As a former Enlisted Signal soldier to a newly commissioned Signal Officer, how do you successfully make the transition?

2015-10-02T09:40:04-04:00

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2015 9:45 AM

2015-10-02T09:45:11-04:00

What I can tell you the hardest part of transitioning for me has been learning and training myself to know I am no longer just a joe, and separating yourself from that mindset. What has helped me is finding an officer as a mentor. I've been lucky that my mentor is a mustang as well so he has given me many pointers. But again you must learn and build that separation within yourself of officer/soldier.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2015 9:49 AM

2015-10-02T09:49:02-04:00

Im not an officer, although i have assisted a few with thier commission, similar questions I have answered like this -
-Remember your roots and where you come from.
-with every order make sure you provide Purpose, motivation and direction, and that its understood.
- leave nothing to interpretation.
- stay out of NCO business.

Just my $0.02

TGIF

Response by 1LT Aaron Barr made Oct 2 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-10-02T09:53:13-04:00

Commissioned via ROTC so never had that issue personally but I served with a 2LT who'd been an NCO prior to commissioning. His biggest issue what that he seemed to want to remain an NCO but with the pay grade of an O1. He micromanaged his platoon and drove his NCO's nuts.

Response by CDR Terry Boles made Oct 2 at 2015 10:16 AM

2015-10-02T10:16:16-04:00

2LT Ryan Smith
All great advice from earlier posts. As a mustang officer myself, I agree that you should have an officer mentor, not forget your roots, let the NCOs do their job and provide proper oversight and support, let your troops know you have their best interest at heart as well as meeting the mission. Since you are in your same career field, I assume you know the business end and as an officer this will help you immensely. Do remember you are an officer, not a NCO anymore and you have to behave as such and make decisions as such, and cant afford to be buddy buddy anymore with the enlisted...it can be a painful lesson otherwise.

You Sir, will undoubtedly enjoy a new career with new perspectives and challenges you only thought you understood from an NCO perspective. I wish you well!!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-10-02T10:17:44-04:00

It's difficult, especially if you end up working with any of the same people. Try not to act like you know everything because you were already there (even if you really might) and remember as time goes on you are going to become less and less knowledgeable about the specifics you used to know a lot about, and more knowledgeable about a broad array of other things.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 2 at 2015 11:14 AM

2015-10-02T11:14:06-04:00

Since you were an NCO, look at it this way - don't do what you disliked/hated that your OiC/CommO did (micromanagement being one). That one of the first things I'd start doing from the beginning to shape my own path. In the future I might be in a similar boat, so I may reach out to you....

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Oct 3 at 2015 9:49 AM

2015-10-03T09:49:05-04:00

You've got many good answers, 1LT Private RallyPoint Member, so I'll simply just tell you good luck in your career. I was always glad I became a commissioned officer, and I hope you'll feel the same. You'll do well.

Response by MAJ Christoph Himmelsbach made Oct 6 at 2015 4:32 PM

2015-10-06T16:32:18-04:00

As a mustang myself, and observing other mustangs that both made easy and difficult transitions, my biggest takeway was to be able to stand back and let the enlisted do their jobs and make their own way without getting too directly involved. Lower enlisted now have other non-commisioned officers to immeidately supervise them, and the non-commisioned officers must have the latitude to make minor mistakes in order to learn, just like you did. It is tough to not jump in immediately to "help" them, or correct low-level mistakes. Your focus now to guide the organization from a more operational perspective, not from "the foxhole". You'll find there is more than enough to keep you busy in that regard. See yourself as the next level of "buffer" to keep less of the higher level crap landing on your enlisted, instead of trying to do their jobs for them.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 6:56 PM

2015-10-06T18:56:49-04:00

LT

Although I was not Signal, I made the transition from NCO to Signal Officer about 5 years ago. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to step back and don’t micromanage your NCO’s and enlisted Soldiers but let them do their jobs as Signaleers. Your a former NCO so you know how it is when Officers get into NCO business just remember the show is on the other foot now. Its harder than it sounds, so I told the Sr. NCO’s I worked with that if they felt I was overstepping to just let me know.

Depending on what you did as a 25B you may know the systems (JNN’s, STT’s, NETOPs suites etc.) that you are directed to manage very well, so don’t be afraid to ask questions of the Soldier to make sure they understand them too. Also don’t be afraid to correct them either if they are wrong, just do it tactfully (and make sure you know you’re right). If there are training issues across the board, then get with your PSG and let him/her know your concerns, work together to come up with a plan and then let PSG take the steps to fix it.

