journey as a NCO

well, before reading any further,
please enlarge the picture,
and read the quote by the man there.
because what i'm going to say here,
has relatively a lot to do with the quote.

i remember some time back in FSD,
my squad instructor told me something:
"being a specialist is a complete different thing."
and then, during specialists' course,
the district TCO Keith said something like this:
"now its the start of a new journey. a journey as a NCO."

well ever since we started taking over the company in March,
i always felt that things wouldn't be much different;
different in the sense that whether if it is a bunch of Corporals in place,
or a bunch of Sergeants ruling for the Officers.
to me, it's just the same bunch of people handling things.

but now i think it's just completely different.

being a NCO means a complete different thing.
you don't have seniors over you to guide you anymore,
you don't have the effort to screw things up,
hoping to unscrew them again.
you are now totally in charge,
you are answerable for anything that happen.

they look up upon you;
yet maybe some of them look down upon you,
thinking that you are not worthy to lead them.
it doesn't matter much;
all a platoon sergeant needs is to command two things in his platoon:
respect and trust.

to me it's sort of a different story now.
last time you learn about leadership.
you learn to be a leadership strong cadet.
but now i beg differ.
you learn how to put those leadership and knowledge into use.
let's just call it application.
you need to know what to do, what to say; and vice versa.

sometimes when you expect certain things from your followers,
you have to show them that you have it in yourself;
so that they can subdue obediently and follow your orders.
calling them to run, i have to run at the front.
shouting for them to march,
my drills have to be the swiftest among all.

my job is a bit different from others.
i am not there to teach them where to go.
i need to teach them how to lead others upon where to go.
they, are the future leaders.

i always wonder if being an administrative based leader,
such as a sergeant major, whereby you facilitate things;
would really get you to apply the knowledge you learn.
i don't know, i am not sure.
all i know is my job requires me to be in tip-top standard all the time.

it's a different journey, as they say.
not just you learn to be a leader nurturing leaders;
sometimes, you have to be the father, mother, brother, friend,
and even enemy of your men.
it takes everything to be all rounded to train them.

it takes a lot.

looking at the NPCC Unit Head, the CLDDS President, the CO President, the Shooting Captain, and even the NCC Unit Head;
i always thought that their job requires high application of leadership skills,
such that their job seem to be more important and dignified than mine.

but my 27 men prove me different.

it is the head writing paper, shouting commands;
it is the head making decisions, facilitating everything;
it is the head showing the path, making the target.

but it is me, leading the man;
teaching them how to walk the path, climb the mountains, swim the oceans.

it is me, leading them, telling them really what to do, where to go.

as they say, the platoon sergeant is a bridge between the men and officer,
and also the backbone of the platoon.

perhaps the journey as a NCO is really different, after all.