The lessons learned are mostly applicable to company and platoon level leaders. Reading lists the company leader leadership lessons from. Leaders must enforce and implement effective programs to ensure resources are being used without fraud, waste, and abuse. Hire heroes usa speaks with medal of honor recipient clint romesha. The lessons learned are mostly applicable to company and platoonlevel leaders. I do turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership.
It will not focus on topics already successfully illustrated by fellow leaders, notably those regarding the intricacies of tribal politics, pashtun culture, and use of money as a weapon. Lessons learned from a distribution platoon supporting a. The purpose of this article is to highlight the trending issues topperforming soldiers of the bwc struggled with while performing in adverse conditions. A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of. Vignettes and lessons from current and former platoon level leaders allow newly assigned leaders to learn from those who have gone before. The first article in the series, on physicalfitnessand mental. Nov 29, 2017 im about to take on the job as an executive officer for my company, so before i forget some of the things that i learned as a platoon leader, i thought i would share them.
Lessons learned at the expense of blood and sweat, if forgotten, must be relearned at a greater cost. Al bumbry learned about duty and responsibility in the rice paddies of vietnam. The last vietnam veteran to serve in that position from 20002004, sma tilley was at the pentagon when terrorists crashed a plane into the nation. Much credit goes to 1lt ginther for clearly learning the right lessons as a young leader, and for taking the time to capture and share them with the force. Reading lists the company leader leadership lessons. Lessons from a platoon leader in afghanistan by jack malcolm 4. I read platoon leader by james mcdonough because it was a firsthand account of a rookie.
Further, they can be no older than 26 on june 30 of the calendar. I have never come across one that i did not like at its worst it is a collection of books that i have already read or do not think apply. Mcdonough retired is an impecable example for future and current young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. Nov 09, 2017 al bumbry learned about duty and responsibility in the rice paddies of vietnam. However, higherechelon leaders may find it worthwhile reading to reacquaint themselves with the effects of their actions on what actually happens on the ground.
Platoon leader is a 1988 cannon films film set in the vietnam war and directed by aaron norris. I n his 2014 article, army first lieutenant scott ginther related 20 lessons from his path from west point cadet to platoon leader in afghanistan. But, at its best, i find a treasure trove of new reading material. The second is the platoon 2404 book which has all organic equipment tracked by system, and the third is a 2404 book tracking all the tpe theaterprovided equipment that we received in theater. Im about to take on the job as an executive officer for my company, so before i forget some of the things that i learned as a platoon leader, i thought i would share them. Al bumbry, former oriole, learned lessons in vietnam. Weigley, americas foremost military historian, for the common defense is an essential contribution to the field of military history. To be eligible, the student must be a united states citizen and be at least 20 years old. Mcdonoughs experiences as a combat officer in the vietnam war from 19701971. One of the biggest lessons learned was the importance of crosstraining military occupational specialties moss. Following commission, marine corps officers attend the basic school, six months also in quantico of training in leadership, land navigation, weapons, smallunit tactics, and communications. It was operation packed, heartwrenching and even funny at times. Mcdonough train up his infantry brigade for bosnia.
This book presents some of his experiences as he grows as a leader. James starts the book as a fresh faced leader fresh out of west point and choosing to serve in the vietnam war. That being said, within the first few days, the platoon leader i was replacing, brought up those infamous words, youre going to need to sign for you subhand receipt. The combat vignettes of former platoon leaders flow. Lessons learned from the armys first field feeding company. Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, mcdonough has produced a gripping account of his first command, a u. Now retired from active duty, mcdonough lives with his family in tallahassee. Vignettes and lessons from current and former platoonlevel leaders allow newly assigned leaders to learn from those who have gone before. Advice for new lts things to know as a platoon leader youtube.
Home of the infantry chief of infantry reading list junior ncos topic. The center for army lessons learned, in conjunction with serving and former pls and psgs, has compiled lessons learned and best practices for pls and psgs and those who aspire to these positions to improve themselves and their units. In conclusion, the various leadership lessons learned from platoon leader by james r. It read, when was the last time you heard a unit commander ask for feedback, consider the input, publicly admit hes wrong, and change his opinion given that i have a vivid example of being humbled while in command, i felt. The platoons leader was there the whole time, but the company commander was busy elsewhere and only arrived the day before the attack. A tactical decision game tdg is a situational exercise that is driven by a narrative that provides basic mission, intent, and resources available, allowing leaders to work through their decisionmaking processes tlps, mdmp, etc. The command supply discipline program csdp is a commanders program. Platoon leader was a book my dad gave to me saying, here. Lessons from platoon leader by james mcdonough dzone agile. The combat vignettes of former platoon leaders flow along the arc of a typical 12month tour in iraq. As a leader, i know i will have to be accountable for the actions, both good and bad, of the people i.
