Red, This is Red One, Two Tanks, Four Rounds Sabot, Fire and Adjust!!!!

Week one down... The week consisted of my Tankers being on Brigade Red Cycle duties, my two Section Leaders graduating from the Advanced Leaders Course, my senior Gunner heading off to the Warrior Leaders Course, and one of my Junior Soldiers becoming the only remaining candidate in the Excellence in Armor program for our Company. Aside from that I spent countless hours correcting our training calendar, developing Task Conditions and Standards for various training events, planning for upcoming ranges, and just all around enjoying my new suck....

Two Fridays ago, I submitted my PSG counseling for review by the CO... Still waiting... I believe it will be reviewed shortly and I hope to post about my experience in counseling a hardened Tanker Platton Sergeant Combat Veteran as a former soft skill MOS turned hardcore Tanker Platoon Leader... I really believe we will make a good team overall....

The Branch

The Armor Branch Chief came down today to talk with all the Armor Officers in the Brigade. It was a good discussion and like most Armor/Cavalry Officer gatherings, the beer was provided free of charge. To give an idea of the culture, half of the attendees were wearing black stetsons with crossed sabers on the front, two thirds were sipping on a beer, and the chief delivering the brief went through two beers during his discussion.

The topic was career progression and really focused on seeking positions not directly related to employing tactics (fighting), in order to make yourself a more well rounded officer, and ultimately more prepared for positions of higher command.

I also finished my FLIPL today, pending the boss' approval.

SPO OUT

Day One... +1

It's 2011!

Finally past the holidays and getting ready for the entire Brigade to get back on the hill and back to training! We start off quick, within the first few weeks we will be through Basic Rifle Marksmanship, Reflexive Fire, and a ton of what I've heard will be killer Physical Fitness.

Our Battalion will have both a new Commander and Sergeant Major. With any luck, I will have a Platoon...

It's Cold Outside...

My wife, daughter and I spent the four day weekend in Chattanooga getting our house rented out. It was only officially on the market for 35 hours or so, so not bad... The previous renters gave us some grief about letting the lawn and a few trees die... What's funny, he said he had an arborist come check out the tree and that it was diseased... I've got to write this stuff down.

Back in formation this morning after an unexpected four day weekend, most of the soldiers that haven't gone on block leave were hoping for a ZONK, but we ran an easy 2 miles. It was below freezing, and we were one of only 3 groups out on the streets.

I'm looking forward to the start of our training cycle in January.

Pulled...

Day two with my Infantry Platoon was coming to an early close as everyone is getting ready to go on block leave. I was finally holding a formation to introduce myself, say hello, check information dissemination in the ranks, and put out my telephone number for the eventual emergency. Immediately after my formation I called my acting Platoon Sergeant up to release the Platoon. As soon as it was over, the Company Commander called me over we went to his office and he told me that there had been a mistake... I, as an Armor/Cavalry Officer was not supposed to take this Infantry Platoon... I was pulled from the Platoon as fast as I had gotten it.

Now I'm hanging out at Crusader until a Platoon opens up within the Battalion, possibly even within the Brigade. My guess is that I will either be going to a Tank Platoon when a PL gets fired, or to the Cavalry Squadron within the Brigade... Both would be fine, however it was disconcerting and it is still bothering me. I am sure that I would have succeeded as the PL for the Infantry Platoon and I was looking forward to the challenge... Now, going into what I've been trained to do, I know without a doubt that I will succeed and the challenge won't be as tough.

So the CO assigned me as a "Company Special Projects Officer" which really means, wait here until we (the Battalion) is able to fix the mistake. There is no such position within a Tank Company or Company Team. I'm just waiting again.

My first assignment is to prepare for and conduct Officer Professional Development (OPD) and my topic is Infantry Armor Teams. This boils down to the employment and pros and cons of the Combined Arms Battalion, Company Team level Infantry Armor mix... I'll be leading the development program in February.

Zero Day

I met with a few of my NCO's today for the first time in a Platoon Leadership capacity. The soldiers in my Platoon spent the majority of the day cleaning night optics, while I and my acting Platoon Sergeant went to a Company level sync meeting. We will be taking our Rifle Platoon back to Hardrock to facilitate training a common base of Training. Crusader, where we are currently located, is primarily a Tank/Armor Company, my Platoon is on loan from Hardrock.

Immediately I received a few extra duties. Within the first quarter of 2010, I will be responsible for facilitating and overseeing M203 grenade launcher training and Close Quarters Marksmanship/Close Quarters Battle training. The CQM/CQB will include team level live fire in a shoot house with live ammunition! Beats being an accountant.

Tomorrow morning I will meet with the Platoon before PT, in the afternoon I'll sign for thousands of dollars worth of equipment. On Wednesday we are going to the virtual Call For Fire trainer. By the end of the week 90% of the unit will be gone on block leave, and I will have plenty of time to work on the details of running my ranges, my Platoon Sergeant counseling, concurrent training ideas, and everything else...