Training management is a commander’s responsibility that is enabled by higher echelon guidance and subordinate “buy-in” or support through parallel planning/activities.  Beginning with the battalion training meeting, the company commander is effectively selling his training plan to the battalion commander for approval and potential support from the staff.  The are many ways to conduct training management, but the baseline for a commander’s efforts should derive from the FM 7-0: Train To Win In A Complex World.  The latest version of FM 7-0 is available for download at the following link. http://www.apd.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/FM%207-0%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf.  The FM 7-0 contains information the “T-Week” concept, and recommends methods for the approval process for company training schedules.  However, understand (it also states this in the manual) it is only a recommendation and is not intended supersede any local unit practices.  One example of this is the T-4 lock-in: when training is to be unchanged for Soldier predictability and support requirements.  Some organizations have a T-6 lock-in for comparison.  
My battalion conducted training meetings every week prior to any company level training meetings.  By design, the directives and clarification of training guidance from the battalion training meeting allowed for injects into the company level meetings for action.  The purpose of my battalion’s training meeting was primarily to allow the staff to brief training from T-10 (10 weeks in the future) to T-Week (the current week) and the company commanders to brief T-6 to T-Week.  My organization locked in training at T-4 to T-Week, so the discussion of those weeks from the company commanders were heavily scrutinized to ensure there were no issues that required the battalion commander’s attention.  Moreover, each company commander would brief T-6 for approval. The discussion of T-6 is where training made the transition from the mid-range training plan or quarterly training brief to concept with a one slide sketch (to include 8-step training model status) of how training is to be conducted.  Finally, company commanders briefed T+5 as to make one last review or get final guidance before it becomes locked-in for execution.  
I prepared for the battalion training meetings by maintaining focus on the T-6 with regards to who was in charge and what guidance do I need to issue to facilitate parallel planning at the squad level.  This may seem like a point to relegate to discussion for company level training meetings, but it is not.  A very detailed T-6 concept sketch will allow for better identification of potential points of friction across the battalion with sister organizations.  Moreover, when issues (most often resources: training area or ammunition allotment conflict) are identified during the battalion training I would share the POC information of the lead trainer with a staff member for resolution.  Another technique I used during the conduct of the battalion training meeting was to bring a draft copy of my company training meeting to make any changes while receiving guidance and for quick reference during my speaking portion.  I also maintained a binder with other useful information such as training concepts for anything happening within T-5 to T-Week.  At the conclusion of the battalion training meeting I would immediately begin preparing for company training by collaborating with my 1SG to compare notes in the event either of us missed any guidance from the battalion commander or command sergeant major.    

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