Yours to Command

I remember years ago when officers strived to command. My present Bn in Bordon are preparing to deploy next year and the number of officers that are throwing themselves at the CO to let them go worries me. Who will be left here to look after our careers???
Or is getting a gong to live it up with their chums in the mess more important than looking after the soldiers they leave behind??

 

Interesting question Oscilloscope. Would you rather be led by war-dodging, inexperienced officers that have no concept of how we do our job 'for real'? Or does that happen already

Surely it's a good thing that your officers want to lead THEIR soldiers on operations? It sounds like you're not deploying - how would you feel if you were deploying and all your officers were fighting to stay at home?

As for looking after YOUR career - the best person for that is YOU!

I'm quiet sure there'll be plenty remaining behind to assist you in your career development where necessary!

B.

 

An interesting question indeed! I guess the answers might be:

1. Everyone is trying to deploy because if you go to the promotion board without an op tour report you might be disadvantaged when compared with your peers.

2. Standing in the Mess without any medals on your chest especially when some of the LEs have more than 6 on their chest is tantamount to being naked!

3. The guys left behind have to deal with such a pile of crap that they fight to deploy!

Litotes

 

Am I missing something here Oscilloscope?

You started your post "I remember years ago when officers strived to command"

Sure this is still the case if they want to deploy - unless they all want to be watchkeepers, Adjts etc.

Even Bordon's not that bad, is it?

Litotes - I don't believe anyone is dissadvantaged at promotion boards if they've not gone on ops. Admittedly it's easier to get a good report if you deploy, but there's often plenty of opportunity to have your own way and do plenty of good work when the usual "change is bad" crowd are away.

As for the medals, LEs will (almost) always have more medals than DEs. That's just life. DEs have the benefit of a formal education, panache and not smelling of p1ss. It's a no brainer if you ask me.

Your third point is a fair one. No arguments there!

B.

 

i do believe an OP insert will carry extra weight on a promotion board, how can you compete with someone whos deployed and shown his true potential in an active theatre, with someone left in camp fixing wives cars.

 

All valid points, perhaps I was not too clear these ruperts want to deploy behind desks and leave their men behind. No bullet dodging (well for the reme)
Yes I agree that the only person who looks after your career is you but can a young crafty really ring records and sort out his career?
Surely you are posted to do a specific job, no matter how much you hate it you must serve out your posting and then hopefully get a better one. Or is it the case for officers that can say "I dont like my soldiers can I go there?" Mind you that would be good if the enlisted could do that with their officers. Then we would find out who the real leaders were, rather than the pen pushers that our corps seems to breed (DE and LE).
Dont get me wrong I want an officer who has the Ops experience, but I would prefer the one that puts his/her soldiers first rather than skiing or gongs.

 

Oscilloscope,

Your last sentence makes your point, I think, but your quite legitimate wish to have your officers place their soldiers first (one or two don't, most do) is in danger of being lost in the noise. If I may ...

Yes, your Bn is going on ops but the operational pace at the moment rather screws up some of the neat assumptions structures are based on. There will be slots across theatre (or even several theatres) that have to be filled and this often demands the management rather than the folks from the shop floor. Your CO and 2IC will have an ORBAT to fill and that may well take your Pl or Coy Comd.

2 Bn-BBYDF makes a great point. Personally, I would be very suspicious of any officer who, given the chance, would not fight to deploy. Those who fight to stay at home need to consider their vocation.

Your CO is hardly going to leave Rear Party soldiers to fend for themselves and is bound to leave a command structure behind - it's a busy tour indeed if the RCMO is deploying. In any case, if your Coy and Pl Comd are going they ought to be in regular touch with home on all aspects of G1 - that includes your career. Your soldiers are your soldiers (like them or not) and there is no opt out, despite your suggestion.

As I said, I think there's a genuine concern in there but littering your argument with tabloid cliche ('ruperts', 'deploying behind desks', 'pen pushers', 'real leaders') is not going to get your concern heard. It is more likely to alienate the same people whose job it is to look after you.

Just a thought ...

 

Osc if your whole Battalion is about to deploy then what are you worried about? Surely the ORBAT will have already pinpointed the amount of Officers required? The CO will not/cannot take extra Officers just because they feel the need to go on tour. On that point surely trying to get on tour is all about Command, proving yourself during an Op tour is essential for an Officer/Soldier regardless of Rank.

 

What are you worried about? Your CO is one of the most professional officers I have even had the pleasure to work with both in peacetime and on operations. I very much doubt he would leave any rear party unsupported.

 

I would assume that if officers are trying to get deployed with their men they are "Striving to command" As for looking after your career surely for a six month period it is more important that they are looking after the smooth running of then unit and the welfare and comfort of the deployed personnel.