Reps and sets

I strength train.  Badly, but I do it.  Having become a disciple of the Starting Strength method, I’m pretty well bought in to the Stress-Recovery-Adaptation model of organism development.  It applies to pretty much everything.  Just as in weightlifting, there are genetic/physical limits on how far the developent can go.  However when you’re really weak at something, you can get better rapidly by just getting after it.  Put in your reps and sets, recover, and as a living organism you are hardwired to adapt.  If you’re good about the recovery (take long enough, get enough rest/nutrition/etc), you’ll make a positive adaptation and be better at what you’re doing.

Case in point: Mission planning.
As you will have noted from the previous post, I am recently PCS’d to my last duty station.  Ft Hood, TX.  “The Great Place”.  Thus far, I’d have to admit there are some things which make this environment less great than some previous installations (the fact that you could probably hang meat in the G5 office where I work being near the top of that list…).  But as a whole, it’s been good so far, and I dig the CAV mentality and people.  Why I mention that is that we’re working through iterative Command Post Exercises (CPX) in preparation for a large Warfighter Exercise (WFX) next year.  CPX 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 will each be a ‘workout session’ if you will, when we’re prepping for CPX 4 (overseas) as our last warm-up for the WFX, our weightlifting competition if you will.

Right now we’re in the midst of CPX 0.5.  I’ve had access to the network and a computer since Monday, and because the rest of the shop is on leave/TDY/PCSing, I’m the primary G5 planner for this thing.  Maneuver planning is distinctly NOT in my wheelhouse.  EVALUATING the actions and their relative closeness to executing the plan is where I should fit in, but when you’ve got nail to pound and all you’ve got is a protractor… good luck with that.  So, I’ve been hammering nails with a protractor.  And will continue to do so until the maneuver guys get back.

But I’m better at it than I was before, and it’ll be a little easier next time.  Which is good, because there will inevitably be a next time.

About Galaxieman