#2--Connor O'Brien

In this episode, we discuss: *Connor's time with Marine Security Forces *Corporals Course *Serving in 1/7 as a squad leader and overcoming the stigma of Security Forces NCOs *The Advanced Infantry Marine Course *Connor’s deployment to Darwin, Australia *Keeping Marines in a forward-deployed mindset *What excited Connor most about being a squad leader *What concerned him most *Some of the mistakes he’s made as a squad leader *The atmosphere and culture he tried to create in his first squad *The training and PME programs he implemented *Balancing the demands of bureaucracy with preparing Marines for combat *Connor’s expectations for his junior Marines, fire team leaders, fellow squad leaders, platoon sergeant, platoon commander, and company commander *What makes an ideal squad leader *Balancing one's personal life with dedication to the profession of arms *What makes a squad leader from hell *The most important thing squad leaders do besides leading Marines in combat and preparing them for it *Connor’s experiences as a platoon sergeant in 1/8 *The one thing Connor would have liked to have known about his platoon before becoming its platoon sergeant *The current culture and atmosphere in 1/8 *Connor’s philosophy of leadership and how it’s evolved *His thoughts on TDGs and their facilitation