________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
three M59s was an allocation problem. We eventually got the third M59 so every squad
was track mounted.
Then our M59, though, was not less capable than the infantry because they were in M59s.
Today, engineers are in M113s while the infantry is in Bradleys, so we have a capability
differential on the move that we did not have then. The basic things that the engineers need
to move so they can be responsive to maneuver commander's needs were as evident then as
they are today.
Q:
It's almost a stereotype. You see it in the movies and you read about it--the amount of
reliance a new lieutenant has to place on his sergeants and the importance of getting along
with the sergeants. Did you have any experience along those lines? Is that true?
A:
Yes and no. Once again, this early experience was something that influenced me in
addressing how we try to teach our new lieutenants at Belvoir when I later was the Engineer
School commandant. Let me jump ahead from my lieutenant days to my commander, 7th
Engineer Brigade in Germany days, which is in between the time that I'm having the
experiences I have been discussing and the time I'm commandant.
I was rather disappointed in the understanding of our lieutenants at that time as they came
into the 7th Engineer Brigade on what they needed to do "to take charge." As one example,
one night I was on a bridge exercise. I found the lieutenant over at the side of the M4T6
bridge construction action. I went over and talked to him and I said, "How's it going?"
"We're going well. The old sergeant's got it really kicking along."
I said, "Well, what are you doing?"
He answered, "Well, I don't have anything to do."
I thought, "Oh my, we've come a long way" because, obviously, he did have something to
do. I remembered my own days, building bridges and being in the midst of things, trying to
make sure it was all going, and anticipating and everything else. So, I felt there, in the mid-
'70s, that we had a lot of problems in the Army.
Just bringing up a new lieutenant to understand what Max Thurman later really brought to
the fore in his "Rule 14" that, "When you're in charge, take charge" had a meaning. I felt I
had that because we were all taught that back at West Point, Ranger School, and the Engineer
School when I was a lieutenant. The example I gave of my first command post exercise, the
first aid example, and the example of going up to build the road a week after my arrival. I
mean, there was no doubt in my mind that I was in charge and I had a responsibility to be in
charge.
So, now to your question, what does that do to your platoon sergeant relationship? Well, you
need that person to help your transition and understand what it really is to lead troops,
especially in those days because we did not, at West Point, have the third lieutenant program
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