Category Archives: Lessons Learned

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The Command Sergeant’s Major Role in Fires and Maneuver

(Originally Published in December 2017 edition of the NCO Journal)

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Army doctrine is many things, but “it is not dogma to be applied blindly. It is adjusted to the circumstances of the operational environment.”1 Doctrine describes the role of a command sergeant major and tasks them to affect numerous areas of friction.

Command Sgt. Maj. Brian M. Dettle assumes responsibility as the senior enlisted advisor of the 205th Military Intelligence Battalion, 500th Military Intelligence Brigade-Theater during a change of responsibility ceremony at the historic Palm Circle on Fort Shafter, Hawaii, Feb.1, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shameeka R. Stanley)
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Get Rid of Your Inbox!

An Admin TTP for Commanders

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Clear your inbox! You read that correctly. Zero it out; make it disappear. “But how will we manage administrative requirements without an inbox?” More efficiently, that’s how. It is a fair question, though. It was the same question I asked our Brigade Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO) when he suggested it during an obstacle course PT/mentoring session. Getting rid of my inbox was the single most liberating experience I have had thus far in command. Here’s how you do it.

C Co, 4-23 IN conducting a combined arms maneuver live fire. This is where leaders want to be, but if you don’t effectively manage your administrative systems you will find yourself with less time to train!
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Hitting the Mark

Teaching Unit Level Marksmanship

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Marksmanship in the Army is continually evolving, and everyone seems to be an “expert.”  Leaders at all levels tend to limit their teaching to the TTPs that they think work best. Individuality has its benefits, but we can’t rely on a “shooter’s preference” mentality when teaching marksmanship. Don’t become the NCO who says “this is how I did it,” or “this is how I was taught.” Learn the standard and know the doctrine. We need to balance hard-earned experience with an understanding of our constantly developing profession. TTPs and personal experience makes NCOs stronger as teachers and trainers. But if they aren’t built on a strong doctrinal foundation, we are setting our soldiers and future NCOs up for failure.

Soldiers with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, prepare to qualify on the M240 and M249 in South Korea, Jan. 25, 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Alon Humphrey)
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Deliberate and Measured

My Love Affair with Strykers

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Military folks love to argue myriad topics, but one that seems to stoke the vitriolic flame is Strykers. Whether it is their inception, their fielding, their maintenance issues, or the never-ending up-gun debate, the Army community is never short on opinions about Strykers. There are valid arguments on all sides, but I–for one–love Strykers.

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Attacking Razish – Part II

Getting Punched in the Face

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After seven hours of fighting our way through the central corridor the support by fire was set, obscuration smoke was out, our task force engineers were reducing the breach and my assault force began moving forward to quickly secure the far side objective and seize a foothold in the city. After months of preparation and midway through our combined arms breach the brigade was poised to take the largest city in the national training center and my battalion was about to lead the assault. That’s when things started to go wrong and failure ensued.

Paratroopers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, participate in Exercise Rock Spring 19 at Grafenwoher Training Area, Germany, March 6, 2019. Rock Spring is an annual exercise to validate platoon-level proficiency at conducting offensive operations under live-fire conditions. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Henry Villarama)
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Attacking Razish – Part I

Top 5 Keys to Success

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Twenty-four hours after completing our assault on the National Training Center’s largest urban objective, Razish, I took two pages of notes on the things that I felt made us successful. Like all lessons in the Army, none of these are new or novel. And, like all lessons at NTC, just because you know what you need to fix doesn’t always mean that you can pull it all together in the face of the short timelines, harsh conditions, and the ever-present 11thArmored Cavalry Regiment. Here are my top 5.

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What I’ve Learned From Bullets

The Nightingale Series

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I was cleaning out my accumulated files when I came across a series of notes, regarding officers and leadership, accumulated through the years. I had the privilege of learning a lot through my commands of four rifle companies, three Airborne/Ranger battalions, and two Airborne/Ranger brigades. Many of these lessons learned were in garrison, while several more were in combat between 1965 and 1993. Bullets can be an effective teacher of lessons. This article is for those who wish the knowledge, hopefully without the pain.

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Building Houses that Stand

A Platoon Leader’s Perspective on Planning

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Nothing breaks a new platoon leader’s heart like hearing the words “change of mission.” I heard them within a couple hours of my first training exercise, rendering days of planning products useless in an instant. The lesson I learned – a painful one we all eventually suffer – exemplifies a common military expression: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” While I was slightly discouraged, another question lurked in the recesses of my mind: if a plan is doomed to fail, why create a plan in the first place?

Capt. Wade Redenius of 2-1 IN discusses plan for upcoming mission with 1st Lt. Ross McDonald and 2nd Lt. Tony Eshoo at Yakima Training Center, WA. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Sonie Munson, 2-2 SBCT Public Affairs.
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It’s Just ONE Tool

A Framework for UCMJ

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The Military Justice system (UCMJ) is regularly under scrutiny. Whether it is for a specific verdict, a high-profile crime, or its perceived antiquated laws, there is always something about which to cry foul. In most day-to-day cases, the UCMJ is carried out from cradle to grave by a company commander. An officer, in most cases with four to eight years in uniform, is the judge, jury, and adjudicator.  I am not a JAG Officer and this is not a review of UCMJ nor a discussion of its merits. This is a discussion of a method or framework for company commanders to use when holding this power, responsibility, and sacred trust.

173rd ABN Brigade CSM addresses the formation before a 2.2 mile full combat load run. Vicenza, Italy, April 4, 2018. (U.S. Army photo by Lt. Col. John Hall).
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Are You Really Speaking Truth?

Speaking Truth to Power and Knowing When Not To

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Four articles in as many weeks have batted around the topic of “speaking truth to power.” Task & Purpose recently took a swing at it. Doctrine Man provided two vantage points on the topic here and here. And our friends over at The Field Grade Leader published a guest piece here. But it just felt like something was missing. Speaking truth to power is as much about making sure you are speaking the truth as it is about speaking it to power. The art of speaking truth to power is equal parts credibility, maturity, perspective, and communication. Below are some tips garnered from the multiple leaders who have taken the time to teach and mentor me.

Speaking truth to power shouldn’t be the knock-down-drag-out brawl we like to imagine. It is much more subtle and nuanced when done properly. (ARTB Rangers in Action at Class 02-18 Graduation. Fort Benning, GA, Jan 26, 2018, U.S. Army Photo).