4-108. Time management systems are designed to protect training time for subordinate units. Time management systems identify, focus, and protect prime time training periods and the resources to support the training so that subordinate organizations are able to concentrate on mission essential training. In order to be effective, division and brigade commanders must enforce time management systems throughout the command. These senior commanders must ensure the training planning process is disciplined, and that all members of the command support prime time training. Without the support of the senior commanders, companies, platoons, and soldiers will not be able to train.
4-109. Specific activities vary between installations according to the local situation and requirements. Time management periods are depicted on applicable long-range planning calendars.
4-110. Various types of time management systems are used throughout the Army. Some systems consist of three cycles—
Green: The training focus of organizations in Green periods is multiechelon, collective training that leads to METL proficiency.
This period coincides with the availability of major training resources and key training facilities and devices. Organizations in Green periods conduct planned training without distraction and external taskings.
Amber: The focus of units in Amber periods is on training proficiency at the individual, leader, crew, and squad levels.
Individual self-development is maximized through the use of installation education centers and through distributed learning.
Organizations in Amber periods are assigned support taskings beyond the capability of those units in the Red period, but commanders strive for minimal disruption to Amber
Red: The training focus of units in Red periods is on maximizing self-development opportunities to improve leader and individual task proficiency. Units in Red periods execute details and other administrative requirements and allow the maximum number of soldiers to take leave. Commanders maintain unit integrity when executing administrative and support requirements. Maintaining unit integrity exercises the chain of command and provides individual training opportunities for first line leaders.
4-111. Figure 4-24 describes a Green-Amber-Red time management system and lists some of the training and support concepts that generally characterize each period.
➲ Green Cycle
• Training focus is primarily on collective tasks with individual and leader tasks integrated during multiechelon training.
• Maximum soldier attendance at prime time, mission essential training.
• Coincides with availability of major resources and key training facilities or devices.
• Administrative and support requirements that keep personnel from participating in training is eliminated to the maximum extent possible.
• Leaves and passes are limited to the minimum essential.
➲ Amber Cycle
• Small unit, crew, and individual training is emphasized.
• Provides time for soldier attendance at education and training courses.
• Some sub-organizations may be able to schedule collective training.
• Periodic maintenance services are scheduled.
• Selected personnel are diverted to support requirements when all available personnel in organizations in Red period are completely committed to support requirements.
➲ Red Cycle
• Diverts the minimum essential number of personnel to perform administrative and support requirements.
• Sub-organizations take advantage of all training opportunities to conduct individual, leader, and crew training.
• Support missions/details accomplished with unit integrity to exercise the chain of command and provide individual training opportunities for first line supervisors, as time permits. Unit taskings can be used to reduce the number of permanent special duty personnel within installations and communities.
• Leaves and passes are maximized. When appropriate, block leave may be scheduled.
• Routine medical, dental, and administrative appointments are coordinated and scheduled with installation support facilities.
Figure 4-24. Green-Amber-Red Time Management System
4-112. Other time management systems may consist of two cycles—
Green: The focus of training is on collective task proficiency, with leader and individual tasks integrated during multiechelon training. These organizations conduct planned training without distraction and external taskings.
Red: The focus is on maximizing leader and individual self-development opportunities, executing details and other administrative requirements, and allowing the maximum number
of soldiers to take leave. All administrative and support requirements should be accomplished with unit integrity. The training in these periods is on small unit, crew, leader, and individual proficiency. Figure 4-25 is an example of a Green-Red time management system.
➲ Green Cycle
• Training focus is primarily on collective tasks with individual and leader tasks integrated during multiechelon training.
• Maximum soldier attendance at prime time, mission essential training.
• Coincides with availability of major resources and key training facilities or devices.
• Administrative and support requirements that keep personnel from participating in training is eliminated to the maximum extent possible.
• Leaves and passes are limited to the minimum essential.
➲ Red Cycle
• Diverts the minimum essential number of personnel to perform administrative and support requirements.
• Small unit, crew, and individual training emphasized.
• Sub-organizations take advantage of all training opportunities to conduct individual, leader, and crew training.
• Periodic maintenance services are scheduled and performed.
• Support missions/details are accomplished with unit integrity to exercise the chain of command and provide opportunities for first line supervisors, as time permits. Unit taskings can be used to reduce the number of permanent special duty personnel within installations and communities.
• Provides time for soldier attendance at education and training courses.
• Leaves and passes are maximized. When appropriate, block leave may be scheduled.
• Routine medical, dental, and administrative appointments are coordinated and scheduled with installation support facilities.
Figure 4-25. Green-Red Time Management System
4-113. Time management systems provide dedicated, uninterrupted training time to subordinate commanders to concentrate on mission essential training. Senior commanders are responsible for managing local installation and external support taskings in order to minimize—to the greatest extent possible—the potential impact on unit training programs.
The senior commander determines the duration and sequence of major subordinate command (MSC) prime time training periods based on planned events, such as—
CTC rotation schedule.
Scheduled operational deployments.
New equipment fielding and training programs.
Other major planned exercises.
4-114. Commanders at all levels can use time management systems.
They are especially important for units in a support cycle. For example, a battalion commander whose unit is in the support cycle may direct that during the first week of the support period, Charlie Company will not receive support taskings until Alpha and Bravo Companies have been
company that the battalion commander identifies as “fenced” from support taskings will have an opportunity to train on soldier, crew, and small-unit collective critical tasks and drills. The unit in the “Green”
cycle requires training resources that must be supported, even when the unit is a subordinate element of an organization in the Red cycle.
4-115. There are training opportunities during every period of the time management system. Specific periods lend themselves to certain types of events. The following shows training events typically conducted in the Green-Amber-Red time management system:
Post support—Red.
Gunnery—Green.
FTX—Green.
Holiday half-day—Red.
Weapons qualification—Amber.
Combined arms live fire exercise (CALFEX)—Green.
CTC—Green.
CTC OPFOR Augmentation Support—Amber. While the battalion may be in Amber cycle, a subordinate company selected for augmentation support could be Green.
4-116. Many CSS units have support missions that are synonymous with their operational mission and do not lend themselves readily to a training management system. Commanders must develop innovative ways to align or synchronize their training with the supported unit to identify and protect priority training times.
4-117. RC unit commanders can also use either the Green-Amber-Red or Green-Red time management system. When using the Green-Amber-Red system, most of the AT period should be Green cycle training on collective tasks; most of the IDT periods should be Amber and focus on small unit, crew, leader and individual soldier training; and one or two IDT periods should be Red for mandatory training/administrative requirements.
When using the Green-Red system, the AT and the preponderance of IDT periods should be Green; only one or two IDT periods should be Red for mandatory training/administrative requirements. In all training periods, DMOSQ training for soldiers who are not MOS-qualified is the first order of business. The chain of command must assist subordinate commanders by consolidating scheduled training distracters, such as HIV testing, panographic x-rays, or inspections, during one or two IDT periods during the year. This reduces administrative impact on prime time training periods.