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Positive staff influences
Back in October 2010, Capt Aaron Lang, USMCR, wrote an excellent article titled, "Battle Staff Training Starts at the MISTC" (MCG, OctlO).1 In his article, ('apt Lang posits that the best starting point (or regimental- and battalion-level combat operations center (COC) training is at regional MAGTF Integrated Systems Training Centers (MISTCs). When developing a new team within the current operations section of a regiment or battalion headquarters, individual watch station training and collective current operations section team training provided by the MISTCs is filling a previously existing gap. We ate witnessing the positive and significant impacts the regional MISTCs are having on the performance of battalion and regiment COCs early in predeployment training. We would argue, however, that staff training starts a little earlier and is focused on two very significant individuals within an S-3 (operations) section: the operations officer and the operations chief. The two programs of instruction provided by the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group (MCTOG) are the Ground Operations Chiefs Course (GOCC) and the Tactical MAGTF Integration Course (TMIC). Both courses instill in students the ability to properly assess COC watch teams and personnel, and afford regiments and battalions the opportunity to better focus the limited MISTC training available to current operations section teams prior to deployment.
Per Marine Corps Order 3502.7, Ground Combat Element (GCE) Operations and Tactics Training Program, (HQMC, Washington, DC, January 2011), the mission of MCTOG is to provide advanced and standardized training in MAGTF operations, combined arms training, and unit readiness...