I__. - International Military Testing Association

This field validation complied with mandatory guidance directing field validation for doctrinal,
training, organizational, leadership, and materiel products before operational use
(SSC, 1989). The field validation was to determine, then, if the modular organizational
design was capable of supporting battlefield requirements (SSC, 1990a). Validation methodology
was based on approved operational and training evaluation procedures and coordination
of critical issues and criteria (TRADOC, 1987) with MACOMs and G3/J3 staffs, an
integral part of the training, force structuring, and TOE approval process for finance units.
METHOD
The field validation was designed to be a “self-evaluation.” Evaluation materials
were provided to the participating MACOMs who selected finance SMEs to observe the
FSC unit structure, while the FSC was conducting an operational exercise or training and
performing wartime tasks under simulated conditions (Thornton III & Cleveland, 199Oj.
The SMEs were instructed to identify whether wartime missions/functions were in a category
of “go”/“no go” or “unobserved,” according to the critical issues and related criteria
they entered on the field validation data collections sheets. All “no go” situations were to bc
explained as to which factor caused failure, such as doctrine, leadership, materiel, training,
or organization. Required guidance and advisory assistance were furnished by the SSC
throughout the evaluation.
Major characteristics of the modular concept were to be operationally exercised
during the field validation. It was to be determined that an acceptable level of wartime taskforcing
and continuous operation is facilitated. Wartime and peacetime decentralized FSC
detachment operations were to be effectively exercised with suitable support provided by
the host unit. The designated issues and criteria were to be evaluated based on systematic
SME observations during exercises or training. The SME evaluators were required to
observe one FSC within their MACOM. The FSC and detachments were to be configured
as described in the validation plan. It was requested every effort be made to control the
wartime scenario so that realistic combat situations were experienced by the designated
command and detachment personnel. The MACOM planning for a selected exercise/
training sequence ensured that the SMEs were aware of the purpose of validation requirements
and fully knowledgeable in finance wartime operations.
The SMEs entered the FSC issues (three) and criteria (35,21, and 2, respectively,
per issue) on the data collection forms and were instructed to keep the issues and criteria in
numerical sequence, providing then 58 possible rating observations having “go”/“no go” or
“unobserved” alternatives. Eleven SME evaluators collected validation data with five participating
in Korea (26-28 Jun 89) and the other six at Fort Hood, TX (20-22 Sep 89). The
five SMEs in Korea were from the 175th Theater Finance Command, 176th Finance Support
Unit, and the six at Fort Hood, TX were composed of two evaluators from Forces
Command (FORSCOM) Headquarters, Finance and Accounting Division (Fort McYherson,
GA) and four from Fort Hood, 3rd Finance Group, 502d Finance Support Unit. Three
SSC referee-observers participated with the provisional FSC units in Korea and at Fort
Hood to furnish whatever expertise might seem useful without causing any disruptive re;lctions.
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