Platoon commander experience

Share your Berget "know-how" and what is necessary to be prepared for when going to Berget-games.
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aidynskas
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Platoon commander experience

Post by aidynskas » 26 Jan 2013, 20:43

Hi,

I'm thinking about applying for the platoon commander position this year. I was wondering if platoon commanders from previous Bergets could share their experience.

-What were the problems you're having in this position?
-What important gear helped you or could have been useful?
-What it's like to be platoon commander in Berget in general, etc.
-Did you have experienced players under your command? Where they interested in teamwork in general?
-Anything important platoon commander should know.

Thanks,
Aidas
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Jöntti
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Re: Platoon commander experience

Post by Jöntti » 26 Jan 2013, 23:15

Why this kind of topics have not been made before? :o

I think that the only suggestion what I can give (general, not just for you) from my experience of platoon leading in Finland and from two Bergets as Squad leader:
Don't try to be platoon leader first time in your life in Berget. It is alot of harder because there is a lot more different things in Berget events than in your own country/area events. First take some experience at your homecountry and then try to lead Berget. Those who have better experience can say reasons and more.
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Rythm
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Re: Platoon commander experience

Post by Rythm » 02 Feb 2013, 15:15

I agree. Dont be a platoon commander on your first Berget, unless you have plenty of experience from before.

-What were the problems you're having in this position?

at some point morale will dip. You will be looked at to solve that. Also be prepared to not knowing where everyone is. Always have a backup plan for those moments when you have no contact with higher command.

-What important gear helped you or could have been useful?

A good radio is a must. A notebook also.

-What it's like to be platoon commander in Berget in general, etc.

Its hard but rewarding work.

-Did you have experienced players under your command? Where they interested in teamwork in general?

Yes, my platoon consisted of very experienced players who wanted to go hardcore. Teamwork was demanded.

-Anything important platoon commander should know.

If you have no previous experience of this kind of work, dont apply for command. I had 10+ years of experience from two different armies, and still i had to adjust to Berget. Its special.
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Tiger_1
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Re: Platoon commander experience

Post by Tiger_1 » 02 Feb 2013, 19:30

I have not been a Platoon commander, but I will say this as a general rule if you intend to lead any body of men (or women) at Berget. Be a positiv person, be a problem solver, make things work for you and your men, respect the chain of command.
You will have to do things that are boring and make you tired, have a plan for what you do when your guys get pissed, and keep them focused. Remember you can ask questions up the chain of command if you do not understand why you are doing something you and your men think is useless.

The most boring mission at Berget might be the most important!

Have an intention to come to berget to have fun, don't travel all that way to let an airsoft game piss you off! As long as you can keep your own moral up, you will do wonders for your men.

Also, accept that you will never please everyone, someone will think you are an asshole no matter how good a job you do.

The ability to think straight when a lot is going on is nice. A basic ability to read a map, use of a radio and knowledge of basic things military (as most commanders will use some form of military lingo).

Don't blame Berget events, your commander, or your men for things that go wrong, focus on getting the most out of what you can.

To use a old military saying," if you can't take a joke, you should not have joined".
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TerrenceAnth
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Re: Platoon commander experience

Post by TerrenceAnth » 03 Feb 2013, 01:41

Ok so in response to th following questions

-What were the problems you're having in this position?
Last year i was platoon commander of the French, Irish, English and Scottish in the infantry one major problem i ran into was language barriers but we fixed that very quickly though hand signals and using basic French/English words. The French lads and girls had about 3 of them that spoke English well but in the heat of battle the hand signals where a life saver.
Also keeping moral up when we where all tired and still had to march an hour to our base with some of the men suffering from blisters etc was a challenge but lucky the banter between the 4 nations kept our spirits high!

-What important gear helped you or could have been useful?
Knowing how to use my radio. One of the most important things i had last year was my puxing 888, learn how to use it also learn how to read maps and navigate this will be a huge benefit to your platoon.

-What it's like to be platoon commander in Berget in general, etc.
I enjoyed the hell out of myself it was awesome iv signed up for a higher position this year and as a fall back i would like to go back to platoon. Last year was my first berget and they needed guys to step up and take the platoon commander position so i said you know what throw me in head first! I think the last night there our company commander went into town with his team and got a meal so i picked up his position while he was off game. I also got put in charge of prisoners while my platoon was on guard duty. So if they need people to step forward i say hell if nobody else is stepping up and you think you can take the challenge power too you bro!

-Did you have experienced players under your command? Where they interested in teamwork in general?
Most of the players where new to berget apart from the French team. There experience at setting up base defences proved invaluable when we where attacked I hope to pass on this experience to the new players this year and help as much as possible where a few good men/women are needed!

-Anything important platoon commander should know.
The most important think to know is when the S!@t hits the fan stay calm and be heard your men look to you for inspiration... And that is a fact i will never forget us at the wind farm and tom who was our 2ic running across open ground to the trees waving us all to fall back that sight gave alot of us the extra push we needed to make that sprint across open ground to get to the safty of the treeline...... We lost alot of good soldiers that day :cry:
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Klings
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Re: Platoon commander experience

Post by Klings » 04 Feb 2013, 11:52

I was platoon commander in the Mountaineers in ye olde days. Now i teach this for a living.
Pro tip number one: Be a people person!
And as they said, learn to speak in a Radio and bring a notebook. Knowing basic english is not enough, you must be able to speak it.

Try an make friends with team leaders.
You probably don't have time to become friendly with everybody in your platoon. But it is important that you learn the names of the team leaders (TL) (notebook). Organize them in a way YOU can handle. Call teams Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, one two... etc. What works for you, as easy as possible.
Even if you act with positive intetinons and live a life free of sind, people will still misunderstand and be angry with you and your decisions. Remain calm, do good and fear not.

You are in fact middle management. You can not micromanage evry player, leave that to the TL's. Trust your TL's.
Share your workload with a second in command (SC). His task is to listen to each player and team. He is your souce to "ground level info"

You work in pair with your SC. You talk to command and stay"up to date" on info and orders (radio). Your SC talks to the teams and stay "up to date" there. Are they tired, hungry, killed or off-game? The real decisions are made by hig command, and TL's. Not always by you. You are middle management. Questions? Ask hig command or someone else.
I'm not saying you're a puppet, as everyone say: You need to motivate and inspire your men.

A friend of me was company commander last year. No experence needed, he just had is mind set to middle management :)
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