Common Tasks Training for the Army

Common Army tasks might include searching a vehicle.

Soldiers in the U.S. Army are taught to fight with weapons and with their hands, but fighting is not the only task a soldier must be able to complete. According to the Army's official website, soldiers undergo a Common Task Test each year to evaluate their ability to perform other tasks vital to surviving in a battle zone. The CTT includes 18 tasks each year and can vary from year to year. The Army produces a Soldier's Manual of Common Tasks for level one soldiers as well as for higher-ranked soldiers; understanding some of the tasks can help soldiers prepare for this test.

First Aid

Soldiers in a combat zone must be prepared to deal with injury to themselves and to others, so one of the tested common tasks includes the ability to perform first aid to restore breathing or pulse to an injured person.

Soldiers must demonstrate that they understand the correct actions and the order in which those actions are performed to restore breathing or a pulse to an unconscious adult. Soldiers must be able to use a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) properly; this device aids in supplying air safely to an injured person without making direct mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose contact. Soldiers must demonstrate that they know it is their responsibility to help this person until the victim begins to breathe again, until another qualified person relieves the soldier, until a physician or medic advises the soldier to stop or until the soldier is too tired to continue.

Detainees

Soldiers fighting in a war zone will often encounter enemies or suspects who must be detained. For the CTT, soldiers must demonstrate the ability to properly search and detain a subject.

The search and restrain test includes properly positioning the detainee to avoid injury to either party and finding and confiscating all weapons, information and other contraband. The test also includes restraining the detainee without injury, as well as bundling the evidence and labeling it properly so that it can later be analyzed.

Another portion of the CTT might assess the soldier's ability to guard detainees. Soldiers must follow all rules of engagement (ROE) and rules for the use of force (RUF) to make sure detainees remain silent and segregated, but also protected from each other or from other soldiers. Soldiers must also be able to prevent escape attempts using actions dictated by the ROE and RUF, and identify and report inappropriate actions to a supervisor.

Vehicles

The CTT might require soldiers to search a commercial vehicle for explosives or contraband items.

Soldiers during the test will be given a standing operating procedure (SOP) for the simulation. Soldiers must follow the procedure's guidelines and directives to search the vehicle. Soldiers must demonstrate proper signals, instructions for the driver and interviewing techniques to gather information regarding the vehicle's destination and intention. They must check all of the required areas on the vehicle and remove contraband or potentially harmful devices.

JSLIST

Soldiers in a battle zone will sometimes experience chemical warfare, and they must demonstrate the ability to use the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology Chemical Protective Ensemble (JSLIST).

Soldiers must don the suit and assume a mission-oriented protective posture (MOPP) within eight minutes of the simulation beginning. Soldiers should also be able to change MOPP positions when ordered to properly protect himself from injury or contamination. Some tests might assess the soldier's ability to decontaminate the suit or to change out of the suit without spreading any contaminants that are attached to the suit.

IEDs

The CTT might test a soldier's ability to react to a possible "improvised explosive device," or IED. Soldiers will be given an IED threat situation that is specific to a certain atmosphere of combat. Soldiers are expected to establish an area of exclusion to avoid injury in case the device explodes, to set up security for the IED and to report the presence of the IED to a superior or headquarters.

References

• Army website: Common Task Test
• Army website: Soldier's Manual of Common Tests
• Army Study Guide: Common Tasks