Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

You've all seen the scene in the movies where the new recruits get off the bus at basic training...

The drill sergeants circle impatiently like sharks waiting for their chance to dash in and start chewing up the recruits...

When I lined up at Fort Knox, Kentucky so many years ago, I knew what to expect. I'd already been in Air Force ROTC for a year, so I had practice standing in formation, shining shoes, and marching. I expected the yelling and mind games to begin, and I didn't have long to wait.

Soon, a Drill Sergeant stood right in front of me, wearing his telltale campaign hat. He leaned close and proceeded to deliver a fiery sermon on the virtues of doing exactly what you're told when you're told. At this point, I don't recall what he was preaching, but I knew was that I was at my new home for the next 8 weeks and I may as well get used to it.

Basic Training follows a pattern that I learned years later when I joined a unit of Drill Sergeants...

You take away everything that is personal, and attempt to turn 120+ individuals into a cohesive unit. You shave their hair, you dress them all the same, you make them stand in line.

They march and shower and eat together. They exercise together and clean together.

You play games... "Get on the bus!" "TOO SLOW! GET OFF THE BUS!"

Everything that they do, they do together. You teach them to help each other... That if one person fails, they all fail. They only succeed as a unit. You teach them "cadences" and have them all learn a platoon motto...

They hear the powerful sound of 30 voices screaming at once, in Unison... Eventually, you lighten up a little, but take away their privileges when they fail to meet that standards that have been set...

They learn, they overcome their differences, they bond, and they grow.

As I went through the process, I knew I was changing, but it was hard to appreciate how much. The drill sergeant who at first was screaming in my face suddenly developed a personality, and though he was still demanding, he also became a bit of a comedian and philosopher. "It ain't nothing but a thing" was his catchphrase.

Our Senior Drill Sergeant was a good Christian Man, and though it wasn't yet official Army policy not to swear at the recruits, it was his policy. If you made a foolish mistake, he'd shake his head and say "Private, get your head out of your duffle bag."

His other favorite phrase was "Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance." Whatever we did, we had a plan to do it... A soldier "smartbook" that went step by step through how to submit a report, disassemble a rifle, employ a hand grenade, use the radio, read a map, put on a protective mask and so much more.

We'd check our equipment and our "battle buddy's" equipment before every event or training exercise.

11 years later, I was in charge of a bunch of drill sergeants, at Fort Knox. I watched the drill sergeants train the soldiers, and over the course of 9 weeks, I saw over 120 teenagers transform from out of shape teenagers into a cohesive unit of young men who worked hard together and accomplished their training objectives.

For every event we had a plan, supplies, transportation, and safety concerns. These plans kept us on track and helped us accomplish everything required to train these young men.

We had a chain of command to get things done. I never had to yell. I had people for that.

"Drill Sergeant, we need to get these weapons loaded on the truck."

"No Problem, Sir.... I NEED 15 PRIVATES OVER HERE RIGHT NOW I SAID RIGHT NOW PICK UP THESE WEAPON RACKS AND PUT THEM ON THE TRUCK! MOVE IT MOVE IT HURRY UP! YOU'VE GOT TWO MINUTES AND ONE OF THEM's GONE! MOVE IT! LAST ONE! GREAT! CLOSE THE GATE, GET OFF THE TRUCK! All done, Sir."

"Thanks, Drill Sergeant!"

Now, everything that I do, I have a plan... I'll get up at this time so I must go to bed by this time, I'll shower in the morning or I'll shower at night. I'll drop off my laundry on the way to lunch, I'll go to the gym after I send that report. Everything has a plan, yet I need to allow for changes...

"FRAGO," we'll say. It stands for Fragmentary Order. It means the plan has changed, as my plans changed at Fort Knox...

I left the week before their graduation to join a new unit.

As I walked to my car to leave for the last time, I heard a voice in the distance:

"TOO SLOW, GET OFF THE BUS!"