Lifers versus Targets: How to properly train your soldiers

2015-02-16T13:11:48-05:00

Respect doesn't come from treating your soldiers kindly. It comes from your ability to lead by example. It comes from your competency at your job. It comes from getting your hands dirty because no matter what rank you are, participative leadership is your primary leadership style. It comes from placing the needs of your soldiers above your own. Being kind and not enforcing standards is selfish. Often, the need to be liked or to be the cool NCO/officer, is put before their soldier's need to survive. I would rather my soldiers respect me than like me. I want mine to say what a soldier said to CSM (Ret) Purdy when he left 1st Ranger BN, which was, "Sergeant Purdy, I hated to hear you come in in the morning, and sometimes I just flat hated you, but I would follow you to hell with gasoline drawers on.” Iron discipline and realistic training is what makes a soldier. Enforcers of iron discipline are what true soldiers want their leaders to be.

A true leader understands the ways of warfare. He understands the fact that there are always going to be people in uniform - officers, NCOs, and privates alike - who are going to be lazy. They are going to blow off training and they will cut corners. The true leader knows these are the people that will facilitate his ability to win the battle and bring his people home. A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus illustrates this point best. He said, “Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” There is also a great example of this ideology on warfare in the Bible. It is the story of Gideon's Army of 300. If you don't know this story and you are a combat leader, then you I suggest you read it. It can be found in the Old Testament Book of Judges, chapter 7:1 - 8:21.

A professional leader in the military understands that our job is the profession of death. It is either the enemies' death or ours, but the job is death. Everything we do, no matter what job we hold, is ultimately to destroy the enemies of our country. With stakes that high, I truly do not understand why any leader would want to do anything other then train; and not only train, but live it, totally immerse yourself into it. Some people call these soldiers "lifers" and they mean for this to be a derogatory term. The irony is that, if not being competent at your job means your death, then I am very proud to be called a LIFE-r. Survival on the battlefield takes dedication and hard work.

So now I must ask you, are you a “lifer” or are you a “target”?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 1:15 PM

2015-02-16T13:15:13-05:00

Respect goes three ways. You respect everyone under you, next to you, above you. Without a shared respect for each other and a shared cause to protect our nation and its interest we are nothing more than a big gang.

Response by SFC Boots Attaway made Feb 16 at 2015 1:40 PM

2015-02-16T13:40:00-05:00

Do not get me wrong about how I treated my soldiers with respect and did not "order" them to do anything and think I was trying to be buddy buddy with them. They all knew where I stood on performance, duty and appearance and if they were wrong I let them know it. Treat them with respect but maintain proper order and discipline.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 1:48 PM

2015-02-16T13:48:39-05:00

As the picture depicted, the knife edge hand is the tool to use and they should give them out in RFI.

Response by SGT James Elphick made Feb 16 at 2015 1:51 PM

2015-02-16T13:51:05-05:00

This is one of the reasons I left the Army, poor training and leadership. I did everything I could on my own but there is only so much book-smarts and manuals can do without the practical application in the field. After 2 deployments and still training to fight the Russians I did what I could to impart survival skills and toughness on my soldiers and when the time came I left because I felt I was a Lifer as you described but I was being led by too many targets.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 2:53 PM

2015-02-16T14:53:23-05:00

Ultimately, my Soldiers are my "kids". I treat them the same way as I treat my own child. I love them all, but there are times that you must do things that may make you uncomfortable for their benefit.

Train them to fill your boots. If you are combat-bound, prepare them so that if you are separated, incapacitated, or killed then they are able to carry on in your absence until someone can arrive or fills your role. If you are non-combat, then prepare them so that they are not left in the lurch when you eventually leave the Army or are promoted out of the position then they know how to fill your shoes and your Soldiers are capable of carrying the mission until the incoming personnel know their jobs well enough to implant themselves into the situation.

