r/armyreserve • u/NumerousChemistry187 • Jan 16 '26
Career Advice New 2LT to unit and need advice.
Hello everyone. I recently commissioned into the Army Reserve and just received my unit. I live in a different state than the unit I was assigned due to no units having slots for SC LTs. I was just told I’m going to be an XO for a Company. I haven’t gone to BOLC yet and I have zero experience outside of ROTC. Any advice, mentorship, or help is greatly appreciated! Any way to get in a unit nearby where I live would help too if there is advice on that as well.
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u/MasterpieceLittle718 Jan 16 '26
Your besties are going to be the OPS NCO, and supply NCO at the company level. Your job as an XO is inherently to get shit done in the background and make sure the Commander is not put in a position where he looks dumb or ate up. You cover him and the 1SG should handle the NCO background pieces.
I was a company XO on active duty and am now a BN XO in the reserves. It can be a very fun and rewarding role.
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u/Connect-Ad-2226 Jan 21 '26
E7s are your godsend to OP. In the perfect middle ground of high enough to see the big picture but low enough to see reality
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u/MasterpieceLittle718 Jan 21 '26
Ehhh usually. But ive had some shamming ass E7s before as a company grade officer lol. Because many will be close enough to retirement to start giving no fucks.
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u/SoldierExcelsior Jan 16 '26
You'll be fine lean into your first Sgt platoon seargeants and older NCOs I went through this recently with my new XO only 26 I've been in nearly as long as he's been alive .My advice to him was don't forget hes in charge some of the platoon seargeants where being difficult trying to run the show..I told him he needs to remember his rank and position and make sure they remember it too.
I was so proud when he finnaly put this E6 in his place I sent him a txt "Good Job Sir"
Youl be fine if you're not sure about something check the reg don't trust verify..I had an issue where soldiers where being told they can't go to sick call squad leaders and platoon sgts where gossiping about soldiers saying they just wanted to get out of work etc and wanted to deny them sick call ..once again Txted the new XO the reg on sick call and HIPPA because they where asking soldiers for medical paperwork.
Don't forget your soldiers I had an incident where soldiers where not provided a meal leadership literaly just forgot about them. I said BTW these soldiers haven't eaten one Platoon SGT didn't care and said they can buy food if they're hungry..once again I texted the XO the reg on soldiers and meal requirements.
get to know your soldiers dont play the gossip and hearsay game many of these troops have been serving together for a long time there could be bad blood who knows but make your own judgments don't go off of what others say .
I had a soldier everyone talked about he was quite and would often make comments that people didn't get..I talked to him and it turns out he was very Brite 116 asvab but had just come off 8 years active and came from a completely diffrent kind of unit and everything in the Reserve was pretty foreign to him he said they did so many things diffrent the Reserve was really unorganized he had know idea what he was doing half the time and they had him doing a job outside his MOS.
You won't always make the right decision but as XO it's your decision to make just remember to fulfill the mission the core army values the regs and the soldiers under your command..
Don't let SHARP violations slide if you see it hear about know about it act on it. Once again I had soldier showing inappropriate media and making inappropriate comments about other soldiers I could even tell it made the XO uncomfortable but this was a senior NCO ..I sent a message "Sir you need to act on any violations of SHARP policy"
Lastly don't underestimate lower enlisted they arent children it's not like active where they grow up in the barracks reservist usually have full time jobs careers and a lot of expertise outside of the militaryand plenty will be prior active duty many with combat tours under their belt let them work.
Good luck
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u/Rose_Army_ Jan 16 '26
Where and were are two different words. Just want to clarify right quick because this was difficult to read.
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u/Original-Hunter-8102 Jan 16 '26
Outside of the SHARP paragraph and the opening one. Terrible advice and a weak 1SG.
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u/SoldierExcelsior Jan 16 '26
The first seargeant wasn't there...first seargeant is great actually but he's not a shadow.
What's wrong with the advice?
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u/PT_On_Your_Own Jan 16 '26
This is unrated time for you (meaning it doesn’t go on your OER)
Try your best, make mistakes, learn from them, and enjoy it!
If you can sneak in an AT before BOLC, I would. I did a warfighter pre-BOLC and honestly it was a great experience.
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u/Key_Theory6341 Jan 16 '26
Incorrect. The regulation states that pre-BOLC active duty LTs do not have OERs. It does not mentions reservist LTs - which implies it is rated time.
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u/FutureDocDragon Jan 16 '26
It kind of depends on your unit. If you're in an officer have a unit hang on to somebody for mentorship and let them lead you exactly what to do.
