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When I was a PL my FDO was...not the best. He meant well, but they have a saying about intentions. At some point I resolved that, if given the chance, I would ensure FA BNs received better FDOs. I was too young to understand how naive that simplistic belief was. A thread. 1/
While attending career course the BN CDR made a recruitment pitch for FABOLC instructors. I felt this was my shot (
), so I volunteered. 2 years and 4 FABOLC classes later I realized how silly my idea about fixing the world was, but I regretted nothing. 2/
), so I volunteered. 2 years and 4 FABOLC classes later I realized how silly my idea about fixing the world was, but I regretted nothing. 2/
I met and married my wife, we had our first kid, bought our first house, I jumped (a lot) out of a C-47 that had dropped paratroopers over Normandy, and I discovered that while I couldn't fix the world I could still make a big difference in my 30 person corner of it. 3/
About 6 students in each class didn't really need me. They either got it before class or during the first explanation with no help. Over 4 platoons I had 2 DHGs and 3 master gunners (high gunnery grade in class). That wasn't me. That was all them. 4/
I found myself mostly encouraging and coaching them. It was a more hands off relationship and all I did was set conditions for them to run with the concepts. The best thing I could do was empower them to help other students during practical exercises. Both groups got better. 5/
Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of students were somewhere within a standard deviation(ish) of average. Some got it faster than others, but it eventually clicked. Deflection was the class that really made this unequal timing obvious. Glazed eyes turned into light bulbs. 6/
And then there were 3. They didn't get it. They failed more than one exam. 10% for 90% of my out of class time. I scheduled extra instructions and spent time one on one with them after class, in my office, or at the end of PEs. Sometimes students in the bottom of the 70% 7/
felt like they were in this category. And in the end I loved them. Some of the most professionally rewarding moments of my career were spent getting a student to see that they weren't a total failure and then watching them nail a PE. They developed grit. It was awesome. 8/
The best thing I could do for them was be honest. Only a couple were truly irredeemable and that's for another thread. The point is I went into the assignment thinking I was going to cut the chaff and fix the world, and came out of it with an entirely different perspective. 9/
I wasn't a perfect instructor and I didn't make perfect FDOs. But people will surprise you if you care enough about them to invest your time in them. Anyway, there's a lot going on in the world right now and I needed something positive to think about. So this is it. 10/10
