Signal Professionals are at the Center of Rapid Transformation
By Command Sgt. Maj Lisa M. Gandy, 26th Regimental Command Sergeant Major
Article published on:
in the Spring 2026
Edition of Army Communicator
Read Time:
< 3 mins
Team Signal,
The commandant’s theme for this quarter, "Expectations vs. Reality,"
strikes a chord that resonates at every echelon of our Noncommissioned
Officer Corps. As the backbone of the Regiment, NCOs are the ones who turn
strategic vision into tactical reality. We are navigating the most
significant force design and training overhaul in decades, requiring us to
be brutally honest about where we are and where
we need to be.
The reality of the modern battlefield demands that we move faster than our
legacy systems allow. To that end, we are fundamentally changing how we
equip and train the force. We are aggressively divesting of outdated WIN-T
systems and terminology that no longer serve the mission. We cannot expect
our Soldiers to be experts if they are bogged down by the "how we’ve
always done it" mentality. In the Signal School, we have already updated
over 70% of our programs of instruction (POI), removing platform-specific
training in favor of foundational core concepts, while still applying
those fundamentals to hands-on training. We are training the "Why," not
just the "How."
The feedback the 4th Infantry Division’s series of Ivy Sting exercises,
common troubleshooting failures demonstrated by Signaleers during combat
training center (CTC) rotations, and pre-test data collected during S-MART
(Signal-Mobile Advanced Readiness Training), the Signal-Digital Master
Gunner (S-DMG) course, and PME (Professional Military Education) MOS
(Military Occupational Specialty) Competency testing have all provided a
harsh reality check for the Signal Regiment. It has reinforced the need
for a robust Basic Communicator Module—ensuring every Advanced Individual
Training graduate arrives at their unit with a baseline of technical
competence. Furthermore, we are evolving our PME to meet the speed of the
force. By reducing the length of the Advanced Leader Course and Senior
Leader Course to five weeks while also interweaving NCO Common Core
throughout the POI, we will return NCOs to their formations faster while
ensuring they are assessed on true MOS competency rather than just
attendance.
To bridge the gap between institutional learning and unit requirements, we
are leaning heavily into S-MART and a reimagined S-DMG course. These
programs are designed specifically for our mid-grade NCOs under the
train-the-trainer model. We must equip our NCOs, the primary trainers,
with technical expertise and intellectual curiosity to be able to master
any piece of equipment placed in their hands through a foundational
understanding of routing, switching, and signal flow. The new S-DMG will
be the expert who empowers the commander by informing modernized,
technical training plans that fit the specific needs of their unit
assisting in the assessment of that training. Home station training
remains a critical part of building and maintaining our expertise.
As we look toward the future, we must also honor those who set the
standard for adaptability. Nominations for Distinguished Member of the
Regiment are open through April 30. I encourage our leaders to look across
their formations and nominate those trailblazers who have spent their
careers "Getting the Message Through."
The path forward requires us to be agile, technically proficient, and
unafraid to leave old systems behind. Whether it is in the Signal School
or at home station, our mission remains the same: provide the commander
with a network that wins.
Signal Proud! Signal Strong!