What is the best way to lead a new soldier who is uncertain if they even want to be in the army?

Well the first thing I would do is figure out why he enlisted in the Army. I've had plenty of Marines who don't realize they've given up most of their free will and get a little stir crazy when they don't get to do what they want when they want.

One thing you can do is remind him what his uniform stands for. Another thing you can do is remind him of how valuable his contribution is to the fight at hand. Some people are unable to see the big picture and only see their direct environment.

I'm from an MOS that pretty much everyone deems as pointless and worthless, but I'm the 1st one people come to when shit hits the fan. I've had to explain more than a few times the level of importance our MOS is because pilots trust us with their lives.

Or maybe he's disillusioned because he thought he'd be kicking down doors and fighting bad guys instead of sitting behind a desk. I've run into those too. Some people need to feel like their warriors again. Maybe some time on the range will relax him after he's popped off a few rounds. Or maybe recert on the gas chamber. We get issued a ton of gear and some guys just want to be able to use it.

Maybe he misses family or isn't making friends. I don't know if you guys have a Single Soldier Program. But we have a program where Marines can sign up to go on trips/concerts/amusement parks etc. Sometimes you just need to get your mind off of not being home.

There are plenty of things you can do. The only time I have ever thought of kicking someone to the curb is when they are deliberately getting into trouble just to get kicked out. Most times, people just need a reminder of what they're fighting for and what their contribution to the fight is.

Most young people don't know or unsure of what they want but they joined for a reason. I didn't know for sure if I would want to stay in when I joined but here I am. My son is about to leave for basic training in a few months and lord knows he is going to need some good leadership. Just please try not to fall in line with some of the NCO's out there that don't want to be bothered by someone who may have some issues to work through. All Soldiers need training and most need guidance you are their guidance, leader and what they should want to strive to be. Be there to show them the way, never give up on them and they will return the favor. Work with your Soldiers to show them what is right don't just tell them. Hopefully you have some other great leaders standing to your left and right to do the same. Good Luck!

We only had 2 types of Soldiers in my Unit Them we were keeping in and the ones we were putting out! My platoon SGT’s let me know which one’s to keep!

I had one they called the ‘NCO breaker’. He was super smart, excellant at his job and completely demotivated. He had gotten a bad shaft a couple of times decided to ets and would not do anything without specific instructions. He had worn out uniforms and hershey bar boots and did all the extra duty in the world but would not fix himself. I was a brand new buck sergeant and they said it was my first challange to fix him. (And trust me I had already fumbled a couple of times as a new E5). The kid kept saying he wouldn’t take a chapter, he would finish his tour with like a man. I asked him, that didn’t his oath so he would follow and uphold ALL the regulations not just time. This was Friday night after formation on the way to our cars. I was dreading Monday when he would show up looking like shit and we would be getting chewed on by the chain of command. He looked at me, and I continued, how is being a dirt bag being honorable, especially when you are a 1000 times better than that?

Sunday night rolled around and his girlfriend called me. She said it had been a hellish weekend of uniform purchases, new boot break in, haircut, and prep! He showed up Monday looking like the soldier of the year and acting line it as well. They sent us to NTC and he won accolades and awards. They fought to get him to re-enlist which he declined, but it taught me to listen and hear what a troop is really saying when they don’t want to be in the Army any more. I personally did not ask him to re-enlist, he had great plans for the future that I thought he needed to achieve.

You can't go Drill Sergeant on him now. What you can do is just the simple basic Leadership 101 type thing, set the standards and lead by example. As far as some creative plan that depends on you and him.

There should be a way out if u decide its not for you, one that doesnt damage yer reputation or ability to get another job. Shit happens and people realize after joining that its not for them. Now there should be a time limit of 1 year to opt out with a honorable. I have seen to many times soldiers who wanted out had to act a fool and risk a bad d/c to get out.

As a senior NCO sit and talk to this soldier and listen see what their issue is and just remember some people are not meant to be in the army

Encourage. Document. Discipline. Discharge. Not everyone who is in the service is worth your efforts. Your challenge is to weed out the non hackers who are contaminating the rest. Your troops will appreciate it and so will the taxpayers.

The best way to lead them, is to lead them as if they are currently in the army, the military life isnt for everyone, but while you are in it, you have to live it. There are no individual personal action planes for an individual. Many people say do your time, i did mine and then some, its up to the individual to make more of what the military offers, but thats kinda hard to do when your boots on the ground being shot at, blown up and of course the constant threat of the brig due to actions on the battlefield.

I know of a certain Specialist-5 squad leader back in the day who inherited a soldier like this one. Seems the Soldier In Question (SIQ) just would not toe the line and perform. The SIQ was a big kid, college drop out, football player... He was transferred to the SPEC-5 because he had engaged in some fisticuffs south his previous chain of command.
One afternoon, the Spec-5 had had enough of the SIQ's BS and invited the SIQ to join him in the "mop well " (a semi private place outside the barracks at Fort Gordon). TheSIQ, knowing he was being invited to the traditional site for wall to wall counseling smiled at the skinny, non-imposing Spec-5 confidently and said "... sure... "
What the SIQ didn't know was that the Spec-5 had arranged for a couple of his fellow squad leaders to be waiting down in the well out of site. He also didn't know that the skinny Spec-5 had had some training in the "sweet sciences". Said Spec-5 wore the SIQ out making sure to only land punches in places that hurt (badly) and that wouldn't show. When the SIQ cried "no mas" (what he said was "... I'm sorry, stop, please stop... " the Spec-5 eased up and his associates laid hands on the SIQ. During the counseling, it came out that the SIQ stood to inherit substantial money on his 21 at birthday, 8 months away. He'd joined the Army after being kicked out of college and then out of his parents house. The Spec-5 explaimed that the SIQ could do his last eight months like a soldier or that the process would be repeated and that the associate leaders would assist if needneeded and deny that any of it ever happened. The SIQ straightened up and flew right with only the occasional reference to mops from that point forward. At the 8 month mark, the Spec-5 assisted the SIQ in obtaining a discharge under AR 635-200 Para 5-3.