Do your Soldiers like going to the field?

MAJ Christopher Daily — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 07:05:18 -0500

As a Commander in Korea, I am constantly amazed by what my troops say. But recently I was rather surprised to have heard an overwhelming amount of my Soldiers saying how much they love going to the field and doing their "Army Job". Granted they are mostly 1st assignment Soldiers, and most have not deployed, but they just want to be out there on mission and training. These guys would spend half their tours here in Korea out in the field as long as there was heat when it is cold.

Am I the only one who has a whole Company like this?

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 7 at 2015 7:33 AM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 07:33:00 -0500

Most Soldiers do like going to the field, as long as they are participating in a training event.

I believe most join the military be challenged and to be a part of something bigger than themselves, to be a part of a team. You build the team by tough, realistic training, which often is best completed in the field. Keep them informed with your intent and keep them engaged with the mission and you will continue to see the benefits of field training.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 7:37 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 07:37:10 -0400

It's pretty amazing when you actually get to do what you thought you were going to do when you joined. Contrary to popular belief Soldiers want to train and the majority of them want to deploy and put that training to use. It's kind of like football, you bust your ass in practice so you can play in the game.

Just don't over do it, build in those training holidays so they have a chance to decompress. Nobody likes to practice all the time if there is no game scheduled.

Train them good sir!

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Mar 10 at 2015 7:47 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 07:47:40 -0400

I enjoyed going to the field if there was a purpose, I was in some units that going to the field meant going to the node center and staying there for the duration of the exercise and just doing our jobs with an occasional "NBC attack". Now put me out in the woods and doing fun training I was all for it.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 10 at 2015 8:15 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 08:15:43 -0400

It's a balance.

You get to do really cool things in the field, like shoot, but there's a point of diminishing returns. When you get back, you have to do the operational recovery from the field like vehicle and weapon cleaning, which sucks, but you have to do that whether you were in the field or not, so you may as well do it because you trained, rather than to check a box.

Once you're back in garrison, there's "admin" which has to be done, which is generally required, but tedious, and then "pomp" which no one likes doing, but it's part of the culture. Less less time you are in garrison, the less likely you are to get snagged for random "pomp" or "admin" things which don't feel related to your function.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 10:54 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 10:54:52 -0400

If your Soldier's don't love the field you are doing it wrong. Most of us joined to be Soldiers and no Soldier worth their merit has ever felt an inspiring piece of self accomplishment in the motorpool or in the office!

And I'm a Fobbit/poge!

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made Feb 11 at 2017 1:04 AM

CPT Jacob Swartout — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 01:04:48 -0500

If it meant to not be on CQ or in the Motor Pool, they would choose the field each time.