An Emerging Challenge:  Lessons Learned Integration (L2I)        By BG E.J. Sinclair Edited by Bullinger, 18 July – AUG SEP 05 Issue

Thanks to the Army Aviation Association of America for this, the Blue Book directory issue. It is a valuable tool to keep in touch with fellow Soldiers, renew old friendships, and share and retrieve lessons learned. We need to focus on the ability and necessity to share and integrate lessons learned.
As Army Aviation Soldiers and units continue to distinguish themselves throughout the world, we must maintain and expand our capability to examine branch issues that arise in all phases of military operations and devise training and resource strategies for addressing those issues.

            We want to highlight some Aviation Warfighting Center initiatives and discuss two particular agencies that help us do this: the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) and the Battle Command Knowledge System (BCKS).
The London bombings on July 7th made it more apparent that the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is not going to end in the immediate future. We are committed to defending our freedom and to assisting our allies in the Middle East as they seek democracy, prosperity and hope. We find ourselves in a situation that we have not experienced to such a degree since Vietnam. Even though the Bosnia and Kosovo rotations have been protracted, the scale of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom is unmatched.

            The challenge before us is integrating lessons-learned from current operations as we prepare follow-on forces for future deployments. The complexity stems across the strategic, operational and tactical levels as well as our ability to share and integrate observations, insights and lessons (OIL) between units, the Aviation Warfighting Center, and the enabling agencies like CALL and BCKS.



            Lessons Learned Integration (L2I) has deservedly taken a prominent place in the GWOT. Army Chief of Staff GEN Peter J. Schoomaker has emphasized, “I want a faster cycle of GWOT lessons learned to school and unit program of instruction (POI) changes.”

            L2I is more than a process; it encompasses networks, databases, organizations, resources and the functions of L2I operations (collection, analysis, dissemination, and archiving) throughout the institutional army.

Aviation Warfighting Center Efforts

            Every unit and directorate at the Aviation Warfighting Center is making tremendous progress in L2I among all four distinct leader development domains: tactical, technical, conceptual and interpersonal. We need your help to continue this progress. We’ve had success disseminating and integrating new tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) for maneuvering flight, diving fire, convoy operations, special operations and conventional forces integration, and unmanned aerial vehicle operations. We are also incorporating the eleven critical variables of the contemporary operational environment (COE) into the NCO Academy, officer basic courses, warrant officer advanced course, and the captain’s career course with great success.

            The 11 critical variables are: physical environment, nature and stability of the state, military capabilities, technology, information, external organizations, sociological demographics, regional and global relationships, national will, time and economics.
COE implementation is less about equipping and organizing our training, and more about seeing warfare through a different lens. Again, we need your continued effort and help to focus that lens.

            Aviation Warfighting Center staff assisted CALL in conducting an Aircrew Load Study in OEF and OIF. The study identified a list of 29 items designed to rectify shortcomings to the equipment issued to aviation Soldiers and to enhance their performance while conducting their missions. The study’s recommendations were analyzed and prioritized. The consolidated list was sent to brigade commanders with OEF and OIF experience to validate the need and priority of identified items. We continue to work any possible avenue to get these items in the hands of our Aviation Soldiers as rapidly as possible to enhance their effectiveness in the warfight.
A team of warrant officers at Fort Rucker recently demonstrated the potential of the L2I process when they identified the need for rapid information exchange during specific OIF and OEF support operations. Using the combined L2I resources of USAAVNC and the Warrant Officer Career Center, the team developed an in-theater warrant officer net that is being added to the Leader Development Network component of BCKS. From start to finish, the process will take less than 90 days.

            The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System (UAVS) is another great example of our L2I effort. The transition of UAV Proponency to Fort Rucker, Ala. is ongoing and the Aviation Warfighting Center has been designated the Army’s Center of Excellence for UAVS. Through detailed operational assessment and simulation, we have been able to modify, shape and optimize UAVS structures for the modular force.

            The challenge is to continue to identify and share observations, insights and lessons on these topics and emerging ones. Here are two critical enabling agencies that will help us in this effort.

Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL)

            Established in 1985, the Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. collects and analyzes data from a variety of current and historical sources, including Army operations and training events, and produces lessons for military commanders, staff and students. CALL disseminates these lessons and other related research materials through a variety of print and electronic media, including their web site at: https://call.army.mil .

            As CALL expands its mission focus and capabilities, they have employed embeds and sent Combined Arms Assessment Teams (CAAT) to the contemporary operating environment (COE). These initiatives help identify significant issues and insights, provide near real-time situational awareness and TTPs, and coordinates and collaborates to develop solutions for the warfighter.



Battle Command Knowledge System

            An incredible innovation on the network and database component side is the Battle Command Knowledge System. The BCKS provides war fighters with access to the information, tools and people needed to improve combat readiness and support quick analysis and decision-making on the battlefield. BCKS focuses human and web-based technology resources on the collection and management of tacit and explicit knowledge to overcome the challenges in accessibility, relevancy and timeliness of information.

            The goal of BCKS is two-fold: provide new ways of packaging information to improve decision making, and find new methods for tapping into the experiences of Soldiers and leaders to create a more effective learning organization. Soldiers will use BCKS to quickly leverage knowledge to solve real-world operational problems.

    This will be done by having direct access to a wide range of experts and knowledge residing within specific units, staff organizations, and education and training institutions -- such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Training and Doctrine Command school houses, and professional communities of practice, including the CALL, as well as unit commanders and battle captains.

            BCKS will provide assistance to professional forums or groups of Soldiers with similar responsibilities who meet together online to assist and learn from one another.

3. Insert Battle Command Knowledge System Chart.

            Active duty, National Guardsmen and Reserve Soldiers with Army Knowledge Online accounts can also access BCKS from the link on AKO to BCKS. The BCKS web site is https://bcks.army.mil (requires username and password).

            There are four major network areas of the BCKS and include: the Leader, the Unit, the Warrior Knowledge Base, and the Rapid Knowledge and Solutions Generation.

            The Leader Network allows Soldiers to communicate with their peers in a professional forum linked through online systems. These forums include company commander, platoon leader and first sergeant forums. Currently there are 21 leader net forums that are either operational or in development.

            The Unit Network provides tactical support information to units. It shares theater and real-time knowledge with BCKS participants. It is especially valuable for those units involved in contingency missions worldwide.

            The Warrior Knowledge Base serves as central repository focusing on Army knowledge and best practices; it uses both secure and non-secure Internet protocols.

            The Rapid Knowledge and Solutions Generation Network allows users to, among other things, place requests for information that can be forwarded to a network of approximately 400 subject matter experts, including the Combined Arms Research Library and the Army Training Support Center.

            We must generate and apply solutions faster and more effectively than adaptive enemies generate dilemmas and challenges. Additionally, we must continue to seek ways to enable high-performance war fighter team decision-making and leadership. Knowledge and complete use of the CALL resources, BCKS and dialog with the appropriate subject-matter-experts at the Aviation Warfighting Center will enable us to generate complete solutions and capabilities faster and more effectively than our adaptive enemy.
This becomes more significant as we look into the future of the GWOT and continue our transformation. Our willingness and effectiveness in sharing GWOT lessons-learned will enable future war fighters who follow us to be more proficient and safer in less time, ensuring that our Aviation branch remains relevant and ready.

            I challenge each commander in the chain to ensure your lessons learned and best practices are rapidly input into the system. My promise to you is the information will be incorporated into the schoolhouse and codified in our doctrine, training, materiel and leader developments.

ABOVE  THE BEST!!! 

BG E. J. Sinclair is the commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center and chief of the aviation branch.