Spiritual Development of the Commissioned Officer

Senior Company Grade Officer

Captain John Hoyman, U.S. Army

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This series provides a glimpse of challenges and opportunities that Christian military officers may face as they span the years of their careers.

After the first years of service have passed, company grade officers are no longer considered “green.” One or two promotions have occurred, and while the company grade officers are still young, they are not inexperienced. Acceptance still continues to be a challenge, but not to the degree that it was.

With more experience comes more responsibility—and more time involved in the job. This is also the point when many choose to start having children—also a very time-intensive endeavor. Many senior company grade officers find that they are successful, but that the lack of time hinders them.

The temptation of ambition can blind young officers and get them off track, making them unproductive for the kingdom of God.

One of the first areas to suffer is personal spiritual renewal. Senior company grade officers who decide to spend time in the Word at home sometimes find their families clamoring for attention.

Some elect then to come to the office and start the day in the Word, but this can also be easily interrupted. Whatever young officers do to protect their personal connection with our Lord is critical to their continued growth—or to the onset of their spiritual downfall.

Leading by example is vital for the Christian officer, but in some cases the example is not as direct as it was for the brand new officer. As one retired Army lieutenant colonel says, “Your influence on soldiers will be less direct, but your influence on leaders will increase—care for the soldiers, but help develop the leaders” (LTC Craig Zachariasen).

How the increased level of influence should or should not be used for the sake of advancing the Kingdom can be a fine line that company grade officers must learn to walk as they advance in grade.

For most, senior company grade ranks come with their first command position. Admonishing his fellow officers of danger, a senior captain in the Army states, “Being coercive as a Christian with your position . . . creating an environment that can be perceived that fellow Christians get better treatment [is a spiritual pitfall]” (CPT Jim Hoyman).

One of the great opportunities for senior company grade officers is that they have garnered more than a modicum of respect. (The Navy ensign or Air Force lieutenant may be smart and competent, but he or she simply may lack experience, as well as the rapport of other service members who value experience.)

Senior company grade officers are still close enough to the soldier or sailor level that they can have a direct impact on their lives. This is the last chance many officers will have in this realm, as promotion to the field grade ranks will distance them from the working men and women of the Armed Forces.

Although at all ranks officers need to be careful about the perception of coercion in faith matters, senior company grade officers have more freedom to express their faith than they will later in their careers.

As printed in COMMAND magazine May 2007