Mandatory Requirements
It is not a secret and it is fair to say that the Army is fast to pass down mandatory requirements to their Soldiers regardless whether they can actually comply with those requirements in a timely manner. I never expect to challenge that statement with a First Sergeant during my first training meeting as a new First Sergeant a few years ago.
In 2010, the total number of training requirements was around 35. At the end of each quarter, the First Sergeants from three different companies met with the Brigade Sergeant Major to review the compliance of those 35 mandatory training requirements. Some of those mandatory requirements were hands-on training and others on line. Even though training on-line seems to be easy, it takes some time to complete.
A week prior to the training meeting, one of the companies received ten new personnel. One of their in processing requirements is to complete their mandatory training no later than ninety days of their arrival. During the training meeting, that company reported one hundred percent training completed. The report included those new ten personnel. When I challenged the First Sergeant about those numbers especially of those new personnel, the First Sergeant got aggressive towards me for questioning his integrity.
I thought the Sergeant Major will evaluate my logic and question those numbers but instead he criticized me for not being a team player, for comment about something that it was not in my lane, and for throwing that First Sergeant under the bus. Up to this date, I think about that embarrassed incident and wonder if I did the right thing or not.
In 2010, the total number of training requirements was around 35. At the end of each quarter, the First Sergeants from three different companies met with the Brigade Sergeant Major to review the compliance of those 35 mandatory training requirements. Some of those mandatory requirements were hands-on training and others on line. Even though training on-line seems to be easy, it takes some time to complete.
A week prior to the training meeting, one of the companies received ten new personnel. One of their in processing requirements is to complete their mandatory training no later than ninety days of their arrival. During the training meeting, that company reported one hundred percent training completed. The report included those new ten personnel. When I challenged the First Sergeant about those numbers especially of those new personnel, the First Sergeant got aggressive towards me for questioning his integrity.
I thought the Sergeant Major will evaluate my logic and question those numbers but instead he criticized me for not being a team player, for comment about something that it was not in my lane, and for throwing that First Sergeant under the bus. Up to this date, I think about that embarrassed incident and wonder if I did the right thing or not.