The relationships between field grade leaders at the battalion level can make or break the ability of a unit to perform in combat. Those who are preparing to take command at the battalion and brigade level owe it to their soldiers to ensure the best possible command climate. With the opening of the AIM Marketplace for the 21-02 movers just a few days ago I thought it might be useful to share my experience. First off, I am not a branch manager nor have I ever worked at HRC and I do not have the information or experience that those professionals have. I am, however, a CSL select Air Defense Officer, slated to take command in the summer of FY21 (21-02 YMAV cycle). Over the last few weeks, the current battalion commander of the unit I will command was gracious enough to allow me to have a large amount of input into who the unit preferences in the AIM Marketplace.

Most pressing in my mind was finding the right individuals who will serve as the battalion operations officer or executive officer. I reviewed the myriad of resumes provided by HRC to the battalion and brigade commanders for the pre-KD majors moving next summer. After whittling the list down based on individual preferences and recommendations of peers/superiors/subordinate leaders that I trust, I sent an email out to nine potential candidates. (For all non-Air Defense officers, note that our branch is only 2.1% of the Army and our officer cohorts are very small compared to the majority of other MFE branches.) I elicited feedback from leaders of all ranks on those that I thought were potential candidates because ultimately my hour-long conversation with each individual is just one data point, and to make the best recommendation on who was right for the organization I needed more than my own echo chamber. It doesn’t matter how small or large your branch is though, reputations matter. I received a note back from seven of the nine candidates and ultimately arranged for Zoom, MS Teams, or Facetime conversations with each individually.

Here are my key takeaways from this experience and some recommendations on how to make it a beneficial experience for both sides:

Who Am I? – As someone that completed the Red Team Leaders Course, I am fully entrenched behind the technique or process of “Who am I?” I asked each individual to lead off with a story about themselves, emphasizing not to rehash their AIM resume, Officer Record Brief (ORB), or the bio that I asked them all to provide in response to the original email. Rather, I asked them to talk about who they are and what makes each of them tick. It was also necessary to then reciprocate and provide my “Who am I?” I viewed each of these discussions less as an interview and more of a conversation to come to a better understanding of each other. The “Who am I?” was an effective way to reinforce or dispel previous information.

Come Prepared – I did my homework before each conversation, and I respected those that had done the same. Once I reached an initial list, I informed the current battalion commander to get his thoughts and any questions. I brought this information into my conversation with them akin to the blind interview process the FY21 CSL selects went through with the Battalion Command Assessment Program last year. A couple of the overarching questions asked were: First, “Tell me about a mistake that you made and how it helped shape your leadership philosophy?” Second, “As one of two majors in the battalion, you will likely disagree with me at times, how you have disagreed with your boss in the past?” I didn’t prep them with either of these questions, but it was very informative who took a moment of thought and launched into a detailed situational answer.

Strengths and Weaknesses – Generic questions on strengths and weaknesses didn’t work in the conversation that I had in mind; however, you must communicate what you will add to an organization. Additionally, know where your limitations are and be able to own up to them and how you plan to work on and mitigate these potential issues. I shared during each conversation what I thought some of my strengths but more importantly, weaknesses were with each person. Understanding that our leaders are fallible and that we can all add value is an essential aspect of the YMAV cycle through the AIM marketplace. The most significant part of this conversation is to be confident and, understanding how you got you to where you. Own it and move forward.

• • These conversations helped me in more ways than just getting to know each of these individual leaders and ultimately make recommendations to the current battalion and brigade commanders. Being roughly eight months from the change of command, each of these conversations helped hone my command philosophy and vision for the next two years of command. Leaders and mentors along the way have helped by giving nuggets of wisdom, and I have “white-boarded” my command philosophy. Still, it was useful to have these conversations to see how the message resonated with those that may have to help shape this vision into action. Additionally, I left each of these individuals with a message that regardless of whether they are selected by the current leadership to come to the battalion or not, this process built a rapport between us. As a great senior leader and mentor of mine have said numerous times, “Pulling others up with you on your way up and continue to bear fruit.”

This list is not all-inclusive, but I thought it was helpful based on the AIM Marketplace opening to share these points as a quasi-vignette to potentially help others moving forward. There are many steps that leaders have taken to get after #talentmanagement in our current operational environment, but I would offer one of the best ways for me has been the engagement of a well-cultivated group of junior leaders, peers, senior NCOs, and senior officers on Twitter. Aside from my mentors, this group on social media provides new information and challenging perspectives that help shape my understanding of many emerging issues that our leaders have to face today.

Lieutenant Colonel Trey Guy is a 2003 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He is a career Air Defense Officer and is an FY21 CSL select Battalion Commander. He currently a member of the military faculty and teaches at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. He and his wife have four wonderful children. He can be found on Twitter @TreyGuy13.

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The United States military has been the leader in major combat operations around the world for the last 19 years. Given this framework, many US military personnel have a limited view of how our global partnerships work. For 19 years the average soldier has known nothing but an American General Officer leading the fight. As we move further into the 21st century, it is imperative that the United States military is comfortable serving with, and in some cases be subordinate to an allied military commander. These exchanges are governed by Army Regulation 614-10, Army Military Personnel Exchange Program with Military Services of Other Nations. These assignments are completed during broadening times in an individual career path and encompass four main objectives for the United States Army.

1. Support priorities of AR 11–31, the Army Security Cooperation Strategy, DOD guidance, combatant command and/or commander campaign plans, and the Army Campaign Support Plan.
2. Strengthen alliances and coalition partners by building partner capacity and maintaining or enhancing relationships in support of a global strategy.
3. Increase defense cooperation by integrating U.S. and PN [Partner Nation] military personnel working in valid positions at the unit level.
4. Provide a framework through bilateral exchanges of military personnel that prepare officers and NCOs for future assignments in support of multinational operations.

The Military Personnel Exchange Program (MPEP) or similar exchange opportunities are critical in providing service members the opportunity to serve directly with allied nations and become an integral member of their organizations. The relationships built during these exchange programs are the foundations of future military cooperation between the participating nations.

I was fortunate enough to be selected to take part in one of these two-year exchange programs in Canada. Some of the most rewarding times I have had in the Army, both personally and professionally occurred during this assignment. After serving on a Brigade Staff in the Canadian Army, my perspective was altered. The chance to view the world through a different lens has, without a doubt made me a better officer. Having the opportunity to watch multi-national operations up close, and without any US military involvement supplied a unique perspective that most US officers do not get to see. For many deployed US personnel, their chain of command never involves a foreign nation. To the same extent, our NATO partners have also only operated under the umbrella of a US senior field grade or flag officer during their deployed operations. Since the implementation of Atlantic Resolve rotations, multiple US Brigades have begun to train and work across the European theater, with many members of their formations falling under the direction of a NATO partner during various exercises. These training events build confidence in the abilities of the US and NATO nations to work together should the need arise for major combat operations.

Within every Corps headquarters, there are notable examples of the importance that the United States places on the exchange program. Each Corps HQ has an exchange officer from either the UK or Canada currently working in them. Brigadier General William “Bill” Fletcher currently serves as the Deputy Commanding General – Operations with the XVIII Airborne Corps. He was my Brigade Commander when I served on the staff of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG). I was able to gather some of his thoughts on the importance of the exchange program, and how in particular the United States and Canada benefit from these opportunities. He states that “Exchange programs, because of their immersive aspect and duration, often prove more valuable at breaking down barriers and creating understanding and contributing to learning than some training opportunities. Provided the right personnel are selected, learning occurs on both sides.” This part of the exchange program cannot be overstated. Living and working in Canada provided me with much more of an appreciation for the Canadian military and the personnel who form it, then simply working together in one or even multiple training events with an allied nation. BG Fletcher went on the say that “The exchange program is an investment in the future. Those fortunate enough to experience it will be better soldiers and can leverage the best of two worlds going forward.” This investment in the future is a critical piece to the overall success of the exchange program. Choosing the right individuals who will continue to serve and can use the lessons learned during their exchange is essential.

