Any advice for a new Lieutenant, leaving BOLC and heading for their first PL role?

Listen to your platoon sergeant!

Be a sponge. Talk to your platoon sergeant frequently and ask questions. Same with your senior NCO’s. Know drill & ceremonies. If you have WO’s in your unit ask to sit down with them (have specific questions prepared). Learn how to delegate. Get to know your commanders and their intent, command style and likes/dislikes. Obtain copies of their OER support forms. Learn everything about NCOPD. Get to know your peers and ask questions. Be careful not to become a “good idea fairy.” If you have something to say in an official capacity be prepared for naysayers and rebuttals. Lead by example. Make sure you can do whatever you ask your Soldiers to do. Start learning something about the MOS’s of your Soldiers and interact with them – don’t be that officer who is above associating with enlisted Soldiers. Take care of your Soldiers. Learn about writing awards, what the status is of pending awards and who is deserving of an award. Know your job and what is expected of you. Learn how to write NCOERs and what a good one looks like – same for counseling statements. When it’s time for PMCS, go out and help - you need to know how to do this. I could add more but that should be a good start. Good luck!

First and foremost, know your job and know your lane. This is all that training you have been gaining through your officer schools. That should be a good base to start off. Leading by example is huge when it comes to gaining respect. When you get to your unit immediately get your commanders guidance on his goals and vision for the unit, then have a sit down with your PSG to ensure everyone is on the same page. Take some time to sit back and observe how things run, please do not just go in there and pretend you know everything, this just causes loss of respect and eventually low morale when you are perceived as a arrogant yet clueless. Know the TLPs, OPORDs and the your Commanders METL, this is what you bring to the fight, planning operations to meet the overall end state, your NCOs will have a lot of input so ensure they are being considered; however, at no time should they be doing your job. You will do great, just continue learning and growing, self development will also be key. Enjoy it. My PL days were the best I can recall.

Not in any particular order:
1.) Be technically & tactically proficient.
2.) Learn (but, don't do) the job of everyone for who you write evaluations.
3.) Trust your Staff NCO's. Let them handle the NCO's. Let your NCO's handle everything else.
4.) 2ndLt's make mistakes. That's OK. Learn from them.
5.) Make sure your subordinates eat first.
6.) Keep current on your LPA (Lieutenants Protective Association) Dues. Your fellow 1st & 2ndLt's may have already "been there & done that." Warrant Officers are good resources too.
7.) Show humility, compassion, dignity, & respect to all --to include families --regardless of rank.
8.) Go to your S-1 (Personnel) and read through the Service Records of everyone in your platoon.
9.) Mission is always first.
10.) In choices of morale v. morals --morals always better.

Congratulations on your pending commission! Semper Fi & Welcome Aboard! ( ...or whatever the Army would say.)

Listen, Learn, Lead.

Listen to your leaders, peers, mentors, NCOs and younger soldiers. There is always something to learn from everyone. Don't limit your source of input for information and feedback. But dont react to what you initially hear. The first report is always perfect right?

Learn from your mistakes. We all make them. I took an M1A1 underwater (pretty cool and pretty dumb). Learn who is reliable and who is not. Circles of control and circles of influence. Never stop personal and professional development. Knowledge is power.

Lead, at the end of the day you make the decision and you bear the responsibility for success and failures.

Its hard to lead if they dont trust you. Book Suggestion from BN OPD, "Speed of Trust" http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=speed+trust&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid= [login to see] &hvqmt=b&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_83zf3mnzbn_b

From twenty-one years ago, CAPT Michael Kukuk, USMC, at AOBC, Ft. Knox (slightly paraphrased):
"Put this hand here (right hip), and this other hand here (left hip). Now adopt a neutral but serious expression. If you have a happy kind of face, then force yourself to scowl a bit. Practice that in the mirror until you can do it unselfconsciously and naturally, spur-of-the-moment. Now, for the first ninety days . . . AT LEAST, GENTLEMEN . . . if you have to be seen, and you usually do, find your platoon sergeant, walk up close to him and do that. Just that. Nothing else. Talk only to the platoon sergeant. If you have a question, go sotto voce. If you are absolutely confident you know what you're talking about, speak just loud enough for those around to hear you. Other than that, keep your ears wide open and your mouth firmly closed. You will know you have mastered that when your platoon sergeant invites your input and asks for your instructions in front of the soldiers. He doesn't need it of course, but he's reinforcing your new knowledge and boosting your confidence, making you look good in front of them. When he asks you home to dinner with his wife and family, you'll know he considers you a good learner; when he asks you to come out and have a few beers somewhere, just the two of you, you'll know he considers you experienced enough to actually hang with a bit. That's when you can be sure you have passed beyond completely useless into a productive member of the platoon, and a developing young officer.
"Oh, and never, never, never, ever . . . EVER . . . when speaking with Captains and above, begin a sentence with the words, 'Well, sir/gentlemen, based upon MY experience . . . "

1LT Ryan Millican

Listen and learn. Trust your gut. Do what is right, always. Take care of your men and mission. Figure out who is the best officers and NCOs in your unit and copy what they are doing right. Identify the best officer you can find and tell them they are going you mentor you.

Remember, it is easier to be really strict and loosen up than it is to be too lax and tighten up.

The real difference between the genius and the idiot is that they make the same mistakes initially, but genius learns from his mistakes and quietly moves forward...not making the same mistake again. The idiot goes, "Hey, did you see what I just did?" Try not to be too much of an idiot.

Lead by example. The advice to not try and be friends with junior enlisted is spot on. You should take some time to get to know them and appreciate them but there are right and wrong ways to go about it. The NCOs in your platoon should be able to show you an easy way to make that happen. If you need/want ideas send me a message.

Listen to your NCOs. Remember to stay in your lane. Allow your NCOs to do their job. Ask lots of questions. Make sure to counsel your NCOs and award Soldiers when they do a good job.

Listen to your senior NCO. You will have someone who is your most senior enlisted adviser. He or she has been there for a long time and knows what they're doing. Take their advice (obviously within reason).

Also take care of your troops, but don't try too hard to be their friends.