Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fo c u s
that it offers lessons in emerging topics that the significant leadership roles that await
are currently being experienced by soldiers them in the very near future,” he said. “The
worldwide. The Army-level topics change PL forum is one innovative resource that is
approximately every month. helping us to plug in to what young officers
not possible before,” he said. “They depart Not only does the forum connect cadets are doing right now.”
college further along the learning curve and to professional soldiers and facilitate classroom Another leader development initiative
better equipped to be exceptional leaders.” discussion, but it allows cadets to share their the Bearkat Battalion has undertaken is
In the “shoot/don’t shoot” dilemma takes on “video vignettes” outside of the professional reading, with a focus on the
above, cadets were asked to make a decision classroom with their peers across the country book, Two Wars, by former Army Ranger
even though information was incomplete and in other ROTC programs and at West Point. Nate Self.
all courses of action were problematic, with “Platoon Leader has made information As a capstone of the program, Self visited
potential negative effects, according to Yebra. available to me that I didn't know even the SHSU campus in December to discuss
“The ‘shoot/don't shoot’ leader existed. I am able to find information on his book and devoted extra time afterward
challenge leads off with a lieutenant almost anything regarding my specific branch to answer questions the cadets had, according
describing the (true) situation he found or even the Army in general,” said senior to Yebra.
himself in,” Yebra said. “These are split- cadet Andy Enriquez. “There are numerous “Having Nate Self come to campus drives
second decisions that our leaders have to ways to interact with other PLs, who have home how connected we are to each other as
make in a very complex environment.” actually been downrange and have valuable members of the Army profession,” he said.
Herdon’s case is an example of not experiences to share.” “What a privilege it is to be part of a team
shooting and being glad that he did not, Yebra, who joined the Bearkat Battalion like this.”
Yebra said, because, as cadets learned, the last summer and spent three of the last six Note: The PL forum (http://pl.army.mil)
camera was actually a boombox-type radio. years deployed to Iraq, said he knows all exists to connect platoon leaders with each other
The Platoon Leader forum goes beyond too well how critical it is for future platoon and is laser-beam focused on the practice of
the traditional ROTC curriculum. While the leaders to think through, in as much detail as platoon leading. Future platoon leaders (in ROTC,
ROTC emphasizes physical fitness and other possible, what they will do when faced with Officer Candidate School, U.S. Military
tactical training necessary for the young men the challenging situations that await them. Academy) with AKO (Army Knowledge Online)
and women in their future Army careers, “Our team is going to do everything credentials may join and tap in to the ongoing
the platoon leader site is cutting-edge in we possibly can to prepare our cadets for conversation. O