Lot’s of great advice here. You are the staff advocate for that FSC commander. While he or she is the senior logistician having a great relationship with them will pay great dividends in the end. As an XO you knew how much fuel and everything else you used… or at least you should have. Continue understanding that and understand that now you are in charge of all of that for the battalion. Running estimates for fuel, food and bullets will make or break the rotation.

Get in close with your SPO shop. They will help you out if you develop a relationship with them. During the rotation and before have an understanding of what the concept of support looks like. Take that to your XO or S3 and see if that will even work for them and how they envision fighting the battles. SPO has tons of tools and lots of resources to pull from. But if they don’t know what you need, when you need it or where, then you don’t get it. Synching in with them and letting them know exactly when and where you need a commodity will make you and the BN look great out there. If you are the BN screaming for ammo or fuel at midnight because you didn’t ask for it at the logsynch earlier that morning it probably won’t happen until maybe the next day.

As the S4 focus on load out and prep before hand. Ask the NCOIC and others what they may need for the rotation. Get the CTC completed then you can work on the garrison ops. Unless your XO has different guidance… in which case go with that.

BDE S4 and the mobility office will also help you out immensely. It’s all about relationships and how you deal with the people in those key positions. If they like you or you at least give them a heads up or come to them asking for something 9 out of 10 times they will either feel bad for you or help because you at least asked. At least that’s what I did as the deputy SPO when a XO or S4 came to us asking for help at the last minute. I’m gonna give you crap about not knowing the answer but in the end you’ll get what you needed.

I’ve been an aviation squadron S4 and a deputy SPO along with a distribution commander all during CTC’s so if you have anything just ask. I’ve seen just about all of the issues that come up.