army tims essay

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'This is my squad’: SMA Grinston talks about his push to build cohesive units

The new sergeant major of the Army, Michael A. Grinston , is looking at ways to strengthen squad-level cohesion among soldiers during his tenure.

The new SMA wants to find and replicate the model of strong, cohesive units across the Army by focusing on the positive aspects of being a soldier. Doing so will hopefully address ongoing problems, including sexual harassment and assault, suicide prevention and domestic issues, while also building on Army readiness priorities like preparing soldiers for the new fitness test.

Grinston hopes that at least some of those problems can be addressed by instilling a certain mindset into soldiers, and squad leaders in particular: “This is my squad, and I don’t let anything happen to them."

He has started to float a “This is My Squad” initiative that will compliment the “ Not in My Squad " campaign, or NIMS, brought about by his predecessor.

NIMS aimed to help junior leaders fight sexual misconduct and other issues through an optional online assessment that offered training material to either reinforce strengths of a squad or give areas to improve based on user responses.

Grinston already pitched his idea at the Maneuver Conference in mid-September at Fort Benning, Georgia , and is looking to get more people on the Army staff involved as he settles into his new role.

“I want ‘This is My Squad’ to be inculcated across the Army,” he said.

It hasn’t been codified in a memo or document at this point, but an example of what the campaign is aiming to reproduce can be found among Army special operations forces, like those at the Ranger regiment and on Green Beret ODAs.

“Those are really tight, cohesive teams,” Grinston said. “So, we have to look at how they bring in their people. ... When they train, they train real hard, and there’s not a lot of wasted time in there. So, we’ll go out, and we’ll start off with physical fitness together, and it’s going to be hard and challenging.”

“Shared hardships build cohesiveness,” he added.

CSM Michael Grinston, from FORSCOM, spent the morning doing PT with Soldiers from the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade. After, he answered questions and even took a #Selfie.

Beyond PT sessions, Grinston’s push would involve encouraging squads to grab meals together, check in on teammates’ personal lives and sometimes just asking, “Okay, how are you doing? How was that event you went to last night?” or, “How is your wife doing?”

Cohesion begins with introducing new troops to a unit.

“You can’t just come in and go, ‘Okay, there’s the office. That’s the squad leader,'” Grinston said. “When I bring a soldier into my squad, I’m going to show them where the PX is, I’m going to show them where the healthcare is, I’m going to show him: ’Here are the good places; here’s the bad.'”

And of course, “when we go out, we’re going to have fun together,” Grinston added.

A lot of soldiers and squad leaders already practice this mindset. The new SMA’s objective is to amplify it across the force.

Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.

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This Is the Army’s Newest Tool to Help Squad Leaders Connect with Soldiers

The U.S. Army plans to roll out a mobile app for its squad leaders that will act as a daily playbook and provide a new way to advise and connect with soldiers.

The move is part of the service's "This is My Squad" initiative to address challenges in the force and reemphasize its cultural values.

Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston said Tuesday that, while the TIMS app will evolve over time, its immediate goal is to provide leaders with resources that better inform their management decisions.

Read Next: Marine Battalion Landing Team Commander Fired Following Deadly AAV Mishap

One objective is to leverage the current Army Sponsorship Program, which assists soldiers and families when they transition into a different unit. The app will put information about new soldiers at squad leaders' fingertips, Grinston said during the Association of the United States Army's 2020 virtual meeting.

"I've got an app that helps me" with transitioning members, he said. "Say I see that [a soldier] is coming into my unit. He's got a family, he needs a house, he's got kids, his kids go to school … so ... I can use sponsorship and welcome [him] into my unit."

Another goal is documenting training management. Leaders can use the app to log members' training activities, such as Army Combat Fitness Test performance, or to use an ACFT calculator during a live physical training event.

In the future, the Army wants to add other personnel resources to the app, such as the Integrated Personnel and Pay System-Army, known as IPPS-A, Grinston said.

