For example, if an operator is signed for a m978a4. Read platoon leader a memoir of command in combat by james r. A young officer, just out of west point is sent to vietnam, where the men dont respect him until he gets wounded and returns to be a wiser soldier and a better commander. Second, the platoon leader must know the end state that represents mission accomplishment. They represent the leading edge of leadership on and off the battlefield. Being an infantry platoon leader is the greatest job in the world.
The platoon sergeant moves forward to the baseoffire squad with the second machine gun and assumes control of the squad. As a platoon sergeant starts his or her relationship with a new lieutenant, it is imperative that he provides the best leadership for the platoon. West point graduate lieutenant jeff knight meets cynicism when taking command of sergeant michael mcnamaras tour veterans platoon in a vietnamese trench camp. Platoon leader is an unbelievable glimpse into the life of a typical platoon leader sent into the bush of vietnam. If a soldier is signed for a piece of equipment, he or she is more willing to take care of said equipment. Hot soup, fly molo, vlad, and dumper come back as enders squadron leaders in the war against the buggers, but they start as his toon leaders at battle school we think. The enemy successfully penetrated blackfoot companys defense to the south. The platoon sergeant must keep in mind that he or she is training the future leadership of our army. A the platoon leader b a specialist with the longest time in grade c the platoon sergeant d the company commander. Off the battlefield, platoon leaders and sergeants prepare their platoon for combat through tough training. Platoon sergeants mentor future platoon leaders article. The platoon also includes a headquarters element, which consists of both the platoon leader and the psg or the platoon leader only.
In order for a platoon to succeed, an effective partnership must exist between the pl and psg. The typical ranger platoon is made up of about 30 soldiers, and includes rifle squads, mortar elements, antitank elements, machine gun squads and sniper teams. The ranger platoon is made up of soldiers with various roles and abilities, and they all work together for the success of the mission. The platoon leader ensures all elements are in position before beginning the assault. The detail and number of options have also been ramped up. I tend turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership. A guide for effective platoon leader platoon sergeant co. Platoon leader is a 1988 cannon films film set in the vietnam war and directed by aaron norris. A warning order warno gives subordinates advance notice of an upcoming operation. You have the ability to mold men and make our country stronger 24 hours a day. Moving up in army jrotc ranks and structures handbook. Leaders coordinate the other three elements of combat power. First, the platoon leader attempts to know what is happening in the present in terms of friendly, enemy, neutral, and terrain situations.
The platoon leader and platoon sergeant are two of the most important leaders in the u. The platoon leader signals to lift or shift the suppressive fires of the support element. Advanced platoon leader apl takes the basic game platoon leader to a whole new level. Gone is the single map which is replaced with terrain cards that will allow you to configure a ton of map variations.
The focus was on how we can become better leaders by learning from the examples in the book. The platoon leader is usually a junior officera second or first lieutenant or an. The military leader reading list the military leader. One platoons descent into madness in iraqs triangle of death. A hasty ambush is conducted when a platoon is moving and spots the enemy without being detected. After reading this book it is obvious why the army chose it as required reading for officer candidate school. Patrick okeefe is serving as scorpion 12, a maneuver team trainer at the national training center. Unlike his predecessor, who hid till the end of his tour, jeff takes charge, experiences the manual doesnt allow coping with all.
Nov 01, 2018 the vietnam war was called a platoon leaders war, for the young lieutenants and their troops were often isolated by mountains and triple canopy forests. I originally got this book as a young officer in the u. Mcdonoughs instrument character in this memoir is his being a leader it enabled him to explore relationships, establish a set of war ethics and morals, a progression into a real leader. The platoon enters a nearby village, discovers a cache of weapons, and wreaks havoc.
The warning order follows the same basic structure as an operations order. Mar 18, 2015 the ncos described the role of the platoon leader where new officers are placed in charge of between 20 to 50 soldiers and are accountable for the units equipment and gave the cadets advice. 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. 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. Having equipment signed down to the user level creates a sense of ownership. Training notes a platoon leaders reflection on readiness. A remarkable memoir of small unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. The platoon leader pl platoon sergeant psg leadership team is a unique and influential pair of roles that exist in the army.
Aug 03, 2006 my platoon was successful in taking out six bunkers with only minor injury. Instruction will be provided on how your brain functions, how you can maximize your learning and effectiveness. Nearly a year later, i received orders for a silver star for my leadership in that action. Love is not always a two way street, sometimes you give more than you get, and love is a choice. On the battlefield, platoon leaders and sergeants build their platoons, empower squad leaders, integrate outside elements, and use troopleading. Points about the soldiers personal burdens and the bond of brotherhood in combat are made so often that they become less rather than more effective. An infantry platoon is made up of four squads of ten men each. 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. Hes about to kill the village chiefs daughter before elias stops him and attacks him. Platoon leader a memoir of command in combat by james r. Platoon leader details mcdonoughs time in vietnam commanding an undermanned platoon assigned to protecting a village in the strategic hamlet program. Much credit goes to 1lt ginther for clearly learning the right lessons as a young leader.
