Introductions I I- Your first post on this board goes here. (CLOSED) - Page 12

CPTAUSRET · 03-12-2006, 14:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Moroney

Welcome aboard Five-O. Let me give you a little insight if I may. While you are absolutely right in your above quote, you may command an A-team but it is going to be your Team Sergeant that will lead it. You see, you are going to come out of the Q-course full of good ideas and painted with doctrine that addresses they way things are supposed to work in a perfect environment where everything works according to "the book". In reality you are going to be a "guest" on your first SFOD-A for a while and while you will truly be "in command" by the legitimacy of your rank your ability to actually lead will depend on deeper and broader professional knowledge which is gained over time as well as the amount of referrent power to effectively lead that you gain from your team members by virtue as how they see you which will also take some time. So, the "Q" is only the beginning and completion is not a measure of success but a validation to step through the door. What happens after that depends a lot on you and how you are perceived.

I am obviously out of my league on this one!

Merely quoting it, as it speaks volumes.

Well said!

Terry

MU06 · 03-12-2006, 22:04

MU06 here. I graduate with my bachelors in finance this may. still debating on going in 18x or going through national guard as an MI officer and picking up an MBA while i remember some of this stuff, then going to sfas later as an officer.

Five-O · 03-12-2006, 22:26

Sir,
My intent is to approach ODA Command (inshallah) in a similar manner as I approached platoon leadership. That is to say, sit back and learn from the NCO's, offer input as necessary and filter all the crap that comes from higher so the Team can perform. I'll also study the group dynamic to see who the formal and informal leaders are and how they inneract. I believe God gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason. Yeah all the book stuff is good to know, yeah I'm a CPT and ranking soldier, yeah the Team SGT is my subordinate. I buy in on the Q being just a portal to futher enlightenment and that my education will never cease and true SF competence will come slowly. My initial main effort is look, listen and learn and provide the Team with all possible resources to get the job done and RTB. I know that in reality respect is earned not given. I feel for you NCO's who have had officers come in like they wanted to prove something and make a big change or shake up in an organization already functioning well. That ain't me gentlemen. Anyone who has worked with me knows I am a soldier first and officer second. My reference to leading the ODA is almost in a generic sense in that officers are made to lead.
Thanks.
...having said that...the 7 meter target just got fuzzy...ahh there it is again...ruck, ruck, ruck

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 03-13-2006, 06:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five-O

Sir,
My intent is to approach ODA Command (inshallah) in a similar manner as I approached platoon leadership. That is sit back and learn from the NCO's, offer input as necessary and filter all the crap that comes from higher so the Team can perform.

You have pointed out one of the significant differences between SF and the conventional army. Where the conventional army is all about making corn flakes where one platoon ldr/troop looks and acts like another, SF is more about making trail mix where each handful is unique and portions can be modified to fit the situation. While a conventional officer who is new has the time and often the need to be more of a passive observer you are going to have to hit the ground running. We used to have an officer on the A-Team that could sit there and take it all in, they were LTs and were the team XO and bascially were an extra mule to carry commo gear and extra ammo. The basic philosophy was that we understood that we really needed to grow our own team leaders because,in most cases, it took a long time to produce a good one that actually complimented the effort. That is still a problem and the Q has gone to great lengths to rectify it. Part of the problem that remains is that officers coming into SF bring with them all the baggage (good and bad) they picked up along the way. You see, you, as a CPT, will actually be expected to perform more as a BN cdr when it comes to UW/FID and in some cases coalition/combined operations. That role is yours and yours alone. You are kind of like those teflon backed sponges where you are absorbing stuff with one side and abraided stuff with the other always doing what is necessary to enable your team to succeed. That might in fact be "filtering crap that comes from higher" but more often-when you are working for host nationals/attached or OPCON to conventional folks or in some other capacity where you are working away from the "flagpole" with mission type orders and no supervision- you will be managing "higher" from the bottom to shape the battlespace/operational area to bring things into alignment necessary for your team to accomplish its mission. You see you just don't "think outside the box" but you build the box into which you want to place those whose comfort zone works well only within the box that you are going to build and then you squeeze or expand the box as necessary. So while your philosophy of leadership and being a soldier first is a step in the right direction, the day you walk into that team you also have a very active role to play as the commander right from the start and not necessarily at the echelon of an 03, but more of that as an 05. Now if I may use your example of why you have two ears and one mouth, I am not at all stating that your philosopy of observing/learning/and contributing is off base but I am saying that you are going to be wearing a head set with each side working off distinct nets. One will be the net from your team from which you will listen/learn/absorb and contribute and the other will be from all the other demands that will require immediate action with your Team Sergeant performing the role of the NCS.

QuietObserver · 03-13-2006, 15:07

Thanks for allowing me to be a guest here. I am an 18X recruit, I ship June 8 2006 to Fort Benning to begin Basic. I am here to listen and learn as much as possible before leaving. To all those who have gone before me I salute and thank you for your words of wisdom. They will not fall upon deaf ears!

walter_mitty · 03-14-2006, 10:43

have a genuine interest in special forces as have friends currently with the british special forces. nice to be here

Slantwire · 03-14-2006, 12:09

Came across this site while looking for information on rucking and foot care (working towards a REP 63). See y'all with some (hopefully intelligent) questions soon, but I have a lot of reading to do first. Thanks for the great resource.

armourer · 03-14-2006, 12:57

Hello Gentlemen and Ladies,

Just dropped in, I'm Ex British Army 73-89 and served with various Regiments as an Armourer.

Cheers,
Simon

Five-O · 03-14-2006, 15:58

Sir,

I have exchanged with you two times now and am better for it. Thank you for emparting your experience. This type of insight is exactly what I hope to gain from this site.

Bill

Huey14 · 03-14-2006, 20:08

More Brits! The Commonwealth is slowly taking over.

Now we need more Aussies and Saffies.

**Bill Harsey** · 03-15-2006, 00:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huey14

More Brits! The Commonwealth is slowly taking over.

Now we need more Aussies and Saffies.

I'll set out some Marmite.

Tango34 · 03-15-2006, 06:11

Thankyou for letting me be a member of your Forums, and website.

I am ex British Army, Served bewteen 1989 and 1995 in an Infantry role, around the world.

I am now running a Clothing and Equipment company, that works with serving Military Forces, both Uk and USA, to design Military Clothing and Equipment, and then supply it to them.

At this time my company is working on an advanced chest rig, for use in SF Operations in Iraq, as well as a Battlevest for use with HALO troops.

I am joining this site, to hopefully, pick up good information, and tips on how the equipment that you use now, could be improved, as welll as making good contacts, that I might be able to help in the future.

Best Regards
Tango34

Huey14 · 03-15-2006, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Harsey

I'll set out some Marmite.

Hell no! Vegemite is where it's at. I'm eating from a jar of the stuff right now.

I should put this in another thread.

gemini25 · 03-15-2006, 18:24

Hello All,

New to the site, and thought I would introduce myself. I'm 25 and currently live in Alabama. Considering signing an 18x contract, and just trying to get all the information I can beforehand. Thanks for a great site, as I am sure to be visiting here very often.

dimmick · 03-15-2006, 23:18

hi i am currently in the ROTC program at my college. i am also doing the SMP along with it. i am doing OSUT for infantry in Ft. Benning this summer. i am currently on the fence whether or not i want to go back to school or just go active duty so i can at some point try to get into SF then finish school later.
gonna do some reading around first then ill ask questions.