The Army Field Grade Starter Kit

New S3/XO something to keep in mind, your NCO's work for you.

Also, your NCOs will not work for you if they do not respect, trust and see that you’re not an idiot....scratch that, they will bust there ass's to help you even if you are not the best XO/S3 they have ever worked for... as long as you live up to the 1st two things.

XO the CSM will help when asked, will complete any task assigned but he works for the CDR. Ask for the CSM's advice.... likely whatever issue you’re working though, the CSM has already seen it, screwed it up at least once and then figured out how to do it better. Same for the S3/ G3 SGM.

S3 your OPS SGM is your friend, partner in crime, likely capable of much more than you know or the last officer he worked for was willing to trust him with... sucks to be the last guy...don't lose out on an asset in the next office over. That Senior NCO will help you get through your 12-18 months of hell, or be one of reasons you never see command of anything again.. Your call to start with, his call overall. Remember, if that senior NCO is acting like a mushroom ….its your fault for keeping him in the dark and feeding him shit. Help him help you.

S3 / XO.... if your NCO's are not up to the task, I apologize for them, likely it is not completely their fault.. They sucked before they came to you and no one has trained them since..... It’s a sad fact, more than a few CDR's and CSM's view the staff as a place to fill in with "All Others" types....
I was lucky to have CDR's and CSM that understood the unit would be better overall if the companies suffered a little by losing good junior officers and NCO's, understanding those same companies would have suffered much worse if they had filled the staff with junk and left the cream at the company level.

XO's / S3..... Stop complaining to the CDR /CSM you need people, start listening and watching.....
Which NCO gets tasked to do stuff when it has to get done? That’s at all levels, in your staff, in other staff elements in the HQ, visiting the range or MP at the company training meetings you visit? Find those NCO's then....STEAL THEM...ya its dirty pool,,,its also needed, no good 1SG will volunteer their best people, but when the BN , BDE, or DIV CSM, CDR or XO comes to them and says.. First Sergeant, we need that SM in the S3, for the unit, for the mission and for you at the company level. If we are not getting it done up there, you’re not going to get the support you need down here... That 1SG will grumble, call you names, likely to your face, then ask if he can hold the SM a few more days to pick / train a replacement. Said 1SG will break the news to a very unhappy mid-grade NCO, and tell him suck it up....it’s what we do, the best we can, wherever we are needed the most. Do good work, I won’t forget you, I will get you back, by force if needed.
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EDIT NOTE, I have a horrible habit of using male pronouns when the SM in question is just as likely to be female.. No negatives should be taken from that… I intended no disrespect or in any way imply a duty position is Male only...Its qualified only.
Personally, had I a choice, there were times Id have filled a position with a female SM I knew of, if it had been allowed. SM stands for SERVICE MEMBER … gender is what they are, ability, qualifications, willingness is what should be the deciding factors

Thank you for the story, I'm just becoming a check Deputy commander of the unit so Deputy Commander or XO same Lessons Learned.

Nice one:)!