Recognize the Box to Think Outside of It

The US Army is the most lethal military force in history. The world views our tactics and techniques as precise and lethal. We execute these battle drills without hesitation because of countless hours of repetition, perfecting these techniques. Unfortunately, NCOs have been known to teach shortcuts and standing operating procedures (SOP) that were once taught to us early on in our careers.  Although SOPs are stemmed from doctrine, over time they begin to manifest into “tribal knowledge” and skills are passed along from generation to generation by word of mouth. Throughout our army career, we hear the saying, “this is how we did it at my last unit.” The downfall of continuing this mantra is that we can pass along bad habits or outdated information. We need to know our playbooks (Army manuals) if we are to implement any kind of “audible” on the field.

USASC cadre evaluating the M2010 record fire qualification for doctrinal updates.

Platoon Leadership Demands Heroic Virtue

Leading soldiers is easier said than done. Reflecting on twelve months leading an engineer platoon in the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), I arrived both technically and tactically prepared for the position.  But I was not ready for what my soldiers expected of me: More than expectation, they demanded that their leader live a heroic level of selflessness and sacrifice.

Glass Half-Full…Books Fully Read

2020 in Books

We made it. We survived 2020. And putting all flippancy aside, many didn’t survive the year. This past year was not kind to individual physical, mental, and emotional health; small-businesses; employment; sports; family gatherings; and much more. But, let’s try to look at the glass as half-full. 2020 was a great year for reading. Below are my books read in 2020, with a call-out of my top 25 books.

How to Grow your “Chem-O”

You’re a Maneuver Captain, fresh out the Career Course. After showing up to your new battalion/squadron, you meet the Commander, the field grades, and the staff primaries. In your initial counseling, the battalion commander tells you that you’ll be grinding in the 3-Shop (operations) while you wait out the queue for a company command. The Battalion Operations Officer briefs you on  expectations, and your roles and responsibilities. Then she drops a bomb on you; “Oh yeah, you’re also in charge of the Chemo.” You smile and nod while thinking, “what the hell does the Chemo do?”

Soldiers of the Chemical Reconnaissance Platoon , 29th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division conducts a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Academy for the Soldiers of 3IBCT in order to increase proficiency within the unit on CBRN capabilities and limitation with immediate and operational decontamination at the Kahuku Training Area, Hawaii on August 20, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Angelo Mejia)

Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F)

Developing and Maintaining the Whole Soldier

As of February 2019, approximately 56 thousand soldiers were non-deployable. This is equivalent to 13 Brigade Combat Teams (BCT). Approximately 21 thousand soldiers were on temporary profile and nearly 15.5K on Permanent Profile. In 2018, 56% of soldiers were injured per year. 71% of these soldiers suffered lower extremity micro-traumatic musculoskeletal “overuse” injuries. Injury is a significant contributor to the Army’s healthcare burden. It impacts medical readiness and soldier health. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for approximately $557 million in inpatient care costs among active duty soldiers. In addition, the current force suffers from obesity and sleep deprivation. The Army continues to modernize its approach to fitness and health to shape a more ready and resilient force. One initiative nearing the end of its pilot phase is the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program.

Soldiers conduct a foot march to a weapons qualification range May 6, 2020, on Fort Sill, Okla. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dustin D. Biven)

Reflections During Quarantine

How Leaders Adapt and Develop

Quarantine. It disrupts our sanity and results in day drinking, homeschooling, Zoom meetings, and TikTok challenges. For me, a mandatory quarantine in the desert provided an opportunity for self-development. While COVID-19 became a global pandemic, I watched as novel obstacles confounded long-established systems. Yet despite the surprising fragility of our societal constructs, people and organizations adjusted to our “new normal.” By observing this resiliency, I solidified a core belief: the leader who adapts earns the opportunity to develop.

Soldiers stand in formation while wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing during reception before entering basic combat training May 14, 2020, on Fort Sill, Okla. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dustin D. Biven)

Think, Ask, and Observe

Preparing for Command, Part I

Company command is the pinnacle experience for a junior army officer. It gives officers the first true opportunity to take charge and implement a vision. There is a lot that goes into a successful command, but it starts with the right preparation. The best prepared commanders use the pre-command transition to think, ask questions, and observe. These short weeks make the difference between a running start and feeling lost three months into command.

A paratrooper from the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, performs the action of present arms on Fort Bragg, N.C., May 19, 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Dustin D. Biven)

A Beginner’s Guide to Army Doctrine

The task of familiarizing oneself with Army doctrine can be both daunting and confusing.  With the information being so readily accessible, becoming doctrinally fluent should be as simple as firing up ArmyPubs for some leisurely reading.  But with the high rate of change in publication and the breadth of publications available (ADPs, FMs, ATPs, ARs, etc…) it is no surprise that many young leaders have difficulty understanding where to begin their studies.

This article serves to demystify Army’s official body of knowledge and provide a foundation of understanding to foster self-study.  We examine four different categories of Army publications and provide recommended readings for each.  While the focus of the piece is specifically doctrine (defined in the following paragraph), it also introduces other publications that are of critical importance to aspiring leaders.*  Study and application of regulations, doctrine, and other publications is an ongoing endeavor that must be sustained throughout the span of a career.  As in all professions, the earlier and more broadly one immerses them self in their professional body of knowledge, the more successfully they will access and apply it.

*Suggested readings selected primarily based on their applicability to the primary audience (cadets and new lieutenants).

A fine setting for studying doctrine. photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Crisp

So, your summer training is cancelled…

Perhaps you had the impression that you would be attending institutional Army training this summer.  Be it Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT), Individual Academic Development, Cadet Summer Training, Airborne or Air Assault School, or any of the myriad other training opportunities afforded to Cadets, the unfortunate fact is that many of these opportunities are being curtailed or all-together cancelled due to the effects of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.  Fortunately, there are other opportunities available to you to aid you in becoming the best leader you can be.

Curl up by the fire with some professional reading. Photo by CPT John Landry

Character x Competence

The Trust Equation

Which is more important, character or competence? It’s one of those chicken-and-the-egg questions. Stack it next to, are leaders born or made? The obvious, reductionist answer is that leaders must have both. When written out, the argument is usually portrayed as character v. competence. But what if we are expressing the relationship incorrectly? What if we are struggling to find the answer because we are asking the wrong question? This isn’t a binary option or alternatives in consumption in a scarcity market. Instead, we should view it as a math equation: character x competence.

Soldiers conduct a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Jan. 16, 2020.