I use checklists for everything from work-related tasks to items around the house. They help me organize my thoughts and let me view all of my tasks on one sheet of paper, but that is not why I like them. I enjoy the instant gratification of checking the items off. I enjoy this so much that if I accomplish a task not on my checklist, I will go back, add it, and then mark it completed.

I organize my list by time – the items I need to do immediately are up top and those items that can wait fall to the bottom. Ultimately, out of habit, I look at my tasks the same way I see planning horizons, short-range, mid-range, and long- range. My wife says I have a problem, but I say it is organization. With graduation week staring you in the face, you undoubtedly also have a large checklist in front of you. In-processing, moving, all of it is a giant list that needs to be accomplished. Here are a few items, organized by time, that you shouldn’t forget on your professional checklist.

The Near Term (until you arrive)– Remember, this is a short window. Plan accordingly, as the expectation is that you will “hit the ground running” when you arrive at your unit.

□ Introduction Letter– Whether you are going to a battalion staff or working on a higher-level staff, take the time to email an introductory letter to your immediate boss and senior rater. I have skipped this before and regretted not taking the time. Introductory letters were once common practice and have fallen by the wayside recently. It is important to introduce yourself to your chain of command in a professional manner and in a way that will answer some of the basic questions that your boss/bosses might have. Make sure you include professional history (previous jobs) and personal items (if you are married or have kids). The introduction is a good first impression, and remember, you only get one of these…

□ Work out your arrival and transition– Talk to the person you are replacing and your future boss about your timeline. Don’t be the field grade that lets their unit go the field without an XO/S3 because you feel like the Army owed you leave (extenuating circumstances aside). Work with your gaining unit to see when you can arrive to help out the unit and still get your family settled. Optimally, you will have an opportunity to coordinate with the person you are replacing and build a transition.

□ Get a copy of the Long-Range Training Calendar– See how you can plan for upcoming events. For deployments, you can start looking at books and articles related to that area and topic. For training exercises, you can start to refresh your knowledge on training concepts and gunnery standards.

□ Got Doctrine?– Get smart on specific doctrine as it relates to your unit. For units like the 101st read the Gold Book and Air Assault related materials; for Armor Brigade Combat Teams, you should look at gunnery manuals. For any position, make sure you review your personal MDMP tool kit. Remember, as a field grade, you are expected to have a strong doctrinal base and be able to lead the staff in the military decision making process.

□ Get your mindset correct and reflect– If you were going to write your own initial counseling, what would it look like? Ensure you have the right mindset going into the position. Your performance as a field grade is as much about how you relate to others as it is about how you perform. If you enter your field grade time expecting competition you will meet competitors; if you go into field grade time as part of a team then you will meet teammates. Don’t let the pressure of the job cause you to act in a way that opposes your values. For other advice on getting the right attitude, check out this link.

□ Think about leader development– Even as a staff officer, you are a leader. At the BN/BDE level you will have future CO Commanders on your staff and this is your opportunity to develop them. Think about exercises you can do with your staff to help develop them; this can include Tactical Decision Exercises from the Captains Course, Mission Analysis rehearsals from ILE, and books or articles you can read and discuss with leaders from your section. If you find yourself on a higher-level staff, you should look at your own professional development. What do you want to read over the next few months and what podcasts do you want to subscribe to?

□ If you’re married, have a conversation with your spouse– Expectation management is essential. Explain what your job will be, what you think the hours will be like, and what are the “immovable objects” that you will make time for in this job. KD time is demanding; make sure everyone knows this up front.

Mid-Range (Arrival to 6 Weeks)– The expectations of a field grade are high and the learning curve is sharp. Fill the position you are assigned to; your previous experience has prepared you more than you might have expected.

□ Introductions– When you first arrive, dedicate time to meet as many people as possible. Schedule a time with your boss for your first day, and make sure you get their priorities for you and your team. If you are a Battalion S3/XO, make sure you see the Command Sergeant Major as well. Your second meeting should be with your Deputy or Operations Sergeant Major, before you go around to the masses. Within the first day, you should have a huddle with your staff and introduce yourself. Make efforts to learn names and titles for all of the people you meet. Your office (or cubicle) will attempt to drag you in, make sure you get out and walk around to make introductions! If you are at a Battalion as the XO or S3, schedule a time to meet with the Company Commanders and 1SGs in their spaces, peers in other battalions, and other Battalion Commanders. The same holds true at the staff level – get out of your section and get to know the personnel in other shops and divisions. Relationships are one of the most important aspects of your new job.

□ Make business cards– You are at the point in your career where you should have business cards. They look professional, are great to give to personnel outside your organization, and are inexpensive. Take the time to have some made.

□ Get to know your post– Most installations offer tours of their ranges, ammo depots and critical facilities. Spending a few hours with the range control staff and learning the rules can save hours of training, heartache and professional embarrassment. It will help you learn the processes and meet the people who will support your unit. Hand out your card and “get smart” on what will get your unit in trouble. Don’t be the person who says “well at Fort Hood the ammo worked like this” or “at Fort Campbell the land worked like this.” Learn why installation works the way it does before pointing out issues.

