HHC vs. Line Company: Commander and First Sergeant Postings

LTC (Join to see) Great Question and brings back some memories! My 1st First Sergeant duty was in our Bn Ordnance Co (Ft. Bragg-1988), I was the Stinger PSG (SFC) in HHB at the time. Bn Cdr called me in and said, "You want to be a 1SG do you?" I said, Hell Yes, Sir I do". He said "Go with the CSM, you got 12 months to fix it or I will fire your ass!" When I walked into the Ord. Co. I found I had a CW3 Hawk Maint. WO telling the Company Commander what to do, and the Hawk Maint. PSG sitting in as 1SG. After about 1 week of walking around ( getting my feet on the gound), I went to work. Told the WO, he was no longer in Command, and told the CPT, she was now in Command and I was now doing the steering until she learned to be "the commander"! A few feelings were hurt, the CW3 got kicked out of Bn CSM office after he complained about my being disrespectful to him (one on one meeting, no witnesses). Things began to change PDQ. Command Inspection, Deployment to Roving Sands (Ft. Bliss), Org Day champions, beat the Corps LRSC, top re-enlistment in the battalion all in 12 months. Not my doing, but the Soldiers and NCOs of the unit. Things apparently went to good. At the Change of Command, 12 months later, CSM said, a new 1SG is taking over for me. I thought I was being fired and started raising hell. After he let me finish, he told me pack my bag, I was taking over as HHB 1SG. Mixed emotions! I came from HHB, but now belonged to 188th Ord. Co. I asked the CSM, why not one of the 2 MSGs, over in S3/S2, what was wrong with them. He didn't answer, but laughed, said, "you'll see!"
Now for those who have never been a HHC/HHB/HHT 1SG (I was still a SFC) it's a whole different animal. Other than your Supply, Arms Rm, NBC, Motor Pool, Cooks, Orderly Room Crew, the majority of the unit works in the Bn HQs, which is ran by the XO and S3, (and other Staff Sections by a CPT) who outrank the CO/Btry/Trp Commander. Of course they feel their mission is more important than the unit's mission. They all have personnel who they say they can't operate without, want them exempt from the duty roster, excused from PT, and oh hell, they can't be put on any details. Or so they thought. Sometimes it's difficult to meet both the unit mission (and/training schedule) and the Bn HQs mind set of what it's mission is. Sometimes it difficult to get some of the Staff to understand, it's one damn mission...shared by the unit and battalion. Bn XOs can be an asset or a royal pain in the ass. I was fortunate to have a fantastic relationship with the Bn Cdr, CSM and S3. The XO, I would have like to use as a moving target on the M16 Range. I spent two and half years as the HHB 1SG (promoted to E8) and enjoyed every minute of it. No not every minute was fun, there were plenty of challenges and turf battles, however, establishing that "good" relationship between the Cdr/1SG and the Staff is critical. Some lessons came tough. Managing Soldiers training in the HHC/HHB/HHT is different from the Line Company. Traning generally has to be scheduled twice as the Bn HQs "can not" be shut down....Yeah RIGHT! Taskings and Details can be another challenge. When the S3 would put what I felt was a few too many taskings-details on HHB, guess who got tasked for the majority of the people to pull it, the S3 Shop. The taskings were soon cut back. During my two and half years as HHB 1SG we did well on all CIs, Maint. Inspections, Airborne ops to SC, GA, Dugway, UT, Ft. Irwin, Ft. Bliss and others, and deployed to Dessert Shield/Storm. Again, the reputation of the HHB, was due to the performance of the Soldiers and NCOs.

At the two year mark, I started bugging the CSM, it's time for me to go to a Line Brty. He kept saying not no, but hell no! I kept asking and he kept refusing. At the two and half year mark, the A Brty 1SG was relieved and busted for selling drugs. Off I went to A troop. I told the new Bn Cdr and CSM, I felt like the battalion designated hitter (1SG), stepping in to fix something.

I hated to leave HHB, but it was definitely time for a change. A Btry had some damn fine unit leaders however no one was in charge, Soldiers had personal issues with ex-wives; debt collectors calling the unit; lots of Art 15s, etc. Just the kind of unit any new 1SG would want...only place it could go was up! Not long after a few changes and rules put in place, a few toxic leaders got de-toxed real quick, a few removed in not so good terms. Things began to change. Got rid of the old unit motto and let the Soldiers come up with the new one. NCO and Soldiers started appearing and winning Soldier/NCO or the month/quarter, Top Firing Battery at Sea Range in Camp Lejeune, NC; Post Flag Football Champions, etc. Again, it was the Soldiers and NCOs that did it all.

1SGs provide leadership, guidance, establish standards-exceed those standards and mentor Platoon Sergeants. 1SGs don't sit behind their desk, they get out where the Soldiers and NCOs are working. On the weekly motor-stables day, the cdr and I were on our vehicles with our drivers, with the Soldiers and NCOs. PT test time, we set the standard. A 300 score gets harder the older you get even though the max scores come down as your age goes up...but it's doable! When we returned to Ft. Bragg from deployments or FTX, I would grab the commander and say, "let's go", change your boots, we got work to do. We made it a point to help out each Plt do something as part of their recovery; In the Field, 1SG/Cdr were cooking and serving chow from the MKT. These are done in every unit, no matter if it's a line Company or HHC/HHB/TRP. Their is definitely different management challenges between the two, however, regardless of it being a Line Co or HQs, leadership is leadership. I would jump at the chance to take over any of them again, it wouldn't matter. Again Great Question Sir! Tried to keep it short, however! NO-GO at this station on that one I guess!

Going from being the commander's bus driver to being your own boss must have been like a breath of fresh air. I have literally only known being in an HHC for all but my first assignment. As I was Signal, my only choice in a NG MP Bde was Bde HHC or Bn HHD. I ended up with the 85 person HHD simply because of timing and you have to take it or risk losing it. Spent almost 4 years there but it was a great experience dealing with all the command issues with the S6 being only my side job as I a had a great E-6 running the shop.

I have only commanded a line battery, but being a former XO, have worked hand in hand with the HHB Commander. I would say that line batteries / companies are easier than the HHC. Major of your Soldiers are the same MOS, so training is easier and you don't have the distraction of the staff there.

I would say your relationship with the 1SG remains the same, if it is good, command is good...if it is rough, command will be rough.

But, the opportunity to command is always the greatest privledge we get as offers, so enjoy it!