Posted on Oct 27, 2013
What is the best advice you can give a Jr Officer?
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Mentorship
Officers
Junior Officers
Professional Development
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 90
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
That is a very good point Colonel, as Humans We do make mistakes, that is expected, if it can be corrected without much pain thats good. One mistake vs 25 good things should be considered also provided the mistake wasn't beyond the reasonable. I've never heard that phrase mistake vs Intent but I like it. That is something I'll remember, thank You .
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This is obviously not meant to say I have more experience that you, because I don't; especially since you are a prior NCO. But if I were to share what I have learned with anyone else that will read this thread, it's that no matter what your commissioning source or how much experience you have prior to commissioning, you have to approach your job with a good measure of humility. I learned this lesson the hard way. Rank has it's benefits, but it certainly doesn't entitle you to all the good or best ideas. I know lot's of 0-3's that still have no concept of this.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I find that usually 01 and 02 are both still in the learning process. You can assume the 01 knows very little once He becomes an 02 He may think He knows more than He does. once arriving at 03 that is the breaking point, either You have become an effective officer and have a good career in front of You or its the end and You never will progress. At that point You have enough time in You should be an effective leader but that depends on You and what You did or didn't do to prepare for this level.
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Sir, respectfully may I suggest from the point of view of a lower enlisted to always respect your guys all the way down to E1 because they are doing the majority of the work assigned to you to make sure it gets done, if that makes sense? Again, from the point of view of the lower enlisted, respect means everything. While we as enlisted are required to show respect to Senior NCOs and Officers, the opposite is not the same and showing respect in the other direction goes a long way when you have to ask one of your guys to stay behind an extra hour or two. He has a home to go to as well, and he also has a family and kids in many cases, but the major difference is that he will no doubt do it happily and help you out if everyone is on the same level (rank excluded, obviously) rather than grumble about it to his superiors for the next week because he wasn't able to eat dinner with his family. Now, this is the part where I thank you for taking the time to stoop down and ask for advice humbly when I honestly can't say the same for a lot of Officers that I have had the privilege to know. Have a great day!
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Know how to balance between accomplishing the "Mission" and taking care of your "People"; both are equally important, can't have one and not the other. Taking care of people will help ensure the mission is accomplished.
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Sir, Completely agree with SGM Brainard! Trust your NCOs! Yes we call our training SGT Time Training but I never once turned an LT away who wanted to learn what we were teaching our troops. Not saying we will not play pranks here and there on you but we will never send you in the wrong direction. Never be afraid to say "Show Me!" just because I say trust us don't mean you don't need to know where it is for yourself so that if you have the question you will know where to look for the answer. I always found the quote "In God we Trust, All others we Verify" very useful. Also Google is your friend but not perfect so use it to find the answer but then verify it in the regulations.
If you haven't done it yet join S1NET I recommend you join it's not just for AG Corps its for everyone and provides updates in regulations often. I also recommend you set up a rule to move the emails into a folder automatically if not it will fill up your inbox.
JOIN INSTRUCTIONS: If you would like to join S1NET:
1. Create a milSuites account at https://www.milsuite.mil/.
2. After establishing a milSuites account, proceed to the S1NET Home Page at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/community/spaces/apf/s1net . Look for the “Join S1NET” widget in the upper left corner and use it to join. Approval is automatic.
1. Create a milSuites account at https://www.milsuite.mil/.
2. After establishing a milSuites account, proceed to the S1NET Home Page at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/community/spaces/apf/s1net . Look for the “Join S1NET” widget in the upper left corner and use it to join. Approval is automatic.
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SrA Andrew Richmond
out al of what has been said i cant see why your career wont be a success, basicly stick to your gut instinct,be wiling to listen, speak up, teach and learn and again you will go along way!
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Listen to all your NCO"s (Junior and Senior). Chances are many of these people have more experience and actual time in service than you. Most of all DON'T let those bars go to your head!
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Noone else we manage or care about your career... So make sure you do! Make sure OMPF is always up to date, get your DA Photo when you get promoted and always fight for the jobs you want. Do the right thing even if your peers do not, and follow BE, KNOW, DO! Last remeber the 5 F's (Family, Faith, Fun, Fitness, and Finances)!!
