I tell my young LTs, “if you want to be a step above most of the other people in the Army/Guard/Reserves, do two things; be halfway competent, and give a sh*t.” From my observations, those are the hardest two things to do. Knowing your job, and caring about doing it right seem simple, however look left and then look right; see many accomplishing…[Read more]

I would add this; fine, you’ve gotten your branch and you didn’t want to be a (insert branch here). Well, do your best. Be the best (insert branch here); get great OERs; make a difference to those Soldiers who may not have had good leadership until that point…

And then re-branch.

I don’t know how hard it is in the AC, but in the Reserve Compo…[Read more]

Chris,

A Headquarters Company Command can be a great opportunity.  Your ability to weigh in and support the commander and staff can go a long way in cementing your leadership abilities.  Also, it will give you the chance to develop your ability to influence others even if they may be inclined to “ignore” you because they work for the “XO” or s…[Read more]

This reminds me of the relationship that my SQDN had with a medic platoon in the HHT. The Line Medics were all “assigned for duty” to the Line Troops. No problem except … there weren’t MTOE slots at those Troops, there were only MTOE slots with the PLT in HHT. So all medics were Assigned to HHT, but many had duty (were attached) to those Line…[Read more]

@eberlesa – I’m glad you brought up some of the issues OBJ-T. For one, I agree with @brock.j.young. You will have to communicate the challenges you are facing early AND often to your higher HQs. As for training, some commanders have mentioned they knock out a long-range training calendar, prioritizing METs (based off commander’s guidance), and…[Read more]

Bottom line, OBJ-T is going to hurt the ratings of a lot of units, and I think after a couple of years the Army will find that it was over reach. No doubt there were some dubious ratings in the subjectivity of how things have been done. However with OBJ-T, units are set up for failure – ESPECIALLY in the Reserve compo.

From my experience, it will…[Read more]

ae_rollinson  – I am sincerely excited about this change. I’ve actually taken the test in multiple occasions and believe it is a better assessment of overall fitness compared to what we have now. That being said, there will be issues (as with everything).  My largest concern centers around the training the trainer.  Yes, the current PT is si…[Read more]

@gagirlkeish Whether from pregnancy or an injury, its tough to be away. So, I sincerely hope you recover as quick as possible! I think there are a couple of things to keep in mind. As dayna.e.sanders mentioned, I think staying active is the right attitude.  Have a conversation with your chain of command and discuss expectations in both the near an…[Read more]

@adam.szczypka – For those not familiar with CY (or MI) OPCON / ADCON relatinoships, would you do into more detail so more folks can understand what means on a day-to-day and a mission basis?

@x70037 – Jeff, I do agree with you! I’m game for talking about re-aligning with standards and a PT test that doesn’t reward slamming backs into the ground…but the primary “eyebrow raiser” for me is the execution across the Army, just as @brock.j.young was saying. I think this new test will slam ARNG & USAR components. Exactly as Brock said,…[Read more]

I submit a “reflection” instead of “an experience” for this JO Jam.

In my present job, I work with many retired NCOs, one in particular who was in the parade in Berlin when the Berlin Wall came down. I was only a few months old when the Berlin Wall came down, so it’s only something that I have experienced through books, movies, and re-watching…[Read more]

I’ve seen a lot of these come and go. The bottom line is that it’s going to be horrible for the Reserve Compo. The basic APFT is simple, but it’s supposed to be! With a minimum out put of resources and time, a commander can get a baseline as to the physical health of their element. It’s supposed to let you know if your Soldiers can survive the…[Read more]