Posted on Sep 23, 2015
SENIOR NCOs & PSGs: What qualities and actions do you look for in a young LT?
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Senior NCO
Platoon Sergeant
Leadership
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 75
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One that is willing to lead from the front and work with, not against the PLT SGT.
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Be genuinely selfless, be consistent in all of your actions, be open to learning from the enlisted men around you E-1 thru E-9. And for the love of God maintain a healthy sense of humor.
MSG, 10th SFG (A)
MSG, 10th SFG (A)
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Ears and eyes open, mouth shut. Attach yourself to a senior NCO or SNCO and learn, especially in regards to your assigned MOS. Once you have been attached to your unit for 3-6 months and knw your job as well as your men, assume the leadership role.
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As a retired NCO, I looked at a new LT to be learning and understand they are a generalist not a technician. You are trained in tactics; I in procedures. Learn from NCOs as they are your mentors from a troop leadership standpoint. They know your personnel. Learn from them how the unit performs their specific mission as dictated from SOPs and operations manuals.
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My father(retired E-9) once told me that the brand new O-1 is in the position he or she is in not because they know everything, but because they have the ability to learn! It is our job to insure that they are taught correctly! Always made sense to me!
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I often work with ROTC cadets and always remind them to rid themselves of the common "new LT" sentiment that enlisted soldiers are only enlisted because they can't be officers. Never get caught up in the old aristocratic idea that officers and enlisted soldiers are different classes of people; it's not uncommon to run into an E-something that had a higher SAT score than their PL. With that being said - value the opinions and professional input of your soldiers.
Your willingness to reach out and ask for advice here tells me that you'll be just fine! Good luck!
Your willingness to reach out and ask for advice here tells me that you'll be just fine! Good luck!
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CPT(P) (Join to see)
I think some instructors in each one of the commissioning sources tend to teach in a way that promotes that attitude. I was an NCO for 2 1/2 years. I saw it in that time and I noticed it occasionally at OCS
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AFTER RETIRING A FEW MONTHS AGO, I JUST RECEIVED WORD MY PL HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE THE NEW XO OF MY FORMER UNIT. HE CALLED AND THANKED ME FOR THE GUIDANCE I GAVE HIM. MAKES A PLATOON DADDY HAPPY.
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I always looked for my LT to be approachable and open to reason. I'm sure that they were told one thing in school but at the unit/ platoon level, that's another story. A good Platoon Sergeant will mentor his/ her LT by pushing them towards their peers as well as the XO and Commander to get ideas from them and courses of action. Teach them that it's always good to sit down with their rather and discuss their performance and what's expected of them. Good Platoon Sergeants should teach the Squad Leaders and Team Leaders that they should support the PL and do what it takes to get the mission accomplished and take care of the Soldiers. In turn, this builds confidence and shows the LT that he/she can trust the NCO's.
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The quality and action I'm looking for in my young LTs and Capts, are to sit back, watch, listen, and learn. Be willing to accept responsibility for their section or flight's, and be accountable for them. I worked (retired now) in the Minuteman Weapon System, none of our young officers have any experience with this system, but they are expected to lead. Therefore, I expect them to speak to me about all issues to ensure they have the proper and correct information to make the best decision. I also expect them to take much instructive criticism from me and my fellow SNCOs. If they are willing to do this, I will bend over backwards for them.
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The ability to recognize their own ignorance. To realize that the reason they are looking for answers is because they don't KNOW.
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MSgt Mike Horn
Just to understand that the old enlisted guy wont let you fail if you run your ideas by him. He has probably seen it or heard of it before and can tell you if he thinks it would be a good idea to persue or not. Remember if you look stupid you make your senior SNCO look stupid. Very many times of that issue happening and he will cross the street and wash his hands of you at the command deck. Young Officers need to use the tools given them and the old Gunny or MSgt knows many more people and commands much more respect than a young officer if he goes with you to fight a issue you are much more likley to get to present your ideas. Reguardless of what they teach younwhen you are in OCS.... the old enlisted guy always is your best tool, that is why the OIC gives you one. If you choose to make him an enemy,stand by because he can and will screw you over before you can even think of seeing it coming..... and that guy has the loyalty of his troops without a doubt.
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SGT Leigh Barton
Like the 2Lt and the sergeant in the latrine? Outside the 2Lt tells the sergeant, at OCS they taught us to wash after using the urinal, to which the sergeant replied "at the NCO Academy they taught us n ot to piss on our hands"?
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