Company commanders bear immense responsibility for leading, training, equipping and caring for their soldiers while balancing mission requirements with organizational readiness. Yet they routinely are placed in positions where their success depends on navigating complex human issues with minimal preparation.
For example, a staff sergeant under my command endured prolonged financial and emotional abuse from his spouse, leading to foreclosure, repossession and the spouse moving another individual into the home. After months of silence, this NCO finally was referred to behavioral health and Army Community Service. As a commander, I was expected to counsel him and connect him with resources, yet I had never received training in crisis intervention or family counseling.
Another case involved a sergeant first class with 18 years of service navigating a contentious divorce, two General Officer Memorandums of Reprimand and ongoing legal and financial struggles. While he continued to perform his duties under immense stress, he regularly sought counsel under my open door policy. Again, my ability to assist was limited not by commitment but by a lack of formal preparation.
Family Strife
These experiences are not isolated. The 2023 Department of the Army Career Engagement Survey found that family concerns were the leading factor driving junior officers out of the Army. Key reasons included the effects of deployments on personal relationships, the impacts on a spouse’s career goals, the unpredictability of Army life and an overall strain on family well-being.
Additionally, suicide remains a critical concern. In 2023, 523 service members died by suicide, according to Pentagon data, with relationship and financial issues among the most common contributing factors. These statistics demonstrate that commanders regularly encounter problems that extend beyond tactical training and administrative processes.
As a second-term company commander in a training battalion who has completed the Adjutant General Captains Career Course and the Company Commander/First Sergeant Pre-Command Course, I have observed significant gaps in the training provided to officers prior to assuming command. Current professional military education does not adequately prepare company commanders for the complex and personal challenges they will face in organizational leadership.
The Adjutant General Captains Career Course focuses primarily on providing tactical- and operational-
level training to human resources officers at the company-grade level. The course prepares officers to develop, interpret, plan, integrate, coordinate and implement the Army’s human resources programs and policies for military and civilian workforces at the battalion and brigade levels. While this training is critical for human resources officers, it is not designed to prepare officers for the unique responsibilities of command.
Similarly, the Company Commander/First Sergeant Pre-Command Course is a 40-hour course designed to familiarize company-level command teams with Army regulations, administrative processes, property accountability and training management. While valuable, the course provides only a cursory review of topics such as the Uniform Code of Military Justice, administrative separations, Army Regulation 15-6 investigations, environmental law, the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, suicide prevention, the Army Substance Abuse Program and equal employment opportunity. These complex issues demand deeper instruction and practical application than the course offers.
Insufficient Curriculum
Both courses represent missed opportunities to prepare officers for command realities. Company commanders are expected to solve problems, care for soldiers and make decisions in situations for which they often receive little or no training. Command frequently requires leaders to sit with soldiers during the most difficult days of their lives and guide them to resources that may preserve careers, families and lives.
The Army should address this gap by implementing additional training for incoming commanders.
Near the top of this list is crisis management. The Army should provide commanders with structured instruction in crisis response, suicide intervention and family support resources. Crisis management training is critical for company commanders because the human dimension of leadership often is the most difficult and unpredictable aspect of command. Unlike tactical tasks, which can be rehearsed, standardized and measured, crises involving soldiers’ personal lives are complex, emotionally charged and require immediate judgment.
A commander may be the first person a soldier turns to after experiencing domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, financial collapse or legal troubles. Without structured training, commanders must rely on intuition or personal experience, which can lead to inconsistent responses and potentially harmful outcomes.
Crisis-management training equips commanders with three essential capabilities.
Recognizing warning signs. Many soldiers hesitate to seek help until problems have escalated. Training in crisis identification allows commanders to recognize subtle behavioral, financial or emotional indicators that a soldier may be in distress. Early recognition can prevent a crisis from worsening and may save a career or life.
Responding effectively while under pressure. Commanders often are placed in high-stakes situations where a soldier discloses suicidal ideations, domestic abuse or severe financial hardship. These moments demand not only empathy but also confidence in knowing what to say, what not to say and which resources to activate immediately. Without training, commanders risk unintentionally giving poor advice, minimizing the problem or making statements that could worsen the soldier’s situation.
Connecting soldiers to resources. The Army provides robust support systems, including behavioral health, chaplaincy, family advocacy and financial readiness programs. However, many commanders enter command with limited knowledge of how to navigate these resources. Crisis-management training ensures leaders can rapidly connect soldiers with the right agency while maintaining the trust and dignity of the individual in crisis.
In addition to crisis-management training, the Army also should require commanders to complete a resilience program like the Cadre Resilience Program mandated for drill sergeants. The Cadre Resilience Program gives drill sergeants a chance to rest, refit and recharge during their grueling schedules.
The Army also should require quarterly professional counseling or resilience-focused sessions for commanders to manage stress, model help-seeking behaviors and incorporate case-based training for commanders on real-world family, financial and behavioral health issues faced by soldiers.
By equipping commanders with these tools, the Army will better prepare leaders to meet the human dimension of command, strengthen unit readiness and preserve the force.
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Capt. Cardero Jefferson is commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 369th Adjutant General Battalion, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Previously, he commanded the battalion’s Delta Company, which is an Advanced Individual Training company. He deployed once to Afghanistan and once to Poland.