I am seeking to perform well as a commissioned officer. What advice can you offer to being an effective staff and line officer ?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 May 2017 19:16:29 -0400

Response by MAJ Richard Cheek made May 9 at 2017 7:21 PM

MAJ Richard Cheek — Tue, 09 May 2017 19:21:12 -0400

Don't be afraid to ask for assistance. Learn to listen to your trusted NCOs.

Response by PFC Roger Goff made May 9 at 2017 8:03 PM

PFC Roger Goff — Tue, 09 May 2017 20:03:24 -0400

Know the history of your unit. Have your NCO's teach it to the troops to instill a sense of belonging in them. And give them a sense of their place in history. Speak of it when you address the men. Remember that respect isn't pinned on, it is earned.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2017 8:18 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 May 2017 20:18:49 -0400

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Congratulations on your commission. As a former Sergeant, you know the importance of officers listening to their NCO's and Staff NCO's. Take care of your men and make sure they are well trained. Two of the best officers that I served under, had been former enlisted. Best wishes Lieutenant!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made May 9 at 2017 8:33 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Tue, 09 May 2017 20:33:49 -0400

CPT Private RallyPoint Member there is a ton of RP content on this topic. Here is a link to a similar discussion with links to,other similar discussions. https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-some-advice-that-you-would-give-to-a-brand-new-lt?urlhash=2492830

What is some advice that you would give to a brand new LT? | RallyPoint

I am currently a sophomore contracted cadet and wanted to know. What is some advice that you wish your platoon leaders knew from the enlisted side? And what would be some advice you'd give from personal experience (officer side)? Thanks in advance.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2017 8:50 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 May 2017 20:50:41 -0400

You will get a thousand different answers. I will answer from the perspective of a Signaleer, and things I've learned along the way. Read ADP 6-22, and 7-0 to start. Know signal flow and the capabilities and limitations of your equipment in order to employ it correctly, but understand that your job as a 25A is not to be a technical expert. If you are in the weeds configuring equipment instead of leading and managing your troops something is wrong. Understand the unit's mission and how you fit into it. Make sure you can write and write well-reference AR 25-50 constantly. You need to understand evaluations, and counseling; and if you are fortunate enough to be a Platoon Leader you need to understand property accountability (AR 735-5 and 710-2). Trust, but verify. Do not solely rely on email to communicate. Always try to improve your unit; you do this by improving yourself, your troops, and your processes. If you don't know the answer, and you can't find it, don't be afraid to ask; but make the effort to educate yourself first. If you bring up a problem, you should have a solution or mitigation plan as well. Seek out a mentor; this can be anyone who can develop you whether it be a Senior NCO, Officer, or Civilian.

Response by LTC John Mohor made May 9 at 2017 11:10 PM

LTC John Mohor — Tue, 09 May 2017 23:10:15 -0400

LT just by asking we can tell you're on the right track! Good luck in all your future endeavors! Don't forget to look into USAA for most of your personal insurance and financial needs.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made May 10 at 2017 12:04 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Wed, 10 May 2017 00:04:42 -0400

Set the example.

And check out all the sage advice here:
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-the-one-thing-every-young-officer-must-know

What is the ONE thing EVERY young Officer must know? | RallyPoint

There's been quite a few discussions about how clueless young Lieutenants (and Ensigns) are when they hit the Operating Forces (and we often are). Here it is: your chance to publicly and permanently record the one topic you think is the most critical for us to know when we step in at your unit. With some luck, maybe those young officers will read it here and have the epiphany they need privately and everyone will be better off for it. So hit...

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made May 10 at 2017 12:15 AM

CPT Jacob Swartout — Wed, 10 May 2017 00:15:44 -0400

Be willing to learn and listen to the NCOs. Your PSG will teach and mentor you as will some of your other NCOs and Soldiers in your platoon. Even a PFC can teach you something that you didn't know before. Take care of your platoon and they will return the favor.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 10 at 2017 6:50 AM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Wed, 10 May 2017 06:50:08 -0400

A little advice I gave a young 2Lt years ago was: listen to your senior NCO's , be in communication with them on a honest level, and take what they say as sage advice.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made May 10 at 2017 8:43 AM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Wed, 10 May 2017 08:43:24 -0400

Staff should be a little further out for you than the line. In aviation, usually the staff portion comes at Captain. Focus on your Soldiers, know them and their lives, lead from the front and solve your bosses boss problems. If you can do the latter, then you have effectively taken care of the chain of command and its mission with your Soldiers through your leadership.

Response by SGT Paul Mackay made May 10 at 2017 7:49 PM

SGT Paul Mackay — Wed, 10 May 2017 19:49:18 -0400

treat everyone in your command egual

Response by SSgt Thomas Phillips made May 18 at 2017 3:03 PM

SSgt Thomas Phillips — Thu, 18 May 2017 15:03:28 -0400

A couple of things. 1. As a lot have said, learn which senior NCOs can be trusted, and listen to them. 2. This may sound weird, but in almost everything the CO puts out, there should be a section called "Commander's Intent." Use that to guide your actions. I don't know what term the Army uses, but that was what we called it in the Marine Corps.

Response by Col Ian O'Connell made May 18 at 2017 4:16 PM

Col Ian O'Connell — Thu, 18 May 2017 16:16:52 -0400

Lots of good advice here. I would add:
- Listen more than you speak (to everyone)
- Some in this thread said, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, I would modify that to say, Don't change things just to change things. But never be afraid to ask "why is it done that way?" and "Why can't we do it differently?" Tradition: Just because it's always been done that way, doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid.
- Your troops are who make you successful, so you better be loyal to them and have their back.
- Never stop learning

I'd also suggest getting hold of General (Retired) Colin Powell's principles of leadership.

