JLBC LESSONS LEARNED

JLBC LESSONS LEARNED

Caring for members also includes professional development. They assess their professional and functional education needs and align those with organizational needs. Selecting team members with the potential to attend school benefits not only the JLBC Cadets but also the unit and the JLBC as a whole. Balance the needs of the Cadets and JLBC with the needs of the team and leader. Many leaders struggle with this when determining whether to send Cadets to their professional military education training or when conducting a combat training center rotation.

Rewards and punishment are also a part of taking care of Cadets. Reward the desired behavior, the behavior that demonstrates the JLBC values. The reward should be meaningful and in front of the team. It does not have to be a military award. It could be as simple as a three-day pass or early release from a duty day.

Conversely, punish those whose behavior contradicts the Army values. Punishment can range from counseling to withholding promotions to non-judicial discipline.

To be effective, rewards and punishments should be fair and consider the whole person when administering. It is essential to enforce standards.

Members will know that their leader cares for them when they take ownership of what their squad does or fails to do. The leader must own it! Leaders must know their team members, know their families, know where they are from, what they like to do for hobbies, etc. A leader will find it challenging to see indications of issues early on if they do not know about their Cadets or team.