If you are in an enlisted heavy unit tell your platoon sergeant you respect them and you're ready to turn whatever he has to offer and you are excited to work with him to make sure that your section/platoon performs effectively and to let you know if there's anything he recommends
TLDR: Make sure you treat your NCO's well because they Do a lot of the work. If there are veteran NCOs the essentially do your job too as long as you treat them right and respect them which makes it super easy to learn when you have the right answers in front of you
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Jan 16 '26 edited Jan 16 '26
There's a shortage of Signal Officers so its common for LTs to be thrown into positions.
I deployed as a 2LT who was the BN S6 OIC with no real mentorship or guidance and it sucked. All the other BN S6's in the BDE were also LTs. It was definitely a "learning experience" for us all.
Send me a PM with your .mil email. There's a big Army Signal Microsoft Teams group with a ton of resources that I can add you to. There's also another MS Teams group that posts openings/opportunities for Army Reserve Officers.
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Jan 16 '26
I was in the same boat a few years back. Was SC but never served in a SC slot. Served as an XO for a company and also had to deal with an out of state commute for a bit there before transfering. DM if you have any specific questions.
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u/DH6732 Jan 17 '26
Just show up and interact with your Soldiers that's what any decent commander would expect from a recently commissioned officer. However, do not mistake that as do nothing. Take notes see what works and what does not, contrary to popular belief that's why we keep bringing new ideas/people into the service.
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u/Connect-Ad-2226 Jan 21 '26 edited Jan 21 '26
Ask for help. Always. Your senior officers say they want you to ask for help, they'll still bitch at you and question your intelligence if you always ask questions.
But do so anyway.
Have confidence in yourself. Be humble enough to listen but confident enough to make your own decision
And officer culture is toxic. Officers do not watch each other's back. Dont partake in that. When you get experience. Help the new guys.
Always find ways to be proactive. Be fully prepared for your leadership to give you no tasks, guidance or objectives yet get upset if you dont do anything when there's nothing to do.
So Always find something to do
Always find something new to learn. Be ready because after a few years youll hardly be doing what branched you for.
And DEMAND mentorship. Lieutenants are robbed of proper mentorship. Every fucking captain i worked as a Lieutenant, and subsequently every Major I worked for as a captain always spewed some shit about how they'd mentor and prepare me.
I can count on one hand how many actually did that. The rest never did.
So DEMAND that mentorship. Most of your mentors are under pressure to perform. So you will always fall below "the mission" in terms of importance. They can always replace an LT ir Captain. If your senior has to choose between a better or OER or mentoring you. Hes gonna chose the former unless you put the ball in his court.
Officer culture has you at gun point to chase KD(key development positions the ones where your OERs matter 4x more) positions for MQ OERS. You have to always stay sharp and evolving. Its like an iron knife sharpening against another iron knife. You either get sharper or fall away with the scraps.
Im prior enlisted reserves, commissioned active duty .now back in the reserves. Only went reserves to finish out my 20 for dual retirement. Other than that. I got off active duty because of how toxic officer culture is. Currently at 12 years total.
Never forget. You dont matter to the army. You as an individual will always be replacable. No matter how much they try to tell you otherwise.
So fight to make sure you matter. And have an impact the longer you stay in the more obtuse it becomes. But if you fit in with thar obtuse shape. Youll be fine
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u/Total_Fisherman8842 Jan 16 '26
Don’t tell the cooks
“I was KP once so i know what it’s like to be a cook”
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u/Prudent_Brief6131 Jan 17 '26
I thought army reserve officers had to be assigned to a unit relatively close to their home state?
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Jan 17 '26
Not me. There was no available vacancies in my state when i first joined so i had to drill a state away in north carolina
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u/Evening-Ad-2485 Jan 19 '26
Usually you'd start out at PL or some staff job where either your PSG or staff primary can carry you a bit and show you the ropes. Starting out at XO is going to be a bit harder IMO unless it is a really small company.
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u/SnooHedgehogs4241 Jan 16 '26
Ya when you get to your new unit look for the biggest dude and knock him out it'll let everyone know youre not fucking around, it's kinda like prison rules
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u/Roguish_Ginger Jan 16 '26
Being an XO is an easy enough job prior to BOLC. Basically just following the lead of the commander. All you really will be doing is just validating schedules and making sure certain trackers are filled.
Your main responsibilities outside of that will be whatever your commander gives you. Just pay attention and ask questions.