Congratulations, we have selected you to command! For many of us, this is one of the most rewarding phrases in our careers. A milestone that we have been preparing for. In fact a milestone that our entire profession does a remarkable job preparing us for. The tools and resources to become a great commander are endless. Where I believe that we often fall short, is preparing leaders for what life is like mentally after you transition out of command. The impact of going from 100 miles per hour to 0 has on our mental health as leaders is something we often don’t talk about. However, it is something all commanders experience to some degree. Making mental health post command a priority will aid in providing a seamless transition towards your next role.
What happens after you no longer have a call sign?
The Army gears newly commissioned officers to climb towards the company grade hilltop, command. In 2018 I had the privilege of being identified as the next commander of the 342nd CBRN Company. I worked towards the opportunity to command for my entire career. Now my time had come. I was ready! I poured my life into the next two years, often times at the sacrifice of my family, friends, and personal hobbies. As I reflect back on my experience I don’t regret a thing. The hours, the emotion, the triumphs and the heartbreak. To be perfectly clear the anxiety, blood, sweat, and tears were worth it and I would do it all over again. However, what I failed to do was prepare myself mentally for the days after I gave up command. The period when life feels like it comes to a dead stop and you stop being the center of gravity. Life after a call sign.
HYDRA 6 OUT! Looking back, I had no idea how much that phrase would push me head first into what felt like a mental brick wall. I woke up the morning following my change of command relieved, excited, ready for the next assignment, feeling accomplished. As the downtime increased, that feeling of success and purpose quickly faded in the rear-view. I went from 100 MPH to 0 MPH in a matter of days, and I didn’t see it coming nor was I prepared for it. Leading up to my change of command the common thread among friends and those within the profession was, enjoy the break.
A Different Pace
Soak up the family time because it will be gone again. I did just that, to the best of my ability. Moving away from a constant state of doing to a state of being present. The issue was the more I did that the more I felt disconnected from a professional purpose. I began to openly joke with those around me that this is “life after a call sign.” I worked out less, interacted less, and flustered at little things more. I traded the mental stimulus of command for a post command mindset I was not in the least prepared for. In just over 30 days post command I had lost all sense of purpose in my professional life and it was creeping into my personal life as well. Thankfully as I write this it is trending up. I am through the initial shock of post command life. I have rebuilt my daily habits, found new purposes professionally, and embraced life after a call sign as a stepping stone to the future.
As a profession we place a lot of emphasis on the personal and professional preparation for our time as commanders. Yet, how do we prepare for the inevitable, life after command? The Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program is a great start. FM 7-22 states that, “Mental readiness is deliberately assessed and developed like any other skills through education, training, and practice.” As with anything we do in this profession, doctrine should be paired with personal experience to achieve the most advantageous outcome. My experience has taught me that we need to put just as much emphasis on our mental health during the transition out of command as we do anything else.
So how do we prepare for life after your command call sign?
Acknowledge the elephant in the room: Command will be the best time in your career. Even the worst days are better than some of the best days outside of command. You are the leader of an organization with the power to educate, shape, mentor, and grow the next generation of leaders. It will come to an end. All great things must. Six to nine months out from your COC start to acknowledge this. Spend time journaling about the process. Talk to your tribe. Do some TLPs on your mental health. What does it look like for you the morning after command? Allow the transition to happen naturally. You wouldn’t wait until the last minute to do a change-of-command inventory – don’t wait till the last minute to do an inventory of your mental health.
Bring back some pastimes: You will have to make a lot of sacrifices as a commander. It’s the nature of the job. You will spend less time with your hobbies as you get deeper and deeper into command. The key to success is not to forget about them. I have three things that I love to do: read, journal, and build LEGOS. For the better part of 20 months I did neither with frequency. Command should never be about you and always be about them but don’t shut off the things outside of the uniform that bring you tranquility. Keep them as part of your foundation. Make time during command for these things so that when you leave command you can jump headfirst right back into them.
The Next Phase
Do not fight it: When it is over, it’s over. You did your part. Someone else now has control of your dream car. THAT IS OK! Your legacy, your impact, and your Soldiers are in good hands now. Chances are you were heavily involved in the transition and made sure of that. It is now time for you to take the next step in your career. It isn’t easy watching the world go on without you but that is the nature of the Army. You aren’t alone in these feelings. Your friends, peers, and tribe can help you bridge that gap back to post command Army life. During my bumpy spots in the transition my friend passionately reminded me that THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG. Watch from a distance, advise if they ask, but most importantly close the chapter. You earned it.
In the end
There is no greater honor than commanding a unit in the military. For many there is nothing harder than giving that up. My experience isn’t unique but is something we often forget to address. I know I did. Life goes on after command as it has for every commander before you. Invest in the preparation, process and steps that make your mental health a priority when it comes time to move on with life, after a call sign.
Jeremy Boeh is a Captain in the US Army Reserve AGR Program with over 15 years of military experience in the Infantry and Chemical Corps. He is currently attending CBRN CCC. He previously served as the Commander of the 342nd CBRN Company. His previous positions include CBRN Recon Platoon Leader, DSCA Assistant Plans Officer, and Company Executive Officer.
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