Any officers out there?

[GA_boi]

I know there are a quite a few service members and prior service folks on here and I was just wondering out of those if there are any officers. Here's where the question came from. I am enlisted in the National Guard and have just joined ROTC at the college I attend. I should be comissioned spring of 10 as a 2nd Lt. Just wanted to know the path that you that have been/are comissioned took and if there was any advice that you could share.

 

[slep_rock]

Just remember your career is built on the success or failure on your "ENLISTED" subordinates.

 

[GA_boi]

True. This is why I am looking now for things that will help me be a better leader to my enlisted soldiers

 

[MC MUSTANG]

There are several officers in diferent services here on the .oRg; retired, former and active. The best advice that I can offer is that you never forget the following:
Anything your unit does well is due to the skill, pride and professionalism of your Solders.
Anything your unit does poorly is due to your lack of the above. (read: if it goes well, the credit goes to them - if it goes bad, it is your fault.)
I look at it this way. As an officer, my job is to ensure that the Marines I work with have nothing to worry about except doing thier jobs.
If I am doing my job, and I decide not to go in to work what day, what should happen? Nothing. The fact that I am not there should be completely transparent; the Marines would carry on and things would be fine. If however, they decided not to show up - a whole different kind of nothing would occur.
And the single most important tool you employ is trust. If your Soldiers don't trust you, you won't get a single thing done. Try to be the kind of Officer that you want to work for, and you'll be fine.
Just my .02

 

[Mr Bogus]

You could go to Shawns "booming" voice school too... Get outta da road!

 

[GA_boi]

Thanks MC Mustang, I will keep this in mind while working towards my goal.

 

[mrninja9]

just remember

it takes alot of enlisted to make an officer look good.

in still your trust with your men or women be there for them and they will show you that they are there for you.

 

[BigBSBusa]

Ensure you know what they are supposed to do, but let them succeed at it. You determine the vision, but they make it come true. Because of those 2 things (and like others have said) the credit goes to them when success is achieved and when things fail you didn't give them all they needed to do the job. One other thing, don't think that you are better than them. You want them to respect you not just your rank!

 

[Ranger]

just remember

it takes alot of enlisted to make an officer look good.

Also it takes alot of enlisted paychecks to make up one officers paycheck!

 

[Scar]

Good luck and congratulations on your promotion!

Great work with the foresight!

 

[skydivr]

+1 on MC Mustang's post.

To answer your question - I was Army Reserve also got Commission thru ROTC. I could offer you lot of advice but my fingers would be worn out, but here:

1. You much genuinely CARE for your soldiers; they can spot a fake a mile away.
2. Leadership is a 24/7 job, and somebody is watching ALL THE TIME. Keep your personal affairs in order also (money, women, drinking, etc.) If you can't, you lose their respect.
3. Soldiers like leaders willing to take personal risk on their behalf when it's deserving.
4. You must be willing to do anything you ask them to do, and every once in a while you have to prove it.
5. Sometimes, It's a lot easier to get forgiveness than permission.
6. Regulations are for the GUIDANCE of the COMMANER, and sometimes, you have to break them to do the right thing.
7. You can get away with almost anything as long as it's not about YOU.
8. Get/Stay in top physical condition - you don't have to beat the fastest guy on the run, but you'd damn well better be in the top third!
9. Go to as many schools (Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, etc.) as you can - "street cred"
10. See out officers in your command that you respect; watch, listen, learn and let them mentor you - a good officer is always looking for someone junior to mentor.
11. You are NOT their buddy; you are their LEADER - and sometimes that means tough love.
12. Your PSG/1SG/Senior NCO can be your greatest resource - it's in his best interest for you to develop into a good officer, and all the good ones KNOW IT.
13. PERSISTENCE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING.

I retired last month after 25 years. It is hard to leave something I've done my entire adult life. Most of my friends and who I identify with are soldiers - and I wouldn't have it any other way. There are always bad eggs (they eventually screw up and usually get weeded out), but there are some true gems and those are the ones I always looked for.

Best of luck