Preparing to become a Company Commander

Night Stalker

I am preparing to take command of a Military Intelligence line company in the 101st Airborne Division later this Summer and want to see what attributes you most admire in leaders or managers you've been around. This will be my first venture back out into the "real Army" in some time, and I hope all my time spent in the Special Operations side of the house will be a help, and not a hindrance to leading these fine soldiers. I fear I may expect too much from some of them, but there are some standards, which are non-negotiable in our business. Anyway, I guess I'm rambling on here....

My company will consist of approximately 90 soldiers of varying MOS's. Their operational experience is largely on the tactical side of the house, and probably 90% will be combat vets, with educational experiences range from HS Graduate to PH D's. Language proficiency will probably be one of my major concerns, but I can not slight the warfighting business either.

I do NOT plan on changing my leadership style, but am interested in seeing if the "civilian" side of the house holds the same attributes we in the military so dearly value.

So, what do you look for in your leaders, or mangers? Is is integrity, ethics, honesty, frankness, competence, confidence, strength/endurance, tactical knowledge, technical prowess, etc....?

Any thoughts ?

NSDQ!

"Many free countries have lost their liberty, and ours may lose hers; but if she shall, be it my proudest plume, not that I was the last to desert; but that I never deserted her." -President Abraham Lincoln

DancesWithSheep

What is a Military Intelligence line company?

FrOg

No thoughts. But congrats. I hope such a position allows you sufficient sleep and fun -- that's all I'd care about[:D].

PS. You should've come to be CCommander at USUHS[;)] Taht would've been cool.

Frog



GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY

n/a

One thing to remember, dont expect, or order someone to do something that you yourself wouldnt or couldnt do..Thats why there are leaders and there are followers, a leader will do that which is necessary to fulfill the mission,



"I dont care how thin you make a pancake, it still has two sides"

"A wise man is a man that realizes just how little he knows.

Night Stalker

DWS,

Generally, the Headquarters Companies (HHC, HHSC, and HSOC) stands alone and works for the MI BN, and usually, our DELTA Company is a Genral Support (GS) Company which detaches soldiers from their company IOT have the gaining company attach them for mission support requirements. Now, the "line" companies, as I referred to them are the Direct Support (DS) Companies which support the maneuver BDEs.

They are usually a fully complimented multi-INT (HUMINT, SIGINT, etc...) plug-in for the BDE CDR which provides raw, tactical, actionable operational intelligence by which the BDE Combat Team (BCT) can flex combat power on the battlefield, at the appropriate time and place. To be selected as a DS MI CO CDR is quite an honor for me. You have truly can "shape" the battlefield for the combat application of force.

The words may have changed, but all the same time-tested concepts are still in use; a company is a company, is a company, except..... [;)]

NSDQ!

"Many free countries have lost their liberty, and ours may lose hers; but if she shall, be it my proudest plume, not that I was the last to desert; but that I never deserted her." -President Abraham Lincoln

Iconoclast

From a civilian perspective, fairness and honesty, above all else - and I think this equates to integrity in any environment. I would rate Classic's assertion a close second; a good leader / manager in any profession must lead by example but subordinates will not expect this of you all the time; it need only be demonstrated when there is a legitimate need for the extra hand or whatever - *your* job is management / command and delegating is vital. Subordinates do know this; they just need to know you aren't pushing off dirty work on them which you would not do yourself - whether a combat assignment or long hours in the office. This gets back to fairness - extra effort / duty, for example, is a lot easier to take when the boss / commander is doing as much as, or more than, he's asking of anyone else. A willingness to recognize one's own mistakes and learn from them. A willingness to listen to, and learn from, others regardless of their job titles (I spent a long time in management and learned early on that the people doing the job almost always know far more within that niche than those who are in charge - the managers provide the big picture to coordinate the efforts and play linebacker to plug the holes when the need arises). Done honestly (see opening line), this conveys confidence far more than words alone. Rely on people who deserve it; they will bust their butts to justify the trust you place in them. Always give praise and credit where it is due. Technical competence is important, but only to the extent of that needed to perform your own job and to determine whether others are performing theirs. Then there are things you already have or you would not have been promoted - commitment to the task / mission, taking responsibility, making intelligent decisons. Likely "tactical knowledge" falls into this category, as well - it is a fundamental skill for the military, no? In the civilian sector "strength / endurance" is more important in the mind than in the body; the two best managers I ever had were older, smaller, guys who knew how to work with and through people.



