Photo By Spc. Matthew Mackintosh | Maj. Gen. James B. Jarrard, commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division and U.S....... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- Leaders from across the 25th Infantry Division attended the Squad Leader Forum at the Sgt. Smith Theater on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from Jan. 25, through Feb. 2, 2021.
The Army and 25th Infantry Division recently shifted their focus toward prioritizing people above all other priorities and recognizing that people are the most important asset. However, there was not a blueprint laid out to achieve that goal. Division Leadership asked for ideas from across the formation and as a result, senior leaders and Soldiers came together to develop the idea of the first ever “Squad Leader Forum.”
This novel event allowed the squad leaders to be heard by the division’s command team, and let them guide discussions on how to develop solutions for the issues that their Soldiers and squads encounter daily.
“Our squad leaders are really where the rubber meets the road,” said Maj. Chris Mattos, a Division G3 staff officer. “They interact with Soldiers in this division every minute of every day, so we really need their help; we are reaching out during this forum to get their feedback and ideas.”
The Squad Leader Forum provides the opportunity for junior non-commissioned officers and senior leaders to discuss how they can improve the culture within their squads and to provide feedback on how the division can better take care of them and their families.
“We hope that during the event, the squad leaders are having open dialogue and discussions with each other, that they are sharing some of the best practices and lessons they learned about leadership, teambuilding, and how to take care of people.” said Mattos.
The squad leaders underwent various group exercises to include a bonfire, watching videos regarding leadership, exchanged personal stories via index cards, and initiated encouraging candid conversations.
One of the most important facets of the forum occurred when the squad leaders identified the traits that make a leader great and what hinders the potential of a leader. Identifying these traits created more awareness amongst the squad leaders of how their actions may be perceived by their Soldiers. The participants as a whole came to the conclusion that all good leaders care for their people.
“I would describe a great squad leader as somebody who puts their people before themselves,” said Mattos.
Although these squad leaders entered the theater from different units and backgrounds, they left with a shared goal in mind: to put people first and a shared vision on how to get it accomplished.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2021 16:15 |
| Story ID: | 388389 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Schofield Barracks
