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I've been at my current unit for 2 and half years as a 31A and my time is probably coming to an end NLT March 2021. My future assignment recommendations have been at Battalion or Brigade staff prior to Company Command. What can I possibly expect at that level?
Posted in these groups: 
31A: Military Police
31A: Military Police
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 6
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1LT (Join to see) This is a mile wide and a mile deep. Which staff section? Which level? Then there is the RC spin on it. You need to look at DA PAM 600-3 and ADP 3.0.
In general staff officers track reporting, take action on reporting within their scope, provide staff estimates, conduct staff studies, supervise programs (like ammo management, CSDP, unit maintenance program) etc), participate in MDMP, work issues for companies, support the Commander by doing what the XO directs the staff to do, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, and other duties as assigned.
As a company grade officer you may or may not be a staff primary (i.e. "The" S3). Spoiler alert: you are going to Be assigned to an HHC/hHD as a staff officer for the rest of your career with the exception of OC/T, PME and Company Command. They miss that in the ROTC and OCS trifold glossy brochure. Moral of the story: get good at it.
Staff is not all bad. You get to see what "they" were thinking when they wrote that order that you complain about at the Company. You'll find there was not much choice and they didn't lack creativity. Sh-stuff needs to get done and someone is going to do it.
- You get to see Command at the Company and Command at the BN/BDE level good and bad. You can learn lots of helpful information through research and example for Company Command.
- You'll network and forge relationships with people at the doer level in the HQ. They are invaluable at helping you. How much they help, largely depends on how much of a jerk you are to them. You'll find they like being engaged politely and professionally and will die on their shield to help you.
- Approached from a "what can I learn and get better at" perspective goes further in staff work, than "this sucks, why can't I be a Captain as a CO XO?" Mentality. Great opportunity to develop effective writing skills, especially active voice, brevity based Army writing style. It is criminal we no longer have CAS3.
- Being an S1 is a great opportunity as most good things come from S1: promotions, awards, orders, and fixes for pay and personnel actions. You also get innermost access to the BN or BDE CDR.
- Being an S2 means never having to figure out physical security, key control, etc ever again, but there is likely an MI officer hooking and jabbing to get that S2 slot.
- Being an S3 gives you the best seat in the house to figuring out BN/BDE XO and Command. Two absolutely distinct things. The hardest thing for me was being the XO and BN CDR at the same time.
- Being a S4, unless you were an absolutely incompetent boob, you should have no problems navigating management of a property book, Supply room, and purchasing.
- you are unlikely to be thrown in as an S6, but you should really understand comms and IT, especially if your NCO is worth their salt.
In general staff officers track reporting, take action on reporting within their scope, provide staff estimates, conduct staff studies, supervise programs (like ammo management, CSDP, unit maintenance program) etc), participate in MDMP, work issues for companies, support the Commander by doing what the XO directs the staff to do, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, other duties as assigned, and other duties as assigned.
As a company grade officer you may or may not be a staff primary (i.e. "The" S3). Spoiler alert: you are going to Be assigned to an HHC/hHD as a staff officer for the rest of your career with the exception of OC/T, PME and Company Command. They miss that in the ROTC and OCS trifold glossy brochure. Moral of the story: get good at it.
Staff is not all bad. You get to see what "they" were thinking when they wrote that order that you complain about at the Company. You'll find there was not much choice and they didn't lack creativity. Sh-stuff needs to get done and someone is going to do it.
- You get to see Command at the Company and Command at the BN/BDE level good and bad. You can learn lots of helpful information through research and example for Company Command.
- You'll network and forge relationships with people at the doer level in the HQ. They are invaluable at helping you. How much they help, largely depends on how much of a jerk you are to them. You'll find they like being engaged politely and professionally and will die on their shield to help you.
- Approached from a "what can I learn and get better at" perspective goes further in staff work, than "this sucks, why can't I be a Captain as a CO XO?" Mentality. Great opportunity to develop effective writing skills, especially active voice, brevity based Army writing style. It is criminal we no longer have CAS3.
- Being an S1 is a great opportunity as most good things come from S1: promotions, awards, orders, and fixes for pay and personnel actions. You also get innermost access to the BN or BDE CDR.
- Being an S2 means never having to figure out physical security, key control, etc ever again, but there is likely an MI officer hooking and jabbing to get that S2 slot.
- Being an S3 gives you the best seat in the house to figuring out BN/BDE XO and Command. Two absolutely distinct things. The hardest thing for me was being the XO and BN CDR at the same time.
- Being a S4, unless you were an absolutely incompetent boob, you should have no problems navigating management of a property book, Supply room, and purchasing.
- you are unlikely to be thrown in as an S6, but you should really understand comms and IT, especially if your NCO is worth their salt.
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LT,
The reality is the MTOE does not support an extra 31A at the BN, unless mobilized or deployed. Only four 31As: BN CDR, XO, S3, and HHC CDR are authorized with an extra 02/03 in the 3 shop when mobilized. The rest are excess. Also, the fact that we are short Co Cdrs across the force means you will probably assume command before making CPT. In a perfect world, you would get the best return in the 3 shop. Back to your question... you’re going to get out what you put in. Be prepared to exercise disciplined initiative. Get smart with the unit METL and understand how training nests. Try to anticipate requirements and plan branches. Your strength will be your tactical expertise and ability to communicate the effects of operations at the CO/PLT level. That sounding board has the potential to re-evaluate plans/operations. Ultimately, be a sponge and try not to repeat mistakes. If need specific advice regarding your specific BN/BDE, shoot me an email on global.
The reality is the MTOE does not support an extra 31A at the BN, unless mobilized or deployed. Only four 31As: BN CDR, XO, S3, and HHC CDR are authorized with an extra 02/03 in the 3 shop when mobilized. The rest are excess. Also, the fact that we are short Co Cdrs across the force means you will probably assume command before making CPT. In a perfect world, you would get the best return in the 3 shop. Back to your question... you’re going to get out what you put in. Be prepared to exercise disciplined initiative. Get smart with the unit METL and understand how training nests. Try to anticipate requirements and plan branches. Your strength will be your tactical expertise and ability to communicate the effects of operations at the CO/PLT level. That sounding board has the potential to re-evaluate plans/operations. Ultimately, be a sponge and try not to repeat mistakes. If need specific advice regarding your specific BN/BDE, shoot me an email on global.
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