What a great question! Tools and best practices! Fire for effect! Good news at the bottom.

For straight XO resources, this old post has some awesome products. Follow the instructions to access the digital dropbox.

For time management resources, your commander may have provided you counseling similar to the attached. The important part is the…[Read more]

I was an XO for an MI company in Germany straight out of BOLC, and the one thing I quickly learned is that sometimes you cannot do everything.  The key to succeeding is learning to identify the tasks that (1) you (or your commander) financially, or legally, pay for if you fail, (2) your higher commanders prioritizes, or (3) your Soldiers care…[Read more]

Kristen,

This is a great questions and one that is near and dear to my heart.

I was an HHC XO when I was a LT in the 82nd. I wish I could say that I had it all figured it out, but I worked crazy hours. I would come in early, before PT, and get as much “desk” work done as I could. When you are an XO, I always felt there was 1 to 2 meetings I had…[Read more]

@cale – I just rediscovered this post from last year about my comment as well. Thought others might find it interesting just as I did! https://juniorofficer.army.mil/discussion/relationships-with-enlisted-personnel/

Ray, I had a fascinating discussion with another officer today about this memo from CSA & SECARMY.  This other officer proffered that TRiPS is better due to its standardization – no room for interpretation, a Soldier did the review of their route and was told risk mitigation or they weren’t.  I countered that, while TRiPS is standardized, a f…[Read more]

I wish I had gotten more education / exposure to working with both NCOs and junior Enlisted. Looking back, it is something that is really best understood through experience, but I think I only was introduced to a few NCOs my whole time at West Point (and their job was to be in charge of me, less working with me). A really helpful experience that…[Read more]

I am getting ready to do my first annual training event with a brand new unit. 25% of my unit is in a REP-63 status, guardsmen who have enlisted but not attended basic and AIT yet. While they are in 63 status they drill with another unit designed to get them ready and keep them ready, I won’t see them for two years in some cases. Why is this…[Read more]

I had a young troop who was being less than stellar. His NCOs tried to handle it but he was unreceptive. So they brought it to me.

I took a different approach. Rather than the usual, fire and brimstone approach which had failed, I looked at the young man and told him this. You have all the power right now. I am not going to go out of my…[Read more]

I would agree. Looking back on the Petroleum Water officer course or the Support Operations course that would have kept me at Ft. Lee two months longer would have been cool. The new unit said no we need you. I may have a chance for those schools later but at the end of the day the unit will trump all. I agree with Jeff in that if you get there…[Read more]

My questions:

What is the reporting mechanism for standards met? Does DTMS become the system of record? As viewed at which echelon for review? Does the DTMS reported training readiness then influence the patch chart? resourcing/manning guidance?

Which Army units are the test bed for OBJ-T and what are some of the best practices coming from that…[Read more]

Tools. Tools. Tools. (and a story)

At one point, I had six FRGs simultaneously. They were kick@$$. The spouses did events. They were self-sufficient and even, when needed, self-policing. With the support of a FRSA all the admin was seamless and easy…

Then, I had one FRG, it was a struggle. Participation was low. There were really weird admin…[Read more]

Depending on what kind of a unit he’s in, he could try generating a discussion about what core tasks for the unit aren’t utilized/practiced during their deployment.  In essesnce, if the US declared war on a near-peer nation-state tomorrow, what tasks would your unit be expected to execute that you are not prepared to do?

Having witnessed this…[Read more]

I knew why we had gunnery but recently my old unit had some seniors out there questioning it. It also did not help that the crews could not hit the broad side of the barn either.