"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)

Bullzeye

Sir, I won't presume to tell you how to do your job. But I will give you the Private's viewpoint.

I don't know how things are run over in Intel. But here in the Infantry, the stuff we Joes look for in a CO is pretty simple.

Be accessible. If we see the CO is willing to spend time mingling with us, talking and answering questions and whatnot, it makes us respect him that much more. We understand you're busy, but if the only time we see you is when you're shouting orders, it makes it seem like you're too good to bother with the Joes.

Build comraderie. We love a CO who is willing to get his hands dirty, get down in the trenches (so to speak) with the troops, eat the same food as them, put up with the same lousy conditions as them, and generally let them know that he'd never ask them to do anything he wouldn't or couldn't do himself.

And don't forget that soldier morale IS a big deal. A happy company is hugely more productive, safe, morally upright, and fun than one where everyone does their job out of fear.

Again, just this private's opinion, sir.

punchie

Lead by example!!! I think you may have already spotted a potential problem. These are Intel weenies not SpecOps like you may be used to.

AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY

gun_runner

Lead by example. Integrety and competence are a must. Sounds like a challenging position.......

Larry

Roughrdr

As a Gunney I always looked for Honesty in my Co, Even though I never could get along with them (to me they all seemed to have their heads in their @$$), I felt if he/her was not being totally forthright with me, I would never take his commands with out some doubt. But we are not alowed to doubt, so we take it in stride and gripe about it later.

I never felt the brass had any business mingling with the non-coms and our charges, their is a fine line and they should not be crossing it. You mind you business, and we will do what our platoon comander says. (BTW, which I respect more cause they were always Warrants)and have actually gotten their hands dirty going thru the enlisted ranks versuss the college boobs who can't figure out how to get out of a wet bag.

It might be apparent I don't like the brass, but that also explains why I was discharged minus a stripe or 2 (was a master Guns for a whole 6 months) before I called my CO a lying gentleman. That and the lump on his face. but thats for another time.

I guess times have changed for this old salt

---

ElMuertoMonkey

I would say that decisiveness and the willingness to take responsibility for your actions are the two qualities I admire most in any leader. Make a decision and then stick by it. Take the blame or the credit in equal measure.

Tiger6

NightStalker, There is no better job in any walk of life than a Company Command.. I was blessed with 13 years of command time in the Army, including AIRBORNE / RANGER , "Leg" Infantry, Mec Infantry, and Air Assault tours at the company level.. My advice is fairly simple..
> Be consistent in all matters of discipline. Establish your standards clearly and then hold the line. Take the mystery out of it and let them know how you think.
> Challenge your personnel to always strive for a higher level of professional
> Give your folks something to talk about when they belly up to the bar.
> UCMJ must be handled firmly, rapidly, accurately and supportive of your discipline standards
> Always remember, when the stuff is flying, and the mission & lives are on the line, tradition, discipline and training will make the difference.
> Never accept substandard performance from your subordinate leaders. The NCO Corps can make it happen, if you mentor them to that end and empower them to act. Hold them accountable.
> Be bold!!!!!! I well remember the 0400 meeting I had with all my NCOs where we were discussing my standards, and the Battalion SDO cam in and told us that we were alerted for immediate deployment (something I arranged to happen).. I immediately launched into my combat commander mode laying out instruction for our prep for deployment. In the middle of this, as I watched their faces I launched. Pointing at some, demanding to know what they were thinking about. The point was driven home. They were concerned about their family, their own issues, and had completely missed their primary mission of THEIR TROOPS. I hammered them.. You must be ready, physically, mentally, financially, etc.. so when "it" comes you can focus on those you are charged to lead. Think of ways to turn on the lights that will be remembered.
> Use physical training to support readiness standards, physical health, mental health and discipline, both personal and professional. BUT do not get trapped into the same old run all the time. And Remember, we are not going to run at them or run away from them, but we will do a damned lot of walking, under arms and with field loads, sot train in long distance walking in combat kit. Yea you're an Inel unit, so what? Set the standards for readiness to the worse possible conditions.
> And last, but far from least, maintain a sense of humor in your discipline and in your treatment of "your troops," and mentor a like sense of humor throughout your command.

