text: Chapter 3
  Planning and Preparation
  Training in all its phases must be intensive… It must be intelligently directed so that every
  individual, including the last private in the ranks, can understand the reasons for the
  exertions he is called upon to make.
  General Dwight D. Eisenhower
  OVERVIEW
  3-1. Planning in the training management cycle aligns prioritized training tasks with resources over time.
  The commander plans training one echelon down and ensures training two echelons down is evaluated. The
  commander does this, assisted by the staff, by developing a plan that projects the sequencing of training
  events required to achieve necessary mission-essential task proficiency levels. The standards required to
  achieve task proficiency are prescribed in Army training and evaluation outlines for tasks and applicable
  weapon system publications. The planning process begins with the commander providing principal inputs:
  prioritized mission-essential tasks, weapons qualification, collective live-fire tasks, and the commander’s
  assessment of the unit’s training proficiencies.
  TRAINING BATTLE RHYTHM
  3-2. Commanders establish the unit’s training battle rhythm to integrate and synchronize training activities,
  meetings, briefings, conferences, and reports. Establishing a training battle rhythm helps sequence and
  formalize these activities to regulate the flow and sharing of training information across the command.
  Examples of training battle rhythm activities include—
  * Training resource synchronization conferences.
  * Published formal training guidance (such as annual training guidance, semi-annual training
  guidance, and quarterly training guidance).
  * Training briefings (such as annual training briefing, semi-annual training briefing, and quarterly
  training briefing).
  * Training meetings.
  * Training support meetings.
  * Commander-to-commander dialogues.
  * Published company training schedules.
  * T-Week coordination.
  LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND PREPARATION
  3-3. Long-range planning and preparation determine the training required to progress from the unit’s
  current state of training proficiency to the desired proficiency level. The unit commander conducts long-
  range planning to sequence training events with resources over time to determine who, what, when, and
  where to train. Long-range preparation ensures coordination and actions needed to secure long-lead time
  resources are accomplished prior to training. The long-range planning process culminates in the publication
  of annual training guidance (known as ATG) and a long-range training calendar. See table 3-1 and table 3-2
  on page 3-2 for training guidance publication cycles.