So Gunner it is apparent that you are a WO, the Back Bone of the army, the one position between the troops and infinity. The individual, who lives Ops, has the technical knowledge of the trade, afinity for the men and respect from officers. For the Guns, the AC IG.

Stand tall.

Oh yes; now lets here your thoughts and use this topic to continue the milieu of our previous post.

It is simplistically said, what goes around comes around. When you are telling the government that although things are a little rough and personnel are stretched thin, but the job is getting doe, and done admirably.

What do you expect? Human nature as a fault causes most individuals not to react until it is usually too late. Why should we, there is nothing to fix, why fix it if it is not broken. Hence the double lie we live. Of recent times there has been a plethora of derisive and negative information that has bubbled to the surface. CFHA, pay, SAR Choppers, Sea Kings, etc (amazing how the LSVW was forgotten about)

If this had not occurred we would still be soldiering on, doing what soldiers do best in a group. The lie consists of the implied need for new equipment etc, to be heard, but the applied overtones that all is functionally well mask this.

With the politicizing and bureaucratizing of our senior leadership, it is hard to make a simple straightforward request or comment. It has to be worded or veiled in a manner that allows the presenter room to manoeuvre or extricate themselves.

At the unit/command level, yes soldiering is carried out, but if you are a WO, how much time is dedicated today to staffing priorities and other administrative perfunctionaries of the CF. Can you honestly say that this is not a fact?

My only comment concerns life in the unit. Is it different now then in the 80s? Sure it is. Do I do more administration. Sure I do...goes with the rank. Good administration is simply one means of taking care of your people. Isn't that one of the things leadership is about? We live in a more complex world, deal with it.

Gunner sends....

First of all I use this forum to blow of steam and some times I can be quite negative. Howver I have to general points

1. I have stated this before and will do so agin. We can all complain about the forces being too small, lack of trg time etc but what it boils down to is that we are a demorcacy and we are the Armed Forces that the people want. The don' t want us going into a war situation where people may be killed Gulf War), they don't want us warlike (and therefore the fallicy of peacekeeping). they don't want to spend money on new hardware when they do not precieve a threat and money could be better spent on health care and education. We are a relefection of the publics wishes. and gov'r understands this.

2. For any of us who have being doing this for awihle (and to a certain degree those that aren't in don't understand) is that first and foremost we are sodiers. When the CO comes to me and says that he wants so and so done, I can tell him - " Sir, I don't think tahts a good idea". He then says "I hear you but this is what I want done" I give him the high five and the proceed to get the job done to the best opf my ability. I go to My SNCO' and say I want so and so done, they will come back and say that might not be agood idea where apon I will tell them I hear you ButBut this is what I want done.
This is not blind obidiece but good order and dislpine. The only time that you refuse an order is if it is unlawful. Following orders whether you agree or not and doing them to the best of your ablity is a sign of a professional.

Hope all is well at the unit,

By the way the eldest is 17 graduates this year and the youngest is about to start drivers ed.

Hope all is well in Yugo and stay safe

We were talking about centralized orderly rooms a while back. I just got the word - and while there is still some confusion as to how it will work or who it will involve - the happy thing I have to report is that all involved get to keep their current headdress and kit. Being a Highlander that's pretty important to me, and I imagine the black hatters across the parade square will be happy to keep their RCAC hats - or at least, they should be.

The reason I am bringing this up is to illustrate that we all sometimes get pessimistic, but there are other times you have to admit that the Army gets things right once in awhile. I may not have had any business jumping to conclusions about being forced out of the Regiment I've belonged to going on 14 years, but I do know I felt pretty proud of my superiors for coming to the right decision regarding our "status" and hopefully realizing where the source of much of our pride comes from.

Simpliest way is to tell the person to his/her face that you appreciate what they have done. No higher praise then that....but do it privately.

You can tell the chain of command that you think "so and so" did an outstanding job.

You can write a letter to the superior of the "person you want to thank or acknowledge". For that matter you can simply write a letter to who you want to acknowledge.

Other things you can do is, depending on what your superior has done, is recommend them for CO Commendation, Brigade Commendation, Area Commendation, LFC Commendation, CDS Commendation.

Perhaps someone has been an outstanding person all their military career, therefore maybe a ORMM nomination may be in order. Nothing better for a person if their subordinates chose who should recv a nomination rather then the chain of command.

Lots of ways to do it, just make sure it is done professionally.

One obviously doesn't want to go around sucking up either, you raise a good point. From a philosophical standpoint, I just find it interesting that we have more systems formalized for discipline and complaint than we do for praise - especially regarding feedback from a junior rank regarding his seniors. (You mention letters of appreciation - I have several on my pers file as I'm sure most people do, and have seen those written for/about others - interestingly (to me) I've never heard of such a letter being written by someone regarding a superior of theirs, however). I'm not complaining on that point, as I realize that is simply the nature of things. I wonder if there is a general perception that junior ranks are not capable of accurately judging or assessing the abilities of their seniors (for good or for bad)? Hence no systems are in place.

(I can't comment from a military standpoint, but I think I can relate - when I was a bike courier, I definitely had very concrete assumptions about what my manager should be doing and how well he was doing it - once promoted to operations manager, I began to resent my staff for making those same assumptions, since the job entailed far more than I had dreamed, and I realized that "mere" employees really had no way of knowing what the stresses were like since they never had to assume the responsibilities for themselves. I take it the same applies for the military?)

Should subordinates be allowed to comment on their leaders ability? That's difficult to answer. I am optimistic that the "system" does a pretty good job of weeding out those leaders that a someone will follow to hell and those leaders that someone would follow only because of curiousity. It's however not a perfect system.

I've always believed that the "system" has a double check in dealing with leaders that are problems. That being the officer - NCO team at every level of command. If an offr is poor he has his WO to advise him behind closed doors. Similarly, the WO gets his authority from the offr. We need that relationship.

Secondly, we have the ability of the Sgt or WO to go up the NCM chain Sgt to WO to MWO to CWO so complaints or concerns can be given from an NCM perspective to the CO.

Anyway, enough rambling, if you want to send a letter on one of your superiors, go ahead. Just make it concise and direct to the point you are trying to make. For example:

Sir,

I am currently employed with the Calgary Garrison Orderly Room. During the recent switch to the "Garrison" provision of centralized services I was extremely impressed with the way (insert rank and name) conducted themselves during the switchover.

(insert rank and name) was extremely proactive in his/her approach to the planning and preparation for the event. He/she ensured we were all aware of how the change would effect our employment and our Regimental identity. I was always aware of what was going on and he/she was extremely approachable over all of the clerks concerns.

I believe his/her actions were an excellent example of leadership and I thought that you should be aware of (insert rank and name)'s efforts to minimize the stress incurred by all members of the new Garrison Orderly Room.

<<signed>>
M. Dorosh
rank
Calgary Garrison Orderly Room

How's that for not even knowing you?

Cubicle Wisdom:

1. If you do a good job and work hard, you may get a job with a better company someday.

2. The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.

3. Sure, you may not like working here, but we pay your rent.

4. Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings -- they did it by killing all those

who opposed them.

5. A person who smiles in the face of adversity probably has a scapegoat.

6. If at first you don't succeed--try management.

7. Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether.

8. Never quit until you have another job.

9. Hang in there: Retirement is only 30 years away!

10. Go the extra mile--It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker.

11. Pride, commitment, teamwork--words we use to get you to work for free.

12. Work: It isn't just for sleeping anymore.