Got asked a great question last night- “what do you want incoming platoon leaders to know that they don’t teach us in BOLC?” Well kids, Rogue 6 is on his third cup of coffee, so A THREAD (aka the answers to the test) 1/

Ultimately, I want to know if you can FIGHT. So yay! You’re all set coming from BOLC right? Wrong. Because I don’t care if you can fight if you can’t take care of your equipment. And I don’t care if you can take care of your equipment if you can’t take care of your people.

So let’s start there. I have over 600 people. You have 15-30ish. If I know more about your people than you, we’re off to a bad start. Be positively intrusive in your soldier’s lives. You have to talk to them and get to know them. Ask lots of questions. Be genuinely curious.

Best way to do this: wherever your platoon is, whatever they are doing, you’re there. Your platoon is in the motorpool and you’re in the office doing... whatever? Strike one. I need you in the trenches. Suffering. Laughing. Learning. Walking the barracks with your PSG.

When I approach you, wherever, of course I want to BS with you, but we got work to do first. You better pull out your personnel roster and your ESR (more in a sec). How many troops you got? Which ones are struggling? Which are doing awesome? How can I help?

PLs that stand out in my mind are the ones who close the last mile on soldier issues. Yes, a lot of it is NCO business- but are you sending the right NCO with them to finance then following up like a pitbull to ensure finance does their part?

Side note: when I’m interacting with your platoon, don’t hover over me. Go back to doing your thing. I’ll circle back when I’m done. And yeah, I’m going to ask your PSG and SSGs about you. Constantly. Spoiler: they are some of my best HUMINT sources.

Pro tip: bring me to your platoon on your terms. Shoot me a text when you’re doing an awesome workout. Teaching a maintenance class. Want me to give out a coin. If you don’t, unfortunately things will tend to only bubble to my level when they’re bad.

So here’s the hard part. You might be 23, and single, and awkward. Relating to your 30 year old SSG with three kids might sound tough, but trust me they just want to know that you genuinely care about them and want to learn. Ask lots of questions then shut your mouth and listen.

Also, that EO and SHARP box on your eval ain’t there for looks. Expect me to ask you what you’re doing to combat racism, sexism, SA/SH, discrimination, bullying, and hazing in YOUR platoon. You are on the front lines and I am deadly serious. good start. https://twitter.com/scottjstephens/status/1303342962395566081

I don’t really care what you can do. Most of those things are just the price of admission for you. I don’t care if you can score a 300 on the APFT (I don’t really pay attention as long as it’s above a 250ish, TBH). What are you doing to develop individual wellness plans for them?

Networking and building relationships with the other PLs in the battalion outside of your company is super important. The LT mafia can solve A LOT of a BN’s challenges. Trust me, I’ll know if you’re a team player or a blue Falcon. I’m watching.

Lastly, explaining the “why” and giving your troops a sense of purpose is super important. Tie this to your self study. Deploying to Korea? Read “This Kind of War” and use it as context when explaining the why to them. https://twitter.com/scottjstephens/status/1298275425693696002

Okay so you are taking care of your people, great! Now let’s talk maintenance. Take your butt to the S4 and get a memo for coveralls then go to CIF to get them. Like your people, I expect you to know the most intimate details of your equipment. Starts by spending time with it.

After we talk people, pull out your ESR. What’s the status? Deadline faults? Are parts on order? Do you have a good relationship with your mechanics and with chief? Do you know how to track your own parts? I have ~100 critical pieces of equipment; you have 4. Know EVERYTHING.

Again, maybe you didn’t grow up a gear head. Maybe you don’t know how to change the oil in your Subaru. I don’t care. Get dirty&learn. Get intimate with your TMs. Ask lots of annoying questions to your mechanics- &spoiler- you take care of your stuff, they’ll go the extra mile 4U

You better speak fluent maintenance process. Know the 5988 flow inside and out. The MCO should be one of your best friends in the BN-send them Christmas cards. Also-I’m going to inspect your equipment-I can tell instantly if you don’t care about it. You must inspect it every day.

Equipment services are a reputation event for a platoon leader. I care about them just as equally as your live fire. Preparation, planning, inbriefs, outbriefs, presence, and inspections. Focus on those things and you’ll be fine. Don’t know what services are? Get busy learning.

Okay great! You’re taking care of you’re equipment. Time to train! Start with knowing the battalions MET tasks (remember, you gotta know two levels up). Get on Army Training Network (ATN) and explore it- it’s pretty intuitive. Get INTIMATE with FM 7.0.

I expect you & your PSG to break down your company’s collective tasks into individual supporting tasks, pull down the T&EOs, and apply the 8 step training model to plan and resource quality training for your troopers. If you don’t speak this language, get hot.

The 8 step training model works! Follow the steps. Training time is too precious to squander. Also no one else is responsible for resourcing your training. Be a pitbull to make sure your land, ammo, and other stuff is locked and ready.

Of course I’m going to come to your training. I need to see you leading your platoon. Don’t be nervous. We’re here to learn. I want you to make mistakes, re-cock, adjust, and run it again. And again. And again. I want to see growth.

Do you still feel weak on tactics coming out of BOLC? Let me know! Me (or the majors) are happy to sit down with you 1 on 1 over a map and walk you through a Tactical Decision Exercise (TDE). Let’s do this in a low threat environment away from your peers. Don’t suffer in silence.

So you’re taking care of your people, you’re maintaining your equipment, and you’re ready to train? Congrats, you are a solid PL in my book!

So that’s all the advice I have right now- it’s not a complete list but it’s a start. Looking at my brothers and sister commanders (and former) to drop more nuggets of wisdom below.Oh! And have a BLAST. You’re going to love every second.