Posted on Mar 12, 2020
Is leaving work after your shift (regardless if it is 8 or 16 hours) cool regardless of the mission?
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Thoughts? Just a general question. Will the mission continue? Does this reflect poorly in the SM? One team, One fight? Garrison and deployed.
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Leadership
Leadership
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 5
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Shifts? The only soldiers I ever knew that worked shifts were cooks. There was never a time I departed work on a schedule. 1630, what was that? Formation for Retreat.
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LTC Jason Mackay
MSG Danny Mathers One of the repeated findings at the Training Centers is that there is a problem with sleep management. You have more senior people foregoing sleep so they can be there for everything. The longer you are awake without sleep, the poorer decisions you make. It used to be a badge Brigade of honor how long you could go in a Command Post without sleep. Now we know that this has a really negative short term impact as you make decisions on the order of those that would get a DUI. The long term impact to individuals may be linked to weight gain that is hard to get off, sleep disorders and sleep apnea.
Shouldn't we be building the bench? How do you do that? How are you developing juniors that are capable of taking your place one day?
The answer is shifts to work rest plans where 24/7 operations are critical. There will be times where you have to go,longer than 24hrs, not saying there aren't. Just saying it's not the default position because we are too short sighted to manage it. For tactical maneuver formations, it can be managed with rotations at Squad or Platoons from the Company level. In a tactical headquarters at the Company, Battalion, Brigade, and Division level, shifts and rest plans are how it has to get done. And a shift based rest plan supports managing the unknown but is dependent on you building the bench with effective battle NCOs and Battale Captains; planning and thinking through operations; wargaming; red teaming; understanding branches, sequels, and risk.
Now if you are talking about clock punching mentality, like in Garrison for unforeseen emergencies etc, I can agree that we are Soldiers 24/7 with one reclama. A leader somewhere has to assess the following and grab control of the emergency/unforeseen:
- what needs to be done. What does done look like?
- how long have I had people operating and how much longer do we need to push?
- how much longer can I push them? What's the risk? What can I do to mitigate and lower risk? Which risk can I take? When do I need to obtain relief from higher on that risk?
- who do I need? Do I need everyone to complete this mission? Do I stash some people in Reserve to carry on this or other missions?
- can I segment the Task or split it between groups? Can I delegate this to a subordinate? Where if the decisive point that as the senior leader, I need to be on hand for decisions or direct leadership in times of hardship/suck embracing
SFC (Join to see) I think this is my response to your question. There were times in ISAF when I worked CJ33 that I either left as my shift was over or stayed and worked 20 hours straight. It depended on the urgency and how much of it was riding on me personally and if there were multiple CCIR events with strategic impact going on at the same time ( i.e. The shift was going to be busy). There were a couple times I stayed and finished a product P4 needed to brief the President; alliance threatening civcas events, etc. other times, I briefed my relief and walked out the door.
Shouldn't we be building the bench? How do you do that? How are you developing juniors that are capable of taking your place one day?
The answer is shifts to work rest plans where 24/7 operations are critical. There will be times where you have to go,longer than 24hrs, not saying there aren't. Just saying it's not the default position because we are too short sighted to manage it. For tactical maneuver formations, it can be managed with rotations at Squad or Platoons from the Company level. In a tactical headquarters at the Company, Battalion, Brigade, and Division level, shifts and rest plans are how it has to get done. And a shift based rest plan supports managing the unknown but is dependent on you building the bench with effective battle NCOs and Battale Captains; planning and thinking through operations; wargaming; red teaming; understanding branches, sequels, and risk.
Now if you are talking about clock punching mentality, like in Garrison for unforeseen emergencies etc, I can agree that we are Soldiers 24/7 with one reclama. A leader somewhere has to assess the following and grab control of the emergency/unforeseen:
- what needs to be done. What does done look like?
- how long have I had people operating and how much longer do we need to push?
- how much longer can I push them? What's the risk? What can I do to mitigate and lower risk? Which risk can I take? When do I need to obtain relief from higher on that risk?
- who do I need? Do I need everyone to complete this mission? Do I stash some people in Reserve to carry on this or other missions?
- can I segment the Task or split it between groups? Can I delegate this to a subordinate? Where if the decisive point that as the senior leader, I need to be on hand for decisions or direct leadership in times of hardship/suck embracing
SFC (Join to see) I think this is my response to your question. There were times in ISAF when I worked CJ33 that I either left as my shift was over or stayed and worked 20 hours straight. It depended on the urgency and how much of it was riding on me personally and if there were multiple CCIR events with strategic impact going on at the same time ( i.e. The shift was going to be busy). There were a couple times I stayed and finished a product P4 needed to brief the President; alliance threatening civcas events, etc. other times, I briefed my relief and walked out the door.
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Mission success can't hinge on one person. If the unit will fail due to one persons abscence, then that unit has issues far larger than one person can fix.
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If the next guy tells you he is "bubble up" and good to go. Get out, get fed, get clean, get to sleep, and get ready for your next shift.
Our MEU had an S-3 who would not turnover the command center during ops. He found out the hard way. We were on 15 minute alert for an extended period. We were running 6 hour shifts with an hour of turnover. 32 hours into the standby he was so tired he was ordered ordered to his state room for not less that 6 hours. He missed the green light. (It wasn't a big deal we were recalled before the birds were feet dry.) But he learned his lesson.
Our MEU had an S-3 who would not turnover the command center during ops. He found out the hard way. We were on 15 minute alert for an extended period. We were running 6 hour shifts with an hour of turnover. 32 hours into the standby he was so tired he was ordered ordered to his state room for not less that 6 hours. He missed the green light. (It wasn't a big deal we were recalled before the birds were feet dry.) But he learned his lesson.
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SFC (Join to see)
That is my take, Sir. I see no problem leaving for the day if there is something that can be accomplished the next day with no rush. Some units seem to frown upon leaders if the mission isn't fully complete but is not a priority. I hate it so much.
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Maj John Bell
SFC (Join to see) - It should not even matter if the mission is a priority. Any primary that doesn't have a second that can carry his freight isn't doing his leadership job. Redundancy isn't just nice to have it is a command imperative. The ONLY reason to remain if you shift is over: Things are so bad that the command is overwhelmed.
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