One unit sees 16 selected for new Bn. Commander Assessment Program

By Capt. Orlandon Howard

This new program is a series of in-person assessments designed to enhance the Army’s selection of battalion commanders. It includes measurements of physical fitness, written and oral communication ability, and cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

The Army recently selected 16 officers from its deployable combat training center, Mission Command Training Program (MCTP), to attend the brand new Battalion Commanders’ Assessment Program (BCAP). 

The new program will help determine the Army’s next battalion commanders. It’ll take place over five days in multiple iterations during January and February 2020 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. 

The process will help establish the officers’ ranking to be considered for the coveted positions.  

They will test on written and verbal communication, interview with behavioral psychologists, and take part in a panel interview with senior Army officers, according to the Army Talent Management Task Force.  

Gen. James McConville, the Army’s new Chief of Staff, officially announced the program at the Association of the U.S Army’s (AUSA) annual conference last month.

“We spend more time and more money on selecting a private to be in Ranger regiment than we do selecting what I would argue is one of the most consequential leadership positions in the Army, our battalion commanders,” said Gen. McConville, speaking about the rationale for the program.  

The MCTP will deliver an outsized contribution of candidates to the program.  

Five Lt. Colonels and eleven promotable Majors were selected. Most serve as Observer, Coach/Trainers dedicated to increasing the readiness of Army service component commands, corps, divisions and brigade combat teams through large-scale military warfighter exercises. 

“I’ve always considered myself very fortunate to serve alongside these talented field grade officers on this outstanding team,” said Col. Shane Morgan, MCTP’s Commander.

“BCAP selection proves the Army recognizes their leadership and command potential.” 

“MCTP wishes each of our 16 officers the best, as they compete against the best, with the reward of commanding Soldiers at the battalion level.”

Lt. Col. Steven Weber, MCTP’s chief of operations, of Winthrop, Minnesota, was selected for class 11 out of 18. 

“I didn’t think BCAP would take effect this quickly. So, when I came in that morning and saw my name of the list, it was a surprise. 

He said the numerous the congratulations he received on Facebook made it even more real.

“BCAP is a step in the right direction,” said Weber “I like the fact that the Army recognizes that talent management should be taken very seriously.” 

“This will shape how the Army selects its senior leaders, which is critical because they have a drastic impact on the future of the Army and young Soldiers coming in.”

“BCAP can help ensure we’re fit to lead the nation’s young men and women.”

Weber pointed specifically to the potential BCAP has to help preclude toxic leadership from the Army’s formations. “We must select the right people for the right reasons.”

Lastly, Weber was optimistic about the opportunity BCAP gives candidates to compete, who may not otherwise receive a high ranking with just a paper review.  

“It levels the playing field.” I personally don’t have a perfect record with all A’s on my report card.” 

“This gives everyone who has the ability a fair shot and equal opportunity to succeed.

In October and November, nearly 15,000 Army officers searched for their next duty assignments through the Army Talent Alignment Process (ATAP). 

ATAP, enabled by the software Assignment Interactive Module 2.0 (AIM 2), allows officers and units to see one another and interact in the assignment marketplace. The key to ATAP is information — people provide organizations with more information about their knowledge, skills, behaviors, and preferences, while organizations provide people with information about available assignments. The ATAP marketplace closed at midnight on December 6. Initial feedback from the field suggests organizations that include relevant information about job vacancies and actively seek out qualified officers can hire the right officers for their teams.

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) in Korea used this first iteration of the ATAP cycle to select officers with who professed the KSBs they were looking for and expressed a desire to come to their unit. We asked CPT Mike Listopad, 210 FAB’s S1, to describe the unit’s experience with ATAP:  

Talk to us about the 210th Field Artillery Brigade. What makes your talent requirements unique?

