LTC James Andrews  on 07-Nov-2009
Sir and fellow blogers – there are many lessons I could share throughout my career but one that stands out most in my mind was during my 13th jump at FT Bragg. Being Irish, a full moon on Halloween, and my 13th jump only helped to add to my already superstitious behavior. And as fate would have it, after exiting the aircraft over Holland DZ, I immediately became entangled with PFC Johnson. Looking up and seeing only one canapé fully deployed, I quickly realized that this was not a good situation. As each of us held each other tight and both yelling RIGHT PLF…RIGHT PLF…RIGHT PLF, I soon realized both of us had landed safely. I am living proof that one T-10C parachute can safely land two people. I realized that after a few hugs with PFC Johnson, a quick check of all my body parts, and whipping the sweat out of my eyes that training had automatically kicked in without much thought. What lesson did I learn? This was probably the first time I truly appreciated how good training leads to good outcomes. The importance of ensuring you train like you fight. Like my old football coach taught us, “if you practice like crap on Wednesdays, don’t expect to win on Friday night”.

Terry Walsh  on 05-Nov-2009
MG Rubenstein:

The single most clear memory and lesson I ever learned was when I was a brand new 2LT, just out of OBC and in my very first weekend of assignment to the 3/68 ADA HAWK missile battalion at Fort Bragg. We had a fly-away EDRE, in my very first weekend. On the first day, at meal time, we had to go eat in shifts, and I went with the first wave of my medics. My Battery Commander was standing at the head of the line and when he saw me, he took me aside and asked me if all of my Soldiers had been through the line. I said, "No, Sir." He then, thoughtfully, but sternly, advised me that "the troops eat first." From that point on, I knew what it meant to be an officer responsibile for the lives of the Soldiers assigned to me. I will never forget it.

-Terry Walsh

LTC Paul Goymerac  on 03-Nov-2009
Sir, COL Cahill came to Alaska in 1996/7 and provided an OPD that was an eye opening experience. It was the first time that I heard a no-nonsense brief on the future of the AMEDD. It helped all of us understand what was going on above the operational level of the AMEDD. It also made me want to be part of the solution rather than complaining about the problems. One thing that I have learned over the years and want to convey to my fellow MSC officers is to do the same. If you do not like what you see and the direction we are headed, speak up and be part of the solution, not part of the problem. We have some great leaders...take advantage of the short period of time where you can affect change. Thanks!

Donald Hall  on 03-Nov-2009
I am reminded of the influence that two now dead MSCs had on me and my career. Both are probably familiar to you, but probably not to many who frequent the Blog.

The first is LTC Harold Block. When I met him, he was the S-3 of the 1st Medical Group at Fort Hood, and I was the assistant S-2/3, as a 72A. Dawn Smith was the S-1 of the 21st Evacuation Hospital, as a 1st Lieutenant, so you can tell how long ago that was. Harold had served as a medical platoon leader in Vietnam, and had been awarded two Bronze Stars for valor in that position. He had also been a company commander and battalion S-3 for the 307th Medical battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division. He had truly paid his dues. And he feared nothing, and no one.

He taught me how to be a 70H, and is the reason I changed my AOC. Among the lessons I still remember, and try to emulate to this day, are several: Trust your subordinates. Be tolerant of error. Relish uncertainty. And have fun in all you do.

The second was COL John Chambers. I first heard of him when I was assigned to Military Science Division at the AMEDDC&S in 1989. He had just left for Fort Bragg, but all the instructors in General Subjects Branch worshiped him. A constant refrain was “The Jumpmaster wouldn’t have done it that way.” I first met him when I was assigned to USASOC and he commanded the Special Operations Medical Training Battalion at the JFKSWC. Like Harold, John was tolerant of error. He trusted his subordinates. He relished uncertainty. But he was also a stickler for standards, in a way that Harold never was. I saw this more when I worked for John as the G-2 and plans officer of the 44th, when he was the G-3. And again when he was the 44th’s DCO and I was the Chief of Staff.

I still carry the lessons these two fine 70H paratroopers taught me, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of the things I learned from them. And I try to carry that message to my subordinates. I trust them to do the right thing. I expect them to make errors, and I will forgive-to a point-errors from subordinates. It’s how they learn, after all. Uncertainty? I, too, relish it. And, while some days are definitely more fun than others, I always try to greet each day with a smile.

Regrettably, I delivered the eulogy at Harold’s funeral in 1991, and attended John’s burial in 2006. But the lessons they taught me still live on, as I try to mentor others in their image.

