West Point Cadets Train With the 416th ENCOM - Engineer Command - Brief Article

Traditionally West Point cadets are assigned to active Army units for their cadet troop-leader training (CTLT). However, this year two cadets completed their troop-leader training with Army Reserve engineer units that were on annual training in an installation-related construction mission at Port Dix, New Jersey. According to the academy's Engineer Branch representative for the Department of Military Instruction, this year's Reserve Component CTLT with the 416th Engineer Command (ENCOM), headquartered in Darien, Illinois, was a first for the United States Military Academy.

After arriving at Fort Dix on 10 July 2000, the cadets were assigned to companies of the 458th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Wheeled). The cadets gave classes on troop-leading procedures and the proper placement of obstacles to deter an enemy. They led squads on ambushes, helped run several weapons ranges, participated in demolition training, and learned to deploy bangalore torpedoes. The cadets also took part in the unit's 72-hour Sapper Stakes tactical operation against an opposing force. The executive officer of the 458th Engineer Battalion stated that the cadets worked hard and had fun but did not hesitate to ask questions, especially concerning platoon-sergeant and platoon-leader responsibilities.

During the second half of their CTLT rotation, the cadets were assigned to the 365th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Heavy). One cadet led the horizontal platoon for A Company and was designated the officer in charge of the Manchester Road resurfacing project. In addition to his supervisory duties, he was given the opportunity to operate some road-construction equipment. As platoon leader, he attended battalion staff meetings and briefed his platoon's progress. By training with Army Reserve units, he learned that troop leading is the same whether working with active or reserve personnel. After completing his CTLT rotation, he decided that his branch of choice would be engineer.

The second cadet was assigned to the equipment platoon of the battalion's Headquarters and Headquarters Company during the second half of the training period and supervised his platoon's construction of a helicopter gunnery staging area. He attended battalion staff meetings to brief the progress of his platoon's project and served as an assistant range officer for the rifle and .50-caliber ranges. Believing that the training was one of the more interesting experiences he had had in the military, the cadet recommended that the Academy send more cadets to participate in annual training with Reserve units.

The two cadets were pleased with their Reserve Component CTLT rotations. They especially appreciated being given an opportunity to train in two different types of engineer battalions. Serving in both combat-heavy and combat-wheeled units gave them a broader training experience in engineer operations. A spokesman for the 416th ENCOM observed that the two cadets received training time equal to the West Point cadets he sponsored while on active duty. He explained that Reserve units are out in the field the majority of the time while on annual training in order to maximize their training opportunities, while the cadets he sponsored on active duty spent much of their time in garrison and not in the field on engineer missions.

Within the past few years, the term "seamless Army" has been replaced by "the Army," connoting that the active Army, the United States Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard are all partners in the total-force concept. The 416th ENCOM's participation in the United States Military Academy's CTLT program is but another example of the relevancy of the Reserve Components in the Army.

Colonel Phillips, a comptroller in the 416th ENCOM, has over 29 years of commissioned service. A graduate of the Judge Advocate General's School and the Judge Advocate General's Officer Advanced Course, he holds degrees from Indiana University and the DePaul University College of Law, Chicago.

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