Tips for the Army Cadet About to Commission

Are you a cadet that's about to get your commission? It's an exciting time and you should be beaming with optimism! After all you are about to join the biggest fraternity in the world! The Army is a family and you're about to be initiated into it.

All people are different, all people have different leadership styles. All units are also different. When I first commissioned, hundreds of people gave me tips and pointers and some were more useful than others. Here are some of the ones I heard the most. Remember to take everything with a grain of salt and don't assume that everything is written in stone.

Don't try to be a badass - Some people get their butter bar and decide that they rule the world. They walk around trying to be a hard ass. Most of the time, people assume you're just trying too hard.

Don't compare cadet training to the real Army - Okay, you went to LDAC, maybe you went to LTC as well, but no one is going to take that experience seriously. It's just how it is. Cadet training might have been great for your confidence and leadership, but comparing Army Experience with Cadet Experience may end up highlighting your inexperience as opposed to helping you relate with your soldiers. I would personally stay away from those stories entirely.

Don't assume you know it all - If your experience is restricted to being a cadet, then you literally know nothing about the real Army. Cadetland is a safe place to learn, but it's not really "Army". If you were enlisted before, you've got the Army experience but don't have the experience as an officer. Officers are different from NCO's - they're not better or worse, they just serve a different purpose. A brand new officer always has room to learn and grow. Be open to mentorship and advice. Be open about the fact that you are there to learn, to adjust and do the best job that you can. Have a good attitude and don't be condescending. No one likes being talked down to by the New Guy, no matter how much higher in rank they might be.

If you're prior service, don't try to be one of the guys - I remember being enlisted and it was fun! Being a part of the group, or "one of the guys" is awesome, but... you're not enlisted anymore, you're an officer. That's a different animal. Using your experience as an enlisted soldier should feed your leadership style but the line between you and your soldiers should always be clear. Don't try to be buddies. It's 100% okay to be friendly, but there should always be that respectful distance. The last thing you want is to look like you're playing favorites.

Most importantly, don't try to emulate officers and leaders that you see in the movies (you might laugh, but it happens). You're not Patton! Okay? You're you and whether or not you choose to be an authoritative leader or an influential leader, you have to pick the one that suits your personality the most. Don't try so hard to act like a leader that it comes off like you're insincere. Soldiers respect honesty and sincerity above all else.