Platoon Leader

Several of my posts have mentioned how much I was looking forward to being a Platoon Leader, and thus far all of my hopes and dreams for it have been fulfilled.  My platoon is somewhat of a bastard child of the company, as they were thrown together a few months before the deployment from the other three platoons in Hawk company. 

But they are great.

They are smart, tough, and motivated.  And they are good people too.  Or at least they try.  We of course have our share of hiccups and missteps and perennial problem children, but all things considered they perform better than I could ask.  I have a great relationship with my Platoon Sergeant, although it is funny to look at us, as he is one of the oldest men in the company, and I am one of the youngest-looking.  We ended up having close to a two hour initial counseling session, which usually doesn't happen.  His stories are really funny as well, especially with his missing tooth adding to the storytelling.  My Squad Leaders are solid, and more than ready to assume the duties of a Platoon Sergeant, so I don't have to do any micromanaging (and they wouldn't let me anyway).  I have some young Team Leaders, but they are constantly working to improve themselves and their Soldiers, and that's all I can really ask for. 

And as for the "Joes," they are certainly unique.  But they want to do good things and my platoon is full of diversity.  I have a Brazilian college graduate as a SAW gunner, a French-speaking math wizard from Cameroon, a soft-spoken giant, city boys, country hicks, and those in-between.  Some of my Soldiers plan on getting out of the Army at the first opportunity, and others that have the next twenty years of their lives planned out, whether it be college, or Special Forces, or piloting.  And I want to be able to help them achieve their goals, especially if it is something like bringing their families to Germany.  They will do anything I ask of them willingly (maybe not always cheerfully), and in return I owe them my very best effort to be "The Lieutenant." 

Not only must I be tactically and technically proficient, but I also must show that I care about each Soldier individually, on his own merits, and not simply as a resource to be expended.  I am responsible for everything that the thirty Soldiers under my command do or do not accomplish, and for their very lives.  It is not a light burden undertaken.  Just like I told them in my first little speech to the entire platoon, we are here to go out, do our jobs, and it is my responsibility to bring everyone home.  As Daren's death brought home the reality of war, I can only strive to give my Soldiers my best, and they owe themselves to do the same, and to become the best (SAW gunner, Team Leader, Grenadier) they can be.

I've only been a Platoon Leader for a few short weeks, but it is already the greatest honor of my life to lead such men into and out of harm's way.

I am a better leader and better man everyday I have the privilege of serving as their PL.