Story and photo by Maj. John J. Bailer, Jr.
USARPAC Simulations Officer

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - As the 25th Inf. Div. prepares for deployments, the U.S. Army, Pacific staff prepares by obtaining the proper funding, equipment and personnel necessary to assist preparation for military operations overseas. This process is conducted by a Program Management Review conference.

"The PMR is a requirements and budgetary process used to help the Army identify and validate programs designed to help train units," said Pat Ching, Battalion Command Training Center site manager. The Dept. of the Army Headquarters PMR is currently scheduled for March 3-7 in Hampton, VA.

 "The PMR helps train units by providing them with the essential resources such as funding, equipment and personnel for the Battle Command Training Centers within the Pacific Rim for the next five years," Ching said.

According to Lt. Col. Mike Staver, deputy director of the BCTC , this 15-million-dollar program not only determines funding, equipment and personal requirements for the next five years, "it also dictates the type of quality and quantity of training for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines within the Pacific Rim."

 "The BCTC program manager has the responsibility to fight for the funding that will allow the BCTC to grow, build and maintain the type of training quality that is expected in order to fight and win our nation's wars," Staver added.

 "USARPAC is trying to work processes from the bottom up to better articulate and justify its needs, which are substantial in the training support arena," said Lt. Col. Malcolm Frost, the new USARPAC Training and Exercises Division Chief.

Training and Doctrine (TRADOC), Forces Command (FORSCOM), as well as the other Major Commands (MACOMs) within the Army are leading the pack when it comes to funding and equipping their organizations and training support institutions, Frost said

According to Frost, holding a PMR keeps USARPAC to standard with the deploying units from the Continental United States. "We're just competing for a fair amount of resources to bring USARPAC training facilities to the same standard as [Continental United States] bases and maintain that equality over time," he said.

"We want to make sure we have the training resources available to ensure Army forces are ready to support the commanding general of the U.S. Pacific Command's strategic vision and fight and win in the Global War on Terrorism."