Officer branch prior to 18A

[CW1287]

Wet Dog,

I learned quite a few things. One of the first things is that while you may be the Officer of the team you are still a guest of the team. The team will be there after you leave and it was there prior to your arrival. Your mere existance on the team does not make the team succed or fail. The next thing I learned, You are the face of the team to the command. You stick up for the team and take care of the team. If higher is sending down lashes for the team you take them and turn the other cheek for more. This is what is expected of you, you do not dime your men out or lay the blame off on someone else, you man up and shoulder the burden.

The next piece is leadership. There are all different kinds of leaders, some are good and others are poor. The best leaders are those who can take constructive criticism and use it to better themselves. Those who try and do everything on their own without the input of the team will fail and may be seen as a poor leader.

After reading Basenshukai's articles I have learned that flexibilty is a must from a leader. No two situations will ever be the same and a good officer must be able to adapt and overcome. Never quitting is another theme throughout his article, no matter how hopeless a situation (whether it be in training or the "real world") may seem. Sitiational Awareness is keep, if you do not have it you will fail at many junctures. Know it, use it, love it.

I have learned so many things by reading all the posts that I could write an extremely long thread about it. The above seems to be many of the recurring themes I saw. The biggest and most influencial is focus. Keeping focused on the 5M and 25M targets. When you want to achieve something so badly you begin looking out to the 300m and beyond targets. You loose your SA and you miss what is in front of you. In order to achieve everything you want in life you must slow down, know what your 300m target looks like, but focus on the 5M and 25M target, while you work you way out. Not clearing your 5 and 25 could kill your progress (literally in some cases) before you ever get close to your goal. Keep your SA in check.

LT W

Wet Dog, if you are looking for more let me know and I add to my message.

[1stindoor]

Good job LT. That's the way to answer a challenge. You'll find that those lessons will serve you well in any career field.

[Richard]

GEN Stan McChrystal: Listen, Learn...Then Lead.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/st...cchrystal.html

Richard

[LongWire]

Thanks for the llnk Richard!!!!!

Originally Posted by CW1287

I have learned so many things by reading all the posts that I could write an extremely long thread about it.

LT W

I think you should, make the effort to manage it also, creating chapters, sub threads, keeping those on point and answering the tough questions.

By the way, good job.

WD

[CW1287]

Wet Dog,

I will begin to compile all my lessons learned and thoughts on what I have read and learned. I will PM you once I have finished them, it may be a while before I have it all complete. Once you have reviewed it and given any guidance I will post it in the appropriate areas.

LT W

Little Peter Jenkins was not bullied, nor his friends not like him, in fact, he was well liked my most kids in his 5th grade class, and also by the older 6th and 7th graders too. His older brother John, was a star basketball, football and baseball player in the much more experienced 9th grade. Peter had talent, he was just small, but Peter’s real problem was he was always picked last to join a game of kickball for the 3rd period recess, and the long break before the lunch hour and the 30 minute break before biology later in the day.

So Peter devised a plan.

When two of the bigger, stronger, more adapt school boys broke out for the daily kickball game and summarily began to pick players, Peter decided to throw a wrench into the well lubricated machinery that is evident by the predictable behavior of most 5th grade boys at school.

What Peter did, shocked everyone – he opted out of the last position and made a position for himself. He did this not selfishly, but by careful design with goals and rewards for all those who also chose to follow Peter down the long line of “selection”.

What Peter did was announce the “third option”. He announced his intentions to create a new team, drafting the best players to attend a selection course, “try outs” to determine who would be on the team, rather than wait for the coin toss on who was going to begin the drafting sequence. Peter felt the institutional traditions of the campus withheld raw talent from stepping forward. Something had to give, and Peter saw an opportunity.

“Hey fellas, I’m not playing kickball today. Starting Monday, I’ll be conducting a series of tests to see who the fastest runners, the strongest kickers are and most adapt at catching high kicked balls to the infield and outfield.

Candidates selected to join the team, 8 positions open, will be invited to a team house meeting to receive further instructions and receive their benefit and compensation packets for participating in the “selection” process and also an invitation to be part of the “new team”.

Monday morning was anticipated with much excitement. Boys all over the neighborhood practiced all weekend long for the upcoming “selection” event. Throws, kicks, runs, stopping, base stealing, nothing was missed. Everyone waited for Peter’s arrival at the first recess of the morning. By late afternoon, Peter had the matrix of all players in his school, from all ages, 5th grade thru the 8th.

Tuesday morning, Peter made an announcement.

“Friends, by careful review of the “selection” process conducted yesterday afternoon. Eight names have been selected to join the new “Third Option Team”. This team will compete against all other teams including our Junior High School neighbors.

Benefits for being on the team are. 1., Designer posters hung in the school cafeteria, made by the Art department. 2., A team photograph hung in the school admin office. 3., Weekly game announcements conducted by Ms. Tanaka, 6th grade math teacher at the end of every Friday lunch hour. 4., Home Economics instructors have committed school resources to make matching team uniforms. And finally, a dedicated team meeting area and dedicated lunch table in the cafeteria for all team players close to the dessert line. Larger lunch servings are expected, final size to be negotiated with school cafeteria management.

I, as your team leader and manager will no longer be able to perform the functions of team player. I will no longer be able to dedicate the time required to perform at the level of perfection, but my involvement will be to see to team needs and resources. My older brother John will be the team coach and principle trainer.

We all know Scott from Mr. Johnson’s class. Scott has always performed well as a kicker. What Scott needed was consistency, he was always being picked one day by one person, another day by someone else. Scott came to me, requesting the opportunity to play for the “Third Option”. What I told Scott was he had the skills required to play for the team, but it would require more of him than any other player. What the team would require of Scott would be for him to serve as its first Team Captain and responsible for setting team standards of performance and behavior on campus.

