I am lucky enough to know Pete Kilner, then Ray Kimball, Jon Silk, Tom Morel for a few years now. I was interviewed as a PL in Afghanistan back in ’12. I say lucky, because its a real pleasure to serve alongside Americans passionate about helping others.

I benefitted from the forum as a PL and have tried to give back.

for my WFF: sustainment, it’s site occupation procedures, concealment and dispersion. A quartering party site-recce, IDs routes in/out and plans missions/movement in & out with enemy observation considerations. it’s actively reporting up enemy air (UAVs, quadcopters).

most importantly, often-seen is forecasting requirements to limit time on the…[Read more]

posted some T&EOs, and now will attach some more products here:

-see sustainment nodes arrayed vis-à-vis OPFOR and BLUEFOR. One tank and two armored vehicles exploited a seam and took out all sustainment units before these 3x OPFOR armored vehicles were killed with a Carl Gustav (only FSC to ever kill 3x armored vics at a cost of losing the…[Read more]

George, never attended, but wish to add a parenthesis here: what if they opened up broadening opportunities before KD, the LAST thing you did as a Captain? Imagine having 4-5 years to grow as an officer before you commanded troops. I got voluntold to command 30 days after pinning Captain. Similarly, there’s some notion that many Majors str…[Read more]

Dallas, I will compile some products – I have a few PPT slides from JMRC but its a process to sanitize units, disclosure etc.

You’re touching on a key topic. I’ve observed first-hand brigades struggle w/ rear-area security which includes sustainment units of course. Think also of weapons systems. What do you have in the BSB that can destroy enemy…[Read more]

George, I think we’re onto something here- making sausage for next generation, or rather sharing recipe?

2. As you know, we want to buy time, limit distractions, take care of Soldiers. I’ve been out of command for 2 years now, but will search for checklist. Essentially, I sat down w/ 1SG, XO, training NCO, orderly room, Supply NCO and PLs/PSGs…[Read more]

As a commander, we had actions piling up, Soldiers leaving without awards and packets misplaced. Often we had to re-start, resubmit, change over to new template. It forced companies to do better job, keep proof of submittals. Commanders had to help a young, ‘understaffed’ staff.

Key to staff is to understand commander’s intent.

S1 affects entire…[Read more]

Avoid snow-birding or black-birding. If you must snow-bird, then use that time to get as many courses done as possible. That buys you time later on.

For a logistics-branch officer (and certain of these apply to other branches as well), try to get Support Operations Phase 2, Petroleum Water Officer Course, Mortuary Affairs, Operational Contract Su…[Read more]

time management. staying late doesn’t equate results. look at what needs to be done, and map it out in time/space. leaders insulate subordinates. at some point, influence-up to “turn-off” the requirements if they unfairly pile upon each other. but first, achieve balance between time, people, tasks. there are many that tasks that ‘could’ be done,…[Read more]

B-Rock,

1. Socialize that expectation with your NCOs as soon as you can.

2. Show them the training calendar, progression and end-state: where do we want to be, and how everything before end-state fits into – builds on the training.

3. Show them ATN or CATS, how to access T&EOs and the Company METL – prioritize what you want to get after, wha…[Read more]

Questions for discussion.

1. How did you prepare for company command? I made the most of my time as PL and XO, kept reading (books like Company Command) there’s a few out there. Working with PSGs, 1SGs, watching COs, and doing my jobs as LT, plus “interviewing” other CDRs – having lunch w/ them asking what worked, what didn’t work for them, all…

[Read more]

All the answers are phenomenal and cover everything.

I’ll offer (sorry if already covered), build redundancy and overlapping coverage. Have GTC and GPC (government purchase card) holders (plural) such as yourself, and your NCOIC. Have multiple CORs (contract officer reps) plural.

As FSC CO, I “planned” the logistics I would also execute, but my…[Read more]

My experience as an official Mini-SPO (Forward Support Company CDR in a BCT) was that I grabbed a Ranger Medic handbook and did hospital surveys on PDSS because MED LTs didn’t, and SPO MED didn’t want to. As a logistician, I was trained to plan medical support and had to do it in my unit. I wished they were a bit more aggressive and owned their…[Read more]

Position Cross-Training/Rotation – the tangible building blocks to a career which provide experience.

Personal Relationships – most important. Opportunity for juniors to express, reveal to busy seniors, what they’re doing, ask questions, learn about different paths, opportunities from those that’ve traveled them. Sometimes leads to future job…[Read more]

1. How do you communicate the impact of overload to higher?

back-briefs, training meetings, QTB, showing thought and analysis on “what’s important”/nested w. intent and prioritization

2. How do you avoid passing a similar burden on to your subordinates? Can you avoid it?

• you provide solutions to conflicts, way-ahead/vision (intent, key…

[Read more]

Brock, I lack the insight from an ARNG perspective but as an active duty guy, I certainly appreciate the contributions and unique experiences and maturity reservists and guardsmen bring to Europe, whether it is to augment us (and we’re short-handed) or in the country-partnership.

If I was the decision-maker, I’d tell you, yes, send more, probably…[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.

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.”