Task Force Marshall replaces military trainers with civilian contractors             Chris Rasmussen  Leader Staff

They may not wear a military uniform or be required to salute officers, but the new civilian contractors working with Task Force Marshall are doing the same job as their military predecessors. TFM, which is charged primarily with training sailor augmentees and Individual Ready Reserve Soldiers for deployment, has switched to using contractors for many positions formerly held by Soldiers. “Replacing Soldiers with civilians is part of the Army’s plan to have more green suits available for other missions,” said Lt. Col. Tom Clarke, battalion commander. “We still have a core cadre of military personnel.” TFM employs 50 civilians in positions such as training sergeants, supply NCOs, armorers, instructors, administrative sergeants, supply clerks and administrative clerks.  “This could be the future structure of training,” Clarke said. “We are on the cutting edge.” Positions that have stayed military include company commanders, executive officers, first sergeants, drill sergeants and the command team. TFM has four companies, with three companies devoted to training sailor augmentees. The fourth company trains IRR Soldiers. The transition to using civilians in these positions was completed June 1 and the Soldiers they replaced, who are reservists, have been assigned across Fort Jackson until their current orders have expired. “Overall it has been very fruitful for us to have these folks on board,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Hagan, battalion command sergeant major. “There was the natural reaction of what to expect from the contractors, but once they were on board, many of us were surprised by their level of knowledge.” The contractors are mostly military retirees and include former Rangers, Marines and Soldiers from a variety of military occupational specialties. “This job has been a blessing to me,” said instructor Lester Williams, who retired from the Army in 2005 as a sergeant first class. “I love training. When this came along I jumped on it. We do the same things as the drill sergeants do.” The transition to using civilians, however, was not without challenges and issues. The different types of licensing requirements is harder for a civilian to obtain and since contractors are not bound by orders, they can leave the job with little or no notice. “Contractors are not bound by the same requirements,” Clarke said. “We are on orders, but civilians can take another job.” Despite the challenges, TFM made the transition more than a month ahead of schedule. “We really blew the timeline out of the water,” Clarke said. “We were given a mission by TRADOC and we have exceeded the standard of training our Soldiers and sailors.”