This announcement of Scott being the very first Team Captain is a historical event.

All in favor in showing support to Scott as your new All Grade - Ponderosa Elementary School Kickball Team, please say, YES!”

“YES” shouts the entire school cafeteria.

“Scott, would you please step forward and announce the remaining 7 players”.

-----------------------BT------------------------

What lessons can we learn from Peter’s experience?

[MTN Medic]

Originally Posted by CW1287

Wet Dog,

I learned quite a few things. One of the first things is that while you may be the Officer of the team you are still a guest of the team. The team will be there after you leave and it was there prior to your arrival. Your mere existance on the team does not make the team succed or fail. The next thing I learned, You are the face of the team to the command. You stick up for the team and take care of the team. If higher is sending down lashes for the team you take them and turn the other cheek for more. This is what is expected of you, you do not dime your men out or lay the blame off on someone else, you man up and shoulder the burden.

The next piece is leadership. There are all different kinds of leaders, some are good and others are poor. The best leaders are those who can take constructive criticism and use it to better themselves. Those who try and do everything on their own without the input of the team will fail and may be seen as a poor leader.

After reading Basenshukai's articles I have learned that flexibilty is a must from a leader. No two situations will ever be the same and a good officer must be able to adapt and overcome. Never quitting is another theme throughout his article, no matter how hopeless a situation (whether it be in training or the "real world") may seem. Sitiational Awareness is keep, if you do not have it you will fail at many junctures. Know it, use it, love it.

I have learned so many things by reading all the posts that I could write an extremely long thread about it. The above seems to be many of the recurring themes I saw. The biggest and most influencial is focus. Keeping focused on the 5M and 25M targets. When you want to achieve something so badly you begin looking out to the 300m and beyond targets. You loose your SA and you miss what is in front of you. In order to achieve everything you want in life you must slow down, know what your 300m target looks like, but focus on the 5M and 25M target, while you work you way out. Not clearing your 5 and 25 could kill your progress (literally in some cases) before you ever get close to your goal. Keep your SA in check.

LT W

Wet Dog, if you are looking for more let me know and I add to my message.

Sir, live by that, and you will go far.

[CW1287]

Wet Dog,

This is in order of how I looked at it not in the order of the story.

First an Officer (or any Special Forces Soldier) must be able to think outside the box. There are always more than two options, you must be able to think abstractly to see the "third option" at times. With this comes flexibility. An Officer must not be static and must be able to more with the flow an adapt as the situation calls for it.

Just because a soldier is the strongest or biggest does not mean they are the best at the particular task at hand. A soldier must be well rounded. In a sense they must be a "jack of all trades" or the "complete package" in all areas while still maintaining excellence in their primary trade.

An Officer (Peter in this case) must place the team before themselves. In this case Peter put the team together to take on other schools, he did not create the team for his own personal gain. Once the team was created he not place himself on the roster.

With the last paragraph, the Officer must place himself in a position to take care of the needs of the team, supervising to make sure the team is on track, but making sure the needs are provided for. Peter in this case made sure the team had the best of everything, such as lunches.

Reward the team for their hardwork. Making sure the team gets the credit THEY are due not taking the credit for yourself. If there is negative credit, you as the leader take blame for the short coming and drive on, you protect the team at all costs.

Make sure the team sergeant and team is set up for success. In this story Peter chose Scott to be the team leader and set the standard and example for all others. As a good leader you must make sure the team sergeant is upholding and enforcing the standards of the team. After reading through all the treads I am sure this is not an issue.....

Ultimately the most important is being a team player. Everything that Peter (or an Officer) does is for the benefit of the team. Knowing that the team drives success means making sure everything is done to make the team the best trained, equiped and proficient as possible, with all/any resources if possible.

This is what I got out of this.

LT W

[CW1287]

1stindoor, MTN Medic, Wet Dog,

I will continue living by these lesson and hopefully someday I will have the opportunity to lead, work and and be a guest of a team made of quality soldiers like yourself and other QPs. Until I get to the that point I will continue learning from all the great threads on this site (and from the poor ones ).


LT W

Peter also got other elements involved, the Admin.office, the art department, economic class as laborers, cafateria staff, etc. Peter also got the local populace, (other students in school) to "unanimously" support Scott by their cheers.

The crowd of students are not competing athletes, but they felt they were on the team. A much larger force became role-players in the team's success. In SF we call those campaigns, (a phase of guerrilla warfare).

Now Scott as an effective team leader should teach and instruct to all team members team development, work load sharing, cross training for different positions in the event someone is hurt or missing at a game.

Peter continues to make opportunities for team advancement, continues to see team training, in short, he creates the cultural.

Bother Peter and Scott will develop differently. Scott will learn to teach and mentor one-on-one, very different from Peter's experience with larger groups, committees, themes, to some level, political - nation building. Peter will instruct Scott. Scott's vision will grow beyond the team with "Cdr's Intent", see his roll in the team's ability to effect change.

Irregardless of position, both Peter and Scott will have to identify mentors and remain coachable to learn.

[1stindoor]

Originally Posted by wet dog

Irregardless of position, both Peter and Scott will have to identify mentors and remain coachable to learn.

And both will need to identify those people that exhibit the skills necessary to succeed them in the future. Work themselves out of a job while ensuring their collective vision is seen to fruition.

[Jack Dale]

Wet Dog, apparently, Peter was the biggest and strongest, even if it was only between the ears.

[Utah Bob]

have any of you gentlemen personally met or known any 18A's who weren't former combat arms officers?

Yes.