Fight like hell to protect them. Like I said, they're my kids. They need to know that you care, and if they are fighting for you by ensuring that your mission succeeds, then you have the obligation to fight for them to ensure that they have everything needed to complete their own mission. Protect them from the politics, the WARNOs and FRAGOs that go back and forth, "Yes we have funding...wai....no....yes we....nope.....ok no fund...just kidding, we DO have funding." Save them from the distractions that will pull them from completion of the mission. Let them focus on the execution, and you focus on pulling them through the suck to get on target.

Break the box. We all have supply issues, funding issues, etc. Too often, I see Soldiers say, "There's no way to do it." In the Army, there are very few absolutes......and nearly everything can be accomplished with the dedication, intestinal fortitude, and the creative outside the box thinking. Coming from someone who was "Special Board Promoted" to CPT after 2 time nonselect...having spent my entire career taking care of my Soldiers careers instead of my own, a CPT, 2 MAJ, and a LTC all engaged to help me get to where I am....and from there, I survived and began advancing my own career with a newfound understanding of another piece of the puzzle.

There are so many more things...but I disagree that most are targets. Sometimes, it's just finding the right methods to motivate the troops. Finding that motivation can enhance the numbers of productive members of a company/platoon/squad....any level of leadership.
v/r,
CPT Butler

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 3:00 PM

2015-02-16T15:00:17-05:00

But shouting and knife handing does not work on everyone. A leader recognizes what his subordinates responds to and adjusts the approach accordingly. I'd rather my subordinate hear what I'm saying and getting them to do then shut down and not hear me because I'm shouting.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 16 at 2015 4:02 PM

2015-02-16T16:02:11-05:00

When I became a lieutenant, I had an audience. I tried to do everything myself because I didn't trust my men to do anything (and I didn't know how to lead them properly).

It wasn't until I became a captain that I began to figure it out. My subordinates would work for me as hard as I worked for them. I had an obligation to provide them with the training and equipment they need to accomplish their mission and to provide them with a clear vision of how we were going to accomplish that mission as a team.

If they didn't know how to do something the way I thought it should be done, it was up to me to teach them.

Then, as the mission was underway, it was my job to keep track and make adjustments shifting people and resources to where they were needed.

Most of all, I learned to trust my subordinates.

I believe that's when they began to trust me...

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 16 at 2015 4:21 PM

2015-02-16T16:21:52-05:00

I worked under the assumption that I was gone tomorrow. I was constantly training my replacement, and my replacement had to be getting his replacement ready.

I always assumed my boss wasn't going to show up, and I was in charge. I had to carry out the plan of the day, because the last thing I wanted was my boss's boss to come in and ask me why everyone was just sitting around doing nothing. I'd rather having them do the wrong #$%#^ thing than nothing at all.

First words out of my mouth were "Good morning X (my boss), I've got Y on the schedule, do I need to adjust anything?" from there, it would be delegation to my guys. If there were gaps, we'd fill them, either with PT, training, PME time, or something. There's always something to do. Sometimes that something is a guided discussion at the club. Sometimes that something is "popping smoke" before anyone realizes that we're unoccupied.

But most of the time it was making sure my folks had their #$%^#$ squared away. PME Done for promotion, checks in boxes so we didn't play F#%$#-F#$% games.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 16 at 2015 4:33 PM

2015-02-16T16:33:48-05:00

I am only through the first 4 sentences and seeing that this is going to be a DAMN GOOD piece. Fires me up.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 16 at 2015 4:35 PM

2015-02-16T16:35:05-05:00

This Command Post piece should be framed and hung on the wall of every unit.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2015 5:03 PM

2015-02-16T17:03:00-05:00

By teaching and develop their skills, will, and teamwork. Once they are confident in their skills and mastered their crafts, and they build that trust to a fellow soldiers, working toguether as a team, eventually they will developed the will to fight. The will not to let down his peers and leaders. It takes time and a committed leader to take his team to this level.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 17 at 2015 1:49 AM

2015-02-17T01:49:18-05:00

Very well said! I had the pleasure of serving with CSM Purdy when he was then LTC Petreaus' CSM in 3-187 at Fort Campbell. That old bastard was hard then, I couldn't even imagine being a one of his Soldiers when he was a Sergeant.

