Leaders, First sergeants, Commanders, Anyone in charge. How often do you notice the Privates who are squared away?

PV2 Weeks,

It's not about knowing the soldiers that are squared away , it about knowing all your soldiers! It can be from attitude, appearance, and work ethics! Promotions come and go and I believe now it is better to have outstanding counsel statements!

Promotion is all about potential to assume greater levels of responsibility. The only way I believe I can be confident about delegating higher levels of responsibility is to observe their potential myself. I do take into consideration their chain of command in case I'm missing something. However, it is my job to ensure their leaders are challenging them and allowing them to develop professionally and take initiative. If not, I will provide guidance to their leaders on how to do that. That's where I find the weak from the strong. Put someone out of their comfort zone and see how they react. It's ok to make mistakes and ask questions to gather the full intent, but don't sit up against the wall on your phone waiting for someone to spoon food you every action you should take.

I take it a step further to ensure my intent is executed and make it my mission to be present in everything the Soldiers do. If they are outside, I am outside. If they sit in a briefing, I'm in a briefing. Unless the battalion/brigade commander tell me I need to be at a meeting, I am with the Soldiers. This allows me to become personally informed of someone's potential because I see it firsthand. I can speak intelligently about someone in a letter of recommendation as well. I won't put my name on something if I do not believe in the content. Direct observation keeps my integrity intact.

I don't show favoritism but I do credit dependability. If a Soldier shows me that all she/he does is talk on their phone or walk by a full trash can and not take it out, that speaks volumes to me. My leaders know that I do not stand for Soldiers doing nothing because I won't waste their time nor anyone else's, including mine.

I also don't condone negative attitudes. My leaders and I do what we can to motivate and inspire Soldiers by being the example, for some it doesn't work. Thus, I say "if you aren't here to be part of the team and contribute to the unit's mission, I don't need you. I will help you out (get out)." I don't care about my numbers. Much more can get done with a few motivated Soldiers than with a bunch of pessimistic Soldiers.

My unit has the greatest Soldiers I've ever encountered. I know people can say that about their Soldiers, but if anyone ever gets to work with them, they will know that I'm not exaggerating. We truly perform as a family, looking out for each other and working together to achieve a common goal.

They make me proud to serve in the Texas Guard and humbled, privileged, and blessed to be their commander.

While in garrison, normally on a Monday or Friday formation I would challenge my soldiers to have the best squared away uniforms. Who ever was received the day off! This was a good way from them to compete with one another and also a way of making them better soldiers, now if it was a tie, I would then challenge them with questions, regulations etc etc.