NCOs & Leaders: I'm getting ready to deploy to Qatar with an NG Infantry unit. As a Squad Leader, what should I be on the lookout for?

2016-11-16T14:02:53-05:00

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2016 2:13 PM

2016-11-16T14:13:33-05:00

Sunburn lol

Response by MSgt Roger Settlemyer made Nov 16 at 2016 2:22 PM

2016-11-16T14:22:43-05:00

1. The make up of your unit. Find your leaders in the Junior NCO's.Give them leadership training and encourage them. If any junior troops are lazy or undependable your Junior NCO will know who they are and motivate them. Lead By Example. Remember there no "I" in Team. If you handle it right your squad will follow to hell and back.

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2016 2:38 PM

2016-11-16T14:38:19-05:00

Know your mission and ensure your Joes know it as well. In everything you do ask, "How will this affect mission accomplishment?"

Response by SPC James Harsh made Nov 16 at 2016 2:56 PM

2016-11-16T14:56:35-05:00

PCC's PCI's Hold FT Ldrs accountable, disseminate to the squad what PSG tells you oporders fragos have ft team leaders covering the basics do it all now before you get to where you're going Pt my Sqd ldrs had a lot of authority downrange because PSG was always busy. Switch someone from a team if need be. Training environment is different then deployment, people mature.

Response by SFC Anthony Shaffer made Nov 16 at 2016 3:03 PM

2016-11-16T15:03:19-05:00

How to keep your Joes out of trouble.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Nov 16 at 2016 3:07 PM

2016-11-16T15:07:39-05:00

The biggest thing is to know your troops. Knowing your troops will help you recognize when something is amiss. It'll also help you be more relatable to them when someone eventually gets homesick and whatnot.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2016 3:56 PM

2016-11-16T15:56:57-05:00

With this mission my primary concern is Joes being Joes and getting into trouble. Lots of down time, limited movement off base, "defensive posture", spells bored Joes causing trouble.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2016 4:04 PM

2016-11-16T16:04:48-05:00

SSG Private RallyPoint Member Since I just came from there, I would say watch out for the bored Soldier doing stupid shit, not really much of a threat in Qatar but plenty to do off post. And watch for those negligent discharges since the previous NG unit had 2 on the checkpoints.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Nov 16 at 2016 4:14 PM

2016-11-16T16:14:26-05:00

How to keep your guys out of trouble! :)

Response by SSG Shavonde Chase made Nov 16 at 2016 6:34 PM

2016-11-16T18:34:01-05:00

I have heard nothing but good things about Qatar. Take lots of pictures. Remember, however, you are there to do a job and represent the U.S.

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made Nov 17 at 2016 10:00 AM

2016-11-17T10:00:57-05:00

Boredom and complacency. I returned from a trip to Qatar in July and because it's a low threat environment, and because you'll most likely be assigned the FORCEPRO mission and all its associated tasks, there will be a lot of repetition and doing, literally, nothing.

The key task for you will be to keep your Soldier's engaged and feeling relevant to the greater CENTCOM mission.

Utilize MWR resources to get your people off base and doing stuff, if possible and since Qatar is a hub of activity for all of CENTCOM, keep your people informed (within the parameters of OPSEC) on what's going on the in the region and why the security they provide is important, assuming of course, you're doing physical security.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2016 11:26 AM

2016-11-17T11:26:26-05:00

You need to be extremely familiar with Access Control Point procedures. You will be doing a shitload of gate duty. Have fun.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2016 8:04 AM

2016-11-18T08:04:50-05:00

Complacency, ensure your squad utilizes this down time to work on PT, SSD, college, training, more training, train to you can make mistakes. Possibly EIB competition if the battalion is hosting one things like that.

Response by MSG Andrew White made Nov 18 at 2016 11:18 PM

2016-11-18T23:18:21-05:00

Everything!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 19 at 2016 12:36 AM

2016-11-19T00:36:53-05:00

there's a Chili's restaurant and a pool at centcom. You have a chance to go there check it out. during operation Iraqi Freedom they use to send soldiers there for a three-day pass.

Response by MSG Dan Castaneda made Nov 19 at 2016 1:47 AM

2016-11-19T01:47:25-05:00

Qatar? Your going in vacation. Be on the look out for salsa night.

Response by SFC George Smith made Nov 19 at 2016 6:00 AM

2016-11-19T06:00:45-05:00

watch your back and stay alert... use the Buddy system...

Response by SSgt Trey Peterson made Nov 21 at 2016 2:15 AM

2016-11-21T02:15:52-05:00

An std...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 21 at 2016 12:44 PM

2016-11-21T12:44:45-05:00

Know your soldiers civilian jobs and hobys. Your gonna have a wide range of experiance to use to your advantage.

