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174th Inf. Bde. Soldiers ace Army Basic Instructor Course

  • Published
  • By Capt. Antonia Greene
  • 174th Infantry Brigade Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  A dozen Soldiers assigned to the 174th Infantry Brigade, First Army Division East, completed the Army Basic Instructor Course held Oct. 8 through 20 here.

Instructors from the 2nd Modular Training Battalion, 166th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, traveled from Fort Indiantown Gap to administer the schoolhouse course at the NCO Academy.

"The course prepares Soldiers to conduct Army classes in accordance with the Army School System standard," said Master Sgt. Jeffery McCummings, 174th Inf. Bde. NCO in charge of brigade training. "Soldiers learn how to properly instruct with current doctrine and training requirements."

The 12 Soldiers who attended the 10-day course were primary trainer mentors of 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 314th Infantry Regiment; and 2nd Battalion, 310th Infantry Regiment. All three battalions of the 174th Infantry Brigade support the post-mobilization training mission of First Army Division East here.

The trainers of 1-307th are responsible for the collective mission readiness exercises administered to mobilizing servicemembers prior to deployment in support of ongoing contingency operations. The 1-314th trainer mentors conduct the gunnery portion of post-mobilization training - training small arms individual weapon qualification, up to and including, gunnery tables for crew weapons systems and teams. The 2-310th Soldiers train the majority of all other individual tasks to include, but not limited, to driver training, combat lifesaver training, combatives and counter-improvised explosive device training.

"The ABIC stresses standardization in format and content, key to uniformity and consistency in a training environment like we have here," said Command Sgt. Maj. Joe Zanders, 174th Inf. Bde. command sergeant major. "The course provides our instructors with standardized references and ways to enhance our training support packages to best meet the needs of the Army and servicemembers out on the lanes preparing for overseas deployment."

ABIC, previously referred to as the Total Army Instructor Training Course or Instructor Basic Course, is designed to be a comprehensive, 80-hour-training and -education program for Army Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians assigned as instructors. The graduates receive the "X" identifier for military records certifying him or her as an Army instructor upon completion of the course. The ABIC concentrates on the "Four Ps:" planning, preparing, practicing and presenting.

"The course also teaches instructors how to motivate servicemembers and help address performance problems using positive reinforcement, on-the-spot corrections and counseling," added Zanders. "All this is key to maintaining and enforcing the one-team, one-fight standard across the board."