Congratulations on finishing ILE and beginning your transition back to the Army. There are many outstanding articles providing in-depth recommendations for your field grade time here on The Field Grade Leader, From the Green Notebook, the Modern War Institute, etc. What follows are a few recommendations that I gave to peers going into KD positions in the 1st Armored Division.
One of two things that will happen when you get to your next duty station: you will go into a holding pattern on a staff waiting for your KD assignment or go directly into your KD position. No matter which path you are handed, understand that the rest of your career will be determined by your performance as a Major. You may have built a portion of your reputation as a Captain but your future potential and career options are based on your performance as a Field Grade. More specifically, your performance in your Field Grade KD position(s).
If you go directly to staff, don’t despair. You have an opportunity to learn about the organization you are going to, to learn the post, and to learn the personalities. Take the opportunity to improve your physical fitness and implement a healthy lifestyle. Build your “tribe” of fellow field grades that you can lean on for advice and recommendations as you move into your KD time. Go to individual staff sections and learn about their systems, requirements, expectations, etc. Introduce yourself to the civilians, NCOs, and officers. Build relationships! Recognize that every interaction you have is building your reputation within the unit. You never know what informal connections exist within an organization…being an angry and disgruntled field grade will come back to haunt you.
As you have no doubt heard numerous times, you are now an organizational leader. You are responsible for making the organization, and your Commander, successful. You must understand and fully support their intent and priorities in order to implement them. That doesn’t mean that you will always agree with your commander or their views. What it means is that you will make your unit successful while operating within the intent of your commander. The perception of your personal performance will be based on the success of your organization.
As an organizational leader, you need to understand the ways your higher headquarters evaluates your organization. How many of the 88 systems of record used by the US Army do you know? Do you have a plan to get to know them? How will you integrate them into your knowledge management system? How does your Senior Rater evaluate your organization? Do you have an engagement plan for interaction with them?
Although we regularly discuss the technical details of being a field grade, the most important thing is to consciously decide how you will divide your time between work and personal/family. To be clear, you will never find “balance.” Hopefully, you will find a division of time that works for your specific situation. This may seem as overly pessimistic or not applicable if you don’t have a family. I spent nearly 12 months of my KD time deployed or in the field, without taking into account late nights, early mornings, or weekends spent working. If you’re married or have a significant other, I recommend having a very honest and frank discussion about expectations prior to PCSing to your next duty station. If you’re not married, consider the impact of your hours on your subordinates and their families.
Finally, make sure that you are thinking about the next step in your career. Your KD time will last between 12-24 months. The selection window for most fellowships, Professor of Military Science positions, etc is 18 months prior to the report date. That means that you need to start considering what you’re going to do next early in your KD time.
Your KD time as a field grade is the last time that you are guaranteed to be with Soldiers. Take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy it. Don’t get stuck behind your desk or buried by tasks. Empower your people, mentor and guide your subordinate commanders, and support your commander.
MAJ Adam Brady is currently a PhD Student at the Colorado School of Mines. An Armor officer, he has served in Armor and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams with operational experience in Iraq and Africa. He completed his KD time in 3/1AD (ABCT) and recently redeployed from Iraq as the Joint Command Inspector General for CJFLCC-OIR and 1st Armored Division.