We are all students to our own life experiences and education. Some will say that the broadening time early in one’s career must be used to help the individual in areas of their branch that may be weak or not well-versed in. Others may suggest that it is the time to give back to the Army and help train and mentor others at a CTC or in a classroom. While I do not disagree with these viewpoints, I do believe that the further along an individual goes in their career without being exposed to new ideas or ways of doing things, the more difficult it will be for them to accept how someone from another nation may want to attack the same problem set. If you have never seen the way a Canadian, British, German, or even Latvian commander and staff conduct their decision-making process, you may be hesitant to follow their plans, however, if you are fortunate enough to watch NATO forces operate, independent of the United States, and still achieve great success, your apprehension may be non-existent, and your faith in our allies may be exactly what your boss or fellow teammates needed to see for buy-in to occur.
Exchange opportunities can provide rewarding experiences regardless of their length. Whether participating in a multi-year assignment or just a few short weeks, the benefits of serving as an exchange officer will remain with you for the rest of your life. For those individuals interested in serving in one of these positions, I recommend reaching out to your respective assignment officers to discuss your options. The weight given to selecting the right officers, warrant officers, and senior NCOs for these unique broadening opportunities must be in line with the current global environment.

The United States military must recognize the importance of continuing exchange programs, like those mentioned above, which will help foster relationships throughout Europe and the Pacific that can be leveraged in times of conflict. The complexity of multinational operations will never go away, but with the right mix of individuals who have the understanding, longevity in service, and a will to learn through a different lens, the United States Military and its allies will continue to be the greatest fighting force in the world.

MAJ Jeremy Flake is currently the Battalion S3 for 3-16 Field Artillery, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. MAJ Flake has completed two operational deployments to Afghanistan and one rotation to Europe as part of the Regionally Align Forces mission. As a CPT, he served as an exchange officer as part of the Military Personnel Exchange Program. He was assigned as the G35 for the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Edmonton, AB Canada. While serving in this position he participated in several multinational training events including WFX 17-4, JWA 18, and the NATO Certification Exercise for the Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia.

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As a professional, you must immerse yourself in your profession. Military history is full of lessons and examples that you can compare to your situation. “Top block” officers read history and apply it regularly in their work. Taking the time to learn from the past will increase your ability to answer the tough questions when they arise.

CHAPTER 8 KNOW YOUR HISTORY

Soldiering is among the oldest professions, and the officer corps has existed for as long as written history itself. You are now part of that legacy. The leadership challenges you may face on and off the battlefield are not new. From tactics and strategy to unit morale and discipline, examples of both success and failure are easy to find. You have the opportunity and responsibility to learn from the mistakes of others as well as build on their past successes. During my time as an Assistant Professor of Military Science and throughout my military service generally, it became clear many members of our profession fail to take advantage of the lesson’s history provides. Those who take the time to study military history almost uniformly outperform those who do not. A little after-hours effort on your part will pay dividends as your eyes are opened to the legacy of those who have come before you. To help you get started on your journey this article is divided into two parts: finding a professional hero to emulate, and some historical examples of how to solve some common leadership challenges.

As a professional, you must immerse yourself in your profession. Military history is full of lessons and examples that you can compare to your situation. “Top block” officers read history and apply it regularly in their work. Taking the time to learn from the past will increase your ability to answer the tough questions when they arise.

Find a professional hero to emulate

Do you desire to be a selfless leader? Do you seek to put the needs of your Soldiers and nation above your own? Do you want to make the difficult right choice as opposed to the easy wrong one? Where do you start? How do you begin? Becoming an officer of character and integrity is a long deliberate process. The good news is you do not have to start from scratch. The road map has been provided for you by history.

From ancient commanders like Marcus Aurelius and Scipio Africanus to more recent leaders such as Generals Schwarzkopf and Mattis, good examples of leadership are easy to find. Taking the time to read about these leaders and applying their situations and decisions to your own will give you a foundation on which you can establish your own leadership philosophy. When General Patton was a young man, he studied and drew strength from great commanders. His deliberate efforts played a vital role in his obvious success.

My personal professional hero is Ulysses S. Grant. Studying his life has taught me to never give up on my goals, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. He was slandered and drummed out of the Army as a Captain, failed in multiple business ventures, and was rejected for Civil War service no less than four times. A lesser man would have given up, but Grant did not. Because he knew his reputation had been tarnished, he continued to request service in the Army until he received an appointment to a minor post in a state adjutant general office. He worked tirelessly and eventually gained a battalion command which launched a career that led to the White House. His example shows me that a clear conscience, raw talent, and determination can overcome any obstacle.

Finding your own leadership style in a sea of not so great leaders

Second Lieutenant Norman Schwarzkopf was shocked when he arrived at his first assignment with the 101st Airborne Division. He was fresh out of West Point and Airborne School and thoroughly unprepared for the bad examples of leadership he saw. His commander regularly drank on duty and compensated for incompetence by belittling his subordinates. His commander was also skilled at putting on a show when the leadership was around, which resulted in a very toxic environment. He decided not to let this experience affect his love of the Army and instead did his best to take care of his Soldiers and to keep the company on track. After many months of covering for his commander, he made the decision to report him to the chain of command. This brave action resulted in the company commander being removed and an improvement in unit effectiveness and morale. His experience teaches us we can improve the lives of our Soldiers and the effectiveness of our unit when we are true to the Army Values and stand up to those who are not.

Instill good order and disciple in a troubled unit

A young Captain Erwin Rommel faced a tremendous morale and discipline problem when he took command of an understrength infantry company full of forcibly transferred German sailors after World War I. His men were angry and refused to follow orders. His solution was to empathize with his men. He told them he had prayed for the safety of the German Sailors during the war and that his prayers had been answered by his being given command of a unit made up of sailors. He told them he was grateful to be their commander. His compassionate and firm leadership and Non-Commissioned Officer support resulted in vast improvements to the organization’s morale and effectiveness. His experience teaches us that the right leader can improve even the most demoralized and ineffective organizations.

Respond positively to a perceived less than ideal assignment

When Lieutenant John “Blackjack” Pershing was placed in command of a company of African American “Buffalo Soldiers,” many of his peers told him it was the end of his career. Instead of being discouraged, Pershing embraced the opportunity to command Soldiers who had earned such a fierce reputation. He treated his men with dignity and respect and was so successful that he commanded a series of units each at higher levels of responsibility, culminating with Supreme Command of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. His nickname of Blackjack was first given as an insult but became a supreme compliment as Soldiers of many races followed him into battle in the Great War. His experience teaches the importance of finding the positive in every assignment and providing all our Soldiers with equal opportunities to excel.

Studying and applying military history will give you the tools you need to face difficult leadership challenges throughout your career. The examples above are just a few of what is available. I challenge you to learn about your profession, think about your situation through the lens of history, and then make your own mark on our legacy.

Conclusion

While the proceeding chapters are by no means comprehensive, Officers who adhere to these principals will be given the opportunity for increased responsibility. The Army needs and rewards good leaders. If you strive to be a true professional, take care of your Soldiers, and solve problems within the commander’s intent, you will have an amazing Army Story regardless of the branch you serve in. Your story begins with the oath you take as a young lieutenant, but it does not end there. Leadership is earned every day by the choices you make. Choose to learn, choose to serve those you are trusted to lead. Choose to be worthy of the special trust and confidence given to you by the American People. Above all, choose to be the type of leader you yourself would be proud to follow.

Major Nathan Player is currently serving as the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion Executive Officer. He has 15 years of combined enlisted and officer service, has taught ROTC, commanded, and served in various Joint Staff, USAREC, and Special Operations assignments.

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Leadership is more than knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there. Leading includes inspiring others to take the journey with you. All officers are leaders, regardless of duty position. You must be ready to make decisions, move the mission forward, and lead by example. Great leaders never ask a subordinate to make a sacrifice that he or she is not willing to make. If we hold ourselves to the same standard that we hold our Soldiers, they will strive to meet or exceed that standard.

CHAPTER 1:  LEAD

By presidential appointment and congressional approval, the commissioned officer corps of the United States military serves as the principal leadership cadre of the armed forces. The duties of small unit leaders are often delegated to non-commissioned officers, but the ultimate responsibility of mission accomplishment or failure always rests with the commissioned commander.

For young lieutenants, this reality is often misunderstood. By their commission, they are expected to lead from the moment they are bestowed with their gold bars. Yet that responsibility is often clouded by sound bites such as “listen to your NCOs” or “you can’t spell lost without LT.”

Yes, listening to one’s noncommissioned officers is the right and smart thing to do when it comes to technical and tactical experience. However, when it comes to understanding mission objectives and task prioritization, the officer should seek guidance from their immediate supervisor. He or she has been in the lieutenant’s position, and the objectives the officer is trying to achieve were assigned by the supervisor. Coming to a clear understanding of the mission, key tasks, and desired end-state assigned is the most important part of Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs) or the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP). All the planning in the world will fail you if leaders do not clearly understand what they are being ordered to do.

