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closeFour pillars under roof of Light Fighters Academy
Matt Smith/Northwest Guardian
As the U.S. military moves into its seventh year of operations in the Middle East, insurgent convoy ambushes and the introduction of improvised explosive devices have brought to light the need for non-infantry Soldiers to be trained beyond their military occupational specialties.
In an attempt to help meet that need and save Soldiers’ lives, I Corps Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Grippe, along with Sgt. Maj. Robin Ressdorf, Sgt. Maj. Peter Motta and 1st Sgt. John Blue, has established the Fort Lewis Light Fighter Academy.
The academy, whose name is subject to change, according to Grippe, is composed of the Level I and II Combatives School, the Combat Marksmanship Course, the Medical Simulation Training Center and the Asymmetrical Warfare Group.
“What we are envisioning,” said Grippe, “is a one-stop shop for all Fort Lewis units to come to use these basic standards of discipline, to apply training to their units and abide by these standards in combat.”
Though a few of the schools have had a presence on Fort Lewis for some time, the others are relatively new to the installation.
The MSTC and AWG have been constants on post for some years now. The Combatives School, however, only opened earlier this year, while the Combat Marksmanship Course just completed its second two-week-long class.
And though each school is different in respect to the skills taught, the concept of “train the trainer” is present throughout the academy.
“All these courses are set up for a Soldier to be able to come into (one of these schools), learn these skills and return to his unit and advance his unit’s training skills,” said Grippe. “It’s all about building that basic combat focus here on Fort Lewis and throughout the Army. People here will leave Fort Lewis and bring these skills (wherever they go). Just as people come from other units that had these types of skill sets in place and they bring that to Fort Lewis, so the whole Army is complementing itself right now. That’s why we have such a small, lethal Army today, because of these focuses on basic skills.”
The train the trainer aspect of these schools is of great importance because, said Blue, it’s not feasible for every Soldier to attend these classes. Therefore, it is imperative for those who do go through these courses to teach what they learn to those in his or her unit.
Many of the skills Soldiers learn in each of these schools have historically been reserved for the more high-speed units — Rangers, Special Forces, etc., according to Grippe. But because the enemy’s tactics have increased the chance of any Soldier of any MOS being forced into a gun fight while down range, those skills, through these schools, are being shared throughout all branches.
“All these skills come into play that, obviously, have an effect on the fight and have a positive effect on American Soldiers themselves,” said Grippe. “In today’s counterinsurgency warfare, these skills matter because you apply them in the field of battle (with) confident Soldiers who can handle themselves in these combat situations.
“This is an asymmetrical fight we’re in, this counterinsurgency, and everyone is involved,” he continued. “I don’t care if you’re taking a simple helicopter ride from FOB to FOB or you’re a generator repairman or a medical type working in a field hospital, if the helicopter is shot down or has mechanical problems and you’re on the ground, it’s you and that team of unknown individuals you’re with, and you need to be able to fight and be able to protect yourself, and all the skills we teach here apply to that.”
As is true with any new concept or idea, it can take a little while to get everything coordinated and get everybody on the same page. The man tasked with that challenge, and donning the title of academy commandant, is 1st Sgt. Blue, who Grippe said he handpicked for the position.
The establishment of this academy, and others like it on installations worldwide, are the realization of a former Army chief of staff.
“There’s a concept by the old chief when the war first started, General (Peter) Schoomaker, and his concept was that every American Soldier would be able to apply combat skills,” Grippe said. “No matter what rank, MOS, branch, or male or female, everyone needs to be able to apply these skills, and this academy here lends to that thought process. It lends to a well-rounded Soldier.”
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