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The views and opinions expressed on this site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the U.S. Army, or the United States Military Academy.

Why Junior Officers Should Volunteer

Clinton Grable - Published 17 AUG 2022

Volunteering, while no panacea, may be one of the best activities junior officers can do outside of duty hours. Let’s talk about how this often-unexplored …

First 90 Days as an XO (Part 2)

Hugh Kennedy, Lorenzo Llorente II, Andrew Bordelon, and Terry Lee

After all, this is your first real test as an Officer and what you have aspired to be up until this point right? But what happens after your time as …

Tips to Prepare for the Captain’s Career Course

Cale Queen

The Captain’s Career Course is an amazing experience, and you can learn so much from it. To be successful you need to start preparing before you enter the door. Take …

10 Hard Lessons Learned during Command of a Field Artillery Forward Support Company

Wade Cady

When faced with an extremely challenging adverse situation (civilian or military, personal or professional), how do you handle it? Do you knuckle down, and face it head on? Do you …

First 90 Days as an XO (Part 3)

Hugh Kennedy, Lorenzo Llorente II, Andrew Bordelon, and Terry Lee

The purpose of this article is to help you understand the responsibilities as an XO, as well as actions you can take within the first 90 days in position for …

Property 101

Tyler McKinney

"Sign for this." A common phrase throughout one's Army career, usually associated with a gut drenching feeling of hesitance. So, what does this phrase actually …

Unit Training Management — A Primer for Company Leaders

Don Gomez and Joshua Peterson

Junior leaders across the Army have rich and deep experience participating in training events and in many cases designing, executing, and assessing them. This guide …

“I’m not your friend” — Understanding the XO-PL Relationship

Joo Chung

When my fellow platoon leaders and I first met our Company Executive Officer, he immediately told us, "I'm not your friend, and I'm not here to answer your stupid questions."

Got Discipline? A Practical Guide to Instilling Discipline

Beau Wasson

Was it Mel Gibson's portrayal of then LTC Hal Moore in We Were Soldiers or Bill Murray's performance in Stripes that most enticed you to join the service? How about …

A Soldier’s Death – A Leader’s Challenge

James Tollefson

I was a young Specialist standing guard in a small platoon outpost in Al-Karmah, Iraq in 2007 when time stopped. Dust particles froze mid-drift through the air.....

What does it mean to be “second-in-command”?

Christian Nattiel

The role of an executive officer has manifold dimensions. Some of them, like resourcing training, are easier to grasp than others, like property divestment......

What About our Junior Officers: An Examination of Mental Health in the Army

Gabrielle Alford and Kate Campbell

For the ones who have felt alone and the ones we lost.

Championing an Inclusive Approach to Mentoring

Josh Bowen

Eventually, this incident and my reflections since have led me to consider the importance of inclusive mentoring. Inclusive mentoring means mentoring across demographics that are …

Tips to Avoid Fraternization

John Plaziak

AR 600-20 addresses other issues between Soldiers of different grades, but social and dating scenarios are typically the riskiest and most likely to occur for …

Should I Change My Name?

Mandi Rollinson

Dual military couples face many decisions. Changing names in the military has many considerations, whether in the military or not.

How to Speak Doctrinally Without Putting Soldiers to Sleep

Chad Plenge

When Platoon Leaders brief Operations Orders (OPORD), their briefing styles typically fall into one of three categories: a doctrinal style, a layman's style or a teaching style...

Promote Now: The Officer Selection Board Process

Abdullah Clark

Have you ever wondered how the officer promotion process works? This article pulls back the curtain and demystifies that process.

Read More?

Jeremy Boeh

How do I read more this year?" Many people you know have probably set a goal that encompasses this; maybe you even set a goal like this yourself. However, have …

A Practical Guide to Command Supply Discipline for Company Leadership

Trevor Corrigan

Property can be one of the biggest challenges a Company Grade officer faces on a daily basis....

