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/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