Posted on Aug 5, 2016
What are some tips and tricks for time management as a National Guard/Reserve Company Commander?
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NGB
Armor
Company Commander
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
- Make sure you legally delegate maximum amount of signing authority to your AGR staff, to the level they are able to handle it. I had a Chief Warrant Officer on AGR, and after I delegated signing authority, he was able to take care of a lot of administrative requirements that were unnecessarily coming to me otherwise.
- Ensure your personal computer is CAC friendly and ready to go. I use a Mac, and before we changed to PDF signature pages I had to have a second computer that I used only for the NG so I could quickly sign documents.
- Push down NCOER Rater / Senior Rater delegation as much as possible to empower your Soldiers to be the Rater / Senior Raters whenever possible. When I started as Company Commander I had over 70 NCOERs a year to do because the previous Company Commander was the Senior Rater for all of them. That is not sustainable.
- Develop and invest in your AGR staff. Having a highly capable AGR leader was probably the difference for me between succeeding and drowning on the job. If you don't have the right AGR leader in place, consider discussing with your State getting you who you need. You never know until you ask.
- Promote as much initiative among your key leaders as possible. If you find yourself chasing them for information at the start of each drill, turn the table around and make sure they know you expect them to push that information up to you.
Otherwise, there are really no tricks. It's a tough role to balance, but very rewarding.
- Ensure your personal computer is CAC friendly and ready to go. I use a Mac, and before we changed to PDF signature pages I had to have a second computer that I used only for the NG so I could quickly sign documents.
- Push down NCOER Rater / Senior Rater delegation as much as possible to empower your Soldiers to be the Rater / Senior Raters whenever possible. When I started as Company Commander I had over 70 NCOERs a year to do because the previous Company Commander was the Senior Rater for all of them. That is not sustainable.
- Develop and invest in your AGR staff. Having a highly capable AGR leader was probably the difference for me between succeeding and drowning on the job. If you don't have the right AGR leader in place, consider discussing with your State getting you who you need. You never know until you ask.
- Promote as much initiative among your key leaders as possible. If you find yourself chasing them for information at the start of each drill, turn the table around and make sure they know you expect them to push that information up to you.
Otherwise, there are really no tricks. It's a tough role to balance, but very rewarding.
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MSG (Join to see)
Previous Company Commander was the Senior Rater for all NCOERs ... effin' ridiculous.
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Not necessarily time management but ...
1. One weekend a month two weeks a year only applies if you want to fail as a commander.
2. Manage your AGRs. DO NOT Micromanage BUT do not let them try to rollover you unless you want to fail as a commander. In short ... Trust but verify.
3. Talk to your BN S3 and S4. If they're happy, then the BN Commander is happy. Or you can choose not to in which case you will likely fail as a commander.
4. Make sure your METL makes sense and wasn't some POS thrown together because of a deadline.
Too many really but those are the ones that come to mind. Best of luck MAJ (Join to see).
1. One weekend a month two weeks a year only applies if you want to fail as a commander.
2. Manage your AGRs. DO NOT Micromanage BUT do not let them try to rollover you unless you want to fail as a commander. In short ... Trust but verify.
3. Talk to your BN S3 and S4. If they're happy, then the BN Commander is happy. Or you can choose not to in which case you will likely fail as a commander.
4. Make sure your METL makes sense and wasn't some POS thrown together because of a deadline.
Too many really but those are the ones that come to mind. Best of luck MAJ (Join to see).
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MAJ (Join to see)
I tell my SNCO's and Officers the same thing I think every M-day soldier say above E-6 realizes this as they gain more responsibility...Lol Its always a fun conversation when you look at someone and say get it done between drills to meet mission....
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Capt (Join to see)
MAJ (Join to see) - I turned down E-8. I lived 40 miles form the drill site. I was not about to work 8 hours then drive 40 miles to work 3 or 4 more for free, then drive home.
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LTC John Mohor
Just because you end up with unpaid time working be sure to still get 1380's submitted and signed by both yor Soldiers and yourself! The retirements points will turn into a delayed form of compensation once you and your former Soldiers retire!
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