How do we address Capability Gaps?

 

For Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures Thursday, we are talking about how we as NCO’s and Soldiers can influence how we address the capability gaps in our equipment and training.

At the 2017 Sportsman’s Hunter’s Outdoorsman’s Trade show, I had a conversation with both the lethality branch of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and a vendor. During this discussion, I brought up that our M240 Gunners had told me they had a capability gap in the zeroing of their weapon, as they do not have a tool to adjust the front sight post with. An actual tool exists for making this adjustment, but it is so rare, most soldiers don’t even know about it, or that the M240 can be zeroed as a result.

The vendor and the Lethality branch took that direct end-user input and created this tool illustrated in the picture. It is also a scraper tool for the M240 and M249 gas regulators and operating rods.

I bring this up because as the Division Master Gunner, it is one of the functions of my job to look for capability gaps in our current weapons and training, then I look for ways to address them. The Army procurement system has an acronym DOTMLPF-P that is used to address the entire spectrum of doctrine, organization, training, etc. that can be used to fix that capability gap.

You as the soldier should be looking at the capability gaps that exist in your equipment and training and think of ways to address them. You are the end user of these systems. And if you feel there is a better way to use and incorporate them, you should voice your opinions. Officers and NCO’s need to be willing to listen and understand the capability gap that the soldiers have identified, and be prepared to point it out to higher formations. There are ways of suggesting improvements that go directly to the people who can take that idea and get it resourced. The Soldier Enhancement Program is a great place to start. Here’s the link to their website to submit an idea:

http://www.peosoldier.army.mil/sep/

So to sum up, you have more power than you realize when it comes to what you have in your possession as gear. If you truly have an idea for how to use or employ our weapons better, say something.

#NCObusiness #wouldyouliketoknowmore?

The NSN for the tool illustrated in this picture is 5110-01-641-4777