3 ish working days left. Then the Major gets back and I can start my drawdown...
I extended for about 20 days to make sure my boss wasn't left stranded while the Major went to a course out of country.
Its been great overall. I've been the Military Assistant (MA) for the General for almost a month and the experience is one I will not soon forget.
How to be a Kick Ass Army Genera, how to be the MA for a Kick Ass Generall:
1) Communicate clearly. If you need or want something say it and give all the information you may have on it
Following bread crumbs is something MAs do all day and must learn to do well. Get a Rolodex or a notebook and write EVERYONE's contact info in it
2) Chocolate motivates. Throwing snickers around the office everyone in a while is a good motivational kicker. Everyone likes Chocolate and working late isn't so bad with Snickers.
3) Be Human... laughing and joking around is important... daily mouse trap checks and sport team bantering is helpful.
4) Do your job... not everyone else's. Some of the best things i heard from my boss, "the calendar is your job, i won't mess with it". (YOU ROCK!) "Set up a meeting with XXXX i need to discuss (Uber Secret topics) and I need to tell them to stop throwing shit over the fence to us", "NO we're not touching (Uber Secret Planning Job) thats THEIR job, we're already doing enough of their work"
5) Sing Along... I like Classical Rock. Feel free to sing along to the music in the truck, or sleep... thats cool too.
6) Get Good Chow... "schedule the meeting (at a base with great food) after lunch, we can go over early and eat their food"
7) "Who do you work for" , "you sir", "Thats right" (Saving someone from having to do work for another department when unneeded)
8) We are in Afghanistan. Understanding that "shit happens", trucks break, traffic sucks, the weather is against us, and bad guys have guns. Take risk, when needed.
9) Great Expectation. Expect great things from me, I'll get it done.
All the Bosses i have had during my deployment, General Officer or not have been pretty kick ass. Cheers Bosses! I'll have a beer for you!
