We never had an “SOP,” but I used common sense factor TTPs as well previous military experience, to decide on how to develop them further.

Year 1/2 SMPs with no/little military experience; I would attach them to a team leader and then squad leader. Let them learn the ropes at the team and squad levels and see down and dirty, tactical level…[Read more]

I will go with an answer towards build the vocabulary and telling a story:

For the USAR/ARNG TPU and M-Days, there is a straddling act with regards to how we talk about money.  While on active duty what we make is a known known; everything is a simple click away on the various DoD sites.  The only variables are generally BAH and whether a S…[Read more]

I don’t have an SOP, but I can share some TTPs.

I’ve had 4 SMP Cadets during my time in the Guard, and each situation was unique based on what year they were and where we were at in the (at the time) ARFORGEN cycle.

I have always assigned the Cadets into an HQ PL role, but at the same time I tried getting them exposed to as many leadership…[Read more]

Oh yes. YES!!! Effing, yes! Policy letters. Consider me #triggered.

This is a great sub-topic under preparing for command. This should be SUPER easy, but as @smehr has found it’s just… not. Why? Well, turns out, go figure, it’s complicated. There is no 100% universal, standardized list of required policy letters. Huh? How is that possible?…[Read more]

Justin,

I do not have a written SOP.  Instead, I place them into a PL slot.  For example my current TO&E has the XO leading my headquarters platoon.  I will place an SMP cadet into a “PL” slot there and treat them the same as a new PL.  The challenge with SMP cadets is that they frequently have other commitments to the ROTC program with FTXs and…[Read more]