During my senior year of high school, I had to present a project in my marine biology class. All of the students were given a subject to write a paper on and we then had to present it to the class along with our fellow group members. Me being the overachiever I was at the time decided to make a power point presentation on what we were assigned and have me and my fellow group mates present it to the class. The delivery was poorly thought out and it mainly consisted of a bunch of pictures that we thought were funny at the time. Our teacher, highly unamused by our antics failed our project. When I asked him why he failed us he told me that it was because we had no regard for our audience enough to actually engage them in a meaningful conversation
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I was assigned to be our Battalion XO’s driver and personal assistant if you will. Anytime information needed to be relayed to other officers or NCO’s and he could not be present I was his fill-in. My first time filling in for him was the most nerve wracking experience of my life. I was tasked with presenting QRF field data and updated rosters of new soldiers coming from rear detachment to our FOB in Iraq. I remember each of the officers taking turns on Ventrilo giving their reports to our division commander, then it was my turn. I was nervous, to say the least, these men could make my military career a nightmare if I rubbed them the wrong way. I started speaking and my voice was so soft they could barely hear me. My platoon sergeant leaned over my shoulder and told me to speak up so I cleared my throat, took a deep breath and started talking again. My voice was more direct and firm in what I was saying, all of a sudden I did not feel afraid of them anymore. Yeah, they were still the same people who could make my life miserable if they wanted to, but I spoke to them with not only authority like I had the rank of a Major, but I also spoke to them with the same respect that they would give another fellow soldier be they commissioned or non-commissioned. I learned that when you deliver your information in a manner such as that, you
I was assigned to be our Battalion XO’s driver and personal assistant if you will. Anytime information needed to be relayed to other officers or NCO’s and he could not be present I was his fill-in. My first time filling in for him was the most nerve wracking experience of my life. I was tasked with presenting QRF field data and updated rosters of new soldiers coming from rear detachment to our FOB in Iraq. I remember each of the officers taking turns on Ventrilo giving their reports to our division commander, then it was my turn. I was nervous, to say the least, these men could make my military career a nightmare if I rubbed them the wrong way. I started speaking and my voice was so soft they could barely hear me. My platoon sergeant leaned over my shoulder and told me to speak up so I cleared my throat, took a deep breath and started talking again. My voice was more direct and firm in what I was saying, all of a sudden I did not feel afraid of them anymore. Yeah, they were still the same people who could make my life miserable if they wanted to, but I spoke to them with not only authority like I had the rank of a Major, but I also spoke to them with the same respect that they would give another fellow soldier be they commissioned or non-commissioned. I learned that when you deliver your information in a manner such as that, you