Response by Lt Col Paul Maxwell made May 18 at 2017 10:22 PM

Lt Col Paul Maxwell — Thu, 18 May 2017 22:22:44 -0400

Always remember that as an officer, your job is take care of your troops. Work the mission, take care of your people.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2017 10:24 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 May 2017 22:24:47 -0400

You're the moral compass in your unit. If something is going on that isn't appropriate (i.e. Hazing, discrimination), YOU have the responsibility of making a change. Also, property accountability will make or break you as a LT. Other than that, trust your NCO's and you'll figure everything else out along the way

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 25 at 2019 4:04 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 16:04:46 -0400

You know, that's a really interesting question, for a multitude of reasons, honest...God knows, I suppose different svcs have different ways, of course, however, basically, this is honestly what I'd tell you, OK? When I went in throuh USAF OTS, I basically got EVERYTHING wrong, ALL of it...I couldn't have bollixed stuff up more if I'd tried...in fact, I quite literally INVENTED new ways to bollix things up, I assure you...first and foremost being, I simply refused to accept the reality that: (a) I wasn't going to be able to change where I was, then (b) Nobody cared one whit what I wanted, and I do mean ZERO, and, finally (c) I needed to have my head quite literally pounded and slammed into pavement to get (a) and (b) into my head, OK? So, where you are is where you are, and, basically, as I learned, yeah, in the hardest possible way, the only thing you're there to care about is your unit, and contributing to its productivity...your ambitions are your ambitions, not those of your unit, your bosses, or the service, NOBODY could care less about your ambitions, believe me, I found out, just as I'd said, that NOBODY cared one whit, one iota about mine, period...I wound up under the wrong people, for all the wrong reasons, basically because I was an idiot, and impulsively joined totally the wrong way...I'd been Army ROTC before USAF OTS, and I learned all about charity drives, additional duties, which, trust me, aren't gonna vary all that much from USAF to Army, I assure you...I had to do the booth for the base winter carnival where I was, attend the company grade officers council (CGOC) meeting, write up an accident by a junior airman who'd damaged a fender, I found it wasn't his fault, as it'd been a snow day, I had to spend a day with the base commander, a Capt I'd been under wanted me to do that, and also do unit disaster preparedness...I had to stay in the office I was in generally till 3 AM most days, to get briefings together, then be called an incompetent idiot and screamed at by a GS-15 I was under...I had to be supervised by civil servants, quite often, not just active duty...if I wanted to send out a letter, I had to get three different signatures, just to have it go out, and constantly rewrite it, I had to learn about Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity drives, the service version of the United Way, and got basically ZERO of what I'd actually joined for, which was to have been a bioengineer trying to aim to be a flight surgeon on the clinical side...I never got to actually eval anyone, or write up a performance report, I had to learn how to organize my work, and record all I'd done when my performance evals were done, as I was most definitely asked what I'd done...if you're gonna stay in, you're most definitely gonna need to get, minimum, a masters, ASAP, even if only part time, as in PRONTO, plus, you're gonna have to do prof mil educ (PME), not just for Army, but for other svcs, as well...USAF was REAL serious about getting Squadron Ofcrs School (SOS) nonresident done, I also did USMC command and staff (C&S) nonresident, and also tried to do Naval War College (NWC) C&S nonresident, though that turned out to be way too time-consuming...it'd help to know what your bachelors was in, if possible, any associates you might also have gotten, whether you were ROTC, OCS, or USMA, your grades, GPAs, specific STEM coursework, I'd seen you're Signal Corps, what specific masters major you'd want to try for, so far as you could elaborate...also, you should look at both USAF AFIT, as well as Naval Postgrad School (NPS), and try getting ready to submit for them, all warrants and commissioned can apply, you don't have to be USAF or Navy, I had a recommend for NPS by my unit CO, an O-6, I just couldn't get it...you wanted to know what reality was, the only award I ever got was a plaque for helping my unit get a good IG rating, that was it...I don't know what it's like where you are, however, that was, truly, the way it was where I was, honest, I hope that was informative, if nothing else, if you'd care to chat more, just ask, no rush, whenever you'd want...I didn't tell you all that to dissuade you, I have an interest in career/educ questions, my object was only to try to educate, promise, OK?

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 25 at 2019 4:08 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 16:08:33 -0400

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Institute_of_Technology

Think very seriously, as I'd said, about applying here, you don't need to be USAF to attend, as I'd mentioned....

Air Force Institute of Technology - Wikipedia

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is located in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton. AFIT is a component of the Air University and Air Education and Training Command.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Mar 25 at 2019 4:10 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 16:10:05 -0400

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Postgraduate_School

This was the one I had a recommend for and couldn't get, they also have an totally online PhD in comp sci (CS) you might care to look at, though you should also try to see if you can apply to attend in residence....

Naval Postgraduate School - Wikipedia

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a public graduate school operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California. It grants master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and certificates. Established in 1909, the school also offers research fellowship opportunities at the postdoctoral level through the National Academies' National Research Council research associateship program.[3]

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 25 at 2019 7:22 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 19:22:26 -0400

Be humble. Listen to the NCOs and learn from them, ask them questions. Know the OPORD format backwards and forwards. Know the contact drills. Get a TACSOP and study it. Treat everyone with respect and dignity. Understand the priorities of work although it is NCO driven.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2019 8:02 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 20:02:10 -0400

Keep your men to heart, and they will respect and follow.