Our artillery brigade operates the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and is the only permanently forward-deployed artillery brigade in Korea. Our staff includes officers from both the US and the Republic of Korea Army. Our brigade has some unique and challenging personnel requirements because we have a high volume of annual transitions, so we had to determine who would PCS during the Summer Assignment Cycle and manage transitions.  

ATAP encourages both individuals and organizations to share information about one another. Those who share more relevant information tend to have the best results in ATAP. What information did your brigade make available to prospective applicants?

We focused on advertising our unit and our mission. We generated a flier showcasing our unit and attached it to each available job listing in AIM 2. The flier showed photos of our unit, explained our mission, and let applicants know what it means to be a part of our team. The flier also contained links to our unit’s Facebook and Instagram pages. 

We explained some of the unique aspects of being assigned to Korea, such as the fact that we have a shorter command queue for captains and key developmental (KD) assignments queue for majors than other organizations. There are also excellent opportunities to work with partners in the Republic of Korea Army as well as travel throughout Asia. 

As for the job descriptions themselves, we opted for simple listings. We assumed that job-seeking personnel know what an S-2, S-3, or executive officer does.  

How did the hiring process work for your brigade?

We only had a few interested applicants when the ATAP marketplace first opened. We then began advertising the opportunities available within the 210th Field Artillery Brigade to available movers. 

One of the key selling points for our brigade was the low wait times for KD assignments and command. We believe that a person who is eager and excited to be part of our organization will be more satisfied with their assignment than someone who is simply sent to our brigade based on the needs of the Army. 

We made sure to reach out to applicants who expressed interest early. Much like sponsorship, this communication was an important way to show them what being a part of our organization would be like. While email was an easy way to reach out to them, more personal means of communication allowed for richer dialogue about life in our unit and helping us understand their unique personal situations. Having these conversations early in the process is crucial because it allows individuals to preference a position early. This leads to a more accurate picture of the ATAP marketplace for everyone who uses AIM 2.  

Can you describe the challenges your unit encountered with ATAP?

One of the challenges we faced was that there were hundreds of applicants from over 20 different military occupational specialties to screen. That can be a heavy workload for a single person, so we delegated much of this responsibility to our subordinate battalions and special staff to help find qualified candidates.  

Another unique challenge for our brigade is the balancing act among talent, interest in the organization, and timing. With the frequent transitions in Korea, every vacancy increases risk as subordinates can’t provide as much continuity. As we prioritized personnel against our vacancies, it was important for us to factor in when they planned to arrive.

Our team also held frequent In-Progress Reviews (IPR) regarding ATAP. As we reviewed our assignments, we were able to discuss why we might not be reciprocating interest in an applicant, or why we would be willing to accept a gap. This allowed us to see how we were prioritizing the same candidates over multiple positions and helped us line up as many one-to-one matches as possible for our team. We didn’t want to limit ourselves by aligning a candidate to multiple positions.

Marketplace activity heated up as we moved into the final week. We had to come back to the marketplace frequently to ensure we were able to identify personnel who expressed interest late in the game.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about ATAP?  

As a team, we were excited to see who was interested in joining our brigade and we were pleased to see candidates choosing to preference our unit. We are looking forward to welcoming new members of the Thunder team this summer and we’re also looking forward to participating in the next ATAP cycle.

Visit the Army Talent Management website to learn more about ATAP and more.

In October and November, nearly 15,000 Army officers searched for their next duty assignments through the Army Talent Alignment Process (ATAP). 

ATAP, enabled by the software Assignment Interactive Module 2.0 (AIM 2), allows officers and units to see one another and interact in the assignment marketplace. The key to ATAP is information — people provide organizations with more information about their knowledge, skills, behaviors, and preferences, while organizations provide people with information about available assignments. The ATAP marketplace closed at midnight on December 6. Initial feedback from the field suggests organizations that include relevant information about job vacancies and actively seek out qualified officers can hire the right officers for their teams.

