Thread by @ChemicalFire

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Too easy, sir. First and foremost, unless they’re branch detailed, your Chemo is going to need command in order to advance their career. It is a requirement in order to compete with their combat arms and maneuver support peers for selection to captain and major. 1/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against your Chemo getting a CBRN platoon or company XO job by virtue of how few of those slots exist within the Chemical Corps. Therefore, in order to set your young lieutenant up for success as a future commander, think about what 2/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke formative experiences you had leading up to your current job. You were a platoon leader of least one type of platoon, probably a CO/BTRY/TRP executive officer, and spent at least a little time in the 3 shop. Those experiences gave you a working understanding of property, 3/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke army maintenance systems, managing personnel, training management, and a greater understanding of how the other warfighting functions support Maneuver. So, assuming they won’t get those leadership opportunities, but also knowing they need those experiences for development, 4/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke let's boil down what you learned from those positions down to what can be accomplished while they’re still on staff. 5/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke PROPERTY & MAINTENANCE
This part is a relatively easy lesson to replicate. Have your Chemo personally sign for the battalion level equipment and whatever vehicle they move around in (usually your decontamination systems and potentially a collective protective shelter). 6/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Then have actually have them do maintenance with their section on that equipment and report it up to you. It won’t be a ton of equipment, but it gives your Chemo reps at how to properly maintain equipment, learn how GCSS-Army works, learn about services, and makes them 7/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke responsible for equipment that they have a vested interest in maintaining. Additionally, it gives you an opportunity to figure out what you want your platoon leaders and company XO to report to you when you’re in command. 8/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke PERSONNEL READINESS
Personnel readiness is a critical component of command and often a painful one. Give your Chemo a leg up by having them manage the readiness CBRN Cell. Have them get with the HHC command and develop tracking systems and counseling packets for their cell. 9/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke The best part of this is if you help them develop a really good system to track the three to four personnel in the cell, they can extrapolate that their future company! 10/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke TRAINING MANAGEMENT
This part is a little trickier but definitely worthwhile. First, have your Chemo develop a low-density training plan for their CBRN Cell. CBRN cells have specific individual tasks that support the battalion and the companies accomplish their missions. 11/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Take this plan and show your Chemo how to integrate this into the battalion’s METL crosswalk as part of the progression into whatever mission you’re on or preparing for. Make them develop a plan as detailed as you are going to expect from your platoon leaders. 12/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE
Last, but not least, is teaching your Chemo how the battalion and brigade commander think. The strength of the Chemical Corps comes from our incredibly varied experiences. 13/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke While this could be an essay in and of itself, one of the most important lessons you can teach your Chemo is how your Commander views the organization and how it fits into the bigger picture of the Army as a whole. 14/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Doing so not only gives them the ability to better advise the commander on CBRN defense as part of their operations, but it also will give them the ability to help you and the S3 plan and develop those operations. 15/

@scottjstephens @MichaelStahlke Developing a young officer that isn’t part of your branch, can be difficult. However, growing your Chemo will directly benefit your unit through making them a stronger officer and a more capable staff officer for the BC and future commander. /END