1. It is very fortunate this individual received some of the help they needed before the very worst happened.
2. Not only did the leadership fail miserably here, but the senior HR NCO did too. That S1 shop should have been able to all the routine things you described before that 2LT arrived. Moreover, that NCO should have been advising, assisting and helping train his S1. I fully realize that is easy to say, but hey, that really is part of being the NCOIC.
3. An actual AGC officer in a Battalion S1, other than an actual AG Battalion, was unheard of in any unit I was in. However, if 2LTs are going to be assigned to such jobs, perhaps the AG School should relook their POI, ‘cause this reflects badly on them too.
4. The remedy you discussed absolutely works. A number of years ago, much longer now than it seems, a certain 1LT was the S1 of an FA Battalion stationed in Germany and was not doing well. Many of the things you mentioned in your essay were occurring in this unit and things were not looking good. The unit lacked a PSNCO (as they were titled back then) as the senior NCO was a SSG or a SGT if I recall correctly, and the S1 was an FA Officer who knew little about Army Personal Services or admin operations. In this case, instead of not helping the S1, the Battalion XO did what you recommended and brought in an Officer temporarily from one of the Batteries to help fix things as the (de facto) Assistant S1. This officer, my wife, was also an FA Officer and not AG, but she understood organization, taskings and workflow processes. After several (very long) weeks as the Secret And Dangerous Missions Officer (SADMO) she returned to her Battery with the issues addressed.
5. Flexibility is essential, especially when things are not going so well and you either adapt or die. Horses for courses as the Brits say.
I’m a long way away from whatever management training I ever got ( and I think most of that was process focused rather than people focused), but it’s worth noting how common this duality exists in human organizations- we need to maintain connectivity between the org process charts and the in the margins notes about how things often really get done. Your notes about helping the people in the crunch zone are worth keeping.
As a “young” direct commissioned 1LT I could have been this poor kid. I was lucky in that the new XO took me under his wing. I’d still follow him into H3ll if he asked me along.
Where was the S1 NCOIC? THAT was the primary person who should have been guiding him! (My own NCOIC was pretty much worthless, leading my sergeants 20-years later to tell me to get out of their lane since I had already given my orders.)
Everything you say makes so much sense! But it also seems like common sense. Why do organizations work so hard to avoid the obvious? Is it because the solution is too time consuming? Or, God forbid, is it because leaders lack the sense to even see it? Great, thought-provoking essay.
Basic failure of morals, then leadership. The Officer Personnel system is not Fit for a military; it is Fit and designed for a Sales Force, retail sales at that, really Boiler Room.
The government wanted Boiler Room under Robert McNamara and they got it.
There used to be values that allowed leaders to get around the system, but no longer.
Now DOD wanted managerialism and they got it. Once upon a time we didn’t give it to them, now we do, the difference was values.
As far as Juniors being trained and mentored in any job or role, this is so basic to mankind it shouldn’t need to be mentioned.
Never mind mandated.
All the real tests are moral, this Command failed it, but as long as they got a good OER, mission accomplished,
Great essay, thank you. Some reactions:
1. It is very fortunate this individual received some of the help they needed before the very worst happened.
2. Not only did the leadership fail miserably here, but the senior HR NCO did too. That S1 shop should have been able to all the routine things you described before that 2LT arrived. Moreover, that NCO should have been advising, assisting and helping train his S1. I fully realize that is easy to say, but hey, that really is part of being the NCOIC.
3. An actual AGC officer in a Battalion S1, other than an actual AG Battalion, was unheard of in any unit I was in. However, if 2LTs are going to be assigned to such jobs, perhaps the AG School should relook their POI, ‘cause this reflects badly on them too.
4. The remedy you discussed absolutely works. A number of years ago, much longer now than it seems, a certain 1LT was the S1 of an FA Battalion stationed in Germany and was not doing well. Many of the things you mentioned in your essay were occurring in this unit and things were not looking good. The unit lacked a PSNCO (as they were titled back then) as the senior NCO was a SSG or a SGT if I recall correctly, and the S1 was an FA Officer who knew little about Army Personal Services or admin operations. In this case, instead of not helping the S1, the Battalion XO did what you recommended and brought in an Officer temporarily from one of the Batteries to help fix things as the (de facto) Assistant S1. This officer, my wife, was also an FA Officer and not AG, but she understood organization, taskings and workflow processes. After several (very long) weeks as the Secret And Dangerous Missions Officer (SADMO) she returned to her Battery with the issues addressed.
5. Flexibility is essential, especially when things are not going so well and you either adapt or die. Horses for courses as the Brits say.
Great comments! Totally agree about the NCOIC…they should have been more involved.
I think most battalion S1 positions are billeted for a post career course captain!
I’m not sure the skills required to run an S1 shop can be taught at the school house for LTs. The most important training is on the job experience.
Thanks for the comment!
I’m a long way away from whatever management training I ever got ( and I think most of that was process focused rather than people focused), but it’s worth noting how common this duality exists in human organizations- we need to maintain connectivity between the org process charts and the in the margins notes about how things often really get done. Your notes about helping the people in the crunch zone are worth keeping.
As a “young” direct commissioned 1LT I could have been this poor kid. I was lucky in that the new XO took me under his wing. I’d still follow him into H3ll if he asked me along.
Where was the S1 NCOIC? THAT was the primary person who should have been guiding him! (My own NCOIC was pretty much worthless, leading my sergeants 20-years later to tell me to get out of their lane since I had already given my orders.)
Thanks for your comment!
Thanks mr caroe, fery usefull read this article, even in my civilian life, thanks really
Glad you enjoyed it, Jan!
Everything you say makes so much sense! But it also seems like common sense. Why do organizations work so hard to avoid the obvious? Is it because the solution is too time consuming? Or, God forbid, is it because leaders lack the sense to even see it? Great, thought-provoking essay.
Sometimes when the price of something is very cheap, people assume there is something wrong with a product.
Likewise, when a solution seems too easy people assume there must be something wrong with it, so they just avoid it.
The Army is one of the few organizations where there is no training by Seniors of Juniors.
The British for example have a Captain as Platoon Leader and Major as Company Commander for very good and basic human reasons.
Our system is throw them in and see if they float. Everyone suffers for that indifference.
Basic failure of morals, then leadership. The Officer Personnel system is not Fit for a military; it is Fit and designed for a Sales Force, retail sales at that, really Boiler Room.
The government wanted Boiler Room under Robert McNamara and they got it.
There used to be values that allowed leaders to get around the system, but no longer.
Now DOD wanted managerialism and they got it. Once upon a time we didn’t give it to them, now we do, the difference was values.
As far as Juniors being trained and mentored in any job or role, this is so basic to mankind it shouldn’t need to be mentioned.
Never mind mandated.
All the real tests are moral, this Command failed it, but as long as they got a good OER, mission accomplished,