People First, Winning Matters: The Tightrope of Leadership

Connor Toomey

Take care of your Soldiers. From the first push-up of basic training to the first operations order brief of Officer Candidate School, to my incoming interview with my battalion commander, …

Lessons Learned from NTC – From a Platoon Leader and a Staff Officer

Bobby Norwood and Joo Chung

What follows are some lessons learned from a Rifle Platoon Leader in an Infantry Battalion and an Assistant Operations Officer/Battle ‘Captain’ in a Cavalry Squadron.

My Year as a Cavalry Troop Commander

Paul Guzman

Troop-level command, for me as a prior service NCO, has been the professional highlight of my 14 year Army career. I just want to share a few simple lessons after …

Functional Designation Part 1: Choosing a New Career Path

CoCMD & PLT LDR

The purpose of this article is to provide insight into three U.S. Army Functional Areas from three separate officers who recently assessed into them. The respondents answer some very basic …

What Junior Officers Should Know About Evaluations

Charles Hood and George Gurrola

How do you, as a junior officer, ensure you get an MQ, not an HQ? The reality is there is no way to guarantee a particular block -- but there …

Overcoming the First Deployment Jitters

George Runkle

No officer worth their weight wants to admit it. Being anxious or afraid prior to your first deployment is something you aren't dealing with -- it is something someone else …

The Leadership Question You Aren’t Answering

Cale Queen

Army leadership at the company level is usually about the how, as in "How I accomplish the mission." We tear through Paragraph Three and focus on Tasks to Subordinate Units …

51 Tips I Wish I Had Pre-Command

Steven Patelis

These are the 51 tips I wish someone told be before command.

A Junior Officer’s Reflection on the Branch Detail Program

David Beaumont - 14 July 2021

Every year throughout the Army, junior leaders from The United States Military Academy at West Point, The Reserve Officer Training Corps, and Officer Candidate School …

An Unconventional Path: Lieutenant Experiences in USASOC

Various (see bios at the end of the article)

What follows is a collection of interview questions answered by lieutenants across the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). The aim of the article …

Detailed Career Planning for the Junior Officer

Miguel Moyeno

One thing that you will learn quickly (if you haven't already) is that the path to navigate the ranks from Second Lieutenant to Captain can vary greatly.......

If you could start over with your Platoon Sergeant

CoCMD & PLT LDR

The CC/PL Team asked "What would you do different if you could start your relationship over again with your Platoon Sergeant or a new one?"

Company Command: A People Business

Michael Everett

While it is vital that you take care of your people, company leaders across all services must take ownership and care for all Soldiers, regardless of unit, duty status, or …

Leadership Lessons Learned from COVID Command

Cale Queen

A simple phone call challenged everything I knew and believed about leadership. The challenges of commanding the COVID Task Force drew on every one of these ideas and introduced new …

Thoughts from a COVID Commander

Allyson I. Hauptman

Within a few weeks in the early Spring of 2020, COVID 19 caused an unprecedented level of confusion surrounding many aspects of military life, including …

CTLT: A Checklist for Cadet Success

CJO Leadership Fellows

This checklist will help you make the most of this incredible opportunity. It is by no means an all-inclusive list of things to do, but it should provide you a …

Cultivating Culture

Micah D. Petersen

As the son of an immigrant from Zimbabwe, I have always been interested in how culture influences the way people think and how it is created.....

The most important task you do as a Commander each day

CoCMD & PLT LDR

The CC/PL Team asked company commanders "What is the most important task you do as a Commander each day [or week] as part of your personal battle rhythm?"

Your Last 100 Days as a Cadet: Preparing to Become a 2LT

Maxwell Myers

Congratulations! You made it to your last 100 days. While you are in your final stretch, the work you’ve done to make it to graduation is far from complete. The …

So You’re Getting Ready to Host a Cadet? (A Platoon Leader’s Checklist for CTLT)

Don Gomez & Seamus Matlack

Whether you were specially selected for this duty, eagerly volunteered, or were “voluntold” to host at the last minute, this checklist can help you provide …

Becoming a Basic Training Platoon Leader

Marshay Harris

When my branch manager told me she had some Platoon Leader requisitions opening at Fort Jackson, I initially though she misspoke and meant Executive Officer. I mean why on earth …

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