In the case of platoon-level missions, a platoon leader and platoon sergeant should counsel together behind closed doors. Each has its role in mission planning and accomplishment. The platoon leader must understand the company commander’s intent and desired end-state as well as communicate their own to the platoon sergeant, who assists the platoon leader in conducting TLPs to analyze the mission and make recommendations for mission success. After considering the opinions and recommendations of subordinates, the officer decides and takes ownership of the plan. Once the plan is set, the officer should be the one to brief it to both superiors and subordinates. This concept also applies to officers in staff positions who have subordinates working for them on a project.

The nature of the Officer’s Commission requires even the most junior second lieutenant to oversee Soldiers and senior NCOs. Therefore, an officer’s place must be is in the front, briefing, answering questions, and leading the way. An officer should never give away their authority, because once they do, they will never get it back. Moreover, one cannot give away their responsibility, and being responsible while being without authority is a dangerous place to find oneself.

Once planning and preparation are complete, officers are responsible for giving the order to execute the plan, supervising implementation, and adjusting as issues arise. The officer in charge is expected to be present throughout the operation. It is not enough to plan the field problem — reschedule that dentist appointment and lead the team!

Soldiers and NCOs in your unit are watching. They watch to see how officers react in stressful situations. They watch to see if officers will make the hard right choice over the easy wrong. They are watching to see if they can trust their officer to keep their word. Trust takes a long time to earn and a short time to lose. The most valuable asset a commissioned officer has is their integrity. Officers, especially those in command positions, have no “personal” life. They are judged for everything they do, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An officer who drinks too much is telling their Soldiers it’s OK to do the same. A commander who is disrespectful to others gives those under their command permission to do the same. The leader must be an example of “what right always looks like.” If that sounds like a lot of responsibility, it is.

The Army is the greatest job there is, but sometimes it is terrible. Soldiers work long hours, spend days, weeks, and months away from home, training in the rain, and fighting in the mud and dust. They operate on very little sleep and crappy food. Other challenges are less dramatic; PowerPoint is tedious, the motor pool doesn’t sweep itself and the barracks never stay clean. These are just some of the hardships Soldiers endure. How leaders choose to face those hardships will make a significant difference to subordinates. Officers should use their rank and a smile to help Soldiers have a better day. For example, if there is no reason to keep Soldiers at work, send them home after lunch occasionally. Remember that a pat on the back or a corny joke can work wonders in a tense situation.

Officers, especially junior officers, are going to screw up. That is not only okay but expected from time to time. Pick yourself up and learn from it. Honest mistakes are usually forgiven so long as one does not compromise their integrity or use rank for personal gain. Officers should remember that the commission is bigger than any single officer; it represents the special trust and confidence the American people have in our Armed Forces.

Major Nathan Player is currently serving as the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion Executive Officer. He has 15 years of combined enlisted and officer service, has taught ROTC, commanded, and served in various Joint Staff, USAREC, and Special Operations assignments.

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Leadership has always been required, and that remains true in today’s digitally connected, global environment.  Leaders must continue to prepare for what is, and for what may come.  After 34 years of active-duty service to our country in the Infantry and the Special Forces, I have seen and learned a great deal from many different leaders. Like the author, I have learned many valuable leadership lessons, and continue to learn every day.

As we all strive to continue learning, MAJ Player has eloquently captured some excellent lessons in the “8 Essential Characteristics of Army Officership.” This book helps to define a number of leadership characteristics that are instrumental in the development of an Army Officer. Excellent leaders attack each day with an intense resolve to improve and become a better leader than they were the day before. This book will be a helpful tool to help hone the critical qualities necessary to become a successful leader. A detailed read and following action plan to personally develop as a leader from some of the lessons in this book will be key as you continue to develop your own leadership skills.

The views expressed in the foreword are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.

Eric P. Wendt

Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

INTRODUCTION

I wrote the article that would later grow into this short book while sitting in a hotel room in Madrid contemplating how I got there. I was visiting the Spanish and Portuguese militaries as part of my experience in the Army’s Schools of Other Nations (SON) Program. I have spent the last nine months studying at the Colombian Superior School of War, and I sometimes pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming.

In 2007, if you told 2LT Player, a “CHEMO” for 3-7 Field Artillery, what the next decade would look like, he would have told you to stop teasing him because he had to finish the USR.  I am confident about what he would have said, because I am him, just ten years later. However, in the next ten years, I served in multiple leadership positions at the platoon and company level. I also served in a joint special operations unit, taught ROTC, and was selected to attend a foreign service’s ILE.

I arrived at my first assignment at Schofield Barracks with doom and gloom ringing in my ears. During my Basic Officer Leader Course, my small group leader told me that as a 74A headed to the 25^thInfantry Division, I most likely would not have a chance to lead and it would be a constant struggle to be viewed as a serious professional.

Fortunately, the battalion operations officer changed my outlook during our initial counseling session. He listened intently as I told him my concerns of being “stuck on staff” and my desire to lead a platoon.  He said: “There is no such thing as a bad branch, only bad officers.” He went on to say that if I wanted to lead Soldiers, I needed to demonstrate my leadership potential by performing well. He had a good point. In the Army, we do not always have control over duty assignments, but we have complete control over our performance. I committed myself to earn the right to lead Soldiers and developing the skills and attributes required for success.

As a result, I discovered what I consider the “Eight Essential Characteristics of Officership.”

LEAD

Leadership is more than knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how you are going to get there. Leading includes inspiring others to take the journey with you. All officers are leaders, regardless of duty position. You must be ready to make decisions, move the mission forward, and lead by example. Great leaders never ask a subordinate to make a sacrifice that he or she is not willing to make. If we hold ourselves to the same standard that we hold our Soldiers, they will strive to meet or exceed that standard.

LISTEN

Keep an open mind and seek advice. Every team has experienced members that are an extremely valuable resource. These team members can provide historical examples of past issues and help guide your decisions. But first, you must be approachable and willing to listen.

SUPPORT YOUR COMMANDER

An officer who understands mission command and commander’s intent is worth 10 officers who don’t. When you are given a legal and lawful order, execute and stay within your limits. When a commander decides on a course of action, it is not your place to second guess. We advise and make recommendations, commanders make decisions and assume the risks.

LEARN AND IMPROVE

Superior leaders are acutely aware of their strengths and weaknesses. They actively build on their strengths and improve upon their weaknesses. Complacency is a fatal leadership flaw and we should never find comfort in remaining stagnant. This goes for every aspect of the profession of arms. Make realistic and achievable goals and then work to achieve them.

REQUIRE MINIMUM SUPERVISION

Officers who require constant oversight are detrimental to high op tempo organizations that operate in complex environments. Valuable members of the team understand their responsibilities and execute with little supervision. Asking for the occasional azimuth check is important, but don’t inundate your boss with questions you should be able to answer yourself.

COUNSEL SUBORDINATES

Counseling is the most important tool that leaders have at their disposal. Clearly communicating expectations and standards provides a baseline for measuring performance and ensures that both the rater and rated officer understand expectations. This is especially important when managing your rater profile and justifying the contents of evaluation reports for both officers and NCOs.

SERVE THOSE YOU LEAD

Leaders who take a genuine interest in their subordinates will see their teams achieve amazing feats. This goes hand in hand with counseling. You must get to know your Soldiers and help them personally and professionally. Find out their goals and help develop a plan to achieve them. If you take care of your Soldiers, they will always take care of the mission.

BE A STUDENT OF HISTORY

As a professional, you must immerse yourself in your profession. Military history is full of lessons and examples that you can compare to your situation. “Top block” officers read history and apply it regularly in their work. Taking the time to learn from the past will increase your ability to answer the tough questions when they arise.

Major Nathan Player is currently serving as the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion Executive Officer. He has 15 years of combined enlisted and officer service, has taught ROTC, commanded, and served in various Joint Staff, USAREC, and Special Operations assignments.

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“I’ll see you after spring break when we will discuss how the Allies won World War Two. Enjoy your week off.” The seventeen cadets enrolled in one of my sections of, “History of the Military Art from 1904 to 2013,” at the United States Military Academy took my words as the cue that class – our final one before the 2020 spring break – was dismissed. They got up from their desks and began filing out of our Thayer Hall classroom to head to a lunch formation.

