"Have fun in your command. Don't always run at breakneck pace. Take leave
when you've earned it, spend time with your families." - Colin Powell
when you've earned it, spend time with your families." - Colin Powell
It can be difficult to properly balance taking the time to have fun against the need to stay focused on mission. I've seen many a commander who couldn't balance the two at all. Normally, their command climate was terrible because everyone was on edge, exhausted, and stressed. Many a commander has aged well beyond their years because they simply could not grasp that being a workaholic does not equal success. Being a workaholic commander also makes life difficult for your subordinates and usually causes morale to sink. It's one thing to demand results, performance and high standards. However, it's another thing to force yourself and everyone around you to be consumed by work and nothing else. I internalized a simple philosophy a long time ago that serves me well - one that I advise my subordinates to also embrace. It simply states that in the Army it's just business, it's not personal. Working towards mission success is our business. Balance that against your personal time and don't stress about things outside your control. And, as Colin Powell advises, take time to have fun! I know I do and I ensure we make provisions for everyone in the battalion to do likewise. The results of our efforts? Our morale is high and our discipline problems are minimal. We work when it's time and we enjoy ourselves when we have time off. That's the way it should be.
Soldiers find ways to spend their off time. COB Speicher does not offer much in terms of venues. There is an MWR and two gyms. Personal fitness is a common theme an
d the gym is where most off-duty time is spent. The units field intramural teams that hold regular tournaments. The main gym offers spinning, P90X, and other classes. Best of all, the gyms are open 24-hours. The MWR has regular events too. This can vary from "Salsa Night" to "Karaoke Under the Stars" at the PX Food Court. All of this doesn't necessarily mean that every Soldier has an organized activity they routinely attend. A lot of them simply spend their off hours on the computer or watching movies back in their rooms. The "Purple Palace" Iraqi bazaar offers all the latest in movie releases via pirated DVD's that sell for dirt cheap prices. The Soldiers refer to these as "Haji Movies", although that is an inaccurate slang usage. Regardless, everyone seems to find their own niche when they aren't working. I like it that way. I want my Soldiers to be refreshed and happy when they report for duty.
d the gym is where most off-duty time is spent. The units field intramural teams that hold regular tournaments. The main gym offers spinning, P90X, and other classes. Best of all, the gyms are open 24-hours. The MWR has regular events too. This can vary from "Salsa Night" to "Karaoke Under the Stars" at the PX Food Court. All of this doesn't necessarily mean that every Soldier has an organized activity they routinely attend. A lot of them simply spend their off hours on the computer or watching movies back in their rooms. The "Purple Palace" Iraqi bazaar offers all the latest in movie releases via pirated DVD's that sell for dirt cheap prices. The Soldiers refer to these as "Haji Movies", although that is an inaccurate slang usage. Regardless, everyone seems to find their own niche when they aren't working. I like it that way. I want my Soldiers to be refreshed and happy when they report for duty.CSM and I have analyzed our battle rhythm and programmed in regular battalion events that are open to everyone. 
Our HQ has an outstanding (by Iraq FOB standards) social area with firepit, chairs, and tables. We coordinated with one of the MWR DJ's and now every Friday night is the 275th CSSB "Karaoke Lounge and Cigar Night". It has quickly become DJ Jorge's biggest draw on Speicher. We have each staff section rotate responsibility for the setup and theme. That makes for every Friday night to be slightly different. It's amazing how many Soldiers of all ranks I have who love to sing. Everyone who knows me is aware that I like to belt out a tune or two as well. We just haven't cracked the code on getting CSM up to the mike. It's only a matter of time though. His music taste is vastly different than mine so I cringe at the thought of CSM belting out a rendition of "Hotel California" or some other dreadful miscarraige of musical creativity. Oh well, it's all in good fun.
Our HQ has an outstanding (by Iraq FOB standards) social area with firepit, chairs, and tables. We coordinated with one of the MWR DJ's and now every Friday night is the 275th CSSB "Karaoke Lounge and Cigar Night". It has quickly become DJ Jorge's biggest draw on Speicher. We have each staff section rotate responsibility for the setup and theme. That makes for every Friday night to be slightly different. It's amazing how many Soldiers of all ranks I have who love to sing. Everyone who knows me is aware that I like to belt out a tune or two as well. We just haven't cracked the code on getting CSM up to the mike. It's only a matter of time though. His music taste is vastly different than mine so I cringe at the thought of CSM belting out a rendition of "Hotel California" or some other dreadful miscarraige of musical creativity. Oh well, it's all in good fun.In my microcosms of free time I like to pay particular attention to everything around me. I always carry my camera with me. I don't ever want to miss forever capturing the fascinating, humorous, sullen, dreary or other moments that I encounter. One of my favorite humorous encounters that I love is finding the wit of Joe on the wall of a latrine or p
ort-o-jon. Our years in Iraq could literally be summed up in a compilation of Joe's latrine prose over the course of our time here. It is priceless and never predictable. One of my latest finds was a drawing of a "flux capacitor" (for everyone familiar with the Back to the Future movies) inside a latrine stall. The date on Joe's latrine time machine was set for June 14, 1775 - the birthday of the Army. At first I wondered what Joe was hoping to change by going back to that day. Then I became concerned for Joe. After all, the Army was not founded in Iraq. If this time-traveling Joe had actually activated his time machine he'd probably be in some Bedouin camp of 18th Century Persia. How could we get him back to the future? Then the engineer in me began wondering how he could have activated his time machine in the first place. Didn't the time machine need to travel at precisely 88mph? Ah! Joe thinks of everything. Mexican Night at the DFAC is a guaranteed trip to the latrine. That crafty Joe built a time machine based upon the speed of excremental expulsion. When the rate of Class I download hit 88mph it would trigger the flux capacitor, thereby sending Joe back in time to the date specified. I just hope that there is a toilet precisely at that same location when Joe gets there or it will be very messy. But I'm sure Joe thought of that too. He's a crafty sort.
ort-o-jon. Our years in Iraq could literally be summed up in a compilation of Joe's latrine prose over the course of our time here. It is priceless and never predictable. One of my latest finds was a drawing of a "flux capacitor" (for everyone familiar with the Back to the Future movies) inside a latrine stall. The date on Joe's latrine time machine was set for June 14, 1775 - the birthday of the Army. At first I wondered what Joe was hoping to change by going back to that day. Then I became concerned for Joe. After all, the Army was not founded in Iraq. If this time-traveling Joe had actually activated his time machine he'd probably be in some Bedouin camp of 18th Century Persia. How could we get him back to the future? Then the engineer in me began wondering how he could have activated his time machine in the first place. Didn't the time machine need to travel at precisely 88mph? Ah! Joe thinks of everything. Mexican Night at the DFAC is a guaranteed trip to the latrine. That crafty Joe built a time machine based upon the speed of excremental expulsion. When the rate of Class I download hit 88mph it would trigger the flux capacitor, thereby sending Joe back in time to the date specified. I just hope that there is a toilet precisely at that same location when Joe gets there or it will be very messy. But I'm sure Joe thought of that too. He's a crafty sort.
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