Tag: LEADERSHIP

A great leadership discussion on Wednesday has led to more ... and less.  I was very excited to share some of my small-group leadership discussion with the rest of the world on Wednesday.  We were talking about the challenges of leading warrant officers, enlisted paralegals, and civilians as part of our series of seminar discussion about leadership in the JAG Corps.  (I used the #jagcldrship hashtag, so you can check out the discussion on Twitter -- and keep it going.)  The big take-away from the discussion was that there was a lot of uncertainty in the room about the role of our warrant officers, our legal administrators.  The judge advocates in the room all had some assumptions about what legal administrators should and shouldn't be responsible for, but our collective experiences lacked any sort of coherence in terms of actually understanding their role.  On paper, the guidance available doesn't seem to provide much actual guidance, and a few bad experiences have colored much of our judgment of legal administrators, generally.

As expected, there wasn't much participation in the conversation via Twitter.  Part of that was my fault - I was using TweetDeck from my laptop and kept posting from the wrong account and dropping the hashtag; being involved in the conversation in the room kept me from complete focus on the (limited) technical requirements of writing it down.  Part of it was a lack of interest, awareness, or time to participate -- really, of the handful of people reading this blog, how many have time to stop what they're doing on Wednesday morning for an hour and tune into Twitter?  But we did get a few comments (most of which didn't include the hashtag, so they won't show up in the hashtag link above).  And more important, the discussion was available to read long after the conversation was over.

Yesterday, I got an email from a friend of mine (warrant officer in the JAG Corps) who said she was interested in the leadership discussion on Twitter.  It was clear to her that I/we didn't really have a good grasp of the warrant officers' role in the JAG Corps. She offered to school me - and I've taken her up on it.  Even better, she's sent that conversation on to some other warrant officers within our Corps and I think our little one-hour discussion on Wednesday is going to be a catalyst for some re-thinking about where we are the JAGC, whether our actual "corporate culture" matches our hopes and expectations.  I know I need to know more, and I suspect I'm not the only one who will get some value out of the larger discussion that's started.

But there is a downside.  (But at least it's a pretty minor one.)  While that was the first of our leadership discussions I'd planned to live-Twitter, it will unfortunately be the last.  Sharing what's happening here at school via Twitter (or this blog) is ok; doing so during class, not so much.  So, going forward, I'll recap the conversations as accurately as possible and will share them here.  But this means that YOU have a bigger contribution to make!  Instead of just 'listening' to me write or tweet about leadership, we need to actually have a conversation.  Leave a comment here, or, better yet, comment on Twitter.  Just remember the hashtag (#jagcldrship)!

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Main Drag on base - Patton Drive!

A little boxing workout with heavy bags and some Marines!

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Yesterday was another great discussion about leadership here at the Grad Course.  Because this is more than 'just' and LL.M. program, we are spending time talking about leadership.  The goal is to make all of us more ready to take charge of our corners of the JAG Corps when we head off to our new assignments this fall.

This semester, our Professional Development Program includes a series of small group discussion with some of the senior officers on the faculty.  It's an opportunity to sit down with about a dozen classmates and talk about what we've seen in our previous assignments and what we hope to do when we get back out to the field.  In the first four weeks of discussions we've talked about: the levels of organizational leadership; authority and influence; organizational vision and culture; and team building.  The exchange of ideas and perspectives has been great; we don't always agree, and that leads to some great back and forth. 

For yesterday's discussion, I live-Twittered via my Twitter presence, @MAJGrimes.  I ran it by my group's 'mentors' and they've given me the go-ahead to do so for the next couple weeks' conversations.  So, if you're interested in what sort of thoughts go into the building of JAG Corps leaders, tune in.  To make it easy to follow, I'll be using a hashtag (#jagcldrship).  Or better yet, offer some thoughts I can share with the group!   I hope this will be an interesting opportunity for everyone involved.  Our next meeting will be on *xxxxxxxxxxx*, from 1000-1200.  Tune in!

