506th IR Realism Unit

Recruiting => The Duty Desk => Topic started by: Skrocke on March 29, 2017, 12:16:20 PM

Title: Unit calendar ?
Post by: Skrocke on March 29, 2017, 12:16:20 PM
Probably a stupid question but is there a 506th calendar? Somewhere to find out when ops or trainings might be going on to fill in?
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: SFC (Ret) Lyon on March 29, 2017, 01:10:15 PM
This is the closest to a calendar but it's not complete: Day Room>506th Training Schedule

http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=12990.0

For Ops just keep an eye on the Operation Orders thread: Training and Operations>Operation Orders

http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?board=17.0
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: K. Knight on May 27, 2017, 09:52:24 PM
I second this. A calendar with all scheduled trainings would be nice. The format of the OPORD posts basically forces a person to go through each post individually to find what the date and times are. I'm also not sure about individual platoon/squad training times and dates. I like to fill in when I can, but it's usually just by chance that I come on and there's something about to happen. My 2 cents
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1LT J. N. Lee on May 27, 2017, 11:59:04 PM
What I would do is to click in each of the squad/fire team channels in teamspeak and memorize/write down their training times, since teamspeak channels are usually the most up to date. Obviously having an official schedule would be best but then it would most likely be maintained by a single clerk and having to communicate to that clerk everytime a training time changes and such would be a pain so that's all we've got for now.
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1st Lt (Ret) Hardman on May 28, 2017, 12:10:48 AM
Hey, my 2c on this, my old clan had an "official" Google Calendar which could be either added to personal Google Calendar accounts, viewed online, subscribed by RSS readers etc.

All of the leadership had access to write events into the calendar, colour code them etc etc.

Edit: Also, GC converts timezones automatically, which is extra handly for people like me far away 😅😅
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1LT (Ret) Burke on May 28, 2017, 12:15:15 AM
In general:
1st and 3rd Sunday @2000EST is Task Force Alpha's OP/FTX
2nd and 4th Sunday @2000EST is Task Force Bravo's OP/FTX
2nd and 4th Saturday @2000EST is Task Force Charlie's OP/FTX

Then you can go to each Platoon's Roster and find their platoon and squad training times:
1st Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=12914.0
2nd Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=16283.0
3rd Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=14540.0
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: CW4 Stowe on May 28, 2017, 09:01:41 AM
Splendid idea!  Easy, convenient, something everyone can quickly take a glance at and know whats going and when!  Great suggestion LuckSpoon.

Hey, my 2c on this, my old clan had an "official" Google Calendar which could be either added to personal Google Calendar accounts, viewed online, subscribed by RSS readers etc.

All of the leadership had access to write events into the calendar, colour code them etc etc.

Edit: Also, GC converts timezones automatically, which is extra handly for people like me far away 😅😅
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: CW4 Stowe on May 28, 2017, 09:03:03 AM
Thanks SSG Burke.

In general:
1st and 3rd Sunday @2000EST is Task Force Alpha's OP/FTX
2nd and 4th Sunday @2000EST is Task Force Bravo's OP/FTX
2nd and 4th Saturday @2000EST is Task Force Charlie's OP/FTX

Then you can go to each Platoon's Roster and find their platoon and squad training times:
1st Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=12914.0
2nd Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=16283.0
3rd Platoon: http://www.506thir.net/forums/index.php?topic=14540.0
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1st Lt (Ret) Hardman on May 28, 2017, 07:35:46 PM
Splendid idea!  Easy, convenient, something everyone can quickly take a glance at and know whats going and when!  Great suggestion LuckSpoon.

Thanks :) We then had a custom link in our forums (which were also SMF) so that people didn't have to remember where it was or how to get to it etc.

From memory, I'd automated permissions so that forum users of a certain rank automatically had a certain level of access to manage events, but I'd have to find the old code to be sure. That SMF install had so much automation, I've lost track of it all  ::)
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: SFC (Ret) Lyon on June 07, 2017, 03:56:21 PM
IMHO it's in the unit's best interests to have a central repository for Training schedules to facilitate finding fill-ins for trainings (and giving members the opportunity to *get* that training).  A Google calendar as mentioned above seems ideal. 

If I could boot my pc and with one click figure out if there are any trainings I can fill in on on that day, I'd be much more likely to actually fill in.  Knowing that I'll have to click through 8 different bulletin boards (and hope the training schedules on those boards are accurate) discourages me from even attempting to fill in.

If such a calendar existed, I would have a shortcut to it on my desktop and refer to it every weekend morning as soon as I boot up.
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: CW4 Stowe on June 07, 2017, 04:18:45 PM
"+" 1 - well said SGT Lyon

IMHO it's in the unit's best interests to have a central repository for Training schedules to facilitate finding fill-ins for trainings (and giving members the opportunity to *get* that training).  A Google calendar as mentioned above seems ideal. 

If I could boot my pc and with one click figure out if there are any trainings I can fill in on on that day, I'd be much more likely to actually fill in.  Knowing that I'll have to click through 8 different bulletin boards (and hope the training schedules on those boards are accurate) discourages me from even attempting to fill in.

If such a calendar existed, I would have a shortcut to it on my desktop and refer to it every weekend morning as soon as I boot up.
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1st Lt (Ret) Hardman on June 07, 2017, 10:03:48 PM
FWIW, I created a calendar for myself to keep track of the time differences, it's available here:
http://owenhardman.id.au/506.php

I'm happy to add any other events if anyone wants to let me know, or once I get through training I'll add myself :)

IMHO it's in the unit's best interests to have a central repository for Training schedules to facilitate finding fill-ins for trainings (and giving members the opportunity to *get* that training).  A Google calendar as mentioned above seems ideal. 

If I could boot my pc and with one click figure out if there are any trainings I can fill in on on that day, I'd be much more likely to actually fill in.  Knowing that I'll have to click through 8 different bulletin boards (and hope the training schedules on those boards are accurate) discourages me from even attempting to fill in.

If such a calendar existed, I would have a shortcut to it on my desktop and refer to it every weekend morning as soon as I boot up.
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: SFC (Ret) Lyon on June 07, 2017, 10:17:12 PM
Using the links in this thread (506th Training Schedule thread and the platoon threads) it should be possible to create one with relatively little effort and a fair amount of accuracy.  If I had ever made a Google calendar before I'd be willing to give it a shot but IMHO it'd be better to have some official involvement from one of the S-shops so we know a). we have permission and support b). someone will be assigned to keep it up-to-date in perpetuity and c). it will live somewhere officially (rather than in this one-off thread).
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1st Lt (Ret) Hardman on June 07, 2017, 10:33:02 PM
I agree Sgt. As I said, realistically I made this only because I wanted an easy way to keep track of time differences - I have no plans of this being anything even vaguely official, but thought it might be useful in the immediate term.

Happy to assist where I can, my ~15 years of programming has gotta be useful to someone, right?  :D

Using the links in this thread (506th Training Schedule thread and the platoon threads) it should be possible to create one with relatively little effort and a fair amount of accuracy.  If I had ever made a Google calendar before I'd be willing to give it a shot but IMHO it'd be better to have some official involvement from one of the S-shops so we know a). we have permission and support b). someone will be assigned to keep it up-to-date in perpetuity and c). it will live somewhere officially (rather than in this one-off thread).
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: SPC (Ret) Bowes on March 29, 2018, 05:32:28 PM
Any traction on this?
Title: Re: Unit calendar ?
Post by: 1LT J. N. Lee on March 29, 2018, 05:39:18 PM
Any traction on this?
SGT Hardman's calendar remains accurate and is still my saving grace.