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) in Korea used this first iteration of the ATAP cycle to select officers with who professed the KSBs they were looking for and expressed a desire to come to their unit. We asked CPT Mike Listopad, 210 FAB’s S1, to describe the unit’s experience with ATAP:  

Talk to us about the 210th Field Artillery Brigade. What makes your talent requirements unique?

Our artillery brigade operates the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and is the only permanently forward-deployed artillery brigade in Korea. Our staff includes officers from both the US and the Republic of Korea Army. Our brigade has some unique and challenging personnel requirements because we have a high volume of annual transitions, so we had to determine who would PCS during the Summer Assignment Cycle and manage transitions.  

ATAP encourages both individuals and organizations to share information about one another. Those who share more relevant information tend to have the best results in ATAP. What information did your brigade make available to prospective applicants?

We focused on advertising our unit and our mission. We generated a flier showcasing our unit and attached it to each available job listing in AIM 2. The flier showed photos of our unit, explained our mission, and let applicants know what it means to be a part of our team. The flier also contained links to our unit’s Facebook and Instagram pages. 

We explained some of the unique aspects of being assigned to Korea, such as the fact that we have a shorter command queue for captains and key developmental (KD) assignments queue for majors than other organizations. There are also excellent opportunities to work with partners in the Republic of Korea Army as well as travel throughout Asia. 

As for the job descriptions themselves, we opted for simple listings. We assumed that job-seeking personnel know what an S-2, S-3, or executive officer does.  

How did the hiring process work for your brigade?

We only had a few interested applicants when the ATAP marketplace first opened. We then began advertising the opportunities available within the 210th Field Artillery Brigade to available movers. 

One of the key selling points for our brigade was the low wait times for KD assignments and command. We believe that a person who is eager and excited to be part of our organization will be more satisfied with their assignment than someone who is simply sent to our brigade based on the needs of the Army. 

We made sure to reach out to applicants who expressed interest early. Much like sponsorship, this communication was an important way to show them what being a part of our organization would be like. While email was an easy way to reach out to them, more personal means of communication allowed for richer dialogue about life in our unit and helping us understand their unique personal situations. Having these conversations early in the process is crucial because it allows individuals to preference a position early. This leads to a more accurate picture of the ATAP marketplace for everyone who uses AIM 2.  

Can you describe the challenges your unit encountered with ATAP?

One of the challenges we faced was that there were hundreds of applicants from over 20 different military occupational specialties to screen. That can be a heavy workload for a single person, so we delegated much of this responsibility to our subordinate battalions and special staff to help find qualified candidates.  

Another unique challenge for our brigade is the balancing act among talent, interest in the organization, and timing. With the frequent transitions in Korea, every vacancy increases risk as subordinates can’t provide as much continuity. As we prioritized personnel against our vacancies, it was important for us to factor in when they planned to arrive.

Our team also held frequent In-Progress Reviews (IPR) regarding ATAP. As we reviewed our assignments, we were able to discuss why we might not be reciprocating interest in an applicant, or why we would be willing to accept a gap. This allowed us to see how we were prioritizing the same candidates over multiple positions and helped us line up as many one-to-one matches as possible for our team. We didn’t want to limit ourselves by aligning a candidate to multiple positions.

Marketplace activity heated up as we moved into the final week. We had to come back to the marketplace frequently to ensure we were able to identify personnel who expressed interest late in the game.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about ATAP?  

As a team, we were excited to see who was interested in joining our brigade and we were pleased to see candidates choosing to preference our unit. We are looking forward to welcoming new members of the Thunder team this summer and we’re also looking forward to participating in the next ATAP cycle.

Visit the Army Talent Management website to learn more about ATAP and more.

In October and November, nearly 15,000 Army officers searched for their next duty assignments through the Army Talent Alignment Process (ATAP). 

ATAP, enabled by the software Assignment Interactive Module 2.0 (AIM 2), allows officers and units to see one another and interact in the assignment marketplace. The key to ATAP is information — people provide organizations with more information about their knowledge, skills, behaviors, and preferences, while organizations provide people with information about available assignments. The ATAP marketplace closed at midnight on December 6. Initial feedback from the field suggests organizations that include relevant information about job vacancies and actively seek out qualified officers can hire the right officers for their teams.