"Changes in benefits … will [one day] be integrated in the This is My Squad app," he added.

In August, the service announced that the TIMS app will replace Army Training and Doctrine Command's "Squad Leader" app, which "let NCOs and junior soldiers access learning and development tools," according to a release.

A specialized team is partnering with Army Futures Command on the TIMS effort.

Grinston did not provide an official release date for the new app, but the Army previously said its development will continue through fiscal 2021, the release said.

Under Grinston, the service debuted the "This is My Squad" initiative last year to strengthen unit-level cohesion and address issues such as suicide, sexual harassment and morale.

Grinston has said he wants troops to focus on unit cohesion while checking in on fellow soldiers' needs.

"When you think of 'my squad,' you think of something positive you do every day to take care of each other," Grinston said during a discussion with soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord , Washington, in January . "Do you sit down with your squads? Do you spend time with them? We want to build a committed organization that's founded in a cohesive team built in trust ."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214 .

Related: The Army Is Reorganizing Its SFAB Units to Deploy Globally

Oriana Pawlyk

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ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Voice for the army - support for the soldier, get to know your squad.

What does This is My Squad mean to you? Who’s in your squad?

In U.S. Army Pacific, Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Brzak is the senior enlisted leader of the largest area of responsibility of the combatant commands. U.S. Army Pacific occupies over 52% of the Earth’s surface and is home to over 106,000 soldiers, families and Army civilians. It covers over 9,000 miles and spans 16 time zones that stretch from the Pacific coast, west of the international date line, to the Taj Mahal in India.

How does Brzak stay engaged? Every 30 days, he hosts a virtual This is My Squad panel, during which he has candid discussions on the This is My Squad initiative with U.S. Army Pacific soldiers of various ranks from across the area of responsibility. The major subordinate commands are well represented and include soldiers from Japan, Korea, Alaska, Washington and Hawaii.

Simple Conversation

Recently, while I was the NCO in charge of flag honor, I was walking with a young soldier. After asking him about his hobbies and family, we discovered that not only did we share the same hometown, but that we also attended and graduated from the same high school. I’m glad that I took a moment to speak with him that day, because it reminded me of why I serve. I’d be proud to lay down my weapon next to this fellow soldier and point it downrange at the enemy in order to protect our freedoms and our way of life, for our Army family’s sake, for our children and for their children’s children. It’s amazing what you can learn about your teammates just by having a conversation with them.

This is My Squad is an initiative of Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston. Fundamentally, its core values call for empowerment of first-line leaders, ownership, accountability, morale and unit cohesion. It highlights the positive, while at the same time combating problematic areas within the ranks and throughout the Army.

During a discussion in January 2020 with soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Grinston said, “When you think of ‘my squad,’ you think of something positive you do every day to take care of each other. … Do you sit down with your squads?” he asked soldiers. “Do you spend time with them? … We want to build a committed organization that’s founded in a cohesive team built in trust.”

So, who’s in your squad? The standard nine-member infantry squad consists of a leader, two team leaders, two grenadiers, two automatic riflemen and two riflemen. However, when people think of This is My Squad, the initiative is not only talking about a doctrinal squad in a particular MOS but rather, the team you are part of and the individuals with whom you interact daily.

For example, as a human resources NCO in charge, your squad may consist of an officer in charge, floor NCOs, human resources specialists and a Department of the Army civilian. Ultimately, it is the people you are accountable for when shaping the culture within the squad, as well as being responsible for their individual training and development.

This is My Squad also speaks to the force as a whole. It is a leader’s duty to treat everyone in the Total Army family with dignity and respect. To help achieve this, This is My Squad flattens communication by using words everyone is familiar with and understands regardless of rank, words such as cohesiveness, empowerment, leadership, knowing your soldiers and so on. How many times has a soldier sat in on a brief or operations order or attended a meeting, only to find themselves lost and confused by some of the terminology or acronyms?