(By the way, the hashtag I chose has some significance.  It incorporates the Judge Advocate General's Corps' initials (JAGC) with the acronym we use for the Army Values (pronounced: "leadership"): Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honesty, Integrity, and Personal Courage.)

UPDATE: Next leadership discussion (#jagcldrship) will take place on March 10th, 1000-1200.

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Since the second semester of school has started here in Charlottesville, the Graduate Course has included formal mentorship sessions with some of the senior faculty members.  The goal has been to talk about leadership and to help us all develop an understanding of what our role will be in our next jobs (since most of us have been recently promoted) and improve our own leadership skills.

Today's session was talking about formal vs. informal leadership -- the strengths, techniques, and roles of each type of leadership.  One of the guys in my small group -- MAJ Jeff Dietz -- mentioned that our responsibilities in our next jobs will be, in large part, to take a greater role as informal leaders, with greater obligations to the office, the unit, the installation and the JAG Corps.  That got me thinking about some of the things I've been doing -- writing this blog, running in the mornings with the new Judge Advocates going through the Officer Basic Course, volunteering as a Field Screening Officer.  And it also got me thinking about starting to put some of these things in context with my recent (as of the last 2-3 years) serious thoughts about leadership, officership, and responsibilities.  I still working on putting it all together.  But one thing that became clear is that I feel an obligation to the Army, generally, and to the JAG Corps, in particular.  And I think this is a responsibility that every Judge Advocate should share (though I recognize that not everyone will see this responsibility the same way).

I think we've got a responsibility to take care of our Corps.  Part of our jobs -- above and beyond the day-to-day work in accordance with out particular 'job description' -- should be to 'keep the JAG Corps healthy.'  I see this in a couple different senses.  First, we've got an obligation to take care of each other.  We should make an effort to talk to each other, and take the initiative to talk to junior members of the JAG Corps -- offering our experience and any practical expertise to make the corporate body stronger.  I've complained (in private) about a sense that the JAG Corps hasn't lived up to my hopes for mentorship from senior Judge Advocates.  I'm beginning to believe I was wrong, that I just wasn't seizing mentorship opportunities.  And I'm hoping -- by interacting with new Judge Advocates at the OBC -- to make it explicit to new JAs that senior officers are available to them, to answer questions and to generally help them along, in any way possible.  We've got an obligation to keep the JAG Corps strong.  This is not only making sure that everyone is trained (in both legal and military skills) but making sure that new JAs are the best possible candidates.  In this regard, I take my work as a Field Screening Officer very seriously.  I try to be honest and fair, and I try not to shy away from making a recommendation that someone not be offered a position any more than I am anxious to advocate for someone I think needs to be in the JAG Corps.  (Incidentally, honesty in furtherance of keeping the JAG Corps strong also means speaking up when things need to change.  I think this is really important, too, and may address this separately later.)  Finally, I think we all have an obligation to 'be the face of the JAG Corps.'  We should all be ambassadors to the public and to the rest of the Army.  We do that in obvious ways (like this blog), but we also do this through the academic work we publish (like many of the papers written during the Grad Course) and through our day-to-day interaction with other agencies and unit commanders and their staffs in the pursuit of our work.

Another great point was made by MAJ Chris Beese who said that a critical part of generating commitment in subordinates (vs. just creating compliance) is sincerity.  People want to see and feel real sincerity in their leaders -- formal or informal -- in virtually every interaction.  This is especially true for Judge Advocates when our folks are nearing the end of their first tour of duty and are debating whether to stay in the Army or to transition back to civilian life.  When those conversations happen, young Judge Advocates on the fence about continuing their service can see through insincerity in a second.  They need to know that you have their interests at heart when giving advice, even if their path is leading them away from the Army.  In these conversations, the 'party line' just isn't enough.

All in all, it was a useful, thought-provoking morning.  And now, I'm off to discuss more law of war topics (my 'Advanced Topics in the Law of War' elective) -- Common Article 2 of the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I.  Good stuff!