Sunlight – a rarity in the generally windowless Thayer Hall – bathed the now-empty classroom as I packed up the WWII-era radio sets borrowed from the West Point Museum, which I had used to demonstrate the evolution of U.S. communications during the war. In this beautiful moment, the thought struck me: I was having a dream semester in a dream job. As a rotating officer teaching military history at West Point, the process of becoming an effective teacher over the previous year and a half had been an arduous one, full of trial and error. This struggle made the reward all the sweeter. Each of my three spring semester sections of “Mil Art” – including the one that had just departed – were firing on all cylinders, engaging in deep, sophisticated engagement with both the course material and one another.

The date was March 5^th, 2020. COVID-19 was a real concern for everyone, and the disease – not yet declared to be a pandemic – was gaining traction in the headlines as a global threat. Still, the developments of the ensuing seven days, which saw both a designation of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization and the declaration of a national emergency in the U.S., were a huge, unexpected shock. At the end of those seven days, Academy leadership made the wise decision to direct cadets not to return to West Point from their spring break destinations. Instead, the remainder of the semester was to be conducted remotely, in a digital classroom.

My first reaction to this new arrangement was a feeling of loss. As a teacher, I knew that the sweet, face-to-face, peer-driven discussion that makes the West Point classroom so effective would be very difficult to reproduce remotely. As a cadet mentor and an officer a few months away from departing West Point for my next assignment, I felt heartbroken. A near-constant engagement with cadets both in and out of the classroom is a hallmark of the experience of teaching at West Point. The transition to remote learning was to be a fundamental alteration not only to my work life but the life of our family. Prior to the onset of COVID-19, cadets were in our home multiple times a week for mentorship.

And yet, despite all the heartache and challenges of this transition to a digital classroom, three months later I am convinced that the half-semester of remote learning may have done more good than harm for the cadets who participated in it. This thesis is offered with a sincere acknowledgment of the immense and uneven difficulties everyone who participated in remote learning faced. My goal is not to make light of those challenges, but to help us all in “hunting the good stuff” as we reflect on the unprecedented events of the last several months.

The underlying logic behind my belief in this upside is simple: Army doctrine on leadership. The temporary foray into a remote learning environment challenged cadets and instructors alike to rely on – and therefore, strengthen – the “self-development” pillar outlined in ADP 6-22, Army Leadership. Under the leader attribute, “Prepares Self,” the authors of ADP 6-22 articulate a framework for self-development that reads almost exactly like the guidance issued to cadets during their remote-learning experience: “Leader preparation begins with self-awareness about one’s strengths and limitations, followed by focused self-development. Leaders maintain self-discipline, physical fitness, and mental well-being.” The central challenge of remote learning for cadets was to do just that – maintain all the discipline and focus they possessed when under the microscope at West Point in an environment with far less immediate consequences. This is the underlying behavior pattern of self-development: a willingness to remain committed to learning even when some of the tighter behavior controls are removed.

ADP 6-22 also emphasizes that success in the discipline of self-development, despite the individualistic connotations the term carries, is a team effort. As an instructor, I held a distinct role in shaping an environment in which cadets could grow their self-development muscles. This entailed modeling what learning should – and should not – look like. What follows is a brief list of “do’s and don’ts” drawn from this unique half-semester of remote learning at West Point. It is my belief that the lessons discussed below apply not only to instructors in professional military education but leaders attempting to develop a culture of self-development in units across the operational Army.

Do #1: Embrace Creativity

The great tragedy of our modern understanding of creativity is that it is divorced from the root verb, to create. Very few of us fit the mold of those atypical, “out of the box” thinkers. But everyone knows how to make something. One of the keys to successfully navigating the remote learning environment was to believe that each cadet held this universal ability to create and to deliberately tap into their creative instinct to support learning.

Of course, creativity is always imperative in teaching. But the remote environment made it even more essential, in large part because the constraints of communicating via a laptop camera degraded a key pedagogical tool many instructors – myself included – use to stimulate student engagement: charisma. In a non-digital classroom, I possessed a whole menu of non-verbal tools to stimulate student learning – both obvious and subtle. I could move around the room to encourage a cadet to pay closer attention. I could frown or act surprised when a student made a comment I wanted the class to explore more fully. Or, as I discovered during the weeks leading up to spring break, if I really wanted my class to focus on discussion with one another instead of me, I could simply look down at my notebook and jot down continuous observations as they spoke. The effect was near magic – perhaps they were nervous that I was grading their performance, or perhaps they finally felt free enough from my attention to look to one another.

Conversely, it is immensely difficult to “read a room” and engage with it digitally. In our remote classroom, cameras were usually turned off to preserve bandwidth for everyone on the call. This meant that instead of talking to fifteen sets of eyes, I spoke to a laptop screen of colored circle icons with cadet initials in the middle. Even when cameras were turned on, body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice all were much harder to decipher. The digital classroom brought with it a degraded quality of instructor-to-student and student-to-student communication.

Creative projects provided a way around this shortcoming. By pivoting to creative projects, I opened another avenue for fostering that spark of interest – one that discussion and personal interaction reliably promoted in our Thayer Hall classroom – that is so critical to building deep engagement with a subject.

For example, each cadet in my sections of “Mil Art” was required to craft a digital presentation on an object of “material culture” related to the lesson of the day. Material culture is an emerging, interdisciplinary academic discipline that uses objects – artifacts, clothing, art, technology, and so on – to craft original arguments. Cadets dabbled in material culture with consistent and impressive originality which demonstrated that deep engagement I was so keen to create.

One firstie (senior) cadet asked permission to examine, of all things, toilet paper for his material culture project. I was a bit skeptical – how can you relate that to military history in the twentieth century? But I allowed it. Several weeks later he gave his classmate a presentation that blew everyone away. During WWII, U.S. G.I.s received a ration of twenty-two sheets per day, compared to their British counterparts who were issued three. And their German foes? Toilet paper taken from captured German soldiers was “of very coarse quality and not packaged in moisture proof packets as were the American packets.” It is hard to imagine a more visceral, memorable demonstration of the strength of the “arsenal of democracy” – a critical aspect of Allied victory – than this common object. All I had to do was to give permission to explore and express this innate creativity.

Do #2: Incentivize Projects-Based Learning

The material culture project demonstrates another key element of success in remote learning: the importance of projects. In the immediate wake of the transition to remote learning, the team of instructors teaching “Mil Art” faced a significant dilemma: how to conduct examinations. Most cadets left on spring break planning to return a week later, leaving notebooks, supplemental reading material and even laptops in their barracks rooms at West Point. While our cadets were fortunate to have a digital textbook accessible from any computer in the world, the central dilemma remained: how could we test comprehensive knowledge from the entire course when the cadets did not possess their notes from January and February? Our solution was simple: we would test only the material covered in the remote learning environment, thereby decreasing the number of points allocated to the comprehensive term-end exam.

The extra points lopped off the reduced term-end exam were used as an added incentive for the class research paper, which cadets had been working on since the start of the semester. This project entailed tackling the central task of any historian – formulating an original historical argument based on evidence drawn from primary sources. The topic the cadets were asked to research was the 1945 Allied invasion of the island of Luzon. Fortunately, most of the primary source material for this project was already online, allowing most of the cadets to make the transition to the remote environment with relative ease. To adjust for at least some measure of turbulence in the transition to remote learning, the cadets were also given an extra two weeks to work on the project.

The outcome was amazing – the extra time and incentive is given to cadets led them to investigate their projects in greater depth than I had seen in my two years at the Academy. Nearly every project demonstrated that ‘spark’ of true engagement with the primary source material. This depth and engagement allowed these future officers to empathize with military leaders of the Luzon campaign – General Douglas MacArthur, Sixth Army Commander General Walter Krueger, and the commander of the Japanese Fourteenth Area Army, Tomoyuki Yamashita. The point is not just that the cadets produced higher quality work, but that by doing so they were far more likely to have internalized the key mental habits of a historian. These habits – the ability to evaluate arguments, examine the evidence, empathize with people from different backgrounds, and understand multiple perspectives of the same event – are essential for any officers to possess. This was accomplished not by doing more, but by “doing less better.”

Don’t #1: Over-Structure

History as a discipline is uniquely suited for self-development. The entire arc of a historian’s training is a transition from highly structured lectures as an undergraduate to seminars as a graduate student to self-directed research and writing as a professional historian. This model of development undoubtedly played a role in my instinct – as well as the instinct of many of my colleagues – to adopt and refine ‘asynchronous’ models of engaging with our classes.