If the Army wants people to speak up, and encourages meaningful conversations, then the Army needs to communicate the intent of the initiative in a way that everyone can understand and comprehend. This way, the message is clear and consistent, such as the case with This is My Squad.

Versatile Initiative

This is My Squad is applicable to any operating environment. In garrison, an example might include being proactive in handling a soldier’s pay issues, pulling families into the Soldier and Family Readiness Group to connect with and distribute the latest information while providing a safe venue for families to have candid discussions, or simply recognizing a soldier in front of the company for having the cleanest barracks room.

In a field environment, This is My Squad might look like a first-line supervisor conducting pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections on their soldiers’ equipment and ensuring weapons maintenance is being completed, then using downtime after the mission to have a discussion with their squad on the positive points of the training. During military operations in hostile conditions, taking ownership in a deployed environment means ensuring everyone is doing their job so the squad makes it home safely and in one piece.

With that, let’s not forget about our “squad” at home and those dependents under our care. Many people return home to a spouse and/or children at the end of the workday, or from a deployment after months of being away. An example of This is My Squad at home might be as simple as occasionally enjoying a meal together as a family. For those in the Army family serving outside the U.S. who do not have their family present, perhaps a meal over Zoom or Microsoft Teams is the answer.

Virtual Conversations

In another example, a best practice and new trend across the Army is utilizing virtual platforms such as Microsoft Teams as a way to sponsor incoming soldiers and families. All that is required from the soldier is that they download the free app onto their cellphone. From there, they can video chat with a representative from the unit and have direct access to documents and other tools. This is My Squad in any and all of these situations simply means looking out for one another.

Ownership and accountability go together like peas and carrots. In the 1994 film Forrest Gump , Gump said, when referring to his best friend, “Jenny and me was like peas and carrots.” The same can be said of ownership and accountability, because they allow for engaged leadership at all echelons. When leaders understand the intent, know their roles and take ownership over something, it promotes creativity because they are willing to put forth the extra effort and are motivated to work around obstacles to see the plan succeed. Given the COVID-19 environment, leaders at every level have had to find ways to stay connected with their formations despite social distancing.

Building cohesive teams is a must if we want to win. Taking a moment to sit down with someone to learn their story is a key aspect to developing positive relationships and building teams. It lets them know that you care. Everyone has something unique about them and has something worthwhile to offer.

The Army’s mission is to deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land dominance across the spectrum of conflict as part of a joint force. Accomplishing this requires a contribution from everyone, and teamwork is and always will be the preferred method to do so. This is how the Army is designed to operate. Whether it’s a signal support system specialist setting up an antenna for effective communication on the battlefield, the Stryker systems maintainer servicing an infantry carrier vehicle before an operation, or the infantryman closing with and destroying the enemy, soldiers operate as a team to finish the job.

Leaders Empowered

The core values of This is My Squad give the Army an initiative everyone can get behind and appreciate, regardless of rank, position, where you’re from or your time in service. It empowers a squad leader to take ownership, understand their responsibilities and set a positive culture within their squad, which ultimately will build cohesive teams and allow the Army to prevail in any conflict.

My personal leadership philosophy has always been simple: 90% of the Army’s problems can either be prevented or solved by leaders who simply care. You care to take the time to do things right, you care to have discussions with your team, and you care to make a difference. With that said, how are you incorporating This is My Squad principles into your team?

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Signore is the operations NCO in charge for the U.S. Army Pacific command sergeant major, Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Previously, he was a rifle company platoon sergeant in the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. He served two combat deployments, one to Afghanistan and one to Iraq.

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Ukraine’s Parliament Passes Bill Allowing Some Convicts to Serve in the Army

The measure, which must still be signed into law, echoes a practice used by Russia, which has drafted tens of thousands of inmates into the war.

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By Constant Méheut

Reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Ukraine’s Parliament passed a bill on Wednesday that will allow some convicts to serve in the military in exchange for the possibility of parole at the end of their service, a move aimed at replenishing the army’s depleted ranks after more than two years of war.

