“The formation is never as good as you think it is, but it also is not as screwed up as some may indicate it is to your successor.” 

The prospect of assuming battalion-level command evokes many emotions among selectees. Most are thrilled at achieving this career milestone, and a flurry of congratulatory messages follow from mentors, peers, and former subordinates after the publication of the centralized selection list (CSL). These feelings are often replaced by an unsettling feeling, an imposter syndrome, as officers await their change of command. So, what now?

Future commanders begin their search for advice to ensure they are well-prepared. Many former commanders advise that while it is time well-spent to ready for command, inbound commanders should know that they are more prepared than they think and that they are well-served to continue doing what got them selected. The Army’s pre-command courses (PCC) are also structured to provide selectees the time and space to prepare mentally. There is no substitute for a healthy transition with the outgoing commander, who must play a complementary role in this process. Unfortunately, not all changeovers go well. Inbound officers can be aggressive and create ambiguity in the command. Some outbound officers check out many months prior, while others cling to the colors and limit the incoming commander’s access. Each of these approaches hurt the process, notwithstanding the damage to their formation.

Transitions are often personality dependent, and both parties are strongly encouraged to check their ego and transition with humility. This article provides additional thoughts on the transition process, organized into simple advice for both the incoming and outgoing commanders, informed by feedback from several recent battalion-level transitions.

An Outgoing Commander’s Role
It is your role to begin the dialogue with your successor, which starts with a congratulatory note shortly after the release of the CSL. This message should be brief and establish initial boundaries and expectations. A more substantive dialogue should begin around six months from the projected change of command date. Be transparent if there is a prospect for the ceremony date to shift.

There is a balance between too much information too early and too little information too late. To mitigate this gap, add your successor to higher headquarters situation reports, send them slides from major training briefings, and extend an invite to follow the unit on social media. Make it clear, however, that you are their only point of contact for battalion-level correspondence.

A best practice is to assign a  transition officer to the incoming commander approximately 90 days out, and with field grade oversight to ensure the staff treats the transition like an operation. The transition officer may be a senior 1LT or Captain on the battalion staff; the rank and branch are less important than the officer being trusted and responsible. Select an officer for this job who is responsive, has a deep understanding of the organization, and you inherently trust. He or she can provide detail or add context for the incoming commander while providing documents for self-study before the change of command (e.g., officer/enlisted record briefs, policy letters, standard operating procedures). The transition officer should also eliminate administrative burden (e.g., help setting up an email account, acquiring a government phone) and schedule in-briefs with the staff and command teams (timing to be discussed between the incoming and outgoing commanders). These efforts will lessen the friction on the day of the change of command, a day that should be celebratory and capped only by the new commander’s counseling of the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) and Executive Officer (XO). It would be best if you also clear out your office days prior.

Make yourself available during the transition process, and routinely check-in on both the incoming commander and transition officer. Ensure touchpoints that accommodate open dialogue without hampering your ability to command or creating ambiguity. Be thorough regarding legal issues, investigations, sticky personnel concerns, and the officer slate. Discuss items you failed to consider in your first 100 days and that you would address given another six months in command. Be candid in your assessment of past priorities, and identify areas that you did not focus on during your tenure. A useful framework dialogue might begin with “here are three things I failed to get to while in command…but I wish I had.”

Ensure there are no surprises in the near-term training window and that upcoming events are fully-resourced and do not commit your successor to singular courses of action beyond 60 days from the change of command. You should socialize longer-term training guidance with him or her and preserve decision space on that guidance.

One word of caution; do not discuss your evaluations of personnel unless explicitly asked. Allow the incoming commander to form his or her own opinions. The exception to this rule is pending derogatory action due to ethical shortcomings. A conversation on officer timelines and manning, however, is recommended.

Lastly, do not appear in the headquarters after the change of command ceremony though it has become more common to see a transition office to accommodate closure of personnel actions. Complete these before you leave post and, if at all possible, before you pass the colors. There is only one commander at a time, and when you pass the colors, that person is no longer you. In Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell, he suggests: “When you give up command, turn the flag over to your successor, make sure the station wagon is all packed with suitcases on top and kids inside. Get in and drive off post without looking in the rearview mirror and with the windows up so you can’t hear the trash can covers closing on your ‘great ideas.’”

An Incoming Commander’s Role

Your top priority is to remain patient, and doing so requires discipline. The publication of by-unit CSLs often occurs over a year before the projected change of command date. It is normal to visualize how you will command a formation that you have likely thought about your entire professional career. However, you are not in command, so wait for the commander to initiate contact. The commander is probably juggling a myriad of tasks when your name appears on the CSL if he or she knows the list was even released. There is only one commander at a time, and it is not you.

Start by following the unit on their social media platforms if they exist. Learn about the unit’s history, often a point of pride, and an easy way to show respect during initial engagements. Make a plan to meet stakeholders on the installation, such as the Deputy Commanding Generals, the Division Operations Officer, the Garrison Commander, Range Control, the Brigade CSM, Brigade XO, Brigade Operations Officer, and fellow Battalion Commanders. Building meaningful relationships is critical, and in these engagements, you will also gain an awareness of regulations and policies.

Use the time available at PCC to develop a draft vision and priorities for the unit specific to your leadership style, but general enough to be tailored to the battalion’s needs once you have a better understanding of where it stands. A mentor told one of us, “There’s the formation you thought you were taking command of, and then there’s the formation you actually took command of.” Be intellectually flexible enough to recognize that the battalion you spent time daydreaming about differs from what you may command. Never undermine your predecessor, regardless of the state of the formation, even after he or she departs.

Many commanders will find that while their vision does not change, the in-briefs and stakeholder engagements provide an excellent opportunity to receive feedback, get buy-in, and refine priorities. These engagements should cover key programs such as the Soldier and Family Readiness Group, Equal Opportunity, and Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention. In the aggregate, these meetings will ensure you are prepared to issue initial guidance when you take command, and enable you to draft initial counseling forms for subordinates (XO, S3, CSM, Commanders) before taking command. Time will be at a premium later.

Importantly, do not make decisions or issue guidance on anything unless you have cleared it with the current commander. Handle inquiries delicately, especially if you receive in-briefs ahead of the change of command. Do not engage with the staff outside of approved in-briefs or create ambiguity in their minds about who is in charge, and do not question decisions when you do not agree with them. These briefs are best treated as “informational only,” to meet the team, inform your initial guidance, and allow stakeholders to see how you process information.

A Final Word                                                                                                                                        

Many readers have been a part of transitions during deployments or as part of a company-level change of command and undoubtedly witnessed unnecessary friction. Command transitions are personality-based, and what works for some may not work for others. Regardless of the arrangement of the onboarding process, both the incoming and outgoing commander must check their ego and transition with humility. The unit’s mission, legacy, and welfare lie in the balance.

Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Frizzelle previously commanded 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment at Fort Bliss, Texas. Lieutenant Colonel Jaron S. Wharton presently commands 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Both officers are Goodpaster Scholars in the Army’s Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program (ASP3). The views expressed in this article are the authors’ and not the views of the United States Army or Department of Defense.