Live life to the fullest, because you never know when it will be cut short.

Chris David  on 02-Nov-2009
Sir, I learned that Army Soldiers, families, and leaders take care of thier own unlike any other organization. I learned this lesson 9 years ago this November when the Medical Service Corps lost two exceptionally talented and energetic officers during a skiing accident in Kaprun, Austria. These two officers went missing on 12 NOV and were officially pronounced dead the day after Thanksgiving. During this two week period, the LRMC Motuary Affairs team spent countless hours going through the remains of over 90 individuals inside a long, dark, and cold tunnel. The 10 days following Thanksgiving were the most sad yet memorable days of my life. During this time, I witnessed the Army family pull together and wrap thier arms around CPT Erich Kerns family with such compassion and concern. I had the great fortune to pick up Erich in Austria, return him to Germany, and eventually to escort him home to his family in New York. I also had the chance to meet his Mom and Dad at the airport in Germany and help facilitate thier visit during the 421st MED EVAC Battalion's memorial service. Since that tragic period in 2001, I have remained in contact with Erich's family off an on. Every time I speak with them, they recollect Erich's time as and AMEDD officer and marvel at the hundreds of people who visited Wiesbaden for the Memorial Service. Exceptionally kind-hearted people like COL Dennis Doyle and LTC Larry Fulton demonstrated to me during this time of sadness how Army leaders set priorities, make sacrifices, and care for thier own.

Tom Brown  on 01-Nov-2009
I have learned of the inherent value of each of us! In September 2004, less than two months after take command of the United States Army Medical Center-Europe, I lost one of my young soldiers in a tragic automobile accident. Prior to his death, I had seen this young solder but I did not have an occasion to talk to him on an individual basis. As the USAMMCE Commander I was asked to speak at his memorial service. In preparation, I review his record and spoke to his mother and grandmother by phone. Through them, his fellow soldiers and employees with whom he worked I learned a lot about him. I learned of his life’s challenges and successes. I learned about his determination and drive to succeed in life. I learned of his efforts to help others. I learned of his kindness and generosity to others through his volunteerism. I realized that I would have like to have known him better. His life was so full of promise but sadly cut short. He left our world far too young. The lesson I took from that experience is the inherent value of each of us. We all possess value that we can use to better ourselves and our fellow Soldiers and citizens. As we go hurriedly through our daily lives, speeding past our fellow man, make time to get to know others, however briefly, for each represents a varied and complicated life no less valuable than our own.

COL Carl Castro  on 29-Oct-2009
Life is full of lessons learned, and they often come from the least expected place. For the past few years, I have been "re-learning" from my son, who's six years old now, many things that I should have not only known, but should have been actively practicing. This reminded me of the book loosely entitled, "Everything that I need to know in life I learned in kindergarten," a book that I believe should be required reading, regardless of rank and position. It's a book that will change the way you interact with everyone you come into contact with.

COL Kevin M. McNabb  on 28-Oct-2009
In 1985-86 I was a LT working for then MAJ Whitcomb (now LTG Whitcomb, TIG) in an Armor Battalion at Fort Hood. MAJ Whitcomb was new to the unit as our executive officer and I was a pretty new medical platoon leader having only been on active duty a few years in my first assignment.

Once at the unit, one of the first questions MAJ Whitcomb asked me was "What is the weakest area of the medical platoon right now?" Of course, I wasn't too excited to admit that the medical platoon had any weaknesses so I stuck with the old hat "maintenance sir" and tried to move on. MAJ Whitcomb refused to take that as an answer and insisted on knowing what I thought. Uncomfortably I told him that I thought most of my medics couldn't land navigate out of a brown paper bag. He laughed (not as much as I hoped) and told me to develop a plan and fix it. MAJ Whitcomb then told me to always speak my mind when asked by another officer, no matter how uncomfortable it may make you. He said that officers are expected to give their opinions when asked and that is why we make the big bucks. Great advice that I have tried to live by over the years.

So now I talk to cadets almost daily about being willing to share your thoughts with your boss and getting over the fear of candor. Be honest and if it is a problem then provide a suggested solution (or solutions). Once your boss decides on a course of action then support it to the best of your abilities but always put in your two cents.

Will it make you uncomfortable sometimes? Probably yes.

Will your boss not appreciate dissent in the ranks. Maybe yes but always support the decsion once made and you will be fine.

This was a great lesson early in my career and one I have tried to remember.