I envy you so much. Nothing I would rather be doing than leading troops again. I wish you the very best.. If I can be of assistance.. Holler..

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY..


"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."
George Orwell


TARGETS UP!
TIGER6

jimkane

You can be one of two types of officer as a company commander (or at least from my perspective as an enlisted soldier driving for an officer.)

1. You can be the "soldiers officer" You look out for your troops. You gian thier respect. You know the limits of your troops and you don't overtask them by volunteering them for everything. You are honest with them in situations. You give credit where credit is due. If you do all of those you will gain the respect of your soldiers.

Or,

2. You can be an "officer's officer" (Like my CO in Iraq) You are more worried about your performance review so you will volunteer your soldiers for anything and everything that comes along. You will always make the situation look good for your superiors. You won't tell your troops everything. Now this won't endear you to your troops but your commanding officers at the higher levels will see you on the fast track for promotion. (unlike if you are a soldier's officer)

Now if I sound bitter, it is because I am. What the Army needs is some good Officers who are willing to go against the grain and stand up for the troops. There is a myth in the army that Officers and upper enlisted are supposed to "Take care of the troops" But this is for the most part just a myth. I have known very few officers who care for anything other than making themselves look good at the expense of their troops.

Hopefully you can change that.

27Nov2003 Samarra, Iraq

Rosie

As a leader of men not asking your people to do something you wouldn't do is ok but you shouldn't do it except as a last resort. There will be many times that you will know you can do a better job what ever it is but that is not what you are there for. They need a leader, not a dead hero. As a leader you can bring men back. As a dead hero you will probably get more killed. Hard to do? Damn right it is but someone thought you were up to it or you wouldn't be there.
GOOD LOOK AND GOD SPEED

bigt7mm

Congrats NS. I commend you and thank you for your service. Let God and the UCMJ be your guide. You'll know what to do![;)]

"Been around the world and seen that only stupid people are breeding.The cretins cloning and feeding,and I don't even own a T.V."---Harvey Danger

Night Stalker

I asked the same question of some peers and a few seniors on another website, and almost to the last "bullet" comment, their responses mirrored yours.

Tiger 06. I wish the Army would finally decide that not all CPTs need (or deserve to be) CO CDRs. So many CPTs do not want to do it, because it is thick with risk; risk your soldiers will mess up, and you'll get the blame. I say, let the folks who want to go off and be staff folk leave and go to staff. Staff jobs should suck, pure and simple, but now a days it does not suck, it is actually preferred often times. Now, here is what I recommend. Let the CPTs who want to CMD be CDRs. If you'll do that, I offer some of the retention problems we have would weed themselves out. The reason I believe that is I think if the "joe's" think the old man is looking out for them, and not just his career, they feel a bond, espirit de corps and pride in themselves and their unit. If not, and you let some cholo CPT in there who does not WANT to CMD, but knows they MUST CMD, well, just the opposite is true. Soldiers leave in record numbers because of the risk adverse CPTs who think along the lines of- "if I let these joes go to the range twice a year instead of the once a year I am directed to, I am doubling my risk. Something could happen and I would be to blame". So, the CPT says, no, you cannot go to the range twice a year, you need to go to the motor pool and conduct motor maintenance. What an initiative stifling excuse for a commander!

Anyway, thanks for all the great advice, and Tiger 06, if you don't mind, I may just drop your address in my favorites and call on you time and again as some of the more flavorful issues of CMD arise. Hope you don't mind [;)].