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LTC Stephen Conway
some of this may not apply to active duty but it will in the reserve component:
Lessons I learned as an Officer:
1. Being unfairly 'relieved- for- cause' as a 1LT is not the end of the world especially if you give a fair and written rebuttal to your situation. I was relieved as S1 for not making the daily battle update briefs. I had no S1 PAC nco (he was on the main post and no cell phone coms either) and nobody was with me (not even the S4) at the CTCP at Yakima training range in 2002. The Bn XO said not to worry and he would inform the battalion commander and yet I had nobody there to give me a ride nor go in my place and the battalion commander fired me anyways. I had gotten screwed said my fomer company commander (at the time an Xo for an MP BN). My documentation did not prevent me from being approved for CPT by the Army Promotion board in 2003. I took my promotion delay letter for 3 years delay on taking my 0-3.
2. If you are in the ARNG: if you make 0-3 on the promotion board and you can't get promoted in your unit due to politics or no slots and you want your rank now instead of later, don't take the promotion delay letter from HRC but leave the unit and go into the IRR get your 0-3/CPT and go back in the ARNG or go in the USAR and find a slot.
3. Acting battalion Commander/Major can't be your Senior rater on an OER.This happened to me. The Brigade G3 made him rewrite it as the rater and write it more fairly than it was originally and the G3 became the Senior Rater.
4. Get your rater and senior rater's support form and try to see where you need to be with schools or experience to work on his job experience and qualifications and get promoted.
5. Be physically fit and maintain a 290+ or 300 on your apft. I was not the best officer in the past but my APFT score overcame alot of discrimination. When a 40 something officer could run under 14 minutes and go over the max on pushups and situps,it made the commanders think differently of me. Just my wisdom as an older soldier.
I look forward to reading your comments so I can continue to grow as well.
Lessons I learned as an Officer:
1. Being unfairly 'relieved- for- cause' as a 1LT is not the end of the world especially if you give a fair and written rebuttal to your situation. I was relieved as S1 for not making the daily battle update briefs. I had no S1 PAC nco (he was on the main post and no cell phone coms either) and nobody was with me (not even the S4) at the CTCP at Yakima training range in 2002. The Bn XO said not to worry and he would inform the battalion commander and yet I had nobody there to give me a ride nor go in my place and the battalion commander fired me anyways. I had gotten screwed said my fomer company commander (at the time an Xo for an MP BN). My documentation did not prevent me from being approved for CPT by the Army Promotion board in 2003. I took my promotion delay letter for 3 years delay on taking my 0-3.
2. If you are in the ARNG: if you make 0-3 on the promotion board and you can't get promoted in your unit due to politics or no slots and you want your rank now instead of later, don't take the promotion delay letter from HRC but leave the unit and go into the IRR get your 0-3/CPT and go back in the ARNG or go in the USAR and find a slot.
3. Acting battalion Commander/Major can't be your Senior rater on an OER.This happened to me. The Brigade G3 made him rewrite it as the rater and write it more fairly than it was originally and the G3 became the Senior Rater.
4. Get your rater and senior rater's support form and try to see where you need to be with schools or experience to work on his job experience and qualifications and get promoted.
5. Be physically fit and maintain a 290+ or 300 on your apft. I was not the best officer in the past but my APFT score overcame alot of discrimination. When a 40 something officer could run under 14 minutes and go over the max on pushups and situps,it made the commanders think differently of me. Just my wisdom as an older soldier.
I look forward to reading your comments so I can continue to grow as well.
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Respect. Obviously to those that outrank you, but also do those you command, down to the lowest ranking Private. Respect them for who they are, and respect them for what they can achieve. it is something we can do with a whole lot more of in the world, and in the military.
Obviously disciplinary actions need to occur when necessary, and I do not suggest otherwise.
Obviously disciplinary actions need to occur when necessary, and I do not suggest otherwise.
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Always focus on commander intent. When you get on the ground, things are often very fluid- and you may have to execute a FRAGO to your meticulously planned mission more than once.
Just remember what the endstate is and work towards that result.
Remember- if the square peg doesn't fit in the round hole the best COA isn't to hit it with a hammer until it does.
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1. Listen to your NCOs and Soldiers
2. Keep thick skin or if you don't have it, you better get it. Quick. No one's perfect, make mistakes and learn from it in training so you don't make them when lives are on the line.
3. Learn from your NCOs and Soldiers
4. Make mistakes, make them often, but LEARN from them. Never screw up the same thing in the same way more than once. We learn from our failures.
5. Be professional but don't lose who you are. If it's not you to be 100% business all the time then don't be. Your Soldiers will see through that. It's easy and at the same time for some can be hard to find that balance between maintaining your personality and maintaining your leadership presence.
6. Never miss a suspense/SP/hard time but IF YOU HAVE TO let your boss know early if an expectation is not able to be met.
7. There's a lot that's screwed up in the Army, in units, with people, etc. It's not productive and wastes people's time though if you bring up a complaint without a recommendation. Always address a problem with a plan, not just a pouty face.