As others have suggested look for a mentor. Open the discussion with your Rater and Sr Rater about who would make a good mentor for you even if they are outside your command. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

Response by CPT Shane D. Metz made Oct 6 at 2015 7:35 PM

2015-10-06T19:35:34-04:00

As a Retired Mustang myself I was a enlisted for 11.5 years before receiving my Commission. Like everyone said before, remember your roots, but you have to remember to your enlisted buddies are no longer you drinking buddies. As a Officer you have to keep yourself above reproach. If you are reassigned to the same BDE or BN that is something that should not have happened as you will have a hard time in your transition.

Remember you have knowledge in how to do, now you need to apply it to a broader picture and not just down at the individual level. I was a S6 for 6 years and was very successful since I had been enlisted and had physically touched all the systems that we used...now you need to apply you skills in the sameway and think outside of the box and as a LT you are expected to make mistakes...so make them as you are learning new things....

Good Luck

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2015 9:12 AM

2015-10-08T09:12:30-04:00

I'm right there with you. I was an enlisted 25Q and now a 25A for just over a year. If you haven't gone to S-BOLC yet, you will likely have the opportunity to meet some good mentors. Your TACs have experience, but you want to lean on your assigned mentors from the CPT Career Course. The army is doing better at understanding the need for branch specific mentors.

As a 25B, you might not pick up as much new material in S-BOLC as those fresh out of college, or ones from another branch. Help your class out as much as possible without being arrogant. Continue to ask if your help is actually helping.

While you are at Gordon, make sure your PT test scores are at least 90 in all events and you will have the opportunity to compete for the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. You only have a few opportunities to earn that badge in your career.

Since there is a lot of good info on this post already about listening to the PSG and keeping good contacts, I'll just add that you are not an NCO anymore. If you get the urge to correct a troop or get a task done, find the appropriate NCO. Give them the intent and let them impress you with how they get the results.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Oct 11 at 2015 7:58 AM

2015-10-11T07:58:39-04:00

First off, congratulations and welcome to the "O" club. Though I can only speak from the O side, here's my advice. You come from a unique perspective having been a soldier first so you know first hand where your soldiers are coming from. Use that to help your decision making and maintain your frame of reference as a leader. Remember that you are a manager and your NCOs are the supervisors. You make decisions for the betterment of the unit where your NCOs handle things at the soldier level. That was a tough one even for me. I am a people person and enjoyed being one on one with soldiers to learn my job but I found myself trying to make NCO type of decisions. Luckily I had great NCOs who showed me the difference and would chase me away when necessary. Trust your NCOs and lead them, let them guide you - you're not giving up your leadership to them, you're using their expertise to assist you. Your NCOs are your staff & your greatest asset. When you need to discipline or make an on the spot correction with an NCO, do it one on one and in private - NEVER call them out in front of troops unless life and limb are in danger. Soldiers need to trust their NCOs and addressing an NCO issue privately or with other NCOs helps to keep that trust. Best of luck to you!!
If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 11 at 2015 12:14 PM

2015-10-11T12:14:15-04:00

Get the supply sgt energized about equipment signing. Have him prepare the hand receipts and be at the inventory.

Response by CPT Brett Patron made Oct 11 at 2015 10:08 PM

2015-10-11T22:08:30-04:00

Some thoughts, in no particular order:

What made you effective as enlisted was technical skill. It is important to retain that info but remember - it isn't your job.

You will make big money as an O each time you can bridge the divide between tactical requirements and technical execution. Making the complex understandable is critical. Making the technical relevant to a decision maker even more so.

The most important job you'll do as a Signal Officer is the one you will be least prepared (by the schoolhouse) to do - being an S6. Learn the staff process. Master it. Understand what decision points are. Understand how the comms capabilities you provide aid and impact those decision points. No one cares how many Kbps throughput you're pushing if it doesn't give them what they want. And despite what you'll be told - an S6 is a leader. Don't get hung up on the title "Staff officer".. be a leader.

Get on the Platoon Leader and Company Command sites now and engage in these venues. They are valuable resources populated by folks who've walked the ground you've walked. Ask questions and don't be afraid to take a viewpoint that you can defend.

BJP
Prior Enlisted LongTabSigO

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 15 at 2015 7:47 PM

2015-10-15T19:47:54-04:00

Listen to your PSG. Let him do his job, stay in your lane!

Response by SSG Reginald Bowie made Sep 8 at 2016 2:35 PM

2016-09-08T14:35:03-04:00

"Do not let your RANK out-power you knowledge!" Just because you made a higher Rank doesn't mean you know more than the soldiers assigned to you. Learn from them, then teach each other.