Beware of Smiling Sergeants

As a cadet through various training schools and my own ROTC program, I learned that NCOs never smile unless they're up to something. I hope you all get what I mean after these brief anecdotes.

• At LTC: During morning formation during the recovery phase of LTC, one of our Drill Sergeants came to our platoon smiling and asked who wanted to eat breakfast first. Those poor ten people who agreed did get to eat early...but only because they had to clean the entire company's rifles all day.
• At Air Assault: On the morning of our 12 mile ruck march, the Air Assaults Sergeants told us we were getting a "super breakfast" if we completed the school. So after our equipment check, we pick up our gear and head to the DFAC (Dining Facility) where a bunch of smiling sergeants were handing out MREs. The super part? We got juice.
• At ROTC: During an FTX in which we were informed (as MSIIIs) that we would not be sleeping in doors at all the entire weekend, our Master Sergeant came up to us smiling and asked if we wanted to sleep inside that evening. By this time, I knew better, and I quickly told everyone to say no. He later told us had I not saved everyone's ass, he was going to let us bed down for the night, turn off all the lights, wait 15 minutes until we were all asleep, then he was going to turn on all the lights, kick us out of our sacks and have us go outside.

So yes, beware of smiling sergeants.

More Tips for LDAC

I'm going to share some valuable advice I got from my SMI (Senior Military Instructor) before I left for LDAC last summer.

He told me not to go into LDAC expecting an E. Go in their expecting an S. You don't get an E for doing your job, you get an S for doing your job. If you show up to your job on time everyday, do you expect your boss to give you a pat on the back? No, because you're SUPPOSED to show up on time everyday. So if you run a flawless STX lane with no mistakes, then congratualtions, you're satisfactory.

That's the attitude I had going into LDAC, and I walked out of LDAC with two S's, and the rest of them all E's. As stated in an earlier post, I was a Distinguished Military Graduate as a result.

I'm not bragging, I'm just saying this advice helped me cope with LDAC. It took an enormous amount of pressure off me. Instead of worrying about performing, I just did what I had to do and did it well, and apparently, I got an E for it. That's all. I thought all the work I did was S work, but my cadre at LDAC kept giving me Es. I didn't expect it, nor did I strive for it. I just concentrated, focused on my goal and did what I had to do.

Put it this way: would you throw a Hail Mary for the first play of the Superbowl? Hell no. You'd stick to the tried and true methods that got you to the Superbowl in the first place. Don't change it up when you get there trying to show off. Just do what you've always done on STX lanes and you'll walk away fine.

Also, getting an E in garrision is extremely difficult, especially if you're SL and there's not much to do. LDAC has changed since my time there, as in, you'll be spending a lot less time in garrison and more time in the FOB, so my example may not work, but if there's some in garrison time, you'll understand my analogy.

Just being a good SL will only get you an S. Doing all you're supposed to do will get you an S. Keeping accountability and all that good stuff will get you an S. What I did when I was SL once in garrison was I made my squad practice DNC (Drill and Ceremony) in the company area when we had an hour of downtime. We were bad at DNC and needed the practice, and I was on the Color Guard team so I was pretty good at it. So for an hour we marched around the company area and I had each one of my squad come out after five minutes and do the same commands we all had just done. My evaluator who had seen me do this said that is what put me in the E category for that eval because it wasn't in the basic job of SL, I went above and beyond the duties of my position. I didn't have to improve our DNC, but I saw it as a weakness and used my position to better it.

So, getting an E at LDAC at least in my experience is going above the duties described by your position.

Hope this helps.

Commissioned Officer

Well, it appears my journey as a cadet is finally over, and as I look at my calendar has been over for a little more than a month.

On May 15, 2009 I raised my right hand to God and swore my oath as an officer in the grade of Second Lieutenant.

This blog is not over; however, my journey has just begun. I'll keep writing tidbits as I remember them, and I'd like to write more on BOLC II and BOLC III as they come up. If I'm not exhausted I'll write a comprehensive review of Ranger School when I'm done with that, too.

My goal is to provide those who stumble across my page with a look into the real life of a cadet, and once you hit your MS III (Junior year), you start hearing about life as a brand new lieutenant and all the schools you'll have to go through, and I'd like to continue aiding that process with this blog. From all the emails I've been getting, I can tell it's helping some people, so why stop now?

However, the posts won't come for a while as I don't leave for BOLC II for quite some time. Until then, I'll be your friendly neighborhood Gold Bar Recruiter.

Things Your Cadre Won't Tell You About LDAC

Here's a BIG factor that will make or break you at LDAC, but your cadre won't tell you because, well, you'll know why when I tell you:

Do NOT offer to help ANYONE when you're at LDAC.

It sounds messed up, I know, but it's the way it has to be. By me saying this, I don't mean be a Blue Falcon and refuse to help anyone. What I mean is don't OFFER. You'll be (incorrectly) viewed as a Blue Falcon if you do.

Why is this the case? Because cadets are stupid. Yes, it's true. Everyone at LDAC is so high strung about their evals that they will perceive any attempt at help that is unwarranted as a sign you're trying to screw them.

It's the wrong attitude and it's horrible, but it's the way things are. I have a problem with this. I know my stuff and I like helping people. For example, one of my squad members was Squad Leader for a STX lane. We had to locate a weapons cache and hold it. We arrive at the cache, begin our assault, and then one of the OPFOR (opposing forces) took off and ran into the woods. Immediately our SL decided to round us up and go after him. I had been on a STX lane at my university where this exact thing had happened, and the SL at the time got gigged for going after the OPFOR. His mission was to hold the cache, not get the guy. So here is my SL about to make the same mistake. Quietly, and off to the side, not in front of everyone, I spoke to him softly and said "Hey dude, I was on a STX lane just like this one before, and the guy got gigged for not staying on mission. It's up to you, but I've seen it happen, and I think we should stay here." It was simple. I was trying to give advice on a situation I was knowledgeable about. He flipped out on me, on the spot, saying how I needed to shut my mouth and stay in my lane and all this good stuff. (By the way, he got gigged for going off mission and looking for the OPFOR...but that's just between you and me).

I watched it happen time and time again over the course of LDAC. Don't offer any advice or help unless you're asked for it first. Unfortunately, because (as I said) cadets are stupid, you can't do the right thing and help a buddy out. You actually have to watch them fail and do something wrong even if you know you can fix it with a simple suggestion off to the side. It's hard for me to do, and if you're a good person, it will be hard for you too, but please restrain yourself.

If you see something jacked up, let it happen. It seems counterintuitive, but just let it go. If asked for help, don't be a Blue Falcon and do all you can to help your buddy. Just don't offer what is not asked for.