LT’s EXPECTATIONS

**Subject:  Lieutenants**

1) **PTT / PL BLUF - Instructor is your secondary or even tertiary role.**

2) **XO BLUF – You are expected to represent your commander and assume the duties of commander at any time.**

3) **LTs are leaders, which require professionalism and followership...not friendship.**

4) **LTs manage talent and resources.**

5) **LTs objectively employ personnel and resources to accomplish the mission.**

6) **LTs subjectively lead and develop NCOs against objective standards while learning from their experience and expertise.**

7) **LTs represent the command and the Army where the rubber meets the road.**

**Thoughts about being a Professional:**

· Know the standards (range control, SOPs, MTPs, ADPs, FMs, policies, regulations).

· Execute the standards (discipline to do what's right in the absence of orders).

· Make your subordinates adhere to the standards.

· Live Army values and Creeds.  Demonstrate warrior ethos (warrior spirit + professionalism  + Army values = warrior ethos)

· Develop your intellect (critical thinking, analytical skills).

· Uncommon degree of initiative and drive (demonstrate creativity and adaptability).

· Physical and mental toughness.

· Understand and account for the human dimension of leadership; mission vs. welfare; decisions when tired (doing the hard right).

· Maintenance responsibility.  Steward of the organizations equipment.

· Study military history (as it applies to your station in life and one level up).

· Foster / nurture good ideas and squelch complaining and malcontent (climate).

· Assist peers.  Team player.  No one-ups-manship.  Share good and the bad.

· Know yourself; strengths and weaknesses.

· Take prudent risks but don't gamble.

· Set the example (on and off duty):

· Personal appearance / courtesy

· Positive attitude.  Never quit.

· Working hard to learn, better yourself every day

· Do the best you can do.

· No mold, your performance is an individual thing.

· Seniors, peers, and subordinates can tell if you're putting out / commitment.

· Can make mistakes; just don't make the same ones over and over.

· In everything you do remember:

· Our profession is often challenging, fun, rewarding, but not always.

· If we tell a leader to do it, we expect it will be done right.

· Take **care** of yourself, your family, your Soldiers, and their families:

· By doing all the above you will earn their respect and confidence.

· You may make decisions that cause them to get hurt, maimed, crippled, or killed and they will do it just because you tell them to.

· Care about them, but don't baby them - they don't want to be babied, they want to be challenged.

· All will have problems.  The Army is a big bureaucracy.  Soldiers need your help to support to get their problems solved, use your rank to help them.

· Know who in your platoon is eligible for reenlistment.

· Know where your Soldiers live off-post.

· **Pitfalls of Lieutenants**

· Misunderstanding of role and relationship to NCO's.

· Creating change for change's sake.

· Failure to become part of the platoon and company team.

· Failure to understand the Army as a profession and to see the "bigger picture".

· Stupid mistakes; alcohol, sex, and duty (poor judgment and decision making).

· Don't know how to use competition and training to build cohesion.

· Don't understand training methodology.

· Desire to be liked instead of respected.

· Fail to recognize individual or organizational stress and how to manage it.

· Ignorant of how to communicate effectively (written word, briefings, OPORDs, NCOERs, awards, counseling).

· Unable to manage and execute multiple requirements to standard simultaneously.

· Can't supervise without micromanagement.  Refuses to delegate - hold subordinates responsible - check.

· Inability to check equipment properly, to standard.

· Poor personal preparation – Don't know your job or your subordinates jobs - don't assume you know it all.  Ask questions, become the expert!

· Views the "job" of a lieutenant as being separate from his off duty existence - there is no distinction.

· **Advice from Lieutenants (your peers at CCC)**

· Go to school.  Go back as many times as it takes.

· Physical fitness paramount.  Immediately judged by all based on qualifications and level of fitness.  

· Know your job (task / maturity level competency).  Listen to superiors, peers, subordinates.  Good senior LTs run the show.  If you don't know the answer, say so and find out.  

· Prepare..prepare..prepare.  Supervise PCCs and conduct PCIs (leader task).

· Be able to act independently (improvise, adapt, overcome).  Requirement for intellectual and tactical agility.

· Demand a lot from your subordinates and enforce high standards.

· NCO's; Trust / check and articulate your expectations.  Always counsel subordinates to include PSGs.

· Be prepared for challenges (responsibility) and don't be afraid to fail.  

· Demonstrate dedication and willingness to sacrifice.

· Balance your personal life and realize your subordinates need the same.

	R. BRIAN DEATON

	LTC, IN

	Commanding