A Sergeant Major’s Advice for a Field Grade Officer - The Field Grade Leader

Read this a while back, a great re-read. Sound advise and spot on in regard to the challenging transition from Company Grade to Field Grade Officer.

Amen to that. Definite teamwork.

I remember my transition as a newly promoted major, and yes, as CSM Cunningham explains your authority and power increase exponentially, my first assignment was Regimental Adjutant. You need to immediately connect, meet and introduce yourself, to your senior NCO. In my case, I knew the Regimental Commander, who later earned a star, with whom I had served as a company grade officer, but we had a significant change in doctrine and needed to institute a major overhaul of unit culture. It brought back memories of officer/NCO interaction as a platoon leader, where the NCO's ruled the kingdom. Nevertheless, in short order I had flag officers remembering my name and asking me directly for evaluations and explanations. Life will never be the same, but you find out that the Army's foundation is based upon Sergeants First Class and Captains.