Advise for First Sergeant

[Capt. $]

What would any of you advise for a new First Sergeant?

[SarDragon]

Talk to the person you replaced?

[Stonewall]

Well, CAPR 20-1 says...

Assists the cadet commander in the performance of his/her duties, to include:

- Lead and organize military drill.
- Safeguard CAP facilities and property.
- Maintenance of discipline
- Related duties as required
- The cadet flight sergeant should be familiar with CAP directives as listed in CAPP 52-15 and CAPR 52-16

[Майор Хаткевич]

I always considered the first shirt, first and foremost the standards and protocol go-to post. First to catch uniform issues, first to correct them, first to help a struggling cadet, etc.

[C/2d Lt]

Im currently the First Sergeant at the my home squadron. Feel free to message me if you would like further advice.

-Be confident and the one that everyone looks too for advice
-enforce The Chain of Command within both Staff and in flights
-be the link between the CC and Cadet
-ALL business is your business
-No regulations by heart, it will look positively upon you if you are able to quote the regs. Enforce these regs and most importantly fallow them yourself.
-Set the example
-No Prejudice, No Favorites,
-Be able to get ahold of, the most frustrating thing for any staff member is one that you only hear of once a week. Check both email and phone consistently.

Be loud be proud be proud First Sergeant! The best advice and learning tool is time. You will become better the more experience you gain.

[Spartan]

As a Deputy Commander for Cadets, I had the additional expectations of my cadet first sergeant

-Talk with the last first sergeant, the cadet commander, the flight sergeants, element leaders and the leadership officer and find out what their expectations of and experience with the position are.  Your boss(es) and outgoing first sergeant have a lot they can teach you about the job.  The flight sergeants and element leaders let you know what the expectations are of the people you are leading, and gives you an idea of areas that you may be able to improve on compared with the last first sergeant or three.

Areas to focus on are
     -Communication
     -Training
     -Discipline trends
     -Mentoring
     -Reccomendations to improve the function of the cadet program at the unit level

-Assist the flight commander in mentoring the flight sergeants to be better flight sergeants
-Be the example for ALL cadets, not just enlisted, to look up to in the areas of uniforms, drill and ceremonies, customs and courtesies, self discipline, and communication.
-Get to know your C/CC within a professional context and have detailed knowledge of their goals at the squadron and flight levels, and your role in accomplishing those goals
-Know the major detailed items in CAPM 39-1, how to measure them professsionally and respectfully on another person, and how to make a tactful on the spot correction
-Be able to verbally counsel subordinate, peer and superior grade individuals within the context of your scope of duties.
-Track the uniform inspection results and advise the C/CC and leadership officer on trends or individuals that need additional attention to bring their performance to standard.
-When you don't know something, respond with "I will find the answer" NOT with "I don't know."  Find the answer and get back to that individual quickly and professionally.  Saying "I don't know" Is a good way to strain the confidence the cadets have in you.
-Be fair and impartial when helping to resolve conflicts, and in implementing corrective training.  The situation dictates how each issue is resolved, but if it is a first time infraction, treat it in a similar way that you treated other first time infractions.  You can be a compassionate and friendly leader and still enforce the standard.
-You may be friends with your fellow cadets outside of CAP and that friendship does not need to end when the uniform goes on; however you are now the 1st Sgt and have a responsibility to enforce standards in both deed and word.  If you cannot handle this impartially, especially where friends are involved, you should reevaluate being the 1st Sgt and what is involved in it.
-You are the height of the NCO support channel.  Your purpose is to reinforce and support the chain of command.  The single best way to do this is through communication.  If you are not communicating with the executive staff, the flight staff and passing information as required, you are not doing your job.
-Conduct yourself in a way that creates an air of awe and respect, not fear.  If you are not approachable, your people will not communicate with you very well.
Be confident in your decisions, and confident that they are based soundly in CAP regulations and manuals as well as AF and CAP core values.

[bflynn]

Remember that as a leader, you are there to serve, not to be served.  It is about the people you lead, not you.

Probably not relevant for a lot of leaders, but it is the same advice I gave my son when he became a patrol leader in BSA.

[Duke Dillio]

Learn to spell and use the spellchecker....   

You will get a feel for what you need to do.  Just talk to your cadet commander and ask what he expects from you.  Make sure you know your D & C stuff.  Follow the regs.  Memorize CAPM 39-1.  That's all I gots to say about that.....

[Critical AOA]

What would any of you advise for a new First Sergeant?

Remember that you are still just a kid in a group of other kids.  You are not a big bad DI who needs to yell and scream at the other kids or belittle them.  Your job is to provide guidance and support. 

[lordmonar]

I always considered the first shirt, first and foremost the standards and protocol go-to post. First to catch uniform issues, first to correct them, first to help a struggling cadet, etc.

Ahhh NO.....sorry have to disagree with you here.  Flight Sergeant maybe.....but not First Sergeant.

[Offutteer]

Cadet officers receive the Cadet Staff Handbook.  It contains position descriptions that are more detailed than 20-1.  You might want to read about your position.  There are some other great ideas in there as well.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I always considered the first shirt, first and foremost the standards and protocol go-to post. First to catch uniform issues, first to correct them, first to help a struggling cadet, etc.

Ahhh NO.....sorry have to disagree with you here.  Flight Sergeant maybe.....but not First Sergeant.

My small unit bias is showing.

[lordmonar]

I always considered the first shirt, first and foremost the standards and protocol go-to post. First to catch uniform issues, first to correct them, first to help a struggling cadet, etc.

Ahhh NO.....sorry have to disagree with you here.  Flight Sergeant maybe.....but not First Sergeant.

My small unit bias is showing.

  Sorry about that.

Even in my big unit....I have been rethinking that utility of the First Sergeant.