AHRGH! This post is TOO awesome. I don’t know where to start!

#dat1st90days

Nailed it with question #2. Quick wins, quick wins, quick wins. Ask your predecessor, “if you stayed the Commander/Platoon Leader for another 3-months what would you make your top-5 priorities?” “What are the things you had hoped to accomplish while you were in-charge that you never finished or never started?” If asking your predecessor is not an option, ask the trusted senior NCO, or failing all that (last resort, because, “always trust the man on the ground”) you can ask the boss, “Sir/Ma’am, what do you hope/expect to see happen within 90-days in this formation?”

Related, but not related. Some perspective to keep in mind for that first 90-days. That clock starts ticking the first day you show up to your company or platoon. It starts at that first, first-impression; NOT the day you stand in front of the formation for the first time. With that in mind, I stole this wisdom from one of the greatest CSMs to ever lace up boots: The ANYZ-176g v.45 won’t remember how thoroughly you documented all of its components of end item or how carefully you locked it in storage because nobody has used one of those devices since 1986… But PFC Jones will sure as heck ALWAYS remember that you made her/him lay out all 489 pieces of BII/COEI/and AAL three separate times to make sure the count was accurate on the number of zip-ties, black, 9in, ratcheting. Property is important, people are your legacy.

~Jeff