One of the things I really appreciate about writing this blog is the ability to converse; so, please, feel free to comment.

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Here is an article that the University of Texas at Arlington student newspaper wrote regarding higher than avergae female enrollment in the UT Arlington Corps of Cadets.  Interesting read.

Women enrollment in ROTC exceeds brigade average (Written by Lataisha Jackson, The Shorthorn staff)
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 07:07 PM

The Army Reserve Officer Training Corps and Maverick Battalion has more women enrolled this semester than the brigade average.

Women make up 55 of 166 ROTC cadets at the university. The 33 percent enrollment rate places the program above the 5th brigade average of 21.9 percent. The 5th brigade covers programs in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arizona and Missouri. Texas Christian University is part of the 5th brigade with a women’s enrollment rate at 33 percent.

Women’s military involvement is increasing, but women are the minority in the ROTC program and the Army. The U.S. Army active duty recruitment is up to 16.28 percent, Lt. Col. Tom Matchin, Jr. said.

Senior cadet Jaime Sale said women are becoming a more dominant in the culture than in the past.

ROTC has allowed women since 1976, the same year West Point started admitting women. Before this time, women were only affiliated with the ROTC program as ROTC Sweethearts, the official hostesses of the cadet core. Entering in 1976, Susan Tillotson became the first female battalion commander. She is actively engaged with the ROTC program as a member of the Cadet Corps Alumni Council.

The Army ROTC program does not have strategies or quotas for targeting specific recruits based on ethnicity or gender, said Lt. Col. Albert Alba.

“We want to have a diverse school by recruiting,” he said. “The Army does the same thing.”

According to the Demographic Trends spreadsheet, for the past four years women have comprised more than 51 percent of the university’s enrollment. This year’s demographics have not been compiled yet, said Terri Day, Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness assistant director.

Sophomore cadet Melanie Vega said many women are in the program, but it will not affect her Army experience.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with male or female,” Vega said. “Being around different cultures and different perspectives is what’s going to make the difference.”

Other cadets said it is beneficial to have a higher percentage of women in Army ROTC for Army experience.

“It adds to the training here because it is not an all-male army,” senior cadet Erik McCaffrey said. “We learn how to interact and effectively lead females.”

There are different physical training standards for males and females, according to the Army Physical Fitness Test Standards Web site .

Despite these standards, McCaffrey said the women are at par with the men and mentioned Sale, a top performing female cadet.

“She gives me a run for my money in physical training,” McCaffrey said.

The cadets are held to the same standards in their class work.

“We are all expected to learn the same amount of knowledge because we are all preparing to be officers in the army,” Vega said.

Cadets graduating from the Army ROTC program enter the Army as second lieutenants and get an automatic promotion in 18 months to first lieutenant, said alumna and 2nd Lt. Bethany Nord.

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This past weekend was my official pinning ceremony. I was fortunate enough to have my parents fly in from Nebraska to be a part of it. My mom “pinned” on my new butter bar while my dad, The Sarg, was my first salute. It was slightly odd to be the one returning a salute rather than giving it. It was an honor to have both of them there to share in that moment.

I am so thankful to all the soldiers who helped me along in this process. I could not have done it all on my own. The examples of leadership shown to me and the amount time spent on putting together letters of recommendation are not forgotten. I can only strive to serve a such a capacity. Although I am elated to have joined the officer ranks, I will never forget where I came from, the NCO Corps. I always said that creed with pride and will continue to embody it word for word. Hooah.

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Today is definately one of those bittersweet days. Our Battalion Commander was frocked to Colonel and we had a change of command. A promotion is always special and being promoted to a full-bird colonel shows the Department of the Army has just as much faith in his leadership abilities as we, his Soldiers have in him. He's been an outstanding leader and mentor and will be missed. It is especially hard to watch him go because he has so much invested in the Battalion. This is a reactivated battalion in a transformed brigade and he's set us up for success as we prepare to deploy.