NSDQ!

"Many free countries have lost their liberty, and ours may lose hers; but if she shall, be it my proudest plume, not that I was the last to desert; but that I never deserted her." -President Abraham Lincoln

beachmaster73

Learn how to listen to what your troops are really saying. You can ignore the "pain in the *" enlisted whiners....you'll know who they are in short order. The wisdom you can get from your troops is priceless. I think Tiger6 summed it up pretty well. Setting your standards and adhering to them goes a long way to stopping whining from the malcontents. Finally DON'T get too close or friendly with them, respect them yes, but you are not their friend you are their Commander. Beach

Tiger6

Night Stalker, any time.. and I mean that.. I honor your service and the fact that your have grasped the "right vision" of being a leader.. Remember, you must have fun with it, as only then will those in your charge enjoy their own lives..
I well remember leading the company combat pushball team, and getting my * ripped the next day for my unit's win of the Brigade championship, which included putting the Battalion Cdr, CSM, S3, Chaplin and 12 others on profile.
We were picked to lose against the HHC team. Realizing that we were supposed to lose so that the HHC pukes could look good, during practice I told the team not to sweat it, to have fun, make them remember we were there, and if your going down, take them with ya.. It was a big laugh shared by all in practice.. Well those "Grunts" hit the field with a purpose.. My rule was that every man in the unit had to play at least 5 minutes in every game; no exceptions except for those already injured, who served as recon elements along the sidelines for those "in combat." The "kids" who had never been in a physical fight, or played a contact sport, generally feared physical contact. You could see the look on their faces when they survived absolute physical contact... and to a man, they were screaming, "send me in again coach"... I can take that SOB out... (Combat pushball requires 30 men on each side pushing around a 12 foot leather ball.. only rule was that choaking was a no-no)..
The Battalion Commander, (more a "political leader" than a true leader) at one point screamed at my team for being too rough.. That did it, all stops were pulled and the game was on for sure. I put in all the unit officers, 1SG, and a "loaner" chaplin and all those who were my "light weights" (those that were just not physically focused).. Great combat tactics employed, inpt from our recon elements was dead on, and my guys had fun!
It was worth the * rippen I got.. and your could see every man standing tall as that little fear that they held in the back of their mind about "fighting" had been removed.. NO SLACK!!!!

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."
George Orwell


TARGETS UP!
TIGER6

bigdaddyjunior

Let your people know from early on in word and deed that you will watch their backs and support them.In your field they are probably carrer oriented soldiers and would benefit from having the pitfalls and gray areas pointed out to them. In return expect loyalty and proficiency. Short answer; Take care of your family as any good father would.

Big Daddy my heros have always been cowboys,they still are it seems

Oklahomabound

Get your education, your training in the Basic and Advance course taught you about military leadership, gave you many and various examples of different leadership styles, and gave you opportunities to develop your abilities as a manager and sharpen your skills as a leader.
listen.
understand that others know more than you.
value diversity/get more than one opinion.
be decisive.
lead by example.
your word is your bond.
take care of your folks.
execute the mission with audicity, surprise, and clarity of thought.
know your enemy.
know your enemy's family, training, tactics, and anticipate their every move.
work hard, play hard, and be true to yourself.

Platoon leader, Company Commander, S-2, S-3....now retired.

Night Stalker

You all need to get together and jot a few of these suggestions down in a notebook or something for future leaders, military and civilian alike.

I have read all the responses no less than three times, and there is not a single point made by anyone I can find disagreement with. A very comprehensive list. Again, I thanks you, and I hope even though you'll never meet most of them, my troops will thank you for the rock-solid advice you have offered, which they'll have to live with.

NSDQ!

"Many free countries have lost their liberty, and ours may lose hers; but if she shall, be it my proudest plume, not that I was the last to desert; but that I never deserted her." -President Abraham Lincoln

idsman75

Brevity is the soul of wit so I would respectfully state my opinion in two short sentences:

Get in touch with USAREC and ask them about leadership style.

Then do the exact opposite.