What organizational systems do you use in the orderly room?

Sounds like you moved on up in the Tiger Sharks world! Orderly room sucks, but it's really a great chance to see how the Army operates and learn the systems in place that drive the Army. I don't mean the systems like eMilpo, DTMS, and ATRRS. I mean the assignments process, deferments process, promotions process, retention, MWR, UPL, MEB, leave and passes, Army Command Policy, etc. I didn't even realize these things all existed until I became a SSG.

How you set up your orderly room is really up to you. I will tell you that nobody ever has three Joes under them in a company orderly room unless it's a huge company. You definitely lucked out there, but chances are one or two of your orderly room people are on their way out due to MEB or some other reason.

If you have more than one person (you) in the orderly room, you definitely want one person to be the customer service person. For instance, in my job, I have a portion where I talk to people and another portion where I work the actions and type the contracts. Every S1, orderly room, and Career Counselor will tell you that it is impossible to get work done when you are constantly being interrupted by walk-ins. So, one customer service person to take requests, and one to work them without interruption. How you split up the rest of your workload will depend on what kind of requests you have to handle.

As for trackers, don't reinvent the wheel. Find out what you need to track and grab one from someone smarter than you. Get onto the S1Net email list, it will inform you of all the newly released ALARACT, MILPER, Army Directives, FRAGO, EXORDs, and any other message the Army puts out. Plus, there are requests in the bottom for people asking for trackers and databases where you can grab a usable tracker for whatever you need.

Without knowing nor seeing how your Orderly room runs, I can't rightly give any additional guidance other than to be sure you run your ideas thru your 1SG.

If an area is running proficiently leave it alone, if it’s not modify it to make it proficient.

I spent multiple stints in HQ PLT as the orderly room NCO, training room NCO, OPs NCO and I have one piece of advice. Figure out a system that will keep you organized. For me it was a huge excel tracker that had a tab for everything even if we already had a system for it I.e. DTMS. Just make sure it works for you. Cause what keeps me organized may not work for you. The amount of time you lose trying to use someone else’s product to stay organized can actually make you fall behind. Find out what the top 3 Commander, 1SG and XO find important and make sure you have a way to provide the answers to those things almost instantly. Everything else will fall into place if those things are squared away

Wow, orderly rooms have changed. Back in the 1960s there was me, company clerk, acting CPL, 1Sg and CO had a connecting office. I kept the stove fired in winter, got a pitcher of coffee from mess hall on the way in and put on the stove. Knocked out DA-1 first thing. Then pulled health files to give to those going on sick call. After that I did various paperwork, made calls for old man for tee times, Mess reservations, etc., took phone messages and just about anything else needed. I kept the company bulletin board up to date. Never felt over worked. Orderly rooms in those days were small. We were at one end of company street, and more than half of the building was the supply/arms room. If I had a NCOIC and 2 other soldiers, we would not fit. Must have bigger orderly rooms these days. LOL

First things first... Take all direction from the Tower. For the orderly room, 1SG is the tower. I have worked in orderly rooms in three different companies, for 7 different 1SGs (the curse of being organized and often "excess"). And each and every 1SG did things differently.

Second, this was my personal preference, but I recommend you get good with MS Excel. Excel is VERY easy to use to create trackers. And you want trackers. You NEED trackers.

Third, DA 200. If you don't know what it is, or how to properly use it, learn. And then use it. All the time, every time.

Fourth, the BN staff is your Best Frenemy. Cultivate a good working relationship with the S1 NCOIC and the S3 Schools NCO - at a minimum. They can do WONDERS to help you (and your Company) out. Or they can through you under the bus and hit the gas. Sometimes both within the span of 15 minutes. So cultivate that relationship, but don't rely on your relationship to make things happen - do the work, and do it right. And ask for help when you need it. If you keep getting awards kicked back, ask for a template, or a 10 minute class on the most common problems.

Fifth, nothing goes to the Commander unless the 1SG has seen it or pre-approved it.

Sixth, delegate, but maintain ownership. Have your subordinates responsible for their own piece of the pie (awards, DTMS, etc ). But make sure you know how to do that thing, AND you know what the status is. Regardless of who "runs" that piece, you are responsible for it.

Seventh, take little bites. Especially when you are getting started and "fixing everything," there is more work to do every single day than there is in the duty day. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Set daily (or even half a day) goals for completion. Try like heck to hold yourself to those goals, but also allow yourself some wiggle room if things come up. You WILL have fires to put out.

Finally, network, network, network. An Orderly room is a great place to build professional relationships. Up, down, and to your left and right. Don't be afraid to network with other O-Rooms in your BN, BN Staff, NCOs throughout the entire company, and folks at offices outside the footprint like BDE legal, JAG/TDS, Range Control, etc.


Good luck!