What is the BEST word of CAUTION you can give to younger leaders?

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:54:44 -0400

What is the best WORD OF CAUTION you can give to junior leaders who wish to succeed? What do they need to know, in one sentence, that will make their life a little less dangerous, whatever that danger may be?

Response by CH (MAJ) William Beaver made Apr 30 at 2015 5:56 PM

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:56:00 -0400

Always be at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 6:41 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 18:41:44 -0400

Take all of your previous leaders...their good and bad traits....what worked and what didn't.....take all of that info and mold it into your own style of leadership.......and always remember to take care of your troops.........be willing to stand on the carpet with them, if need be.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Apr 30 at 2015 6:55 PM

SFC Stephen King — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 18:55:59 -0400

Don't be afraid to fail. Failure is personal growth

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 30 at 2015 7:05 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 19:05:29 -0400

Be crystal clear on your superior's expectations.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 8:46 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:46:10 -0400

Failing your PT test erases 20 years of outstanding performance.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 10:08 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:08:42 -0400

As you gain experience and progress thru the ranks to becoming an NCO...pay attention to what good leaders are doing at each level above you...also watch what the not so good and toxic leaders are also doing....remember both....but make damn sure you don't find yourself doing what you thought was toxic and bad when you obtain their rank.

Response by MSgt Jamie Lyons made Apr 30 at 2015 10:12 PM

MSgt Jamie Lyons — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:12:42 -0400

"Adversity does not build character....it reveals it."

Response by MSgt Jamie Lyons made Apr 30 at 2015 10:14 PM

MSgt Jamie Lyons — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:14:28 -0400

"You have two ears and one mouth so listen twice as much as you speak"

Response by MSgt Jamie Lyons made Apr 30 at 2015 10:17 PM

MSgt Jamie Lyons — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 22:17:32 -0400

And as my old high school football coach used to say "A winner is a person who has lost many races"

Response by COL Charles Williams made Apr 30 at 2015 11:31 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 23:31:46 -0400

Live, Live, Live Army Values. It does not matter what you say, it matters what you do... 24/7.

Listen much more than you talk...

Learn and master the Army Systems such as OPORDS, TLPS, PCIs etc.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2015 11:31 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 23:31:14 -0400

"Know your job inside and out."

What I really despised during my time, was my sergeant (E-5), one rank removed from turning wrenches like me (63T), not having a clue as to what the job was. How the hell he got promoted is, to this day, a mystery to me.

Read the -10, the -20 and don't be afraid to get your damn hands dirty once in awhile - even if you're not required to! Stay proficient in the tasks your soldiers are expected to do every day. If for no other reason than to show them that you can still do their job!

I respected my E-7 much more than this lazy-ass E-5 for this very reason. Remember where you came from as you rise in rank, and don't EXCHANGE one skill set for another...but BUILD on what you know.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 30 at 2015 11:35 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 23:35:18 -0400

Do not burn bridges. Treat the smallest and shortest bridge as if it was the largest and longest.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 1 at 2015 9:32 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 01 May 2015 21:32:14 -0400

If you work for a jackass who cares only about himself, you will get burned.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2016 2:22 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 14:22:36 -0500

Lessons I learned as an Officer:

1. Being unfairly 'relieved- for- cause' as a 1LT is not the end of the world especially if you give a fair and written rebuttal to your situation. I was relieved as S1 for not making the daily battle update briefs. I had no S1 PAC nco (he was on the main post and no cell phone coms either) and nobody was with me (not even the S4) at the CTCP at Yakima training range in 2002. The Bn XO said not to worry and he would inform the battalion commander and yet I had nobody there to give me a ride nor go in my place and the battalion commander fired me anyways. I had gotten screwed said my fomer company commander (at the time an Xo for an MP BN). My documentation did not prevent me from being approved for CPT by the Army Promotion board in 2003. I took my promotion delay letter for 3 years delay on taking my 0-3.

2. If you are in the ARNG: if you make 0-3 on the promotion board and you can't get promoted in your unit due to politics or no slots and you want your rank now instead of later, don't take the promotion delay letter from HRC but leave the unit and go into the IRR get your 0-3/CPT and go back in the ARNG or go in the USAR and find a slot.

3. Acting battalion Commander/Major can't be your Senior rater on an OER.This happened to me. The Brigade G3 made him rewrite it as the rater and write it more fairly than it was originally and the G3 became the Senior Rater.

4. Get your rater and senior rater's support form and try to see where you need to be with schools or experience to work on his job experience and qualifications and get promoted.

5. Be physically fit and maintain a 290+ or 300 on your apft. I was not the best officer in the past but my APFT score overcame alot of discrimination. When a 40 something officer could run under 14 minutes and go over the max on pushups and situps,it made the commanders think differently of me. Just my wisdom as an older soldier.

I look forward to reading your comments so I can continue to grow as well.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made Jan 3 at 2016 3:03 PM

SSG Michael Hartsfield — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 15:03:40 -0500

Don't buy into your own hype

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Jan 4 at 2016 12:52 PM

LTC Ed Ross — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 12:52:22 -0500

Know yourself.

Response by 1SG Jeff H made Jan 4 at 2016 3:14 PM

1SG Jeff H — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 15:14:29 -0500

Never assume that your Subordinates understands the task at hand, always follow up.

Response by SSG Stephen Smith made Apr 9 at 2016 10:02 PM

SSG Stephen Smith — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 22:02:38 -0400

Never assume you always know the right answer or the correct way something is done. Listen to the senior NCO's and what they have to say.