May 2021

Leaders!

Many of you are checking out the AIM 2.0 marketplace for your next assignments and the summer PCS cycle is quickly approaching.  This can be a stressful time (not that any other time isn’t also stressful), but you know what I mean.  If there is anything the CJO can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Highlights from the past month

• Why Relationships Matter for Effective Negotiation
• “I Believe You.” How to Support Soldiers Who Have Experienced Sexual Trauma
• Servant Leadership in Basic Combat Training Part 2
• Perspectives on the AIM 2.0 Marketplace – A Peek Behind the Curtain

The CJO also supported unit training with an in-person visit to Fort Eustis that addressed several topics and a virtual LPD on leader humility with an INSCOM unit at Fort Meade.  If you’re interested in unit visit or LPD support, please check out the site.

Finally, we had two leaders share ethical dilemmas they faced in their careers (thank you CPT DiFalco and LTC Simpson).  One of these stories involves being asked to look the other way on an improperly conducted range to protect the career of a leader and friend, while the other involved adjusting a report to cover up the rough treatment of a detainee by a respected commander.  We’re turning both of these examples into new Leader Challenges.  If you’ve got an ethical dilemma you faced in uniform that you’d like to share to help develop the next generation of Army leader, please provide some basic information here and we will reach out.

Coming up

Some things we have in the works that you’ll see in the weeks ahead:

• Challenging the Stigma of Menstruation in the Army
• Maintenance and Leadership Tips
• Building Partnerships (working with joint and civilian co-workers)
• Why Ranger Qualified LTs and SPCs are Hated
• An Examination of Why West Point LTs Lack Self-Awareness
• How Junior Officers Can Lead Creativity

We will also have a new Listen2Lead on dealing with microaggressions as a leader as well as some material focused on the topic of trust coming out in the next few weeks (among other things).

Join the team

If you’re an active-duty junior officer who is interested in obtaining a fully-funded advanced degree (or if you already have an advanced degree from a top-tier institution in a topic related to organizational behavior, I/O psychology, MBA, or related area), will have completed your key development position requirements as a Captain by May 2023, and want to PCS to West Point to join the Center for Junior Officers team, please reach out and let us know.   Or – if you know of a junior officer who might be a good fit, let us know.  We can reach out and answer questions.   You/They do NOT need to be a West Point graduate to apply.

While they don’t mention this position specifically, the following recent articles offer information and insights that are relevant to anyone interested in applying to become the Operations Officer of the Center for Junior Officers.

• https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/03/17/educate-train-inspire-west-point-broadening-opportunities/
• https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/03/22/duty-honor-country-broadening-opportunities-at-the-u-s-military-academy/
• https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/03/24/usma-broadening-tactical-officer/

Additional information on how to apply is here.

Where we can use your help

Some specific projects we could use your assistance on include:

• Is anyone interested in working on an article about returning to operations “after COVID” in the Army? What challenges will leaders face (are you facing)?  Anything we stopped doing because of COVID that we need to ensure we bring back ASAP?  Any practices we implemented out of necessity that should remain as “best practices?”  The preferred focus would be on the Company-level and below most likely, but open to ideas. Reach out and let us know if you’re interested in sharing your insights.  This could be a collaboration where we capture insights from multiple folks and have 1 or 2 authors consolidate the ideas/points.   Contact us at: CJO@westpoint.edu
• Any recent CCC graduates (or other junior officers) participate in the new Project Athena? If so, we’d love to hear your thoughts.  We’d like to feature an article on your experience.  https://www.army.mil/article/242694/tradocs_new_project_athena_initiative_promotes_personal_professional_self_development
• If there are any leaders who would like to share their insights for an article that discusses synchronizing family planning with career ambitions, please reach out to CPT Allyson Hauptman at i.hauptman.mil@mail.mil . She’s working on a piece and would love a collaborator or two.
• You are the leaders in the field who know what issues are important to your peers – and those following you up the ranks. Please, if you have an idea for an article or product, reach out.  If it makes sense to you, there are likely other junior officers who could benefit from your work.  We’re always looking for new ideas.  Many junior leaders have the insight and energy to innovate – let us help you!

In closing

Thanks for all that you do for the Army and its people.  Until next month – lead well my friends!