You already know we should carry a map. Can you use it? We’ve all had some land navigation training, right?
A quick review: maps are graphic representations of the Earth, and include horizontal and vertical lines to break the map into 1,000 meter-by-1,000 meter squares. Each line has corresponding numbers, and you can use additional numbers to identify specific points within a square. These are “grid coordinates,” and while a set of four-digit grid coordinates IDs one whole square, a set of six-digit grid coordinates focuses you in on a 100-square-meter area within the square; and eight digits gets you to 10 square meters, and so on into infinity.
Get it? Great.
I try to have a lot of six-digit-grid-coordinate conversations. In my book, conversations at this level are heavy on purpose, background and context, and avoid the specific details which leave audiences confused, bored or intimidated.
When successful, six-digit grid coordinate conversations get my audiences into the part of the grid square — the section of my map — where they need to be. Once there, we both understand what’s going on and how we’re protecting America.
Sure, there are more details … additional digits to the grid coordinates … which I understand, but try not to launch straight into. Generally, my audiences don’t need to be within 10 square meters (8 digits) or 1 square meter (10 digits) to give me the resources, authority or support I require. Why waste time — and risk confusion — on all those details if I can achieve my goal with less?
Example: “Why is your unit deploying?”
- 4 digit answer: We protect America.
- 6 digit answer: We’re going to lead an important training mission to build our partners’ tactical abilities, and ultimately protect America’s security interests.
- 8 digit answer: We’re going to spend nine months training the Iraqi X Brigade members in marksmanship, small unit tactics, and combat lifesaving as part of a decades-long effort to professionalize their fighting force and achieve regional stability.
- 10 digit answer: On March 7 we’ll go to XX training base to lead a 15-step curriculum which starts with military discipline and physical training and goes on to incorporate weapons maintenance and range safety and weapons qualification and here’s the whole training plan. Our partner force is the Iraqi X Brigade, a formation of 3,000 specially selected military members responsible for security in the northern region of the country … and on and on.
Example: “How did that soldier get killed?”
- 4 digit answer: In a training accident. It sucked.
- 6 digit answer: His unit was holding a live-fire training exercise on a controlled range when a weapon malfunctioned. Our focus now is on supporting this soldier’s family and teammates, while performing a full evaluation of our safety procedures.
- 8 digit answer: Sgt. Joe Jones was tragically killed during a Jan. 29 live fire training event when an M16 rifle malfunctioned, firing a round of bullets at Jones’ squad as they were maneuvering down the range. Our organization is thoroughly reviewing our weapons maintenance, range control, and tactical standard operating procedures.
- 10 digit answer: The X Brigade Combat Team was on Range 29 at Fort Hood, holding their third live-fire training event of the year in preparation for a Summer 2019 deployment to Afghanistan, when a soldier’s M16 malfunctioned while he was attempting to clear a jam, firing four rounds toward 2nd squad’s position and striking 23-year-old Sgt. Joe Jones in the head and shoulder, killing him instantly, and on and on.
All answers could be technically correct, but still inappropriate for the situation at hand. Like they say: be better, be brief.
(Photo by Airman Michael Murphy, DVIDS)
