CG of First Army offers advice to MCCC students

FORT BENNING, Ga., (May 11, 2016) -- Providing some insight as to the challenges future company commanders may face, Lt. Gen. Michael Tucker, commanding general of First Army, visited with two Maneuver Captain Career Course seminars May 5, offering advice and wisdom from his 44 years in the Army.

"Your world is going to revolve around three things, it really doesn't matter what branch you are. Your world is going to revolve around three pillars--gunnery, tactics, and maintenance," said Tucker, emphasizing that these are three areas that will make company commanders successful combat leaders.

Tucker stressed the importance of making sure everything is done to standard, especially when it applies to maintenance.

"I think your role is to ensure that we're doing it to standard, does that make sense? Are we doing maintenance to standard? You can't do that if you are on email in your office all day," said Tucker.

Tucker encouraged them to get out from behind their computers and regularly get 'down in the mud' with their Soldiers.

"If you are in the motor pool, there is inevitably a pair of legs sticking out from under a vehicle," said Tucker. "You crawl up under there with them."

Part of getting in the mud with Soldiers helps determine what you see, said Tucker.

Tucker also advised the students to routinely ask themselves how they are adding value to a situation, and how they are increasing readiness.

"The Chief of Staff of our Army said that the number one priority of our Army is readiness. So ask yourself everyday, not only the question 'How am I value added?' but 'What am I doing to increase the readiness of my formation?"

Tucker advised students to be mindful how they spend their time as a leader.

"How you spend your time as a company commander will telegraph to your Soldiers, subliminally, what's important to you. So if you spend your whole day pecking away on a keyboard doing emails in the office while your unit is out training, doing maintenance, doing gunnery, you're telling them?? -- whether you realize it or not -- what's important to you," said Tucker.