His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of truong lam. The film is about a newly commissioned infantry lieutenant who arrives in vietnam to take over his. James mcdonough graduated from west point and served in vietnam as an infantry platoon leader in the legendary 173d airborne brigade. The book also serves as a book reference guide for learning about military history, leadership, and command. The platoon leader is usually a junior officera second or. Platoons senior trainer, assis t and evaluate squad training. Jrotc will teach you what needs to be done to become fit and to maintain that fitness. Bunny kills a onelegged villager, and barnes kills the village chiefs wife. To gain greater understanding of the platoon leaderplatoon sergeant relationship, more than 200 first lieutenants commissioned in 2009all of them current or past platoon leadersshared their experiences of working with their platoon sergeants in a january 2012 survey in. The platoon headquarters includes a platoon leader, a platoon sergeant, and a driver. Also, requiring squad leaders to build and maintain leader books. Platoon leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young army leader in vietnam.
Mcdonough, chronicles the authors experiences as an officer in the vietnam war from 197071. The platoon leader and platoon sergeants ability to coach, teach, and mentor. This flaw, however, may not bother the books intended audience. The actions for a hasty ambush must be well rehearsed so that rangers know what to do on the leaders signal. The actions for a hasty ambush must be well rehearsed so that rangers know what to do on the leader s signal. This is an arrangement of the units elements in a prescribed manner such as a line formation, in which the elements are sidebyside, and column formation, in which the elements are one behind the other. The vietnam war was called a platoon leaders war, for the young lieutenants and their troops were often isolated by mountains and triple canopy forests. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer. They must also know what action to take if the unit is detected before it is ready to initiate the ambush. The book highlights the extreme nature of vietnam insomuch as long periods of boredom torn apart by extreme moments of violence and carnage. This is an individual, squad, section, platoon, company, or larger unit formed as part of the next higher unit. I met bob hemphill, shortly after publication of his book. The book takes place in and around a fort near a vietnamese village in binh dinh province.
Unlike his predecessor, who hid till the end of his tour, jeff takes charge, experiences the manual doesnt allow coping with all realities and gets wounded. To gain greater understanding of the platoon leaderplatoon sergeant relationship, more than 200 first lieutenants commissioned in 2009all of them current or past platoon leadersshared their experiences of working with their platoon sergeants in a january 2012 survey in the platoon leader forum. A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat. Their mobility and tempo were sufficient to overwhelm initial defensive positions, and i felt my heartbeat intensify as i realized my platoon was nowhere near ready to join the. Lessons from platoon leader by james mcdonough dzone agile. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but are generally around 50 strong, although specific platoons may range from 9 to 100 men. The element of surprise navy seals in vietnam ebook by darryl young. Infantry platoon tactical standing operating procedure. Field operations, mission support, class iii v maintenance transportation, medical support, and i. It should include the situation, mission, execution, service and support, and command and signal. My best opd was conducted at the simulation center in preparation for our national training center ntc rotation. Enjoy every minute of it, even the difficult times, and give of yourself freely to your mission and your men. He most recently commanded a tank company in 3rd abct, 1st cavalry division and served as a platoon leader and executive officer in 1st sbct, 1st armored division.
The books main flaw is a repetitiveness that becomes mawkish. Mcdonough retired is an impecable example for future and current young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. All 3rd platoon elements, we have onefive mikes to be redcon 1. My platoon was successful in taking out six bunkers with only minor injury. Soon, the platoon finds mannymutilated and tied to a tree. I highly recommend reading platoon bravo company after seeing the movie. The support element lift or shifts fires and continues to observe the. Army nco leaders book item covering the platoon equipment density list click here to download the platoon equipment density list leaders book item. The platoon leader selects an organization based on his metttc analysis. The ncos described the role of the platoon leader where new officers are placed in charge of between 20 to 50 soldiers and are accountable for the units equipment. Instruction will be provided on how your brain functions, how you can maximize your learning and effectiveness, and how to avoid pitfalls such as substance abuse. The platoon leader also indicated the ethics and morals of the war, the dehumanizing possibility a soldier might come across in the cruelty of the war. Company commanders personally train platoon leaders with their. I read platoon leader by james mcdonough because it was a firsthand account of a rookie.
The way platoon leaders and sergeants work together as a team can cause the success or failure of companies, battalions, brigades, and divisions. Mar 01, 2012 the books main flaw is a repetitiveness that becomes mawkish. The basic maneuver element of this platoon, as in the cavalry scout platoon, is the scout section. Vignettes and lessons from current and former platoon level leaders allow newly assigned leaders to learn from those who have gone before. The first 100 days of platoon leadership handbook combined. A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. Secondly, the platoon leader must ensure proper property management happens. G69 whose job is it to be completely informed of all platoon matters in order to assume control of the platoon in the absence of the platoon leader. The platoon leader positions himself where he can best control the platoon. The avenger battalion is comprised of four batteries, a headquarters and headquarters battery, three. To me, its what has made some books very interesting. The platoon leader works to develop and maintain situational understanding su.
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