On Leadership by Sgt Hook
Sgt Hook has been around the block a lot of times and also around the blogs. He’s one of the the early Milbloggers…
He recently posted a story on leadership, which begins as he entered AIT:
Twenty-four hours after walking across the parade field of Fort Dix, I found myself in a Greyhound bus, recovering from a hangover while on my way to Fort Eustis, Virginia where I was to begin my Advanced Individual Training. The Army sends all its Soldiers to AIT for training in their specific skill, or military occupation specialty. In my case I was to attend the Army’s CH47 heavy lift helicopter mechanic’s course, which is approximately four months in length.
Unlike basic training where we had three drill sergeants assigned to our platoon, only one was assigned to us at AIT and much of the duties and responsibilities previously performed by a drill sergeant, were now delegated to us, the students. There were four student squad leader positions who answered to the student platoon sergeant who was accountable to only the drill sergeant. Following a wall locker and room inspection on just my second day in the platoon, the drill sergeant fired his student platoon sergeant and named me in his stead. I was surprised and nervous as hell.
I hadn’t been issued any Patton Pills or read any “How To†books that would transform me from a private first class to a platoon sergeant, a leader. I did the next best thing and called one of the greatest leaders I knew, my dad my hero the Commander.
“Don’t worry son, you’ll do fine. Have faith in your old drill sergeant and trust your instincts,†he said.
“But dad…†I pushed.
And…when you’re done with that story, then read about compassion and drill sargents.