When I first heard the term ‘asynchronous,’ I had to look it up in a dictionary. I learned that the word is drawn from telecommunications jargon, and refers to signal transmissions from multiple stations in a system. Each of these stations is designed to send transmissions periodically, as needed, rather than in a constant stream or regular interval. This definition paints a perfect picture of the model of asynchronous learning. Rather than attempting to simply transplant the regular time allocated for class meetings – a 75-minute period two to three times per week – into a digital environment, many of us adopted a more flexible model of engagement with our students. The asynchronous model allowed each student to respond to my directions on a less-regimented timeline.

The technology gave a whole menu of options for what this could look like. I could record a ten-minute lecture and post to a group chat for cadets to watch and respond before the end of the day. Cadets could do the same thing for one another. Written answers to discussion questions generated more careful and precise responses than in person and ensured that the “talkative” cadets did not dominate the conversation. I could send out surveys to gather information or direct cadets to work on group projects – like when they spent a week writing a chapter on the events of 2020 for a history textbook of the future. They also were required to engage in a peer review exercise prior to turning in their research papers. The point is that no single component of any digital medium alone was as strong as the various possibilities combined.

The asynchronous model also prevented “technological tunnel vision” – focusing on troubleshooting the flaws of one digital medium instead of employing a vast array of tools. The standard video call, for example, held many drawbacks – such as only displaying four student faces at a time – that were eventually remedied. However, hours of time – both cadet and instructor – could have been wasted in trying to fenagle this medium into an old format of instruction instead of exploring the various other tools the new environment offered.

Finally, and most importantly, this asynchronous model was profoundly sensitive to the wide array of home situations cadets found themselves in during COVID-19. As the New York Times argued in a compelling article early in the crisis, the transition to remote learning proved more difficult for certain students who found themselves facing vastly different home environments than their peers. For example, the Army News Service ran a story on a R.O.T.C. student at the Virginia Military Institute who attended remote classes from a tent on his family farm, pitched in an open field where the only reliable cell service could be found. The same pattern existed with my own students. Some were in comfortable, quiet home offices with parents giving them a wide berth to focus on their studies. Others shared rooms and Wi-Fi connections with multiple siblings also home from college or took breaks to perform household chores or babysit.

Don’t #2: Under-Structure

This wide discrepancy in socioeconomic backgrounds and home environments drives my final tip on remote learning: the need to “peer through the laptop” and figure out which students are struggling to stay afloat. Asynchronous should not be taken to mean laissez-faire instruction. In fact, I found the asynchronous model held the potential of being more taxing on my time and energy, not less. Imagine a telecommunications system composed of fifty substations communicating directly, as needed, with one main station. Without a set of parameters and management, both the main station and the substations are highly susceptible to overload. This makes sense considering doctrine – ADP 6-22 makes clear that successful self-development requires a strong element of selective oversight.

I developed a few tools to execute this oversight, both preventative and reactive. To prevent my cadets from falling behind on their final research paper, I had them submit a “time management contract” in which they committed to completing key steps of the writing process – drafting, revising, and producing a final draft – on certain days. As mentioned before, an ungraded peer review exercise provided another great incentive to get a rough draft complete prior to handing to a peer.

The injection of these elements of ‘preventative’ and ultimately helpful structure were critical to fostering successful remote learning. But equally important was maintaining an awareness, across all the ‘touches’ in an asynchronous environment, of cadet well-being. Care is a key element of any self-development program, something our doctrine makes clear. ADP 6-22 conceives of self-development in a holistic sense, in the maintenance and growth of mental, physical and even spiritual well-being. Self-development, in other words, is not merely a matter of equipping the intellect.

The golden rule of remote learning is to “peer through” the computer screen to check in with students, an imperative made even stronger by the COVID-19 crisis. When a cadet made a small slip up like failing to post on a discussion board or not responding to an email, a yellow flag went off in my brain. The first and most important question I would ask was not, “Why didn’t you post?” but rather, “Is everything ok?”

Yes, these are future commissioned officers who will lead Soldiers in combat. To do that effectively in the future, however, requires navigating the obstacles to success in the present. Stress over academics, conflict with siblings, concern for parents facing lost jobs or at-risk grandparents, or simple isolation all made this semester incredibly challenging for our cadets. In a remote environment, regular touches proved to be essential in sniffing out potential or real obstacles to running on the path of self-development. Any self-development program must do the same.

Conclusion

Leaders must deal with change and uncertainty. To do so effectively requires possessing the mind of a learner, regardless of age or rank. The students and instructors that engaged in this global, half-semester, remote-learning audible ought to be immensely proud of what they have accomplished. They should also reflect upon the upside of this crisis in developing leaders capable of fighting through change.

Self-development fills in all the important gaps not covered by institutional and organizational learning, as it equips leaders with “habits of mind” critical to success – including intellectual curiosity and a love of learning. This is not just high-minded idealism. Curiosity is what drives a young NCO to consult doctrine when creating a small arms range, or a lieutenant to consult the regulation to adjudicate a property issue correctly. Most importantly, leaders who possess the self-development muscle are the most likely to demonstrate the agile and adaptive thinking critical to success on the modern battlefield.

Like any muscle, self-development must be trained. This involves introducing controlled periods in a low structure environment, such as the one every West Point cadet went through this spring. Failing to do so assumes that success in a low structure environment will simply happen after graduation. This assumes too much. An investment in guided self-development prior to graduation – as well as in the operational Army – is the best bet to ensuring this habit grows as a part of our Army culture.

Major Wigton is an active-duty infantry officer currently serving as an assistant professor in the Department of History at West Point.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the Department of History at West Point, the United States Military Academy, the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense.

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My first command experience was difficult.  The performance report I received upon “graduating” contains a line without any stratification or quantifiable accomplishments.  It would be safe to characterize that line as a throw-away.  In my case, that throw-away is the line I take the most pride in.  That line is as follows:

“-Inherited broken Gp-lvl unit—applied core values/grit; built standard-setting Sq-equiv—amazing morale & execution”

To me, that throw-away line succinctly captures three difficult years.  For two of those years, I worked for a boss who had it out for me.  I will spare you the detail, but it was bad – investigation, bad – got a new boss, bad.  With a strong Deputy by my side, I worked to improve my organization and tried to protect my people from toxicity.  Today, I am years removed from those trials, with a second O-5 leadership experience under my belt and, after having spent the last 10-months reflecting at the Air War College, I know I was not alone about feeling alone.  I am not the only leader who has struggled through difficult circumstances and a difficult boss.  With the benefit of hindsight, I appreciate that my difficulties in that first command helped prepare me for what was to come.  I would like to share the approach that got me through – not because I think my way is the only way, but it worked for me and I hope something might resonate if you find yourself in a similar situation.

DEFINE YOURSELF – AND WRITE

When I was struggling in that command, I made a deliberate decision to allow the Air Force core values to inform my every move and I kept written records.  I was methodical in recording my thoughts, my observations, and my decisions.  My values helped clarify what I would tolerate and what I would not.  I recorded those things too.  Over time, a subset of my records came to define my “Thoughts on Leadership.”  Those thoughts were personal.  They were raw.  I iterated them through trying times in an attempt to make something positive grow – I figured my environment had enough fertilizer; I just needed to plant and tend the seeds.

Cultivation took place while I participated in an orientation program to prepare for my next O-5 leadership position.  Senior leaders from across my gaining Major Command shared their time and perspectives with us.  One of those senior leaders – a General Officer – shared his thoughts on leadership with my class.  I had supported that particular General Officer for years; I knew him to be a moral leader and he commands my respect to this day.  My thoughts on leadership aligned with his and the way he presented his thoughts resonated with me.  I decided on the approach I would take in my new job right then and there.  I would use my thoughts on leadership to set clear expectations for myself and others.

SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS – ESTABLISH TRUST – FOSTER MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

I had my thoughts on leadership.  I whittled them down to fit on a single sheet of paper and iterated them with a close cohort of peers whom I trusted.  I chose each word carefully and could speak at length about any of them.

On the day I arrived at my new base, I called a meeting to introduce myself to my team.  My initial intent was to have that meeting with a limited audience – just the leaders in the organization.  I planned to distribute my thoughts and lead a conversation.  But the word of that meeting spread quickly, the workforce was interested in attending, and – before I knew it – the whole organization showed up.  I was in the middle of a standing-room-only crowd.  Game on.

