Bee-bopping (non doctrinal) in depth behind a screen with the TAC during our latest SQDN FTX reminded me of a lesson learned during the MCCC.

Paraphrasing the conversation from memory, but the sentiment remains. 1/

Had just finished the Bush Hill order and the SGL provided his feedback as always.

Before I left the room though the SGL asked, “where are you during this whole thing?”

Not sure what you mean sir.

“Where are you? You’re the commander, where are you in this whole thing?” 2/

I’d roll with the maneuver element (nailed it!)

“You want to be the man huh?”

Aren’t I supposed to be?!

“Can you properly C2 this whole thing, and coordinate all this appropriately if your decisively engaged and rushing through the breach with the assault?” 3/

Definitely not I’d guess.

“Ok, so where could you best do that”

I studied the map some more, and picked a hilltop that I felt had pretty decent observation of the whole objective. 4/

“Ok that’s a start. You’re not a PL anymore. The responsibility now is much greater. Maybe you should reconsider what it means to be the man”

I left the room having a decidedly different opinion on what it meant to lead. 5/

Anyway, thanks to then-CPT York, (surely a MAJ now if he stayed in Army). Dude was an absolute ball buster and most of us hated him. But I’m still thinking about this stuff all these years later, so he did something right. 6/6