The bill must still be signed into law by President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was not immediately clear if he would do so, given the sensitivity of the matter.

The policy echoes a practice used by Russia, which has committed tens of thousands of convicts to the war, allowing it to gain the upper hand in bloody assaults by sheer force of numbers. While Russia has enlisted all manner of prisoners, the Ukrainian bill says that those convicted of premeditated murder, rape or other serious offenses will not be eligible — although some lawmakers said involuntary manslaughter convictions could be considered.

Olena Shulyak, the leader of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, said that the decision to mobilize and parole a prisoner would be made by a court and would require the prisoner’s willingness to join the army.

“The only way to survive in an all-out war against an enemy with more resources is to consolidate all forces,” Ms. Shulyak wrote in a post on social media . “This draft law is about our struggle and preservation of Ukrainian statehood.”

Prisoners serving in the army would be integrated into special units for the duration of martial law, meaning that they would not be demobilized until the end of the war. Ms. Shulyak also told a Ukrainian news outlet that only prisoners with under three years left on their sentences would be eligible.

The bill is the latest in a string of recent efforts — including a bill signed into law last month that lowered the draft eligibility age to 25 from 27 — by Ukraine’s government to bolster its exhausted and diminished troops.

Mr. Zelensky said in February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than two years ago. The figure is well below estimates by U.S. officials, who last summer said that nearly 70,000 Ukrainians had been killed .

As the war drags on, Ukraine is struggling to recruit or draft more people into its army. Critics say the official mobilization system has been mired in Soviet-style bureaucracy and corruption , and cases of draft dodging have multiplied in recent months. Gen. Yurii Sodol, the commander of forces in the east, told Parliament last month that in certain sections of the front, Russians outnumber Ukrainians by more than seven to one.

The bill that passed on Wednesday was designed to help solve the troop shortages, according to several lawmakers. David Arakhamia, the head of Mr. Zelensky’s party in Parliament, said that it could result in the mobilization of between 15,000 and 20,000 prisoners, according to Ukrainian news outlets .

Lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favor: 279 voted to pass it, with 11 abstaining and none voting against it.

“We need people in trenches,” Oleksiy Honcharenko, a member of Parliament in the opposition European Solidarity party, said in a phone interview after the vote. “Why should businessmen and artists fight and not thieves and petty criminals?”

Both the Soviet Union and Germany also drafted prisoners during World War II, according to Thibault Fouillet, the deputy director of the Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies, a French research center.

“This is a traditional wartime practice, both in major wars and in civil or revolutionary wars,” Mr. Fouillet said. “However, these are often temporary measures and operations undertaken when there is a shortage of manpower.”

But the decision to let prisoners serve in the Ukrainian Army could prove controversial. And Mr. Zelensky — who in the past has for months delayed signing sensitive bills, such as the one lowering the draft age — might be reluctant to endorse it, said Oleksandr Musiienko, the head of the Kyiv-based Center for Military Legal Studies.

“There is still significant discussion to be had before the bill is signed into law,” Mr. Musiienko said.

Constant Méheut reports on the war in Ukraine, including battlefield developments, attacks on civilian centers and how the war is affecting its people. More about Constant Méheut

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

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Some American-made, precision-guided weapons supplied to Ukraine have proved ineffective on the battlefield , their accuracy badly diminished by Russian jamming efforts.

Ukraine has begun releasing prisoners to serve in its army , part of a wider effort to rebuild a military that has been depleted by more than two years of war and is strained by relentless Russian assaults.

Zelensky Interview: In an interview with the New York Times, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine challenged the West  over its reluctance to take bolder action.

Striking a Chord: A play based on a classic 19th-century novel, “The Witch of Konotop,” is a smash hit among Ukrainians who see cultural and historical echoes  in the story of what they face after two years of war.

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Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .