Case Study: Tabs and Tyrants

[Il Duce]

I'm going to go against the grain, and argue for him to take the assistant S3 job. I can certainly understand the reasoning presented for him to take the WEP PLT, and I can't say that any of that is wrong. That being said, Mother Army will always get hers. There's nothing wrong with doing what you can to set yourself up for success. As an infantry officer, he's gotta have that tab. Regardless of whether he "officially" needs it or not, he needs that fucking tab. I look at the WEP PLT as being the easy way out. The BC said that he probably wouldn't ever get to go back to RS. So what good does a WEP PLT do? He MIGHT prove himself there, and then he moves on from PLT command as a still-tabless infantry officer. I think he needs to show the BC that he's not afraid to put the work in to go back and re-attempt the thing that already kicked his ass once. He might have limited PLT time, but he will have a better understanding of the bigger picture from being on staff, and he will (hopefully) have a tab as well. More PLT time isn't going to mean anything when trying to compete for CO command without a tab.

I think you're describing the crux of the conflict @Marauder06 is bringing out with this case study. The Ranger tab will absolutely improve LT Faith's career prospects in every way - but, in these circumstances won't improve his performance, in fact the opposite. A Ranger qualified officer is more likely to get command in any branch, period. But, an officer with PL experience makes a far more effective CDR (XO is the most critical experience to company command but success as an XO depends on being an exceptional PL). The case study brings into sharp focus where the way we measure individual performance and achievement through norms can be unhelpful and in fact counter-productive.

 

[DA SWO]

I think you're describing the crux of the conflict @Marauder06 is bringing out with this case study. The Ranger tab will absolutely improve LT Faith's career prospects in every way - but, in these circumstances won't improve his performance, in fact the opposite. A Ranger qualified officer is more likely to get command in any branch, period. But, an officer with PL experience makes a far more effective CDR (XO is the most critical experience to company command but success as an XO depends on being an exceptional PL). The case study brings into sharp focus where the way we measure individual performance and achievement through norms can be unhelpful and in fact counter-productive.

Why would taking Weapons Plt kill his chances of going back to Ranger School?

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Hard to prep, when you are running shit...

 

[Il Duce]

Why would taking Weapons Plt kill his chances of going back to Ranger School?

It doesn't 'kill' his chances - just makes it tougher. He's got an operational mission - meaning it's more difficult for him to take time out to train. In fact, he's starting in one of the most challenging times - with a CTC rotation coming up quickly. Plus, he's not going to be able to leave his platoon - or at least if he's decent no one will want him to leave - to attend Ranger school. He'll need to attend once his PL time is done.

 

[Kraut783]

Be a team player or be "that" guy.... In my humble support experience, take the weapons platoon.

 

[Teufel]

Take the weapons platoon billet, learn the crap out of it, hone your leadership skills and show everybody that you are balls to the wall squared away and combat ready.

Honestly I had no idea an Army infantry O was the red-headed stepchild unless he had the Ranger bling to prove his manhood. That's pretty fucked up to me because I had some total badass Marine infantry officers and the only bling they wore was their rank.

If the Ranger tab is so goddam important for Army infantry O's then they ought to make it a mandatory phase of infantry officer training and end the pissing contest. Either you get the tab and your in, or you don't and your no longer infantry.

I've been told that Ranger school is treated as an extension of the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course. I'm not certain what the attrition rate is at IBOLIC but the USMC Infantry Officer Course drops students at the rate of some SOF selection courses.

 

[policemedic]

I completely agree with taking the weapons platoon. Doing so speaks to LT Faith's character, and that's critical as he attempts to build a professional reputation.

As to Ranger School generally, my opinion is that a Ranger tab tells me the bearer can handle the suck. They won't quit under difficult and trying circumstances. That's important. But that's it. A guy coming from Ranger Regiment is a different animal, and carries much more weight. All my PLs in the 7th ID(L) had tabs, as did my CO. However, their professional knowledge was not equal to the E-6 squad leaders or the Vietnam vet PSG. That's just my view. In reality, it's a truism that Infantry officers without Ranger tabs are looked at differently...except perhaps if they have a CIB.

 

[CDG]

I think you're describing the crux of the conflict @Marauder06 is bringing out with this case study. The Ranger tab will absolutely improve LT Faith's career prospects in every way - but, in these circumstances won't improve his performance, in fact the opposite. A Ranger qualified officer is more likely to get command in any branch, period. But, an officer with PL experience makes a far more effective CDR (XO is the most critical experience to company command but success as an XO depends on being an exceptional PL). The case study brings into sharp focus where the way we measure individual performance and achievement through norms can be unhelpful and in fact counter-productive.

You're right, that is the crux of the study. He will not be in a position to be a CO CDR without a tab, but if he gets the tab he's shortening the critical PLT time needed to round out his leadership abilities. Definitely a catch-22, and I don't think him taking the WEP PLT is the wrong answer. I just think taking the A-S3 and going back to RS is a slightly better answer. I have to keep going back to the same argument. Despite what's on paper as official requirements, or what some people may weight Ranger School as, an infantry officer is severely stunting his career progression by not getting a tab. Like I said in a previous post, Mother Army will always get hers. I don't see this narrowly defined choice as being between being selfish and being a team player. I think both choices have plenty of pros and cons. I haven't met a lot of BN CCs that would play the subtle game of offering two choices, when they really only want you to take one. BN CCs tend to be pretty straight shooters.

 

[Ranger Psych]

There is time for him to do PL and even XO time, then do hooah school enroute to the captains course.

That's exactly what one officer I attended school with was doing. He actually wasn't able to get a RS slot post IOBC.

 

[Marauder06]

“Well, the S1 tells me that we’re about to be full in the line companies, but where we really have a need is in the Weapons Platoon. They’re 1 of 5 for platoon leaders, they don’t have an XO, and their one other platoon leader is about to move out of the job. So that’s where we’re short. But putting brand-new lieutenants in Weapons is tricky. It’s a different type of platoon, with a different type of soldier. Different type of NCOs. Different weapons, different tactics. Weapons often chews LTs up and spits them out.”

“We also have a need for a couple of assistant S3s. It’s a different kind of work, but there’s almost no field time which means plenty of time to prep to go back to Ranger School. It also means you get a feel for the different companies out there and you can bide your time until the line platoon you want opens up.”

“Here’s the bottom line,” he continued, “I’m going to give you something that most other lieutenants don’t get: a choice. You can either have a weapons platoon now, or you can mark time on staff until a line platoon opens up. One benefit of the former is that you can have a platoon now. The drawback is, it’s not a platoon you were trained for, and they are leaving for the National Training Center in about four days,” he explained. “If you take the staff job, you’ll have time to PT your ass off and get back into shape and go back to Ranger School right away, and then get into the queue for a line platoon. The bad news is, that means your platoon leader time is likely to be extremely limited. Either way it’s fine with me, but you’ve got to decide right now.”

“Sir,” Faith replied after a brief consideration. I’d like to take the weapons platoon.”
The battalion commander paused for a moment, looking at Faith in a way that made him think he made the wrong decision.

“Sounds good lieutenant, Delta Company is the last building on Bastogne Boulevard. It will take you about four minutes to walk down there from here. I’ll call Captain Thompson to let him know you’ll be there in five minutes. Dismissed.”

Faith stood and saluted and after the battalion commander returned it, exited the office and began to make his way down to Delta Company. As he walked down the long sidewalk that paralleled Bastogne Boulevard, Faith observed a knot of soldiers approaching him from the other direction. Seeing that an officer was approaching, they exchanged hurried whispers and then strung out in a long line so that Faith would have to salute each in turn instead of once in a big group. After exchanging salutes with the last solider in the line, Faith heard them giggling as they continued on their way.

(end)

Discussion Questions

1) What actions, if any, should Faith now take based on what just happened?
2) Now that you think about it, what did just happen?

 

[CDG]

Faith shouldn't do anything. It's a classic move, especially for new O's. We had a couple guys that were enlisted JTACs that went and got commissioned, and we would pull that move on them all the time after they got back. I don't know how it's viewed from the O standpoint, but from an E standpoint, it's just a bit of good natured shenanigans. It would be the wrong move for a brand new LT, already under a bit of a microscope for not having a tab, to make a big deal out of something that trivial. He can mention it to the CO CC if he wants, but I wouldn't take it any further than that.

 

[Gunz]

A young officer needs a wry sense of humor if he's going to cope with E3s...otherwise they will chew him up.

 

[Devildoc]

By the time I was commissioned, I was in the reserves. The local unit did not have a billet for me immediately, so I chewed time hanging out with the Marines on their drill weekends (that was MY leadership dilemma: hang with the jarheads or supervise the monthly drug screen for the Navy and do other menial shit). I was drilling with the same Marine reserve unit I had last been a corpsman; naturally, all the corpsmen and the Marines just fucked with me, constantly. Part of the game.

 

[x SF med]

1. Faith needs to drive on and be the best PL he can be, learn, grow and prepare for the future.
2. What just happened was that Faith got what he wanted, and he now needs to be aware that he needs to be careful and professional. (paean to GEN Powell for his rules)

 

[Il Duce]

1. Nothing. He'll earn respect or he won't - but he won't do it as the drill and ceremony instructor. They met the regulation - if not the intent. Faith needs to rise above and ensure he earns a reputation as level-headed and focused on the right things - anything that could give him a reputation for chickenshit should be avoided like the plague. As an officer, you should be very careful about group corrections and only use them in the most sparing manner. I hope he took note of at least the whisperer/planner for the action. Influencers have great potential - as leaders or as problems. In general Faith should let his NCOs make corrections - he should definitely look around though. If NCOs aren't correcting Soldiers that don't salute him or play other games it's a big indicator he has not earned their respect and officers in general are not well respected. Those should be huge concerns for the company commander and 1SG. It's a thin line of authority the machine operates on - let it degrade at your peril.

2. Faith got his first atmospherics about his unit with the best sensor he's got - his own sensors. He learned - if he's got the wherewithal to notice - a lot about the Soldiers in the unit he's joining. They have a decent level of comraderie and know the regs enough to manipulate them - reacting quickly at his approach and concocting a scheme to make his day worse. They aren't willing to cross the line into outright disrespect and they've got good enough situational awareness to pay attention to what's going on. Looks like he's going to a unit with a decent level of professionalism (knowing the basics well enough to manipulate them) and trust at the Soldier level (being willing to conspire on the fly). But, an 'us and them' mentality towards leadership, an interest in playing games with leadership vs focusing on esprit and the job at hand, and the challenge inherent in what they're doing (to authority, to discipline) are opportunities for what can be corrected and improved in the unit. The indicators to me are this is a unit he's going to need to 'out-Soldier the Soldiers' as a part of his introduction. He needs to be one of the best PT'ers, make sure his uniform is strac, he's early for every formation, and he is prepared for every event (memorize the common task manual for what's going on the next day and get his PSG to practice with him if that's what it takes). Those are good LT things to do anyway - but they're going to be critical here.

 

[Marauder06]

Knowing he had just been screwed with by a bunch of E4 Specialists, Faith laughed it off. “Joe is as Joe does,” he thought as he made his way towards Delta Company. He knew it wouldn’t be his last experience with the “Spec-4 Mafia.” He would be ready the next time, he thought to himself as he grinned, remembering the times he and his military junior college buddies did the same thing to their upperclassmen.
Delta Company’s building was actually only a portion of one long, continuous building that housed, in turn, Headquarters Company, Alpha Company, Bravo Company, and Charlie Company before terminating with Delta. As he passed Charlie Company, a specialist emerged and saluted sharply. “Good evening, sir,” he said enthusiastically. Faith returned the salute and the sentiment. The other man looked vaguely familiar. “Probably someone I saw during inprocessing,” he thought idly as he made his way past. But damn, that guy looked familiar.

“Private Faith!” the other man exclaimed. That voice sounded familiar too. Faith turned around. The specialist he had just passed was now facing him, feet together, right fist clenched and right arm parallel to the ground. On the ring finger of his right hand was a large class ring. It was exactly like the one Faith wore on his own hand. How did this guy have the same ring? And no one called him “Private Faith” since…

“Do you not recognize your upperclassmen there, ‘new shoes’?” he asked mockingly, using a term for new cadets unique to the small military junior college Faith attended nearly five years ago. Faith looked at the other man for a moment in stunned silence.

“Holy shit, Sergeant Major Sherman?” he asked incredulously. It was him. This was the man responsible for training Faith when he first arrived at Middle Georgia Military College. More correctly, this was the man who hazed the crap out of Faith during the infamous “Plebe Period” that marked the start of every freshman’s time at MGMC. That school was a two-year military junior college, designed to produce officers for the Georgia National Guard in a mere two years. Others, like Faith, attended MGMC to have another, better shot at attending one of the service academies. Faith and Sherman were never close, but Faith knew him as a standup guy. Still shocked, Faith raised his own right hand and bumped rings with Sherman, who was now no longer a cadet command sergeant major but an active duty Army specialist.

“Um… what happened?” Faith asked, looking at Sherman’s collar insignia. He knew Sherman had been commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry; Faith was present when Sherman received his gold bars and recited the Oath of Office. Going from an O1 to an E4 was career progression in the exact wrong direction.

“What? Oh,” said Sherman with a smile. “It’s all good. I’m still a first lieutenant in the Reserves, but I’m a Specialist on active duty,” the other man responded.

Faith couldn’t help but look skeptical. How could someone be simultaneously a first lieutenant AND a specialist? More likely, he never finished his four-year degree and got his commission yanked. There was a story there, and Faith was determined to get it. But probably not right now. After exchanging obligatory “remember the time” vignettes for a minute or two, the men went their separate ways.

“Good afternoon, Faith, I mean Sir!” Sherman said, again saluting and then departing towards the battalion headquarters building.

“Uh, yeah, you too Sergeant Maj… I mean Specialist Sherman,” Faith stammered, returning the salute.

“In your mind, people stay the same rank they were when you first met them,” Faith thought, remembering something his father once told him.

Wow, that was weird, Faith thought. He never liked Sherman, but respected him. The man was not known for embellishing the truth. But what he just said didn’t make the slightest bit of sense. Short of some kind of misconduct, how could someone who got his commission into the Georgia National Guard end up as an enlisted soldier on active duty? It didn’t make any sense. Faith thought there was a whole lot more to this story. He hoped he’d be able to find out what it was. But for now, he needed to get himself together to meet his new company commander and, hopefully, his new platoon.

(end)

1) What do you think about this situation? Sherman didn’t have reputation for being a liar, but how can what he said be true? How can someone be both an officer and an enlisted man?

2) What kinds of things should Faith be thinking about as he nears his new company? If he gets a platoon today, what should he say/do in that first encounter?

 

[DA SWO]

1. Guard Officers have a dual commission, Sherman may have not gotten Federal Recognition.

2. Introduce himself, minimal background info and get with leadership to spin up for NTC. Tell the NCO's he is in the observe/ask questions mode for the next week or so as he in-processes.

ETA: he also has to avoid becoming too friendly with the now Specialist.

 

[CDG]

1. Guard Officers have a dual commission, Sherman may have not gotten Federal Recognition.

2. Introduce himself, minimal background info and get with leadership to spin up for NTC. Tell the NCO's he is in the observe/ask questions mode for the next week or so as he in-processes.

100% agree. Faith wouldn't know about dual commissions, so I think he's ok to ask the CO CC about it, provided he goes about it in the right way. "Hey sir, SPC Sherman was with me at college. He mentioned he's an O in the Reserves, but a SPC on AD. For my own professional knowledge, how does that work?"

 

[Gunz]

1. Don't push it, it's curious but not that important. No doubt some of the O's in the BN will know the circumstances and the truth will out eventually.

2. Right now concentrate on getting acclimated, meet your superiors and subordinates, ask questions, snap in.

 

[Il Duce]

“Um… what happened?” Faith asked, looking at Sherman’s collar insignia.

He's wearing rank on his collar? Wonder what year his uniform is from :).

1. Faith shouldn't think too much more about it. However they knew each other before Faith is an officer and this guy is a SPC. It's probably worth talking with his PL or the S1 sometime and get the ground truth from his records - in case the SPC tries to rope LT Faith into any fabrications. Sounds like BS to me - especially involving Reserves, maybe ARNG is different - but busting the platoon liar is not LT Faith's primary responsibility. Tuck it in the back for information later - and understand that's the last time he should reminisce about old times with a SPC until he's been in the unit and established himself much more firmly.

2. He needs to be in receive mode - observe everything, maintain his bearing. Report to the Company CDR, if he asks let him know you're eager to get started, and make sure you know whatever in-processing shit is expected on what timeline. Faith needs to make sure when he shows up to his platoon he can easily plan and manage the time he needs to be away from them. He needs to establish any hard due outs to the CDR and 1SG (initial counseling, equipment issue, hand-receipt timeline, meetings/events he has to attend) and needs whatever they can give him on his platoon (hand receipt, alpha roster, personnel files, training records, METL, and most importantly training schedule).

He should then make a B-line for his PSG. Get the platoon training schedule through movement to NTC to get ground truth (make sure to check it against the published training schedule to get an idea how it's matching up). Set a time to sit down with the PSG and get the lay of the platoon and a time to do initial counseling - probably at different times since I doubt Faith is ready to counsel immediately.

If I were him I'd want to introduce myself to the platoon - but not disrupt what is likely a very busy schedule. Something key to discuss with the PSG. He should plan to sit down and counsel at least his squad leaders before departure to NTC. He's mostly going to want to stay out of the way these next 10 days - integrating into training where he can (especially PT). But he needs to be getting smart on what they'll execute at NTC because he'll be in charge for those ops - not much he can do but fuck up prep before then. He should get the T&EOs for every task they're going to execute before he racks out and carry that with him everywhere to be studying - alongside his battle book he should have built from all the info he collected at the company (alpha roster, training records, personnel records).