Command Career Progression

[JBC]

Career progression: A little early to worry about, but not to earlier to think about. Looking for observations on the career progressions of inf pl comds.

1. Basic career progression if you do your job well and don't piss off your OC too much
2. More detailed histories of some pl comds on fire, and those that weren't too hot.
3. Accompanying characteristics found to be desirable/ complete thud would be helpful too.

Thanks,
EXNovie

 

[DrSize]

I wouldn't mind hearing this either

 

[Bartok5]

Sorry fellows, but entire volumes could be written about the seemingly "simple" questions that you have asked.  Don't be surprised or disappointed if your query is met with a dearth of answers.  It is not intentional.  The simple fact of the matter is that most of us have neither the time nor inclination to attempt to laboriously scribe out years of practical experience and translate those same (very unique and personal) situational experiences into a "set" series of "do's and don'ts".  It honestly isn't that simple, nor would it be a practical undertaking.  That is a fundamental reason why the leadership of real-life soldiers remains a process of practical education, rather than "book learning".  There are a few things in life that cannot be learned by academic study, and the leadership of men is perhaps the foremost.

Unless somebody else on this site is brave (foolish?) enough to step up to the plate with their personal views and advice regarding low-level leadership, then you are going to find yourself just like the rest of us did - learing the ropes the "hard" way in the crucible of dynamic reality.  And so it darned well ought to be.  Leadership is not "taught".  It is learned the hard way, just as the direct adjunct to leadership (eg. mutual respect) is earned. 

You can wait around for a "book answer" to your question, or you can just go out there with your existing personal characteristics, values and beliefs - and see if those fly with your training peers.  If not, then adjust accordingly until you get it right - without ever putting on a false pretence.  You'll soon learn the answers to your question.  Moreover, you will learn in real-time whether you have what it takes to actually lead soldiers.

Leadership is not a purely academic pursuit.  It is a very practical function of basic socialization, mixed with specific personal attributes/qualities/values, shaped by military expectations, and then tempered over time by practical military experience.  Despite the fact that an awful lot has been written about the subject since time immemorial, the fact remains that no infallible "how to" manual" has been published to date.  The qualities of "Leadership" are an incredibly honourable pursuit for any man to pursue.  Not all are cut out for it, nor should they be.  The world needs leaders and followers in inverse proportion.  Don't expect a "paint-by-numbers" guide to success as a leader.  It is a very individual thing.  You either have it, or you don't.  Some basic "no-brainer" techniques can be learned, but at the end of the day those are mere "window-dressing".  Either you can lead, or you can't.  Everything else is simply "technique" that allows you to be more or less effective in your role. 

Do you possess basic common sense?  Can you interpret a given situation and make a timely decision for corrective action based on all of the relevant factors (including advice from others)?  Can you effectively communicate your intentions to others so that there is no doubt as to what you want to have happen?  Are you willing and able to set a personal example?  These are simply a few of base-line qualities required of a military leader at any level.  If you aspire to be an officer then you had better set the bar a tad higher, to include impeccable knowledge of the very latest technical/tactical/doctrinal innovations, a full working knowledge of the very latest administrative and disciplinary rules and regulations, etc, etc.   

Nobody ever said that leadership is either simple nor easy.  Having said that, the personal rewards are more than worth the effort - assuming that you have the parts to be successful.

For what it's worth.....

 

[Infanteer]

There you go folks - take that to the bank....

 

[JBC]

Mark C,

Thank you for your post, it was very encouraging. In addition to what you have wrote, I was looking for the actual job progression that some of the infantry leaders in these forums have undergone. Eg Pl comd to ops O? to coy 2IC? to Adj etc...

From talking to other inf officers I gather this much: If after your first three years of being a reg force pl comd you are sent off to a reserve regimentto be RSS for the next 20 years this is bad thing...so barring that, what positions could someone potentially hold in the progression of thier career.

Cheerio

EXNovie

 

[Michael OLeary]

...so barring that, what positions could someone potentially hold in the progression of thier career.

EXNovie,

again, not a simple question. There are many varied employment opportunites for infantry officers. These can range from "RSS" to instructional duties (at the Infantry School or elsewhere), base or headquarters staff, or even service with JTF-2 or other unique opportunities. Your employment within and outside Regimental duty depends as much on your personal abilities as it does on the right opportunity to move into a position being vacated in the year you are being moved.

Demographics and available funds for cost moved (postings are expensive to the system) can also dictate the available possibilities. In years with many new officers in the battalions, some spent longer in the unit before moving off to Extra-Regimental Employment (ERE). In years when money for cost moves was limited to essential career progression moves only, officers also spent longer postings in location and, in some cases, fell into jobs years earlier than they might have if the funding had been available to bring more senior officers (usually in the Captain rank) back to the units.

The following is from an old post:

Once you have completed training (and by this time you will have a degree, either through the military or by your own hand if you do it before enrolling) you will be posted to a regiment and battalion to take command of a rifle platoon. Your first regimental tour may last 3-5 years, during which you will lead your platoon and may then be moved to another job within the battalion (such as the Assistant Adjutant, Transport Officer or a support platoon commander or second-in-command job). You may during this time be selected to attend various training courses: examples include Advanced Recce Course, Advanced Anti-Armour Course, Unit Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence officer�s Course, etc. Not every young officer can expect to receive any of these qualifications.

Some of the things you may expect to do as a platoon commander range from conducting physical training, running firing ranges, and commanding your platoon on peacekeeping operations to counselling soldiers on personal financial matters, assisting them through the disciplinary process when they are charged under the Code of Service Discipline to running training courses conducted by the unit for soldiers.

Following your first battalion tour, by which time you should have made the promotion to Captain, you will be posted out to Extra-Regimental Employment (ERE). ERE jobs can include base or headquarters staffs, instructional duties, Regular Force cadre with a Reserve unit, or any number of other positions about the country. This employment can last another 3-5 years. During this period you can expect to be sent on the Army Operations Course, a 17 week course (7 weeks Distributed Learning via the internet and 10 weeks in residence in Kingston) to learn operational staff duties to prepare you for further employment in headquarters and unit staffs and to prepare you for further command appointments.

Many officers return to regimental duty after their first ERE. You would likely return to the battalion into a company second-in-command position, responsible for the administration of a rifle company. This posting may also see movement within the battalion to other captain�s positions.

After this second regimental tour you would probably have a pretty good idea of your future opportunities, whether you are on track for promotions and command appointments (Company, Battalion �.) or if you may be transferred to another ERE as a captain. Much depends on the assessments of your performance and potential throughout your career to that point.

I have known equally capable officers that have spent as little as 5 years and as many as 15 years on regimental duty out of 20. Not every infantry officer follows the same career path.