I'm especially feeling a lot of empathy because I'm in a similar situation with a happier, at least in my estimation, outcome. He was a Lieutenant Colonel who was selected for a promotion to Colonel but was serving as a commander in his current grade. For the Army that means making the decision of leaving him in place in a position below his grade or selecting him for a job in his new grade. The Army rightfully, though sadly (at least for me!) selected him for a Colonel's postion in Iraq. I am commanding as a captain, in a captain's billets, but have just made the Major's list. I'll probably be promoted sometime this winter. I'm extremely grateful that the Army has agreed to leave me in place so that I can deploy with the company I built from the ground up.

In August of 2008, I activated and took command of my little Network Support Company. In the begining it was only me and one Platoon Leader sharing the office, and duties of, the Brigade S6. Now we've grown to a full company able to support an entire Battlefield Surveillance Brigade with a tactical network. My Soldiers constantly amaze me and I imagine this is a little like parents feel about their children. They looked good out on the parade field today and I was proud to lead them. Here'a little clip of me marching them, please keep in mind that as an officer I hadn't marched Soldiers in about 10 years. And before you ask, yes, I am THAT short. :-)

One of the best things about the Army is that if you don't like your job, well, you're only in it for a year or two. One of the worst things about the Army is that if you love your job, well, you're only in it for a year or two. The one constant in the Army is change and although I'm extremely saddened to see a great commander go, I am simultaneously excited to see the changes the new commander will bring. Nessum Dorsum.

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The JAG Corps’ Deputy Judge Advocate General, Major General (that’s 2-stars) Daniel Wright – our number two attorney – celebrated his impending retirement this past Friday night and I thought this a fitting time to share some of his thoughts on the Army and leadership generally.

I think I’ve mentioned before that one of the things I like about the JAG Corps is our real commitment to mentorship. Not only to we get that on a one-on-one level, but our leadership feels an obligation to pass on experiences and lessons learned on a Corps-wide scale, too. The Judge Advocate General and the rest of the senior JAG Corps leadership send out a quarterly newsletter to every member of the Corps – attorneys, legal administrators, paralegals, and civilians. They talk about current issues and trends within our community and often use the opportunity to share their thoughts on leadership. MG Wright recently did so, distilling his 36 years in uniform to about 1700 words. I’ve included his article below, to give you all a sense of how the JAG Corps leadership sees the responsibilities of leadership in today’s Army. It’s good reading, and in large part applicable outside the JAG Corps as well.

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Okay world, I know that it has been a while since you heard from me, but here I am. Yes, I did survive Warriors Leaders Course. For those who think that WLC is fun, I am here to tell you that it is not, but I am no GI Jane either.

I did not know that to expect going into the course. I knew that I was going to be in class the majority of the time and that the course was very structured as far as the time scheduling. At times I did think that I was in basic training again. I guess that is a necessary evil.

Before I attended the course, I viewed leadership as one of those things that just happen, but after going through the course, I know that leadership is something that has to be developed over time, and for some people it could take years the be an effective leader. I think that will be the case for me.

I do not think that I am a bad Soldier, the way that the Army has operated with the help of society; it takes a little longer for the average female leader to come into their own. Yes I think that a lot of men have issues taking direction and instruction from females and that is one of the things that I experienced first-hand in the course.

I ran into a lot of male NCO’s who did not have experience working with females at all. Throughout the Army, there is that population of male Soldier who still thinks that female does not belong in the Army and unfortunately some of these Soldiers with this type of thinking are in senior leadership positions. It surprises me that no one really talks about it or admits that there is a problems and it saddens me that people do not want to have integrity to admit that they have a problem with female leadership.

Enough of the soap box stuff, back to my WLC experience. To graduate with success you had to meet the requirements on a number of predetermined tasks. Garrison Leadership, Tactical Leadership, Land Navigation, Classroom Instruction and PT Instruction were the areas in which you were evaluated.