Jul 16, 2015 r eading a post on the military leader one day, a question reminded me of a critical leadership lesson i learned from my time in command. This book is more than just an autobiography of jack l. Jan 31, 2020 on october 6, 2019, 22 of the best soldiers from across the u. Along the way, mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas and shortsighted thinking now facing our nation. War from the perspective of the american infantry and a veritable lesson on leadership. Advice for new lts things to know as a platoon leader. I first read james mcdonoughs platoon leader about 17 years ago. Mar 20, 2012 i first read james mcdonoughs platoon leader about 17 years ago, as i was watching thencol. Platoon leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young army leader in vietnam. This handbook addresses the csdp every unit must establish and enforce. Tripp tells of how he learned as a platoon leader to become something of a father to the men in his care, how he came to understand the strange trajectory of his mentally unbalanced fathers life, and how the lessons he learned under fire helped him in the raising of his own sons. A true story of american valor, a firsthand account by medal of honor recipient clint romesha, who lost eight members of his.
On october 6, 2019, 22 of the best soldiers from across the u. They have been used throughout history dating back to before the 1800. This month, we feature excerpts from advice applicable to 2lts as they transition from being cadets to leading soldiers. If you are the publisher or author of this book and. Mcdonough, introduces the book as a story of an american platoon leader in combat. Anyone who experienced combat in vietnam will immediately acknowledge the reality of which mcdonough writes. Tilley, the 12th sergeant major of the army, it is a series of leadership lessons based on selected stories from his more than 35year career. Jan 28, 2009 the platoons leader was there the whole time, but the company commander was busy elsewhere and only arrived the day before the attack. Mcdonough is a dramatic and believable actual account of what a platoon leader in the infantry must do with and for his troops in combat. R eading a post on the military leader one day, a question reminded me of a critical leadership lesson i learned from my time in command.
Its regarded as one of the largest and fiercest battles during the u. I first read james mcdonoughs platoon leader about 17 years ago, as i was watching thencol. What i loved most about the book is that it was a personal story of a platoon leader during a year of combat in vietnam. I tend turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership. The film is about a newly commissioned infantry lieutenant who arrives in vietnam to take over his first platoon. Army combat in iraq sourced from incountry interviews of this generations platoon leaders from 20032008. The author commanded the 2d battalion, 14th infantry, 10th mountain division light infantry, in somalia in late1993, and wrote the series at the request of the division commander. Reviewers find this book invaluable for second lieutenants about to assume their own platoon command. Before that gut drenching feeling settled in, i quickly recalled my previous experiences with property, where i trusted the knowledge i learned from both my.
Learning leadership principles taken from a military context are some of the most important and hardearned lessons available. Platoon leader download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. It is obvious that mcdonough actually lived this experience. Reading lists are very common to the profession of arms. Hit by neardaily mortars, gunfire, and roadside bomb attacks, suffering from a particularly heavy death toll, and enduring a chronic breakdown in leadership, members of one black heart platoon1st platoon, bravo company, 1st battaliondescended, over their yearlong tour of duty, into a tailspin of poor discipline, substance abuse, and. Apr 23, 2014 i n his 2014 article, army first lieutenant scott ginther related 20 lessons from his path from west point cadet to platoon leader in afghanistan. I read platoon leader by james mcdonough because it. The first 100 days of platoon leadership handbook this volume for new platoon leaders and platoon sergeants contains insights on leadership, training management, army systems, and more. As a leader, i know i will have to be accountable for the actions, both good and bad, of the people i command. I often see many test strategies that are highly defensive, but low on pursuit.
This essay will seek to concisely summarize some lessons learned at the platoon level in kandahar province from 20112012. A true story of american valor, a firsthand account by medal of honor recipient clint romesha, who lost eight members of his platoon. The first 100 days of platoon leadership handbook us. A military theorist who has helped shape the postcold war armys thinking, he is also the author of the defense of hill 781 and the limits of glory. A junior officers experience and lessons learned during vietnam. Platoon leader is a wonderful book that could serve as somewhat of a text. Jul, 2018 myer has given presentations and even wrote his naval postgraduate school thesis partially on lessons he learned during that combat deployment and, specifically, wanat. Called the preeminent survey of american military history by russell f. It read, when was the last time you heard a unit commander ask for feedback, consider the input, publicly admit hes wrong, and change his opinion. A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. Platoon leader quotes showing 11 of 1 the roads that lead young men to war are not political roads, or national and international roads, but individual roads. None of their superiors visited the outpost during that time. Staff sergeant david bellavia, an army infantry platoon leader in iraq.
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