I was diagnosed with mild PTSD following my deployment to Iraq in 2005. As an NCO, there wasn’t much backlash. Now that I’m an officer, I utilize it when I give MRT training, and talk to Soldiers about the importance of reaching out for help if you need it.

Like everything else though, it’s a matter of degree. Mild PTSD is way different then…[Read more]

Only performance matters and accomplishing the mission. We have some leaders that “put in hours” without actually accomplishing anything. I say let the leader accomplish and let work speak for itself.

I have a CD with 3 separate sound clips that I can throw into a small boombox or larger sounds system and hit repeat for multiple hours of ambient noise that automatically increases training difficulty to any scenario.

The first is the crowd noise from a World Cup. A crazy loud thrum of hundreds of thousands of people screaming at the tops of…[Read more]

Like Patrick, I’ve seen the dark side of loyalty first hand. Officers who should be drummed out of the service, instead being promoted because they have the right friends (above 1 star…). The transgressions of a squad of SGMs overlooked simply because the CG didn’t want the organization as a whole to look bad. The SPC who falsified a report when…[Read more]

Loyalty may have been included naturally due to history of armed forces and officer corps but in practice may be misunderstood.

I thought often of loyalty to the American people who pay my salary, when making decisions. I wanted to honor their hopes with my conduct. I was dedicated to helping Army team succeed but for moral compass relied on…[Read more]

in regards to discipline, sometimes you don’t have the luxury of time. we all know what is right and wrong.

I explained the expectations up front, but was patient.

what my 1SG said who will now be a CSM was true – “sir, you set a standard, and that is what it is, immediately.”

Issues are related: I prepared for command, but still learned along the way. Some IMHO solutions maybe:

1. lengthen time in unit on station between PCS moves

2. do not retain non-deployable Soldiers, unless they served 18 years, multiple deployments and have experience, wisdom to share – move them to TDA slots and jobs fitting skill-set, allow…[Read more]

I’ve read a plethora of leadership books over the years.  I’m a big fan of Simon Sinek and John C. Maxwell.  I’ve used “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader” as OPD.

David Marquet’s “Turn the Ship Around!” taught me invaluable lessons about empowering leadership in others. I tend to be a bit controlling, so this provided some s…[Read more]

Leaders coming into a new organization are counting on their leaders (including Junior Officers) to prepare them for their new job. It is our responsibility to prepare some sort of welcome brief for our new boss. New leaders in a new unit should be briefed on your roles and responsibilities, your capabilities, unit strength, what your mission is,…[Read more]

Well, @logisticus, @celineoh, @adam.szczpka, @captaink2008, and all of the others who’ve taken the time to respond and or read this post, I’ve had the opportunity to try out my own personal actions on contact yet again.

Last night I received a cryptic message from one of my new Soldiers (I just inherited a detachment of 80, located 100+ miles…[Read more]