated his concerns about the use of the data as the spreadsheets are frozen. Mr Hartman reviewed the development of the database for the T2 Block Assessment, including discussions with DMDC, and the decision to develop an MS Access database of the block assessment data for OSD JAEC use. Mr Hartman also reiterated the move to use JTIMS as system changes take place over the year. (The COCOM representative later stated his concern was specifically who would be able to use the data his command provides. Ms. Patenaude, Mr Baranek, and Mr Kearley assured the representative that the data provided for the OSD JAEC block assessment is maintained for JAEC use only and is not provided outside JAEC; the only information provided outside JAEC will be the report based on the data, which is made available to senior leadership and all of the Joint Training community.) 5. Mr Baranek continued the briefing stating the T2 Block Assessment Execution Plan, version 1.0, has been released and posted on the T2 Forum (http://www.t2net.org/forums, path to the document is: Forums > T2 Assessment > Thread Title: 2007 T2 Block Assessment documents). Data collection and coordination of processes will continue over the coming year. JTIMS is currently manually mined for data, however JAEC staff continues to work with the JSJ7 JTIMS program manager to develop reports to provide an “automatic” retrieval of assessment data. That data will be loaded to the Access database for analysis and assessment. The goal is to automate as much of the data collection effort as is possible. Current JAEC requirements for JTIMS should be instantiated by December 2007. 6. Database security was discussed by Mr Baranek emphasizing the Block Assessment team’s understanding of the sensitivity of the data collected. JAEC will follow JTIMS and DRRS rules and not publish the raw data submitted for the assessment.
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Classified data may be submitted to the JSJ7 if necessary for purposes of the assessment. A classified annex to the Assessment Report may be prepared if required. 7. The emphasis of the Block Assessment team is shifting in March from data collection to data analysis and assessment. The team will continue with community feedback and communications via telephone conferences (TELCONs) and meetings. Inprocess reviews (IPRs) by TELCON are planned for 20 March, 15 May (T), and 17 July (T). Additionally JAEC will continue to brief the T2 Block Assessment to the T2 JIPT and the T2 SAG. Joint Training Community Feedback will occur via questionnaires and teleconferences with each Combatant Commander and Service individually starting in April. These sessions will take the place of individual site surveys due to a lack of travel funding and will discuss key items of the block assessment. Several persons asked for an early scheduling of those sessions so the right personnel may be made available for them. 8. Col. Dan Henkel (USJFCOM JWFC Dir PM) stated that MG Kamiya fully supports the assessment process. JWFC has created a survey to be passed out to the WJTSC participants during the conference for feedback to JWFC and the JAEC. 9. JTIMS data collection to support the Block Assessment was discussed extensively. LTC Morris (JSJ7 JTIMS program manager) discussed the data elements to be instantiated in JTIMS. He stated they would be discussed in detail during the 06 March JTIMS User Advisory Group meeting. He stated about 50% of the JAEC block assessment data elements can be collected using JTIMS. LTC Morris stated the link between DRRS and JTIMS has been established to be able to send the JMETL created in DRRS to JTIMS and take assessment data from JTIMS and pass it to DRRS. He also stated that JTIMS-Lite is now available as a NIPRnet instantiation of JTIMS. He also stated JTIMS is available for anyone to use to collect their assessment data. 10. A Service representative stated concerns over resources to help collect and enter this assessment data into a database. LTC Morris re-emphasized that JTIMS and JTIMSLite are available for use by anyone to help in that effort and that JTIMS-Lite can be loaded on a laptop for field use by observers or others. LTC Morris also stated that a “Commander’s Summary Report (CSR)” was being created in JTIMS for use by trainers to create that report. LTC Morris stated the Assessment portion of JTIMS was created using the After Action Report (AAR) as a guide to ensure the right data elements that support Service and Combatant Commander training assessment and the Block Assessment needs are in JTIMS. CAPT Melcher (USJFCOM JWFC) stated that JWFC has created a Joint Training Event Report (JTER) to provide a format for collection of this type data for use by both JWFC trainers and by the Combatant Commanders and Services as desired. JWFC will collect the data on areas where they provide support to other commands’ exercises and provide that data to the exercise sponsors. COL Gerard (JSJ7) and Mr Hartman both emphasized the availability of the JTS Specialists and the Joint Training Functional Specialists as well as the JNTC Support Elements (SE) to assist with this work as the commanders so desire. Some concern was voiced that these personnel were not supposed to be or were not specifically tasked with that assignment. COL Gerard stated they could be used that way and if other directions or guidance were required in the agreements or contracts to inform him.
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11. Mr Hartman closed the session with a thank you for the cooperation of the Joint training community to conduct the block assessment as a team effort. He thanked them for their participation in the JAEC workshop at the WJTSC and the workshop was then dismissed.
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