you are lucky. I enjoyed my XO time.

Have a good tracker/board or spreadsheet w/ 5Ws, most importantly when something is due, and where you check progress (IPRs). Importantly, who does what, and ensuring they understand up-front and will cash that check.

Do not let people not meet their obligations. Do not micromanage as in, if it takes them…[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]

Can you turn the “P” in LPD into “Personal” and do the dog-tag exercise, or perhaps the Great Teams exercise?  This would help with team building and personal connections.  Just a thought.

You may or may not be aware, but the Army has published TC 4-11.46 Sustainment Unit Gunnery and Live Fire Exercise Strategy. This a relatively new TC (DEC 2016). Chapter 7 goes through crew evaluations. I hope this helps.

to beat deadhorse – communication is glue.

training and certification shouldn’t be two different things but sometimes are by virtue of many factors. I favor training, that builds muscle-memory, confidence, competence, familiarity. I commanded in a time when there was no time to train. This realized, its improving, tools being given to JOs.

I say…[Read more]

At OCS I learned landnav, how to write a squad-level OPORD and think back fondly on the experience.

At TBOLC I learned basics on being a UMO – it was an easy, enjoyable time, much spent in classroom. I wish more had been practical hands-on (go to an actual motor pool, participate in services and motor stables), learn practically about property,…[Read more]

It’s a little more than CYA, it also helps you keep grounded as a leader as to what the decision was. What was decided? What was agreed upon? I look at my own command guidance as an azimuth check for myself. Am I (underline) adhering to the contract? Am I (underline) keeping my side of the contract?
But you’re correct, the counseling, the…[Read more]

@ae_rollinson,

Digging into my upcoming annual training period (my company has been designated SIM Cell and OPFOR… yes, I bought a special uniform) I wanted to throw another point out another thing that would greatly help out commanders and PLs; go to your local Training Support Center (TSC). Walk around, get their catalog, see what they have…[Read more]

@kamalu76 — Though you speak about living conditions, you’ll need to actually get there first :-), so here are a couple JO Forum discussions that might be of interest to you as well:

Do It Yourself Move

First Move

NCO Corps especially our model is a recent thing and one other armies want to emulate because it is working within framework of mission command. Normandy (D-Day) is a fine example of mission command: everyone knew the mission, intent, end-state and executed once they became separated. Back then, there was one radio per company – so how did they…[Read more]