Every year the Army produces hundreds of young infantry lieutenants ready to fight and win our Nation’s wars. After leaving Fort Benning upon completing Infantry Basic Officer Leader’s Course, and most likely Ranger and Airborne School, they leave with one goal in mind: to lead an infantry platoon. However, most lieutenants will find themselves serving on battalion staff for around 6 months prior to taking over a platoon with an infantry company.
Like most lieutenants, I graduated IBOLC and Ranger School ready to jump into a platoon right away, hoping to avoid having to spend time on staff. When I reported to my unit in 3ABCT, 1AD at Fort Bliss, I was informed that instead of going to a platoon, I would be the assistant S4 and the Battalion Unit Movement Officer leading up to a rotation to the National Training Center. Admittedly, I was disappointed in having to wait to take a platoon, especially until after the NTC rotation. However, the lessons I learned and the experience I acquired while serving on staff, will prepare me to be a platoon leader far more than I could have imagined. A few of these lessons are listed below.
Embrace It
Let’s be honest, not many of us wish to serve on staff. We know it is important, but as infantry officers, most of us did not sign up to be assistant logistics officers. However, there is nothing that feeling sorry for yourself will do. Once you are assigned to staff, you can either get by until your time is finished or you can embrace the fact that you’ll be on staff and go into work each day trying to do the best job you can.
In my initial counseling, the Battalion Executive Officer put it simply, “You will get evaluated as a platoon leader, but you’ll earn your reputation these first 6 months on staff.” Taking this to heart, I forged ahead despite being disappointed in having to wait for a platoon leader position. Soon, the Battalion learned that what I lacked in knowledge of sustainment and logistics, I made up for in initiative and relentlessness. Eventually, through the help of some extremely knowledgeable NCOs, I gained the competencies to start contributing to the success of the section. Through a willingness to learn and initiative to contribute, not only was I able to make our staff section stronger, I gained valuable knowledge that will pay dividends when I do take a platoon.
“You will get evaluated as a platoon leader, but you’ll earn your reputation these first 6 months on staff.”
Ask for Help
If you’re like most combat arms lieutenants on staff, you’ll go to the operations(S3) shop to work on plans or current operations. However, a small portion will assist sustainment (S4), signal (S6), or personnel (S1) in their respective shops. Like most combat arms LTs, I barely knew what any of these, especially sustainment, even did. I often found myself at battalion and brigade level meetings facing questions that I had no clue how to answer. It’s important to accept that you’ll be drinking from the proverbial firehose. You’ll feel like you don’t know how to solve the problems in front of you. The key is to find a group of individuals that you can rely on to help you along the way.
For me, the section non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) was my primary teacher and mentor. He had experience teaching new officers the complex and often frustrating systems related to Army logistics. However, do not feel as if you should be limited to those in your staff section or unit. Often, the most helpful advice I got was from my counterparts in adjacent units in the Brigade. Finding someone outside your chain of command and rating scheme that understands your problems and has some experience solving them can go a long way to making you a better staff officer.
Get Ready for a Platoon
Staff time may feel as if it never ends, especially for combat arms officers waiting for platoons. However, it eventually ends and often sooner than you think. Although you need to focus on your current staff section role, don’t waste the opportunity to prepare for when you take a platoon. For me, it was creating a list of goals and tasks that I wanted to accomplish before taking a platoon. These included: writing NCO initial counseling, creating a PRT plan, and improving my own doctrinal knowledge.
If you’re in an armored or mounted unit, talk with your Master Gunner. Ask to learn about vehicle maintenance or gunnery tables. If you’re in an IBCT unit, find a senior LT or NCO and ask them how the unit typically fights and read their SOPs. Although taking these steps is important to prepare yourself to take a platoon, they have the added benefit of developing relationships with other staff members that you can rely on when you do finally become a platoon leader.
Recognize You’re Still a Leader
It may not feel like it, especially as the most junior member on the team, but you’re always a leader. Even if you don’t directly lead soldiers, soldiers are always watching you. In the motor pool, during PRT, and even after hours. You may not have 30-40 infantry soldiers to lead, but you will have a handful of soldiers in your section. Never miss an opportunity to make an impact. One of the most rewarding parts of this profession is helping soldiers.
Three months into my time on staff, I discovered that one of the section’s clerks was struggling with personal finances. I recommended a few budgeting tools and apps that I’ve used in the past. A few weeks later, he told me that he was still using one of the tools I recommended. And he is already saving more money. Leaders are problem solvers. Even on staff, soldiers and other peers will have problems that you can help solve.
Make Friends; Have Fun
In the end, if you are not having fun, neither are the others around you. One of the advantages of being on staff is the opportunity to meet your peers across the organization. Staff time is incredibly important for professional development. But as a new lieutenant, you will have less responsibilities on staff than as a platoon leader. I’ve heard that my time as a lieutenant is the most fun I’ll have in the Army. While I’m not sure if that is true, I know that having a positive attitude is infectious.
Staff time may not be everything a new officer is dreaming of after graduating IBOLC, but it can be fun. Make a conscious effort to hunt the good stuff, have a great attitude, and seek enjoyment from your work. In doing so, you will build a positive reputation and lift the morale of the entire staff.
Subscribe to The Company Leader!