A Ranger's Advice To Newly Commissioned Officers

[Marauder06]

I thought this was an interesting and fairly comprehensive list. I wonder what else the highly experienced officers and NCOs here would add to it. Is there one thing on the list that you think is the most important?

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Opened the link and didn't find a list, just self identity crap and about treating people with respect and dignity. Did I miss something?

 

[RustyShackleford]

...self identity crap and about treating people with respect and dignity.

Maybe this was @Marauder06's takeaway!

 

[DocIllinois]

We already have an open 'identity' thread.

Even though never a member of the branch, I've always practiced officership according the the Marine Corps Leadership Traits. YMMV.

Marine Leadership Traits

 

[Gunz]

Respect and dignity. Fuk dat.

 

[Marauder06]

Opened the link and didn't find a list, just self identity crap and about treating people with respect and dignity. Did I miss something?

You are absolutely correct, I posted the wrong link. I fixed it.

Maybe this was @Marauder06's takeaway!

Well, I mean treating people with dignity and respect *is* a pretty solid officer trait. But no, I dorked up the original link.

 

[Gunz]

The best officers I served with:

--sought out the views of their NCOs
--could do anybody's job in the platoon as good or better than the person trained for that job
--kept a little sense of humor in the same seabag with the authority, especially for dealing with enlisteds
--genuinely cared about the welfare of their men
--and were tough motherfuckers

That's the kind of O you'd follow through a shitstorm.

 

[DocIllinois]

The best officers I served with:
--could do anybody's job in the platoon as good or better than the person trained for that job

Trade Secret: Officers are good at many but not all jobs.

We are usually among those who know in advance what's coming down the pike, however, so we can bone up. :-"

 

[Devildoc]

I don't know any PCs that could do my job; I sure as shit couldn't do theirs. But the best PC I ever had made sure I could walk point, do land nav, operate the radios, and often made me a 'casualty' so the rest of the platoon could step up and provide medical care.

I am not sure officers need to be able to do a subordinate's job, but they do need to know how and why they do it and how it complements the command.

When I got my commission it was far more "managing" than "leading" and as I climbed the ladder the balance shifted to equal amounts of each.

My advice to new officers? You are more dangerous than an E1. You have no experience but a lot of authority and responsibility. Learn from the NCOs. Find a mentor a rank or two above you. Know your men, take care of them, and they will take care of you. Be a shit dam; stop the flow going up and down.

Edited to add: If you like the 'work' but don't like to 'lead,' you need a new line of work. That was my problem as an officer. I took all the operational billets I could find, shied away from leadership billets. By the time I learned that I NEEDED those leadership billets it was too late and I knew I wasn't going to pick up O4.

 

[Gunz]

I don't mean medical. I mean all comm, nav and organic weapons which every infantry officer should know like the back of their hand.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

You are absolutely correct, I posted the wrong link. I fixed it.




Well, I mean treating people with dignity and respect *is* a pretty solid officer trait. But no, I dorked up the original link.

That's a damn good list...

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I don't know any PCs that could do my job; I sure as shit couldn't do theirs. But the best PC I ever had made sure I could walk point, do land nav, operate the radios, and often made me a 'casualty' so the rest of the platoon could step up and provide medical care.

I am not sure officers need to be able to do a subordinate's job, but they do need to know how and why they do it and how it complements the command.

When I got my commission it was far more "managing" than "leading" and as I climbed the ladder the balance shifted to equal amounts of each.

My advice to new officers? You are more dangerous than an E1. You have no experience but a lot of authority and responsibility. Learn from the NCOs. Find a mentor a rank or two above you. Know your men, take care of them, and they will take care of you. Be a shit dam; stop the flow going up and down.

Edited to add: If you like the 'work' but don't like to 'lead,' you need a new line of work. That was my problem as an officer. I took all the operational billets I could find, shied away from leadership billets. By the time I learned that I NEEDED those leadership billets it was too late and I knew I wasn't going to pick up O4.

It's pretty hard to tell people to do something that you do not know how to do yourself.

Hey sir what is the signal for shift and lift? Uhhhhhh, I'll just yell it out.... Sir you do realize this is a live fire exercises, as we will all be plugged and won't hear shit? Well I'll use these arm signals... Ahhh good, so I will focus on you instead of the enemy contact, and I'm sure you won't get shot waving your fucking arms around like an idiot...

 

[DocIllinois]

I don't mean medical. I mean all comm, nav and organic weapons which every infantry officer should know like the back of their hand.

I'm an Infantry officer now; a branch transfer would have happened long ago without mastery of these Level I tasks.

On the other hand, ask me to run a mortar, for instance, and I'll be hastily consulting FM 3-22.9 or a high speed E5.

 

[Devildoc]

It's pretty hard to tell people to do something that you do not know how to do yourself.

Hey sir what is the signal for shift and lift? Uhhhhhh, I'll just yell it out.... Sir you do realize this is a live fire exercises, as we will all be plugged and won't hear shit? Well I'll use these arm signals... Ahhh good, so I will focus on you instead of the enemy contact, and I'm sure you won't get shot waving your fucking arms around like an idiot...

I see your point, but I was coming at it from a different perspective. But then, that's why you have SMEs within the unit.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

I see your point, but I was coming at it from a different perspective. But then, that's why you have SMEs within the unit.

I'm not busting your balls, but this is one of the biggest anger management issues for me. Officers who believe they can lead NCO's without actually knowing what the hell is going on. There is a reason SF & Rangers don't accept and train 2LT's. I'm by no means saying that officer's should be SME, or know all the specific's of every job, but that have to have an understanding, or they will expect things with unrealistic expectations. The fastest way to lose my respect is acting like the boss and not knowing what's going on. The best way to gain my respect, is telling me you don't know shit and need help.

So I will agree that they don't have to know everything, but they have to be a pretty humble officer.

 

[Devildoc]

I'm not busting your balls, but this is one of the biggest anger management issues for me. Officers who believe they can lead NCO's without actually knowing what the hell is going on. There is a reason SF & Rangers don't accept and train 2LT's. I'm by no means saying that officer's should be SME, or know all the specific's of every job, but that have to have an understanding, or they will expect things with unrealistic expectations. The fastest way to lose my respect is acting like the boss and not knowing what's going on. The best way to gain my respect, is telling me you don't know shit and need help.

So I will agree that they don't have to know everything, but they have to be a pretty humble officer.

That's a fair point, and I totally agree. I don't know how many ring-knockers are here, but the most egregious examples I have seen are Academy ensigns. Holy crap, you can't tell them anything. Probably the opposite end are medical corps and JAG, who say "I am really a doc (or lawyer) and not really an officer, so help me with this."

 

[Gunz]

I'm an Infantry officer now; a branch transfer would have happened long ago without mastery of these Level I tasks.

On the other hand, ask me to run a mortar, for instance, and I'll be hastily consulting FM 3-22.9 or a high speed E5.

I came back from R&R and had to spend a night in the compound prior to joining my team in the field, and around 0200 we got hit. I stumbled out the hooch and my XO was helping to man an 81. Later he was on the berm directing its defense with a rifle in his hands. It's a crap shoot, you bring all your dice, above and beyond level 1.