Response by SSgt Jason Lozinski made Nov 22 at 2016 9:17 AM

2016-11-22T09:17:32-05:00

Making sure everyone stays safe, does there job, and maintains a F*CK*D up sense of humor.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2016 2:59 PM

2016-11-22T14:59:03-05:00

How to keep your Joes out of trouble AND Yourself.
To much temptation there.

Response by SSG Kyle Wurtz made Nov 24 at 2016 5:02 PM

2016-11-24T17:02:38-05:00

As CPL Goolsby and MSG Harrington said, know your guys and watch for changes, and keep them the hell away from alcohol. On our forcepro mission to HOA, we had constant access to alcohol and the command allowed limited consumption in the beginning. Long story short, one of our guys had some shit going on back home, got blackout drunk, and caused a blue on blue situation resulting in 2 personnel sent to Germany with gunshot wounds and a court-martial. Our entire platoon suffered 5 hours of hell and many a couple years of physiological shit as a result of something that could have been avoided by a strict no alcohol policy. Your joes will hate you for it, but it's well worth it, trust me. Make it up to them in other ways. Just remember they don't need to like you, they need to respect you. Nothing in my life or training could have prepared me to spend an hour asking myself if I was prepared to pull the trigger when my close friend and brother opened his door and pointed a weapon at me. Always do what your soldiers NEED you to do, not what they WANT you to do. Good luck and make the best of it. That kind of deployment is an excellent opportunity for Guardsmen to increase proficiency and complete career enhancing training.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 27 at 2016 2:38 AM

2016-11-27T02:38:20-05:00

Murphy is from that vacation spot. There is plenty for your boys to get in trouble with, set the example of front and keep your eye on the one that pulls away from everybody else. Get to know each and every one of your soldiers.

Ranger GUS

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 28 at 2016 5:04 PM

2016-11-28T17:04:54-05:00

Keep the "pulse" of your Squad in tune with yourself. Get to know all the soldiers of your tendencies and quirks. But above all keep communication channels open at all times...communication is the key to control.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2016 12:05 AM

2016-12-06T00:05:28-05:00

Watch out for SHARP and EO issues. Joes will be Joes and will want to go where the females are.

Response by SFC Charles Rupe made Dec 24 at 2016 5:41 PM

2016-12-24T17:41:14-05:00

The enemy.

Response by SSG Larry Sabin made Dec 30 at 2016 12:05 AM

2016-12-30T00:05:51-05:00

Friendly fire!

Response by SPC John Hornbrook made Jan 13 at 2017 8:22 PM

2017-01-13T20:22:36-05:00

Spent a year there doing Towers and ECP's. The biggest threat to soldiers over there is STD's and bored commanders who like paperwork (I almost got an article 15 for opening an MRE) not a bad deployment overall but it gets boring as all hell. I was at Camp As Sayliyah there is a pool, massage parlor, chilis, 2 nice gyms, driving range, putt putt course, movie theater, full size football field and two big mwr venues called the top off and the oasis. Pretty nice amenities but it does get boring

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2017 8:59 AM

2017-02-17T08:59:24-05:00

Heat Index 143 the day I arrived, July 2016.

Response by SGT Tony Long made Jul 17 at 2017 11:43 PM

2017-07-17T23:43:12-04:00

Keep your troops busy. Training and PT will work dangerous energy out of them.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2017 3:52 PM

2017-08-21T15:52:16-04:00

Six months down already. Worst threat: A PL that lies to his squad leaders and lacks any form of leadership competence, and a climate that allows it.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2018 2:36 PM

2018-01-17T14:36:55-05:00

Keep them from getting bored. I just got back from Qatar as deployments go it’s super boring and not an ideal deployment for Infantry. Keep your joes training and doing college courses or corespondent courses. We did EIB training as well. The Top Off and Oasis serve alcohol so that is a hot spot for trouble and SHARP complaints if you’re not careful. Brace yourself for the longest most boring 9 months of your life.

Response by SPC David Willis made Jan 17 at 2018 2:39 PM

2018-01-17T14:39:58-05:00

Out of curiosity what does one do in Qatar. I know they sent guys who re-upped there for a few days for some extra R&R but what do stationed troops do there?

Response by CPL Karl Richardt made Jan 31 at 2018 8:41 PM

2018-01-31T20:41:18-05:00

Take care of your guys. You’ll know what to do.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Aug 26 at 2019 8:37 PM

2019-08-26T20:37:37-04:00

Got a cousin there he loves the place!