@bmcgarry great points, and this is totally something we as reserve component officers have to deal with.

Between drills. Everything your Soldiers do between drills is time not needed during drill. Preparing evaluations, preparing training classes, preparing counseling, completing online training, completing SSD, etc. It can all be done when Soldiers aren’t on “your” time. However, you must be willing to compensate your Soldiers for the things they do between drills. You can do this through retirement points or other duty orders. In the Guard we go by NGR (AR) 680-2, Appendix C. I’ll have to look up the one for the reserves.

If you want to add a “stick” to this idea, have a policy that requires SM who haven’t finished online training, who need to complete evaluations or counseling, or even who fail their APFT, to stay at the armory during home station drills (if you allow them to go home or even if there is more comfortable lodging available). Since they didn’t want to complete their requirements on their time, you can direct them to do it when they’re on your time.

Planning. Planning is paramount; plan, have a back-up plan, and know both of those will crumble so have a plan C. Don’t assume ranges, training areas, etc. are good to go until you’re on them conducting training. We (reserve components) work in monthly cycles, so I would recommend something closer to a 60-120-180 planning window instead of the “standard” 30-60-90.  This will allow TPU/M-Day Soldiers and leaders to be the ones doing and planning the training (which they typically don’t get to do because of time constraints).

Priorities. The old adage, “if everything is a priority, then nothing is,” stands. We don’t have the time to meet all of the requirements the Army places on us (neither does the active component, but I’ll let that one go), so leaders have to determine what’s important. Many times the “mission” is nothing more than meeting the metrics from higher, but then things like Soldier/Leader development fall by the wayside. You’re the only one who can decide what’s a priority for your unit, and sometimes that means telling “the boss” that something isn’t going to be done. I look at it like this; if I’m given 10 things to complete and due to staff and time limitations we will only be able to complete them all to 60%, I have failed. However if I prioritize, cut 4 things out and complete 6 things to 100%, then I’ve accomplished the mission.

Just some thoughts.

Brock