8. Stop worrying about your OER. Once you get focused on how good you look compared to everyone else (or bad) you're going to lose focus on what's important. Do your job to the best of your ability, take care of your people. Your leadership sees more than you think, you'll be noticed if you're doing the right stuff. Don't sweat it, it'll come.
9. Know your boss. This does NOT mean kiss up to him/her. This means get to know how he/she thinks, what he/she expects, etc. The quicker you get them pegged, the quicker you'll be able to figure out what they're going to focus on, ask about, or need. There's a BIG difference between being a kiss ass and keeping your boss happy.
10. Pick your battles. Everyone wants to come out swinging to protect their Soldiers. That's good. However, if you attempt to fight higher on every little thing you're going to become the little boy who cried wolf. Suck it up and deal with the rough times 90% of the time so that when that big, legitimate issue comes around, you have a little more of a leg to stand on. You'll be taken more seriously. Not to mention, and I hope you've got thick skin like I said in bullet #2, but a brand new 2LT isn't going to have much wasta and your argument will get shot down more often than not anyway.
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LTC Stephen Conway
and for Officers...
Lessons I learned as an Officer:
1. Being unfairly 'relieved- for- cause' as a 1LT is not the end of the world especially if you give a fair and written rebuttal to your situation. I was relieved as S1 for not making the daily battle update briefs. I had no S1 PAC nco (he was on the main post and no cell phone coms either) and nobody was with me (not even the S4) at the CTCP at Yakima training range in 2002. The Bn XO said not to worry and he would inform the battalion commander and yet I had nobody there to give me a ride nor go in my place and the battalion commander fired me anyways. I had gotten screwed said my fomer company commander (at the time an Xo for an MP BN). My documentation did not prevent me from being approved for CPT by the Army Promotion board in 2003. I took my promotion delay letter for 3 years delay on taking my 0-3.
2. If you are in the ARNG: if you make 0-3 on the promotion board and you can't get promoted in your unit due to politics or no slots and you want your rank now instead of later, don't take the promotion delay letter from HRC but leave the unit and go into the IRR get your 0-3/CPT and go back in the ARNG or go in the USAR and find a slot.
3. Acting battalion Commander/Major can't be your Senior rater on an OER.This happened to me. The Brigade G3 made him rewrite it as the rater and write it more fairly than it was originally and the G3 became the Senior Rater.
4. Get your rater and senior rater's support form and try to see where you need to be with schools or experience to work on his job experience and qualifications and get promoted.
5. Be physically fit and maintain a 290+ or 300 on your apft. I was not the best officer in the past but my APFT score overcame alot of discrimination. When a 40 something officer could run under 14 minutes and go over the max on pushups and situps,it made the commanders think differently of me. Just my wisdom as an older soldier.
I look forward to reading your comments so I can continue to grow as well.
Lessons I learned as an Officer:
1. Being unfairly 'relieved- for- cause' as a 1LT is not the end of the world especially if you give a fair and written rebuttal to your situation. I was relieved as S1 for not making the daily battle update briefs. I had no S1 PAC nco (he was on the main post and no cell phone coms either) and nobody was with me (not even the S4) at the CTCP at Yakima training range in 2002. The Bn XO said not to worry and he would inform the battalion commander and yet I had nobody there to give me a ride nor go in my place and the battalion commander fired me anyways. I had gotten screwed said my fomer company commander (at the time an Xo for an MP BN). My documentation did not prevent me from being approved for CPT by the Army Promotion board in 2003. I took my promotion delay letter for 3 years delay on taking my 0-3.
2. If you are in the ARNG: if you make 0-3 on the promotion board and you can't get promoted in your unit due to politics or no slots and you want your rank now instead of later, don't take the promotion delay letter from HRC but leave the unit and go into the IRR get your 0-3/CPT and go back in the ARNG or go in the USAR and find a slot.
3. Acting battalion Commander/Major can't be your Senior rater on an OER.This happened to me. The Brigade G3 made him rewrite it as the rater and write it more fairly than it was originally and the G3 became the Senior Rater.
4. Get your rater and senior rater's support form and try to see where you need to be with schools or experience to work on his job experience and qualifications and get promoted.
5. Be physically fit and maintain a 290+ or 300 on your apft. I was not the best officer in the past but my APFT score overcame alot of discrimination. When a 40 something officer could run under 14 minutes and go over the max on pushups and situps,it made the commanders think differently of me. Just my wisdom as an older soldier.
I look forward to reading your comments so I can continue to grow as well.
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