After copies of my written thoughts circulated the room, I started talking.  I framed things as, “this is what you can expect from me,” but the clear implication was, “this is what I expect from you too.”  It was not long before the first hand went up.  I fielded a question and entered into a discussion with the person who asked it.  Others joined that conversation and, before long, I was engaged with the entire room.  It was beautiful.  I scheduled that meeting for an hour but did not cut it off.  A free-flowing conversation and sidebars that followed continued for almost two hours.  It was the perfect introduction to my new organization.  After that, my teams knew where I stood.  My expectations were public.  My people knew what they could expect from me; they knew what I expected from them.  By distributing and publicly discussing my thoughts on Day #1, I made myself vulnerable, began my tenure from a place of trust, and created an environment of mutual accountability with my workforce.

REINFORCE EXPECTATIONS – ADAPT AS NECESSARY

I kept copies of my thoughts on leadership in a folder on my desk for that entire tour.  I conducted one-on-one sessions with all new employees, gave them copies of my thoughts, and framed individual introductions much like I framed my initial session with the group.  Again, I framed things as, “this is what you can expect from me,” and clearly implied, “this is what I expect from you too.”  That approach worked well.  It set a standard.  That standard was one I had to uphold myself but was also one I could expect from my workforce.  Throughout my tenure, I had cause to close the door to my office, take a copy of my thoughts out of that folder on my desk, and reference a line or two.  I did that several times and found it was a subtle but effective way to protect egos while upholding standards.

There is a time and a place for everything.  While I used a soft approach to protect egos when I could, some situations called for a firm hand.  That soft approach was not appropriate when people crossed the line that separated the legal/moral/ethical from the illegal/immoral/unethical.  I used a different approach in those situations, but I upheld the same standard.  That consistency is important.  I did what I said I would do and my people appreciated it.  Doing that bought trust with my workforce and my bosses.

Similar to the performance report I received after my first command, the performance report I received after the second contains a few lines without any stratification or quantifiable accomplishments.  Again, I am most proud of those throw-away lines.  One documents my response to illegal/immoral/unethical behavior and another line says I acted as I said I would.  It says I led as I said I would lead.  That line follows.  I would suggest it is all anyone can ask of us.

“-Servant leader! Inspires confidence above and below; drove improvements across enterprise—focused on doing right”

As I prepare to lead as a colonel, I count my blessings and give thanks.  I am blessed to have served with fine Americans who came together, did their country’s bidding, and supported me through difficult times.  I am thankful for the love of my family and friends.  Ironically, I am thankful for the trials I endured in my first command.  If not for those experiences, I would not have been as deliberate about recording and refining my thoughts on leadership.  Those thoughts underwrote the approach I took in leading my last organization and I am refining them again today, preparing for my next leadership opportunity.  I am glad to have found what works for me.  I imagine I will do this again, and again, and again – improving with each iteration.

Today, I am thankful for the tough times.  They steeled me.  When you find yourself in a tough situation, take solace knowing you are not alone.  You will get through.  When you do, you will be stronger and wiser for it and what you learn today will prepare you for what will come tomorrow.

Paul Ferguson is an active-duty lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force.  He is a member of the Air War College class of 2020 who has been selected for promotion.  After graduating from Air War College, he will serve in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics as Deputy Director of Acquisition. Career Management.

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Protests in America have literally been a staple of rectifying inequalities from this nation’s origins. In fact, it has been codified and is protected in the First Amendment of the Constitution as the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. From the Boston Tea Party to the Civil Rights movement that ended segregation and Jim Crow laws, there have been peaceful protests mixed in with violence.

“If you can’t handle the tough conversations, you can’t handle the tough decisions.”

But ending race-based legislation has not resolved the underlying issues of race. Regardless of the progress made during the Civil Rights movement, recent events have emphasized that we still have a long way to go. Police brutality and killings of unarmed African-Americans combined with the proliferation of smartphones and constant connectivity have awakened many people to the inequality that is still ingrained in our justice system. We have seen a groundswell of “tough conversations” about race, riots, protests, and policing in America in the last week since the murder of George Floyd. Other examples, like the “Central Park Five,” exhibit the impacts of imprisoning innocent men and the ingrained biases of the justice system.

So, why now? The confluence of events (COVID 19, restrictions/quarantine, etc.) feels like an inflection point, but the historical movement has been building for decades. Most recently, Breonna Taylor was shot in her sleep when a no-knock warrant was served on an individual who was already in police custody and only had a loose association with her. She was a young woman cut down in her prime for no conceivable reason. Another unarmed young man, Ahmaud Arbery, was murdered in broad daylight as he went for a run. These and many others have been added to the wrenching list of victims who have died at the hands of institutionalized racism.

I have seen these stories and often thought it was not my problem. I’m personally not racist, my closest ancestors were immigrants to the United States after the Civil War, so what could, or should I do? I’ve thought about conducting discussions about race and biases, but the Marine Corps doesn’t have these problems, right? We promote and award people purely based on performance, or so we tell ourselves.

The modern American military is truly the melting pot where people from every conceivable background come together and work towards unified goals to maintain the best of our American ideals while changing those that need maturing. However, to think that there isn’t racism and other prejudices within our ranks are to willfully put on blinders. Maybe this is why we have not had these “uncomfortable conversations” earlier. But, we have finally begun considering how to produce positive change in a military that is reflective of our entire society.

We see ourselves as the purest form of meritocracy, but the military still has work to do. Besides, the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines we are charged to lead their families and communities are directly affected by the recent tragedies. As the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright shared recently in a Facebook post, he fears that one of his Airmen may be the next to die at the hands of a police officer.

As leaders, we owe it to the young Americans who have volunteered to serve something greater than themselves to listen and to do more to crush prejudice in our ranks today. We also can’t let those conversations die down in the coming days and months, wasting the current opportunity by engaging in superficial, short-lived talks with each other.

So, the tough conversations have to be had, which require us to acknowledge the anger and frustration while providing a space to share experiences. We must challenge our biases and provide tools to be more aware of our spheres of influence. We must reach individuals who think not being racist is enough. Because it never was, and it should not be anymore. Even as we anticipate returning to a new normal after COVID, so, too, we should plan for a better new normal after the violence and protest of the last months, which builds on generations of anger and bitterness.

How do we take the difficult first step of beginning these “uncomfortable conversations” to ensure they are constructive and meaningful? As leaders, we must model the behaviors we expect. We must show empathy and acknowledge our own feelings and biases authentically with the junior leaders in the contact layer, those young officers and Staff Noncommissioned Officers (SNCO).

First, start small and set goals ahead of time. Come together as a team around a dry erase board and leverage the experience of the senior SNCOs.

6/5/2020, by Tyler Quinn (personal collection)

Challenge your expectations about equal opportunity, racial biases, and white privilege. Work out the left and right lateral limits to ensure you don’t end up down the proverbial rabbit hole. There are several resources available; we used Dr. Pauline Shanks Kaurin’s recent blog post, “Help for the Confused: Resources for Challenging Conversations,” and the power of social media connections with Dr. Heather Venable to “plot, plan, strategize, and mobilize” as rapper Killer Mike has said.

Next, we gathered (adhering to social distancing measures and applying health protection requirements) to begin acknowledging the outrage many feel, and the additional burden of disconnectedness being stationed overseas, despite the permeating connectivity of social media. We grounded the conversation in our core values as Marines:

Honor – Respect each other. If someone shares something from their past, acknowledge the impact of that, and appreciate them for it, but we shouldn’t expect others to share what could be very hurtful memories.

Courage – Look introspectively first and get ready to wrestle with some uncomfortable ideas, examine why those ideas are uncomfortable, and determine what you can do about it.

Commitment – Put feelings and words into action. Educate yourself by reading a book, listening to a podcast, or watching a documentary about history and race in America. Carry the conversation forward, then continue to improve your sphere of influence where and when you can.

We also recognized the core values of American ideals, as laid out in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. We also admitted that, as a society, we have not always lived up to these ideals. We have a challenging past, but we also recognize America is still worth fighting for. We reminded everyone of the oath we swore to support and defend the Constitution.

Before opening the floor, we set some ground rules. They may seem painfully obvious, but it helps solidify what is acceptable and what is not:

1. Respect the person talking, one at a time.
2. If you disagree with an idea, address that. NO personal attacks.
3. Actively listen, put yourself in others’ shoes, and really try to see it from another perspective.

