Day 10 - All The Cylinders Are Pumping

Wow, it's hard to believe that I'm just about done with this exercise.  The division staff is well established and I'm clicking along with the rest of the staff.  My briefing skills have caught up with my translator now and I've learned how to stop in logical steps.  I've also learned a new TTP (technique, tactics, and procedure) on briefing with an interpretor. You write out what you are going to say and then give it to your interpretor.  Works like a charm!  I'm now in a rhythm with the briefs.  The section that I'm a part of has gotten in a groove and we are moving along nicely.  If I didn't know it, I'd say we look like we do this all of the time.  

The Japanese Army counterparts have also gotten use to some of our habits.  We had a real good brainstorming session with the Japanese Army and got through our meeting on time.

I have learned so much from the Japanese Army that it's hard to put in words.  These guys make a plan and stick to it.  They also get really hung up if our slides don't match exactly.  Also, we, the US Army, put up a slide and then brief items that are not necessarily on the slide.  The Japanese Soldiers read every bullet of the slide and get upset with us when we deviate from our slide.  Our cultural norms are such that we have short attention spans and need quick sound bites.  The Japanese Army works on chains of thought and reason.  So, they don't necessarily like to spin off topic.  At least this is how I perceive them.