Trending Reports for use in improving unit averages

For Training Tuesday, We are going to address something that most units don’t even realize is an option for them to use. I’m talking about the trending report data available in the TRACR program on most ranges of Fort Bragg.

The Trending Report is the computer taking the selected iterations for a specific course of fire like Table VI (Record Fire qualification for M4/M16) and allows the unit to know what the total number of hits for a total number of targets presented was along with the total number of misses. The trending report also gives what the percentage is that those two numbers generate. Where this is useful, is in identifying trends for the unit as far as areas they can improve their lethality. The report is a printed out table with these numbers. Units can then take this data and use it to show how their paratroopers are doing.

For Example, if the trending reports for C Co. 2-505 PIR show that they are engaging the 50 meter target 90 percent of the time, the 100 meter 65 percent of the time, the 150 meter 75 percent of the time, the 200 meter 70 percent of the time, the 250 meter 75 percent of the time, and the 300 meter 65 percent of the time, it will let us know that the overall average of the unit is a 71.66 percent, equivalent to a 28 out of 40. The picture illustrates this for us.

Areas of improvement that can automatically be noticed are the 100 and 300-meter percentage. The reason that the 100-meter percentage is probably so low, is because the target used is the F-type silhouette, which simulates a threat target in the prone. Most Paratroopers are applying a Center of Visible Mass hold and missing over the shoulders in this case.

For the answer to the 300-meter target, we have to dig a little deeper into the numbers. The Trending Reports also have the data from each table for the Qualification, as shown in pictures below.

 

So for Table I (Prone Supported), you can see that the percentage of hit for 300 meters was 70 percent. But when we transition to Table II (Prone Unsupported), it goes to 50 percent. This illustrates a particular shortfall in training which is where this company can improve.

The best part of keeping the trending report is it can be used to identify improvement over time as well. Units can keep historical data which shows how they were able to increase lethality in their formation.

Also, it gives an idea of statistically, what the average Paratrooper will score on a qualification for that company. If the overall average of the company is a 71.66 percent, it means the average soldier will qualify at a 28 out of 40. This means that the average soldier will meet the threshold criteria for the Marksman Badge (23 out of 40). If the unit’s average is below 23 out of 40, it means that they are likely not to have many Paratroopers qualifying as their average is below the minimum.

So to sum up, trending reports are a vital source of information on how the unit as a whole is doing. They are a part of the TRACR program and can be accessed for the majority of Automated Record Fire Ranges on Fort Bragg. Next week, we will continue our discussion about trending reports, as we discuss how to access the reports, and how to build a spreadsheet from the data that will give you the ability to sort the information as needed.

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