Army secretary releases reduction requirement memos to improve readiness By Office of the Secretary of the ArmyOctober 26, 2018

WASHINGTON -- Consistent with the new Army Vision, the Secretary of the Army has signed memorandums that modify or eliminate certain training requirements to improve the warfighting readiness and lethality of our Army. These memorandums will be captured in an Army directive that will be published this summer. This directive will ensure that existing Army directives and regulations are updated to reflect the Secretary's guidance.



Please see links to the following Army Directives under "Related Links" below:



Army Directive 2018-07, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality



In order to build a more capable and lethal force, Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) is reducing requirements in brigade and below units. This effort focuses on a systematic simplification, reduction, or elimination of required activities (training and non-training) which consume commanders', leaders', and Soldiers' time that they might otherwise spend building and sustaining combat readiness.



Army Directive 2018-07-1, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 1)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS).

b. Media Awareness Training.

c. Combating Trafficking in Persons Training.



Army Directive 2018-07-2, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 2)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Accident Avoidance Course Training as outlined in AR 600-55.

b. Grade Requirement for Additional Duty Safety Officer (ADSO)/Unit Safety Officer as required by AR 385-10.

c. Company commanders are no longer required to conduct internal audits of dining facility headcounts as outlined in AR 600-38.



Army Directive 2018-07-3, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 3)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Subsequent Command Inspections as outlined in AR 1-201.

b. The inclusion of Initial Command Inspection Records as a part of Deployment Records as outlined in AR 1-201.

c. Unit Safety Officers are no longer required to maintain Motor Vehicle Accident Reports as required in AR 385-10.



Army Directive 2018-07-4, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 4)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Units are no longer responsible for processing requests for political asylum and temporary refugee status as outlined in AR 550-1.

b. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Training as outlined in AR 350-1 is no longer a standalone requirement and should be incorporated into units' Mission Essential Task training as part of the operational environment.

c. Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Training as outlined in AR 350-1 is no longer a standalone requirement and should be incorporated into units' Mission Essential Task training as part of the operational environment.



Army Directive 2018-07-5, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 5)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Culture, Regional Expertise and Language (CREL) Training as defined in AR350-1 is not mandatory training. Commanders will conduct mission analysis and conduct CREL training, when required, as it relates to their unit's assigned mission.

b. Code of Conduct, Personnel Recovery or Survival Escape Resistance and Evasion Level-A (SERE-A) Training as defined in AR 350-1 and AR 525-28 are no longer required for all personnel. Commanders will evaluate individual missions or risks to personnel and may require this training if the circumstance dictates.

c. The semi-annual tool room/tool crib inventory requirement as defined in AR 710-2 is reduced to an annual inventory requirement.



Army Directive 2018-07-6, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 6)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. The requirement to conduct a command climate survey at the 6-month mark is eliminated. Unit command climate surveys are now only required within 60 days of assuming command (120 days for Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve) and annually thereafter (Army Regulation (AR) 600-20).

b. The requirement to conduct Human Relations Readiness Training at the unit level is eliminated (AR 600-20).

c. The requirement to monitor the demography of the Equal Opportunity Representatives (EORs) in their commands to ensure EORs are a demographic reflection of the unit is eliminated. HQDA G-1 remains the official organization for Army demographics (AR 600-20).



Army Directive 2018-07-7, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 7)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Consolidate Continuity of Operations/Army Protection Program/Army Emergency Management Program troop and equipment support requirements to minimize Borrowed Military Manpower and burden on MTOE items for planning, preparation, exercises, etc. (Army Regulation (AR) 500-3, AR 525-2, and AR 525-27).

b. Army Substance Abuse Training and Suicide Prevention training as discrete common mandatory training requirement with an annual frequency, and Ask, Care, Escort training are eliminated, and are replaced with commander discretion in applying skills found in the engage training module (AR 600-85 and AR 600-63).

c. The Senior Leader Risk Reduction Tool is not mandated by HQDA.



Army Directive 2018-07-8, Prioritizing Efforts - Readiness and Lethality (Update 8)

The following items are no longer required by HQDA:



a. Eliminates the annual requirement for Army Reserve units to report all Equal Opportunity training at the quarterly training briefing.

b. The requirement for Multi-source Assessment and Feedback is eliminated (Army Regulation 600-100).

c. HQDA does not mandate POV inspections prior to long weekends or holidays.

d. Transgender training is complete across the Total Army. Units no longer need to report training status.

e. Substance Abuse Prevention Training is no longer an annual requirement nor is it required for leave. Commanders may direct the requirement on a case-by-case basis or as mission dictates a need.