I received a 1^st Time Go on all subject matter areas. Some of the areas I thought I should have received a better grade in but I will not even go there.

Out of all the subject matter areas that we were evaluated on, I felt like Land Navigation and tactical leadership were the most challenging.

 Let’s talk a little bit about this land navigation course. I have never seen anything like it at all. Hills mountains, marshes. fanged deer, native to the Korean wilderness. The terrain is very unforgiving.

I honestly did not think that I was going to be able to do it. I can honestly say that I do not have that much experience with land navigation. It is one thing to plot points on a map, but to actually transfer the points that you plotted onto the actual terrain and shoot an azimuth with a compass is another story.

The cadre also made my WLC experience very interesting. SSG Melendez was my instructor or in the NCO Academy lingo, Small Group Leader. He is a 31B and I had all types of MP cracks. Oh I got cracked on too. Our call sign on our STX lane was Strong Arm1. We had other names in mind but he refused to go for it. Our senior SGL SFC Gonzalez got crunked by drinking a continuous supply of “Monster Energy Drink.”

I will not say that my WLC experience was a great one and in a heartbeat I would volunteer to go again. Probably not. When you are in a place where the highlight of your day is going to the PX, then that is a place where you would not want to be longer than necessary.

I can say that I meet some interesting people, others, I would not care to see again, but that’s the Army. Well World until next time OUT.

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Soldiers and leaders of the Army live by seven Army Values, all of which are equally important. Loyalty, Duty Respect, Honor, Integrity and the seventh value "Personal Courage". Personal Courage as defined by the Army, is to face fear, danger or adversity. Personal Courage is the ability one has to overcome a difficult task or situation with steadfastness, or in contrast, to do the moral and right thing when given an opportunity to benefit themselves, by hurting someone else.

This essay will cover what personal courage means to me in my professional and personal life and how this value has affected me. I find Personal Courage to be less concretely defined, as it is subjective to a person and to a situation. Every soldier has grown up with a different set of values and beliefs which can affect what they find "courageous". But to me, being courageous professionally is to know what your duty is in relation to yourself, the Army and the people you work with. For instance, soon I will be a second lieutenant. My duty in relation to the Army is to act as a moral compass for the platoon and to lead them to accomplish the mission at hand. To my soldiers it is to provide them with the training they need to make them successful, the support they need to accomplish the mission, and to ensure they understand what their duty is and what living the army values mean. My duty to myself is to constantly strive to improve my military knowledge and competencies, and to learn my job to the best of my ability so that I am mission-capable as well as my soldiers.

To live courageously is also to try new things, ask questions and make mistakes. I will understand that if I don't make mistakes, then I am remaining in my comfort zone, therefore not improving my abilities to my full potential.

I will understand that in my professional and personal life, I will act with personal courage by taking advantage of situations that will make my life more difficult, but ultimately will improve the lives of my soldiers and the outcome of the mission. An example of this is to get less sleep while planning a mission so that my soldiers will have a better plan or more sleep themselves. Actions like these also tie into the value "selfless service", which shows that all of the Army values tie into one another.

In my 6 years of service, I have encountered situations that have required me to be courageous on some level. To be courageous does not mean you have to be heroic or do something grand, it can be small things. An example I retain, is when I decided to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps two years ago. At the time I had a hard time envisioning myself up in front of a platoon. It took a lot of courage for me to get in front of soldiers for the first time and speak to them with confidence. The first few times of doing this I was very nervous and somewhat self-conscious.

After sticking with it I became more confident in the knowledge I possessed and felt like it was where I was supposed to be, out in front. Much of my life people had told me I was a leader, but I never quite believed it myself. But after striving to be a better leader, and learning on the job as much as I can, I feel ready for my first duty station as a lieutenant. I certainly did not accomplish this all on my own, but it took my own personal courage to overcome the boundaries I was putting on myself, and eventually I did. I believe all people with the right tools are capable of doing the same.

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