This is only one of many lessons I learned from MAJ Whitcomb in our time together.

John P. Cook  on 28-Oct-2009
One of the big lessons I have learned during my time in the Army is that Billy Shakespeare was half right when he said “to thine own self be true”. Through my experience I have come to realize that to truly be happy in your professional and personal life, you must do two things: First, you must seek and sharpen your natural talents, and embrace a career that matches those gifts with the demand for them. Secondly, and perhaps the part William missed, is to use those talents/gifts in tandem with your life’s work, to serve your fellow man. I can think of no profession or Corps in the Army that gives the “thine” greater opportunity to do both than our great Medical Service Corps, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Lynn E. Marm  on 28-Oct-2009
Sir and Fellow Bloggers, I'd like to share a simple story and lesson learned from a senior NCO. SGM Faiva was the NCOIC of the 62nd Medical Brigade S-4 shop in 2003, where I was privileged to serve as a Captain. While taking over as S-4 NCOIC, SGM interviewed every soldier in the section. When he spoke with the most junior soldier, a 92Y Supply Specialist, and asked the soldier what his role was, SGM received a tentative reply: "SGM, I'm just the port-a-let guy. Whenever a unit goes to the field or conducts Sergeant's Time training and needs port-a-let support, my job is to provide the grid coordinates and order information to the installation Directorate of Logistics." SGM later shared with me that he was taken aback that this was, tip to tail, the soldier's entire job. That day, though, he looked the Soldier in the eye and informed him that he was NOT “just the port-a-let guy" -- he was the "Services NCO" for the Brigade. SGM appointed the Soldier in writing, made him a credit card holder, and put him in charge of the tracking the account. In the weeks and months that followed, the section observed with wonder as the “Services NCO” approached the SGM for more and more responsibility – the definition of “Services” expanded to include all field services (laundry, solid waste disposal, transportation support). The Soldier developed SOPs, became the “go-to guy” (not just the port-a-let guy) in the S-4 shop and excelled during the Corps Organizational Inspection Program (OIP) inspection. With increased responsibility came increased self-confidence and soon the timid “port-a-let guy” was competing at the promotion board and exploring the idea of branch transferring. Today, he is an MP Staff Sergeant. I still think of this (admittedly, almost comical) story often as it so simply demonstrates the lesson that people will rise – or fall — to the level of their leaders’ expectations.

Thank you for this opportunity to learn and share.

Very Respectfully, Major Lynn Marm

Col Jerry Penner  on 27-Oct-2009
MG Rubenstein,

Thanks so much for coming up to do the dedication at Madigan Army Medical Center. Bill was a great guy, mentor and leader and to have you be part of the dedication is just a reflection of what he (Bill) gave to you, me and a generation of other MS officers.

Life lesson to those junior officers that read this blog...there are many COL Bill Cahill's out there. Please take the time to learn from them; they have much to share and you'll be a better officer & person as a result of that relationship---I can think of no better outcomes measure that can compliment that leader.

Respectfully submitted, Col Jerry Penner

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COL Marilyn Brew  on 27-Oct-2009
Sir and Fellow Blogsters,

I believe Cdrs will have access to command GAT compliance via AKO and/or MEDPROS.

Taking the time to get to know your directs and they get to know their directs, etc, etc will actually get us to better identification, prevention, mitigation, and/or timely response to those in need. It is a proven fact that most won't ask for help. Army stats listed failed relationships as the #1 contributing cause of suicide attempts and success. Knowing a person well enough to identify changes, postures leaders and battle buddies to extend a hand w/out someone asking.

Give the gift of you this holiday season. Make the time to spend a little time to get to know those in your charge, your family, maybe even your house. If nothing else, your gift will be unique since there is only one of you.

One Team, HOOAH!

LTC Scott Fischer  on 13-Oct-2009
Sir,

Looks to be a solid product if we can remain on target and not allow this to become another "check the block."

I ran the GAT and was a little frustrated with the feedback. I guess the type-A, anal retentive side of me needed to have some sort of scale - 1 to 10, good to bad, something, for each of the categories as opposed to the bars with no scale. How does a Soldier know whether he/she is solid, or needs to get help fast?

Any idea when the training modules will be developed and available? When I tried to enroll, it told me the courses would be available in 1st Qtr FY10. Last thing we need is to put something out there that isn't ready for prime time.

Finally, how can commanders access the system to determine compliance within a unit?

Keep up the great work!

ATW LTC Fischer

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