Finally, do what senior leaders should inherently do best. We set the conditions; then we needed to get out of the way and listen, only moderating when necessary. We wanted to set some goals, but allow the group to take ownership. In some instances, people wanted to respond to a point made, and it’s important to circle back to allow them to add to the conversation. Sometimes, people said something completely false, and often other members of the group would correct the statement. If they did not correct it, the moderator would address the statement with facts.

Mostly, the moderator kept the conversation from stalling, or going off into an area that wasn’t really relevant, or added context by reminding the group of the larger picture. Acknowledge the emotions, support each other through the challenges, and seek ways to make connections by linking different feedback together. As a moderator, it helps to take notes so you can call back to a point someone else made; this also helps you provide some wrap-up comments at the end. However, the point isn’t always to resolve something. Our group’s goal was to exhibit empathetic leadership for our junior officers and SNCO.

Given our battalion’s command culture, we wanted the Sergeant Major to be the lead moderator. As the senior enlisted member, he already has the role of bridging the enlisted and officer ranks. The key to ensuring a good conversation is that the moderator be trusted by all. Even with a good moderator, it can be tough to break the ice and get some momentum.

The influence of the moderator allowed some of the more uncomfortable topics to come to the surface. It is important to recognize that it is uncomfortable to talk about race, but we should also try to understand why that is. Typically, the discomfort comes from the light being shone on our own biases that leads us to the realization that we aren’t as objective or enlightened as we might have once thought. We may even realize that our personal actions, or inaction, have hurt others. Especially in conversations about race, it’s important to acknowledge this reality and to seek ways towards understanding and continued growth. It may be hard to measure, but some measurements of growth could include people seeing their own biases, or changing their daily language to be more inclusive.

Facilitating can be difficult for senior leaders because we often want to lead the discussion ourselves or teach through our own experiences. But, the main goal of our session was to listen, to ask more questions to help us and the other Marines understand, to wrestle with thoughts and feelings, and to provide our Marines a space to be heard.

To keep it simple, we opened by asking “who’s angry and why?” It’s somewhat obvious, but as the conversation progressed, several Marines shared their personal stories, allowing us to ask additional, open-ended questions, such as “what are some examples of positive actions we can take?”, or “why do you think we are still discussing racism?” Eventually, we got closer to the heart of the matter, because the goal was not to draw out personal experiences, although we did need to acknowledge the significance of those who bravely shared.

Sometimes the topics get “too big” for the room, and it may feel like the problem has been going on too long and the situation is hopeless. At that point, the leaders and moderators should remind the group that it’s about personal growth first. Recognize and seek ways to be more intentional with your own sphere of influence. You don’t have to change the world, you just have to try and change the world around you. Once the conversation gains momentum and people feel like they are in a space they can share and be heard, it may seem like it could go on for hours, but eventually, you have to stop for the day.

Ending the conversation may be the hardest thing to do. You want to ensure everyone has an opportunity to be heard. You want to resolve a multitude of topics. At some point you have to end it and allow for reflection and digestion of everything that was shared; use your best judgment and find a natural stopping point. Summarizing is not necessary, but at a minimum, you should recognize and thank all for their courage to share.

Also, encourage them to continue their own research and provide some tools. Dr. Shanks Kaurin’s aforementioned blog has several good resources. The Cognitive Bias Codex created by Better Humans and The Foundation for Critical Thinking is also excellent starting points for developing better ways of how to think. Many streaming services are also providing free screenings or recommended lists of films focused on race. I watched 13^th and LA 92 recently, and both films were helpful in understanding the deeper history and context of the current events.

So now what? A common refrain we heard was, “so what do we DO about it?” One of the best things you can do is continue educating and conversing. Make it a regular event, whether it be weekly or monthly find what works for you and your unit. The main thing is to keep it going. Look for other resources to use in future conversations: there are countless articles available lately that provide fodder for discussions. Offer podcasts like Code Switch from NPR, or use history podcasts as homework. These can provide a common topic that focuses on the next conversation. Using media as the foundation can allow the dialogue to cover important topics while allowing the space to avoid personal anecdotes if needed.

Regardless of the format or forum, continue the “uncomfortable conversations.” Eventually, they won’t be as uncomfortable. As leaders we owe that to the people we are responsible to lead. Start in the mirror and seek your own growth; lead by example. If you do this, you will foster an authentic cohesion and solidarity in the unit. Most importantly, you’ll set these young Americans on a path of being positive change agents as they eventually transition back to civilian life. We can progress this great experiment called America, but it starts with the first “uncomfortable conversation.” It’s never too late, so start now.

Title photo:  10/19/2017, Photo by Sgt Tiffany Edwards, USMC (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/3895910/3d-mlg-cg-visits-marines-during-korean-marine-exchange-program-181)

Major Tyler Quinn is currently the Executive Officer at 3d Law Enforcement Battalion on Okinawa, Japan. As a military police officer, he has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and served at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. He is a graduate of Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School, and Command and Staff College. He can be found on Twitter @tc_quinn07. The views in this article are his personal views and do not reflect the views or opinions of the United States Marine Corps, or the Department of Defense.

The post The Uncomfortable Conversation: How to Start and Why to Keep Going appeared first on The Field Grade Leader.

When I found out that I was selected to attend resident Intermediate Level Education (ILE) at Fort Leavenworth, I immediately realized how little I knew about the course. My research brought up numerous articles from officers discussing their year at Fort Leavenworth. These articles are what I found most useful and are the reason that I decided to write my own. Hopefully, my experience and advice serve two purposes. The first is to assist future classes in understanding the course of instruction and aid in your preparation for the “Best Year of Your Life.” Second, this article will be my attempt to, as General Funk says, “Leave the jersey in a better place than I found it.”

U.S. Army Command and General Staff College 101

Our academic year consisted of three phases: Common Core, the Advanced Operations Course (AOC), and two terms of electives. Classes during all three phases are taught almost entirely by instructors from the Departments of Tactics (DTAC), History, Command and Leadership, Logistics and Resource Operations (DLRO), and Joint, Interagency and Multinational Operations (DJIMO). In general, we attended class between four to eight hours, Monday through Friday, at the Lewis and Clark Center in our assigned staff group (SG) classroom. Each staff group consists of approximately 16 students from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, interagency (CIA, USAID, State Department, etc.) and partner nation armed forces.

Each staff group had three faculty members consisting of a mix of active-duty officers and civilian instructors. Instruction during Common Core and AOC was almost entirely at the staff group level with a few exceptions for classes that are taught by subject matter experts.

Our class started in early August with Common Core lasting until the Thanksgiving break. Common Core culminated with the X100 exam, which is a comprehensive test of everything covered in Common Core. It is a two-part assessment that starts with a multiple-choice test and ends with an oral board. During the oral board, which lasts about an hour, students answered questions from 3 faculty members from outside their section.

AOC consisted of a mix of classes and planning exercises. Planning exercises consisted of one or two staff groups acting as a brigade, division, or higher-level staff. During some of the planning exercises, students worked as the staff for both friendly and enemy forces. Planning exercises lasted between two to five days with a mix of four and eight hour days. Following AOC, we transitioned to electives.

Electives were two, four-week terms, with students taking course loads based on what their branch, functional area, or service required. In addition, students could take course that lined up with their personal and professional interests. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our elective requirements and terms were adjusted and taught exclusively online.

Throughout Common Core, AOC, and electives, we were evaluated through multiple-choice tests, presentations, research papers, argumentative essays, class participation, forum discussions, group projects, planning products, field grade officer competency reports, and briefings of all kinds.

Following electives, the last couple of weeks consisted of out-processing, PCS preparation, and a graduation ceremony, all heavily modified because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advice for Future Classes

Prepare Now

One of the main reasons that I had a positive experience is because I had a good idea of what to expect before attending. Research, discussions with previous graduates, expectation management, and having a “Whole-Of-Family” approach to resident ILE before I arrived set me up to have a rewarding year. Read and understand the doctrine referenced during the pre-courses and tests that you will complete before arrival. A thorough understanding of this doctrine will make Common Core much easier.

Make Your Staff Group Great

Second, only to your own attitude, your staff group is the biggest factor in determining whether your CGSC experience is positive or negative. You can’t do anything to influence what staff group you are in, but you can play a huge role in its success or failure. I was lucky to be placed in a fantastic staff group that worked well together from day one. Your staff group may take more work. Put in that work, and it will pay dividends throughout the year.

Set Goals

Decide what you want to get out of the academic year before you arrive. You can earn a master’s degree, compete for student awards, improve yourself physically, prioritize your studies, or some combination of all these. Having an endstate to work towards will help maintain focus on the areas that are most important to you.

