1º Sgt Jeizon Felipe Lima Moraes
The Jungle Warfare Mobile Training Team (JWMTT) was designated by the Brazilian Ministry of Defense to act in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) conducting training of troops deployed in the conflict area, both of the Mission, focusing on the Force Intervention Brigade, and of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).
As a result of the need to justify the relevance of the work, the JWMTT was challenged to create a system for evaluating the training. Under the technical guidance of the Jungle Warfare Training Center, a Plan for the Development of Competencies understood as fundamental was elaborated: shooting, navigating, planning, and operating. Called “The Jungle Combatant Quadrinomial” and highlighted as Strategic Objectives, they guide the Lines of Effort to reach the Desired Final State.
Subsequently, the Training Program was planned, during which the trained troops have theoretical and practical contact with contextualized and directed instructions for learning and/or developing skills related to the Jungle Combatant Quadrinom. The framework of activities was divided into weeks dedicated to the transmission of these techniques, tactics, and procedures, planning, and operations.
Performance was based on two foundations: results, which denote what was accomplished, and behaviors, which denote how the processes were carried out. The analysis occurs through the management of performance indicators: if the results meet the targets, they consequently meet the Strategic Objectives.
The Performance Measurement System (PMS), therefore, uses weighted performance indicators, measuring their efficiency and effectiveness through quantification and/or qualification, allowing the identification of which are under control and which need interventions that explore opportunities for improvement and favor impacting actions on future performance. All with the purpose of achieving Strategic Objectives and leveraging operational capacity.
The SMD developed by JWMTT articulated, based on the Strategic Objectives, instructions capable of providing parameters for the analysis of the results achieved, with a set of indicators that seek to reflect the state before and after the execution for each one of them. It was successfully applied in the training of the Kenya Rapid Action Force (KENQRF) prior to its deployment in its area of operations.
The evaluation of the SHOOTING Strategic Objective, exploring the Technical Line of Effort, was based on the results of actual shooting exercises, which encompass Immediate Action Technique and Contact Reaction instruction. Planned for the execution of the Critical Task Evaluation and aggregating the cognitive and psychomotor aspects, they provide the development of individual skills for the quick and effective positive identification, the automation of motor reflexes, and the effective framing of targets.
Of the 53 shooters in the evaluated universe, divided into four shooting ranges, only 15.09% started the training with the clicked gun. At the end of the training, 100% were ready for combat.
The evaluation considered the individual results obtained on concentric circle targets, at the beginning and end of the series, characterizing the Before/After. It is concluded that the overall performance Before executing the training was 37.74%, with an average of 3.77 hits. After the training, the global performance evolved to 65.66%, with an average of 7, representing an improvement of 174%.
The indicators for NAVIGATING, in the Technical Effort Line, aggregated results achieved during theoretical instruction in Orientation, Topography and Navigation Auxiliary Board, as well as in Day and Night Navigation Through Jungle practices.
The universe considered performed an average speed through the jungle of 1.06 Km/h. In the Daytime Orientation Track, the overall performance for the use of the available time (120 minutes) was 58.33%, with 88.33% effectiveness in locating the six prisms. In Night Orienteering, the overall performance for the use of the time was 41.46%, with 100% effectiveness in locating the four prisms.
The indicators for PLANNING, exploring the Line of Operational Effort, were based on the instruction on Planning Offensive Operations in Jungle Environment. Aiming to obtain a representation of the Before/After activity, the same questionnaire with 10 indicators was applied at the beginning and at the end of the instruction.
It was found that before the instruction, 37 out of 60 scores were obtained, representing 61.67% performance of the indicators; after, they obtained 55 out of 60 possible, increasing the rate to 91.67% performance.
The indicators for OPERATE, exploring the Line of Operational Effort, were based on the results achieved during the Jungle Environment Characterization and Jungle Patrol instructions, as well as in the execution of specific practices.
From the analysis of the results, it was found that the overall average confidence level to operate in jungle environments claimed by the troops after the training was 89.49%. The overall performance was evaluated as 91.4% for the indicators of the Immediate Action Techniques instruction, 76.7% for Trapping Knowledge and Tactical Movement, 93.3% for Tactical Help in Combat, and 82.5% for Emergency Air Support, making an overall average performance of 85.09%.
The Patrol evaluation took place during the execution of three missions, divided into three phases: Preparation, Deployment, and Action on Target, adding up to 20 indicators. The average performance in the three phases was 93% for the first Patrol, 71% for the second, and 79% for the third, for an overall average of 81%.
Additionally, from the universe of 88 respondents, 57.95% said they did not know any type of Coordination and Control Measure (MC2). After the training, all of them used 14 types of MC2. As for the visual means used in the Orders, 76.14% said they had never used them; after the training, all of them used 14 types.
Finally, it was demonstrated that the KENQRF obtained a performance higher than 80% of the indicators in the four Strategic Objectives, presenting sensible improvements in the techniques, tactics, and procedures required to conduct operations in the jungle environment of their area of operations. This result attests to the effectiveness of the Training Program to enhance operational capabilities, as well as the effectiveness of the SMD developed and applied by the team.
About the author:
1ST SGT JEIZON FELIPE LIMA MORAES. – INF ESA 2004.
HAS THE FOLLOWING DEGREES: ARMY POLICE COURSE, JUNGLE OPERATIONS COURSE CAT “B”, APPLIED INTELLIGENCE COURSE BY ABIN; SERGEANTS IMPROVEMENT COURSE – EASA 2014; AND BACHELOR IN PRODUCTION ENGINEERING – UNICESUMAR IN 2021.
MAIN FUNCTIONS: INSTRUCTOR AT THE 4TH BPE COURSE SECTION (2009/2010); BRABATT 1/14 – MINUSTAH (2011); ABIN MID-LEVEL AGENT (2017); SECURITY OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (2018-2019); AUX E3/E5 – 17TH BDA INF SL (2020); AND INSTRUCTOR AT THE MONUSCO MOBILE JUNGLE TRAINING TEAM (2021).
Source: Blog do Exército Brasileiro *** Translated by the DEFCONPress Team ***