I agree with your philosophy of leadership and training. Your examples are very powerful and motivating. I am obviously a lifer and implemented your philosophy my entire career. You have a very unique situation in where everyone around you fully understands exactly what your philosophy means. Unfortunately us lowly conventional force folks don't have elite Soldiers or candidates that we work with in such an environment as you.

I would caution leaders that you can gain the respect of your Soldiers by eating, drinking, sleeping Army and you may even earn some respect from a few. You will earn all of your Soldiers respect if you are a total leader to the best of your abilities. To be a total leader there has to be a human aspect to your leadership style, your Soldiers need to be able to relate to you. I am not saying to be the "cool guy" or not enforcing standards, I am just saying don't be a zealot.

Great Post!!!

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Feb 25 at 2015 7:27 PM

2015-02-25T19:27:35-05:00

SFC Michael Faircloth, great topic and I think you nailed it. Caring for our soldiers is a must but caring for them is training them. I recall seeing a poster that said let no soldiers soul cry "If I had only been trained" I think its great you used Heraclitus and Gideons Army of the 300. Great Job!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 2 at 2015 6:24 PM

2015-04-02T18:24:50-04:00

I want to say Damn. This is awesome. I don't know why I haven't since it yet. When you referenced the Purd Ranger I know what you are talking about. I am deployed right now and I have Purdy on Leadership post in my CHU. Soldiers love realistic training. I can't get enough of it.

I have seen this on both ends. I was in LRS at Bragg for a while when I was a Joe. It was one of the best units in the Army. We trained harder than I could have ever imagined. It was what we had to do to survive in combat. It came in handy when we got there. I then joined the guard. I was in shock when I got here. The ticket punchers and boot lickers are all around. People here complain that we don't have time to train. This blows my mind. You make time to train. When I went to Ranger it didn't phase me. I was used to the suck. And it really sucked but it was good training. I have heard an NCO say he doesn't see why the Army puts so much emphasis on Ranger School. Of course he doesn't have a tab or even wants to attempt the school. I don't know why you wouldn't want to go if you were infantry. I am always looking to train at the next level. I am hoping to hit selection in the spring. I can't think of any better training the Guard has.

I do fear that the have lost so much in the warrior spirit and/or tradition. The Army has changed. What you have in small units like the Rangers, LRS, SF, or other elite groups is something that other unit will never understand. Some will realize what it means and they will move on to these units. Some units get it but when I hear of a soldier complain about going to field I just want to stomp them into the ground.

Response by SGT Joe Sabedra made Apr 3 at 2015 8:05 AM

2015-04-03T08:05:53-04:00

From the front.
You need to push them till you get one to drop out.
Then have them help him.

Creates teamwork. No man left behind and it ensures some of them get pushed farther then they think they could have gone.

Following a leader out of a flying aircraft is an unnatural act but they will follow.

Response by SGT Joe Sabedra made Apr 3 at 2015 8:11 AM

2015-04-03T08:11:04-04:00

While I agree with the concept telling your soldiers they are like your kids goes the wrong way.

I had a battalion commander tell us we were like his kids and then scolded the entire battalion.

He lost an entire battalion in that formation.

We all worked as companies but did not support him.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2015 8:17 AM

2015-04-03T08:17:28-04:00

Could not agree with you more, well written and thought out. I only leave you with one additional quote to strengthen your resolve.
“A leader leads by example not by force.” Sun Tzu

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Apr 3 at 2015 9:36 AM

2015-04-03T09:36:01-04:00

The best way to improve morale in troops is to win battles. If you can't win battles (not at war or in combat?) practice winning battles in a way that feels realistic. Train tough, be the best. That is how to boost morale.