On my First Day as a Platoon Leader:

Try as I might, I cannot remember my first “day” as a platoon leader. When I arrived at my first unit, C Btry, 1–37 FA I was a 2LT recently graduated from BOLC. The battalion was about to head to the Yakima Training Center, and though I was not certified, I was nominally put into the 2nd Platoon FDO position to observe the FDO who was about to move over to be the 1st Platoon Leader. The 2nd Platoon Leader at the time was weeks away from moving up to be the BN S-4, and little did I know at the time I was soon to be taking HIS place. This all to say, becoming a PL just sort of happened.

When I first stood in front of the platoon, it was as a range OIC at the YTC, and I had no idea what to do or say. So I just read the range brief, and let the NCOs run the range. Not a bad way to start off, but not one the marquee opening I was hoping for. Fortunately, my platoon sergeant was the sort who saw it as his duty to mentor his PL. He took me aside and began a year-long process of giving me pointers. Though I was the PL, and he treated me as such, he was my partner and mentor in leading 39 men.

The day in question we went around together and met all the NCOs. During breaks, I went and spoke to groups of Soldiers to introduce myself, and to learn a little about them. For the rest of the exercise, at meal times I made it a point to serve out the hot chow, and to be the last to eat. At night I was the last to hit the rack after checking all the gun positions. In the mornings I was the second one up, after my PSG, checking the positions/sections again, and then heading into the Battery CP to get the orders for the day which I then briefed to the section chiefs, who then briefed their Soldiers.

I definitely did not do everything right. But I knew enough of the right things to do, that it made a difference. I was fortunate to have a decent NCO chain who gave me chances, and helped me learn from my mistakes. Over time we became a team as we gained confidence in one another.

Some advice I would offer to a new PL on his or her first day is to be humble, but also to be self-confident, and possess a vision. Be humble because you will make mistakes, suffer many “teaching moments”, and most likely be the youngest and least experienced member of the platoon, most in need of mentoring at all levels. Be self-confident because you are the platoon leader —decisions begin and end with you, and you must strive to make the right ones, then enforce them. Possess a vision of success for the platoon, because you likely will be the PL for an extended period — it is a formative time that you will never have again. In the end, do the best you can, where you are, with what you have and you will do well.