Army Aims to Keep Good Soldiers as Recruitment Falls Short : Military: Harsh discipline is out of favor with today’s armed forces. It has become a top priority to keep the best personnel as civilian economy beckons with lucrative jobs.

It seemed more like halftime in the locker room than simulated war.

As water bottles circulated, an upbeat Army Col. Chris Baggott sat in a folding chair in front of a supply vehicle and gave the sergeants and lieutenants on his “red force” team a pep talk. He didn’t shout. He kept asking what the troops thought. And he praised their good work.

Baggott’s team, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment based at Ft. Carson, had lost some Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. But the opposing “blue force” --the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, also based at Ft. Carson--had been unable to break through the red force’s lines.

The red force was on its way to victory.

“You can be King of Ft. Carson,” Baggott said. “You can dance naked on our objective.”

For a commander like Baggott, the objective is more elusive: Win war games, yes, but also keep the best soldiers from leaving an Army that can’t meet annual recruitment goals. Harsh discipline and in-your-face reprimands are out of favor.

“That’s not the method in the Army today,” tank commander Maj. Greg Julian said. “Soldiers are more educated and more motivated.”

A Background in Video Games

They are soldiers like Sgt. William Fortney, who received extensive training to operate a tank’s “command integrated display.” Sitting in front of it, he described how it allows him to send digital messages instantly to artillery, other tanks or aircraft, pointing out the exact location of targets.

“I can tell them what kind of tank it is,” he said. “Whether it is a friendly, the number present, what it is doing: attacking, defending, reconnaissance or withdrawing.”

Next to the command screen was a special television monitor showing a thermal image of the terrain, a key element of nighttime fighting.

“Having played video games makes it easier to get into this stuff,” Fortney said. “It is a lot more complicated, though.”

The Army wants desperately to hang on to people like Fortney.

Computer skills and demonstrated reliability make many Army-trained specialists good candidates for more lucrative jobs in the booming civilian economy. This year, the Army has been unable to replace 11% of the troops retiring or choosing to get out early.

Sgt. Todd Philbrick, a gunner on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, plans to become a Seattle police officer in a few months.

“They have 180 openings and not many people with my training who can pass a drug test,” he said.

He believes a civilian job will allow him a better family life. In 1997, Philbrick spent seven months away from home just for training. If he stays in, more travel is likely. Military cutbacks and increased peacekeeping duties abroad have made it three times more likely than during the Cold War that troops will be deployed.

“I want to be around when my kids grow up,” he said.

Many of the tanks and Bradleys in the maneuvers were short one or two soldiers. Shortages mean less time for training and more time spent cleaning the post, an annoyance to troops who joined to fight.

Still, Philbrick said, “If I was single, I would stay. It’s a great organization.”

As Philbrick’s departure date gets closer, Baggott said, officers and sergeants will visit his home to try to talk him into staying.

“I spend 30% of my time trying to keep people,” Baggott said.

‘It’s OK to Have Fun’

All his soldiers heading to Bosnia will receive counseling, with an emphasis on how an overseas tour of duty can better their lives. They can earn college credits by correspondence, for example, or save up money, or buy a European car at a discount and ship it home.

Other branches of the military are adopting similar tactics. Marine Gen. James L. Jones recently said Marines should feel like part-owners of the Corps. “It’s OK to have fun in the Marine Corps,” he said.

Not everyone would consider military maneuvers fun, though many soldiers prefer it to spit-and-shine cleaning of the post.

The three weeks of mechanized maneuvers at this military reservation, about 150 miles southeast of Denver, took place in dusty high-prairie country dotted with pinon pines, anthills and cactuses. Daytime temperatures soared above 90 degrees.

The idea was to mimic all-out warfare, with some peaceable requirements as well, such as dodging designated fossil sites and avoiding unnecessary damage to the environment.

As tanks rumbled across the terrain, simulated smoke poured from some of them, showing they’d been “killed” by enemy fire.

At his open-air “After Action Review,” Baggott urged his troops to be careful without losing momentum. He asked “killed” troops what had happened, and they invariably answered that they had pushed forward too quickly--understandable for a unit called Thunder and proud of its reputation for charging ahead.

“Let’s be careful in doing these thunder runs into his kill zones,” Baggott cautioned.

If the troops can keep their cool during full war games like these, Baggott said, they’ll be able to handle peacekeeping jobs in places like Bosnia, where about 3,500 soldiers will go next year.

“If we can do this in Bosnia, it will be a piece of cake,” Baggott said. “All you need is discipline.”