Badnews,

This is Colts. Not sure if you remember giving me advice the prior 2 years, but I would like to thank you for all of your help. I went to OCS last summer through PLC program and loved it. Could have been a bit tougher, but being juniors I understand the process. I am shipping out to Seniors PLC this summer and love the decision I have made. I cannot wait to serve my Marines. Thanks again for everything. Not even sure if you get on here still, but if you do. Thanks again. And if anyone has any advice let me know.

I would like to work on my command voice, any suggestions on how to do so?

Colts,

please dont take this the wrong way, but as a "Boot" LT you dont need a comand voice!!!!  Please dont be a young LT who thinks hes gonna come in and change the world!!!!!  Quite frankly you are not going to rate a "Command Voice" till you make Captain.  Until then work with your Staff Sergeants and Gunny's to understand and implement your CO's directives.  If you try to impose your will without taking guidance and direction from the Staff NCO's in your chain of command then some crusty old Master Guns or Sergeant Major is gonna destroy you.  I have seen it happen and its not pretty.  A young officer who could have had a great career within the USMC  ends up having to work double hard to recover from decisions he made when fresh into the fleet!!!!

 

Regards

 

Arty

Badnews,

This is Colts. Not sure if you remember giving me advice the prior 2 years, but I would like to thank you for all of your help. I went to OCS last summer through PLC program and loved it. Could have been a bit tougher, but being juniors I understand the process. I am shipping out to Seniors PLC this summer and love the decision I have made. I cannot wait to serve my Marines. Thanks again for everything. Not even sure if you get on here still, but if you do. Thanks again. And if anyone has any advice let me know.

I would like to work on my command voice, any suggestions on how to do so?

So candidate, you are on your way. Congratulations, although I wouldn't have said it the same way as Arty, he is correct in his main premise. Learn to rely on your SNCO's your SGT's and some seasoned Warrant Officer's that will be working with your Regiment or Battalion. The experience that they have, especially in recent years, will be invaluable to you and help you develop into a solid officer.

As far as command voice goes, my take is a bit different than Arty's, there are times when a good command voice is necessary as a young LT, especially in formations and formal ceremony. Pay attention to your SNCO's for that as well, use your diaphram and make delibarate commands. That said, formations and ceremony are a small part of the real Corps.

 

Just remember, leadership is NOT a command voice, it is using all your available resources to make decisions and setting the example for your men in what you do, not what you say. The best resources that you will have will come from within your ranks, Staff Sgt's, Sgt's and even the squared away Corporal will have a great pool of experience from you to draw from.

 

A salty old CWO4 once told me when I got my bars, "Never correct without first praising, Never scold without first correcting, and Never forget those who are in your command will only follow if you are actually leading the way." everything that I experienced as a junior marine helped me become a better NCO, and everything that I learned as an NCO helped me make better decisions as a Warrant Officer. As a 2nd LT, you need to benefit from the experience of those enlisted men who serve with you.

 

Semper Fi --- I am very confident from our exchanges over the years that you will become one of the Corps Finest!