The 210th Field Artillery Brigade (FAB) in Korea used this first iteration of the ATAP cycle to select officers with who professed the KSBs they were looking for and expressed a desire to come to their unit. We asked CPT Mike Listopad, 210 FAB’s S1, to describe the unit’s experience with ATAP:  

Talk to us about the 210th Field Artillery Brigade. What makes your talent requirements unique?

Our artillery brigade operates the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and is the only permanently forward-deployed artillery brigade in Korea. Our staff includes officers from both the US and the Republic of Korea Army. Our brigade has some unique and challenging personnel requirements because we have a high volume of annual transitions, so we had to determine who would PCS during the Summer Assignment Cycle and manage transitions.  

ATAP encourages both individuals and organizations to share information about one another. Those who share more relevant information tend to have the best results in ATAP. What information did your brigade make available to prospective applicants?

We focused on advertising our unit and our mission. We generated a flier showcasing our unit and attached it to each available job listing in AIM 2. The flier showed photos of our unit, explained our mission, and let applicants know what it means to be a part of our team. The flier also contained links to our unit’s Facebook and Instagram pages. 

We explained some of the unique aspects of being assigned to Korea, such as the fact that we have a shorter command queue for captains and key developmental (KD) assignments queue for majors than other organizations. There are also excellent opportunities to work with partners in the Republic of Korea Army as well as travel throughout Asia. 

As for the job descriptions themselves, we opted for simple listings. We assumed that job-seeking personnel know what an S-2, S-3, or executive officer does.  

How did the hiring process work for your brigade?

We only had a few interested applicants when the ATAP marketplace first opened. We then began advertising the opportunities available within the 210th Field Artillery Brigade to available movers. 

One of the key selling points for our brigade was the low wait times for KD assignments and command. We believe that a person who is eager and excited to be part of our organization will be more satisfied with their assignment than someone who is simply sent to our brigade based on the needs of the Army. 

We made sure to reach out to applicants who expressed interest early. Much like sponsorship, this communication was an important way to show them what being a part of our organization would be like. While email was an easy way to reach out to them, more personal means of communication allowed for richer dialogue about life in our unit and helping us understand their unique personal situations. Having these conversations early in the process is crucial because it allows individuals to preference a position early. This leads to a more accurate picture of the ATAP marketplace for everyone who uses AIM 2.  

Can you describe the challenges your unit encountered with ATAP?

One of the challenges we faced was that there were hundreds of applicants from over 20 different military occupational specialties to screen. That can be a heavy workload for a single person, so we delegated much of this responsibility to our subordinate battalions and special staff to help find qualified candidates.  

Another unique challenge for our brigade is the balancing act among talent, interest in the organization, and timing. With the frequent transitions in Korea, every vacancy increases risk as subordinates can’t provide as much continuity. As we prioritized personnel against our vacancies, it was important for us to factor in when they planned to arrive.

Our team also held frequent In-Progress Reviews (IPR) regarding ATAP. As we reviewed our assignments, we were able to discuss why we might not be reciprocating interest in an applicant, or why we would be willing to accept a gap. This allowed us to see how we were prioritizing the same candidates over multiple positions and helped us line up as many one-to-one matches as possible for our team. We didn’t want to limit ourselves by aligning a candidate to multiple positions.

Marketplace activity heated up as we moved into the final week. We had to come back to the marketplace frequently to ensure we were able to identify personnel who expressed interest late in the game.

Is there anything else you’d like to add about ATAP?  

As a team, we were excited to see who was interested in joining our brigade and we were pleased to see candidates choosing to preference our unit. We are looking forward to welcoming new members of the Thunder team this summer and we’re also looking forward to participating in the next ATAP cycle.