Should you want to be “missed” from your organization after you leave? Why or why not?

I really like this question. As a co cdr, I saw the impact that short-sighted initiatives had on the unit.  As the book  Turn the Ship Around!   shows, this question relates to the fact that many officers (being pessimistic) drive their units to the ground know…[Read more]

From what I’ve seen (in the ARNG at least), LTs and CPTs don’t know enough about the bigger picture. The “why” behind the things they are required to do at the company level. Why things are formatted the way they are; done the way they are; where they need to go to find information, etc. I’ve seen officers fail miserably when they go from PL to XO…[Read more]

Also,  Arianna, think about packing beyond the official unit packing list. Look at what is either very very generalized (‘hygiene kit’… “you know what you need, Soldier”) or not listed / implied (weather- / season-based gear).

To speak directly of the hygiene kit for a moment, female Soldiers need to be prepared with 1-2 months of menstrual…[Read more]

@arianna_howard : a small skill (implied most times), but a very important one, is radio etiquette.  It increases efficiency and clarity of comms, and (especially for both OC’s who don’t know you and the CC/1SG and fellow BN staff who is getting to know working with you) shows you know how to navigate the conversations. Quite simply, it shows y…[Read more]

Not to totally agree with everyone here, however agreed! Your initial counseling is just that; the INITIAL counseling. It will show your subordinates what your expectations are going forward, as well as what they can expect from you. Course corrections and head-space-and-timing checks can take place at that 3-6 drill mark. Like you, I had some…[Read more]

@vanezzaospina,

I think that’s where people get jammed up needlessly as well; grammar. How I articulate something is different than how the next person does, and I’m sure it’s the same across the force. I would offer that grammar is less important than content when it comes to the achievements specifically  (which is why the SOP/policy is so…[Read more]

@cale,

Excellent point (so much so I added a #4 to my original post). Some of the old salts have seen and maybe experienced those times that UCMJ action could have been leveraged but wasn’t, and how much better the outcome was because of it. The situation becomes a teaching point that has long lasting positive effects, opposed to something that…[Read more]

Completely agree about carrying a book around with you, whether digital or analog! I read so much pre and post deployment because of SRP, etc. Just as you said, a few pages at a time.  It’s like the Chipper WOD applied to a book!! I ended up getting a work bag about a year after commissioning, and I always tried to have something in there to…[Read more]

fightingengineer, rbernheim,

You both make excellent points about the positive aspects of GCSS-A in the supply and dispatch realms; what about maintenance? Any experience or thoughts on those aspects of the system?

These are great resolutions and comments.

Resolution #1 Read a book a month. This can be done by reading at night (instead of #netflix), keeping track of pages read (reading habits), and having an accountability partner.

Resolution #2 Write more often. Look for opportunities to reflect while seeking opportunities to write in journals etc.

As a BN S1 my first advice to new commanders is…Do not wait! Reach out for help to the BN Staff, we are here to enable you to do your job!

When I  was first assigned as the BN S1, I was unaware of what UCFR was or how to provide access to my commanders.

Thankfully, I had (still do) an awesome NCO who had access and was able to help some of our…[Read more]

Can’t lie, I’m presently out of the game and not current on AIM.

However, Board Files feed out IPERMS.  If the Soldier has an item in iPERMS but it isn’t showing in their MyBoardFile, I’d call iPERMS desk and pull the “I’m  the (unit) S1 and calling with a question about (Soldier) file” card.  Do your research, know what should and shouldn’t ha…[Read more]

Yup.  Having that top cover can be vital, especially – frankly- when you’re in a new position and don’t have alot of background for people to draw from, they need time to understand your consistency. In time they’ll see your work, the XO will (intentionally or not) make comments how they don’t have to do alot because your shop’s good, and your…[Read more]

Thank you Brock!

it’s been an ongoing issue as our higher HQ has not been able to provide clear guidance. At the BN Level we’ve opted for having our XO as the only reviewing person for all grammatical errors. Unfortunately at the BDE level there is about 4 people checking for grammar so it has become more of a “writing style” then anything else.