FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
On July 1, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command will celebrate its 40th year of developing, educating and adapting Soldiers and leaders into the force that we know today.
TRADOC was established in 1973 with a simple mission: To ready Army Soldiers for war. Like today, the goals were to recruit, train and shape the Army into a force that dominates the battlefield. As a way to celebrate the occasion, TRADOC is reflecting on its heritage as "TRADOC then and now."
Training
According to the recently published 40-year history of TRADOC, what we now know as the Training and Doctrine Command began as a small part of a much larger organization -- the Continental Army Command, or CONARC. CONARC was responsible for all Army training centers, schools and doctrine until it was decided that its span was too large for a single headquarters. Under the initiation of Operation STEADFAST and the leadership of Gen. William DePuy, TRADOC was born.
Jim Rose, who currently works as an initial entry training analyst at TRADOC's Initial Military Training, has a unique perspective on the changes in training new Soldiers. He joined the Army in 1978 and became a drill sergeant in the mid-'80s.
"Back then, basic training was [simply] teaching a Soldier how to be a Soldier ... how to walk, how to march, how to clean, how to fire a weapon ... to adapt to their new assignments," Rose said. "It was nothing more than you have to take that civilian and get them into a military type of mind. They had to learn to crawl, then walk, then run.
"But when we went to war [in the Middle East], we had to start teaching them more combat skills," he continued. "That's when we added Warrior Task and Battle Drills."
Although TRADOC has made advances in basic training throughout the years, according to Rose, one thing that has remained the same is the role of the drill sergeant.
"I don't really see too much of a difference," he said. "The hours are still the same; the training is still the same. The requirements have increased, but the job is still teaching Soldiers how to be Soldiers."
Fashion
In 1973, Army uniforms were well-equipped for the jungles of Vietnam. They were fashioned in olive green shade 107 with slanted pockets across the chest and white tees underneath. Nametags and rank insignias were worn to be more subdued, and enlisted personnel wore their rank insignias on the points of their collars. The polyester and cotton durable-press utility uniform remained until it was replaced by the Battle Dress Uniform, or BDU, in the mid-1980s.
Now, Soldiers wear the Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, which was established as the combat and garrison uniform in June 2004. The color scheme was changed to the new gray, tan and sage digital pattern and the coats were designed to be single-breasted for better upper body mobility. Nametags and the U.S. Army tape went from sewn placement to Velcro, and both officers and enlisted rank insignias migrated to a hook and loop patch at the center of the coat. The Army even added a three-slot pencil pocket and more Velcro for convenience.
Technology
On April 3, 1973, Motorola's Martin Cooper made the world's first mobile phone call to rival company, AT&T. In the 1970s, touch-tone phones were the new wave, replacing the rotary phones many people used at home. It was also more common for people to slip into a phone booth to make a call.
Today, cell phone manufacturers have largely removed buttons all together. More than 80 percent of Americans use a cell phone with a touch-screen to do a lot more than just talking to each other. Smartphones and other mobile devices are helping to train and inform today's Soldiers through interactive applications, or "apps." Soldiers can now use their cell phones to help them with things such as a reference for uniform regulations or achieving their physical fitness goals.
The 1970s also marked an important time for TRADOC and technological advancement. The Multiple Laser Engagement System, or MILES, revolutionized collective training in the Army by incorporating lasers and blank cartridges to simulate force-on-force field training exercises. Since then, TRADOC has been responsible for the development of countless training aids and devices.
Money
In 1973, the monthly pay for an E-1 was $307.20. That may not sound like much, but gas prices averaged only 30 cents a gallon.
In 2013, an E-1 earns $1,500 a month, but he or she may pay an average of $3.55 a gallon to fill up a gas tank.
The more things change...
Although fashion and technology of the times continue to change, TRADOC's mission will stay the same. From the leadership of Gen. William DePuy, TRADOC's first commanding general, to Gen. Robert Cone, the command's 14th and current leader, the command will continue to develop Army leaders and shape the future force through training and doctrine.