Learn (or Remember) How to Learn

If you have not been in an academic environment for a long time, you’ll need to dust off and improve your study habits from college. There is a lot of reading, writing, and information to digest at CGSC. Writing is one area where you may struggle if you don’t put in the time to improve. Thankfully CGSC has a great learning resource center to improve study habits, time management, speed reading, and writing.

Knowledge Management

Have a system to manage information in both digital and analog formats before you arrive. Your ability to rapidly find information from multiple disparate sources while taking exams will significantly affect your grades. If you are the type of person with thousands of emails in your inbox and a computer monitor filled with icons, you need to figure out a knowledge management system that works before you start classes.

Technology

If you do not have a good laptop or tablet, I recommend getting one. Wi-Fi is available in all the classrooms and the library at Fort Leavenworth. Having a laptop or tablet in class makes life a lot easier. At home, having multiple monitors helps when writing and taking exams. The COVID-19 pandemic will, most likely, change or interrupt in-class instruction during the 2021 academic year. Having a good home office will help minimize these interruptions. I also recommend purchasing the premium versions of Grammarly, Zotero, and Quizlet. Grammarly is a great proofreading program, Zotero makes writing research papers easier, and Quizlet will help when studying for the X100 exam.

Be Flexible

At the time of this writing, it is unclear how COVID-19 will affect the class of 2021. Regardless of how this class is conducted the biggest challenge will be in integrating and developing a staff group when not everyone is at Fort Leavenworth for the entire time. Because of the large role it plays in your CGSC experience, I recommend prioritizing staff group integration and development as early as possible. As mentioned earlier, your staff group is really, really, important.

Final Thoughts

Every officer that attends resident ILE at Fort Leavenworth will have a unique experience; uniquely good, bad, or average. Take the classwork seriously and put in the time needed to accomplish your goals. CGSC was not “The best year of my life,” but it was a great one.

MAJ Philip Henke is currently attending AMSP at SAMS. MAJ Henke is a Cyber and Electronic Warfare Officer who began his commissioned service in the Infantry. MAJ Henke served 5 years on active duty as a Cannon Crewmember where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before attending Kansas State University and OCS. MAJ Henke most recently served as the Cyber and Electronic Warfare Operations Officer for the 7^th Special Forces Group. He can be reached on DOD webmail and on Twitter @PhilipHenke    

The post U.S. Army CGSC: Overview and Advice for the Class of 2021 appeared first on The Field Grade Leader.

Assuming the fall assignment and unit interview cycle will proceed as normal, the authors of this blog set out to provide insight into the AIM 2.0 and unit interview process for the incoming CGSOC AY20-21. The process begins almost immediately once the course begins. Prepared officers will develop a game plan to increase their chances of receiving their desired assignment.  

These recommendations do not supersede or replace official guidance from Human Resource Command Career Coaches. This is “a way” and the environment continues to evolve with each marketplace cycle, so ensure you stay current with the most recent messages, guidance, and peer feedback. 

Initial unit visits began in late August/early September. Some units requested personal bio sheets, ORB, AIM resume, last 3 OERs (even though CGSC leadership said that units should not be asking for them). Each unit approaches the interview and unit visit differently. Some units sent preparatory emails, held a command briefing, and hosted a social. Others will come unannounced and expectedly receive little turnout. As expected the units with high geographical desirability and those that place significant value in the visit process will typically draw the largest audience for the command briefings and socials. Ensure to respond quickly to the units you’re interested in and schedule an interview.  

Point #1 (ORB)– As always have your ORB correct and up to date. The AIM 2.0 resume doesn’t take the place of the ORB. It is still necessary to ensure your DA photo is current as well as awards, qualifications, education, and previous assignments are accurate and able to understand in a single glance. If you were recently promoted to Major, get an updated DA photo as soon as possible.  

Point #2 (AIM2.0 Resume)– Fill out your AIM 2.0 resume in its entirety. How much and in what format is still up to each individual with each branch providing different recommendations. Some officers went with the narrative style as if they were speaking directly to a Brigade Commander while others utilized a succinct bullet style resume. 

Summary: Both authors expressed their desire to serve in the unit and general goals for Field Grade Key Development assignment as well as background and experience you bring to the job. Resist the urge to just regurgitate your ORB assignment information. Elaborate the experience gained from your previous positions. 

Education: Similarly don’t just restate your civilian education that is also on your ORB. Highlight any unique knowledge, skills, publications, or unique classes you completed. 

Civilian Section: Here is an opportunity to shed light on your priorities outside of the Army. Ensure to share your hobbies, competitions, volunteering, or any relevant civilian job experience. Include publications or projects you’ve worked on that are not captured on evaluations. 

Assignments: Major accomplishments from previous assignments. This is where you can distinguish yourself. Instead of just saying that you were a company commander, highlight relevant operational experience that might relate to a unit’s current mission set or regional focus. 

Additional Skills & Certifications: Skills that don’t show up on your ORB, which might be of interest to interested commanders, for example, civilian certifications like SCUBA, CROSSFIT, first-aid/CPR. 

Cultural Experiences & Travel: Areas that you study or have experience with. Certainly link any regional or cultural experience to any unit regional alignment specialty. 

Language: Include any language skills that don’t show up on ORB, certain positions prefer language proficiency.  

References:  The system allows as many as you’d like but only the last four show up on the printed resume. Choose wisely! It’s very likely the BDE CDRs will look at who they know on your list. Ensure your references are aware that they are listed by asking for their support.  

Point #3 (Audience)– Know your audience. Your resume will likely not go straight to a BDE CDR, so think about the S1/AS1 who is receiving your packet. How well you communicate with the S1/Strength Manager is extremely important since their impression of you will determine which packets are prioritized for the boss. 

Point #4 (Network)– Leverage your professional network early and often in the process. A supporting message from an advocate to a hiring manager or senior leader goes a long way in promoting your stock to the prospective unit. Before reporting to CGSC, think about who you may leverage and reach out to them.  

Point #5 (The Interview)– The Interview and unit socials: The most important advice we can offer is to be ready with a “value proposition” on why you want to serve in that unit and what sets you apart from your peers.  

This was a consistent question across all of our interviews. Be prepared with a concise elevator pitch for when it’s asked. Come with extra copies of the documents requested and have a few questions to ask the interviewer. Ensure you are honest about where that specific unit lines up with your projected preferences in the AIM talent marketplace. Assuming unit hiring managers and Division Chiefs of Staff talk to one another, officers who are inconsistent between interviews and their actual preferences assume the risk and potentially tarnish their reputation.  

Attend the unit socials as time permits. Balancing school work, family commitments, and unit networking can be challenging so try and prioritize those units you are specifically interested in. Standard field grade professional appearance and dress code recommendations apply. 

Point #6 (The Marketplace)– Ensure to rank order every single preference available with an extra focus on your top 10%. Hiring managers can see if an officer has listed their unit in their top ten or top 10% whichever is greater. For example, if you have 200 potential assignments, the top 20 will see that you’ve preferenced them. Ranking all potential assignments only benefits officers and can create potential opportunities if you were unable to interview with a specific unit or your personal preferences change as the assignment cycle progresses.  

Effects of COVID-19– The recent decision to split CGSC AY 20-21 presents a unique challenge to those officers in cohort 2 who will miss the fall semester unit visit opportunities. CGSC leadership, unit hiring managers, and prospective officers should start thinking about how cohort 2 can receive an equitable unit interview experience in a distributed manner. Leveraging existing technology such as Microsoft Teams through the DOD’s Commercial Virtual Remote Environment is a possible avenue to broadcast both unit command briefs and scheduling personal interviews.  Adopting a virtual interview plan promotes equity for the fall manning cycle and could increase market matches in the AIM system. 

Conclusion– Officers, units, and HRC are adjusting to the new Army Talent Management System. While every individual’s experience varies the authors felt that the system provided transparency and offered the officers a say in their next assignment. The downside is that the process begins earlier than the previous model, even before arriving at ILE, to ensure you set conditions to achieve the desired outcome. Make no mistake about it the new process gives the individual Soldier a voice, but you will need to communicate early and often with potential commanders to align your desired assignment with the needs of the unit.

MAJ Matthew Lensing is an Infantry Officer and current student at the US Army Command and General Staff College.  

MAJ David Weart (Twitter: @dweart19) is an Engineer officer and current student at the US Army Command and General Staff College.  

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