□ What will you keep, change, or toss– Do a review of your internal systems relatively soon. There is not a mandatory waiting period to change what isn’t working. You don’t want to be the one throws everything away, but systems should work for #1) the commander and #2) you as the S3/XO. Look at the following items, many of which you can still manage/ fix if you are a new team member on a larger staff:

• Do you have duplicative products or trackers that can be merged (beware of the infamous tracker of trackers).
• Do you have the right access to data through a share drive or sharepoint?
• How are you managing tasks – through Microsoft One Note, Outlook, or through sync meetings?
• How does your staff sync?
• Do you have distro lists that make information sharing more efficient?
• What is the staff’s weekly rhythm?
• How do you manage your short range, mid-range and long-range calendars?

□ Assess personalities and manage talent– It is impossible to be a good field grade without learning how to delegate. Whether you are an S3/XO with a large staff or the leader of a cross functional team, you cannot do it all by yourself. Having said that, it is imperative to “task according to strengths.” Not everyone on your staff has the same strengths. Have your slightly OCD staff member manage calendars, your English majors manage paperwork, and your single lieutenant who parties every weekend… Battalion Ball planner. Remember that this is a starting point. You should start to challenge each of these individual officers and NCOs over time and push them out of their comfort zones. Remember, this is also a way to get young staff officers and NCOs in to brief the Commander and Sergeant Major. On large staffs the same is true – give credit where credit is due. Everything is a team effort.

□ Develop your friendly network– Start to share as much as possible with those field grades in other battalions, brigades, or staff sections. Never get ahead of your boss when sharing a product, but you should constantly solicit feedback. Be the one who helps out other units whenever possible. Have a distro list with your peers where you can actively share information. Odds are they are working on something similar or have product from the past that will help you out.

□ Circle back with your boss– Ask your boss for feedback on your first couple of weeks. They should be able to tell you if there is something that needs improvement and if you are not meeting the priorities that were laid out in that first meeting. If you don’t do this within the first few weeks, it will linger and become awkward.

Long Range (6 weeks and beyond)– You should have your personal battle rhythm set at this point, and although you will still be busy, things should be manageable.

□ Reflect on the last few months– At this point you should be running full speed. Take the time to slow down and look back at what you wrote down during the reflection period before you arrived. Ask your boss, senior enlisted advisor, and your field grade peers for honest feedback. Things should be on something that resembles a rhythm at this point. Get feedback from those around you on how to improve yourself and your organization. For those under you, look at having a lunch or breakfast to talk about how to make the organization better

□ Look Deep– Part of being a field grade is your ability to foresee issues long before they arrive and prepare your organization. At the BDE level you should strive to look out a year, if not more, with a degree of certainty; at the battalion level, at least eight months, or through the next training cycle. If you fail to plan far enough in advance, you will lose access to land, ammunition, and resources. On higher level staffs, you should ensure that you are nested with what is going on in the G/J 5 shops and what your higher-level headquarters is thinking.

□ Lift up Subordinates– You are the best advocate for your people. Make sure your boss knows who should be nominated for the next open command or who should receive the accolades on a staff. Recommend people for advancement, command opportunities, or positions in higher echelon headquarters. Although it might hurt to lose that person, if you are leading correctly, there is someone ready to take their place. I have seen too many people languish because someone deemed them “irreplaceable.” Beware of turning the irreplaceable person into the bitter person.

□ See where you can invest back into your family–Between long nights and extended field exercises, your family will feel the drain as much, if not more than you do. At this point you should have an idea of where you can take family vacations, utilize four-day weekends, or where you can plan to just stay at home and relax. For our family, we decided after 3 months that it would be best if we moved on post. Moving was the last thing I wanted to do, but around this time we knew it was the best choice. Make sure that your family is taken care of.

After you have been in your job for about 90 days, you and your team will have a reputation, good or bad. Whether you realize this or not, that reputation will extend far beyond your unit or staff section. Make sure it is a positive one. You probably notice that time with your spouse, feedback from your boss, and reflection appeared more than once on this checklist. These are important events and should be continuous throughout your job. These items were organized as a checklist, but it is important to realize that if you don’t take the time to write down what you want to do, it will either never happen or occur so sporadically that it loses relevance. Finally, enjoy yourself in your post-graduation field grade role. It will be a rewarding experience, not just something you have to “check off.”

Aaron W. Childers currently serves on the Joint Staff J5, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell (T2C2). He was a Battalion and Brigade S3 in 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne (Air Assault). From May 2016 to January 2017, he served as the Brigade S3 for Task Force Strike, advising Iraqi Forces during the Mosul Counter-attack. Follow him on twitter @childersaw

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not represent the Department of Defense.