REVIEW ON – FOLLOW ME PART I

BY

Maj Gen Aubey S. ‘Red’ Newman, Retd

Published in India by Lancer International, 1990

(Originally published by Greenhill Books, London)

(Pages 307)

1. Maj Gen Aubrey S. “Red” Newman, USA (Retired), served in the US Army (Infantry).
The officer took part in the Second World War, in the Philippines, as a regimental commander.
The author himself sums up his service in the Army as follows “Served in eight infantry
companies, and commanded three of them for a total of five years. Served in eight infantry
regiments and commanded three of them: 34th Infantry in New Guinea and the Philippines, 511th
Airborne Infantry, 11th Airborne Division and 505th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division.”

2. The book “Follow Me” deals with the basics of handling men - the management of men
in command and leadership. The author brings his experience and first hand information to come
to decisive conclusions. The major part of the book is from collections of a column named
“Forward Edge” written by the author for the ARMY magazine for more than twenty one years –
from September 1966 to January 1988. The book is laid out in three parts – COMMAND
PRESENCE, COMMAND TECHNIQUES AND COMMAND IN BATTLE. Further, the parts
are divided into chapters. Towards the end of each chapter, the author sums up the essence -
what he wanted to bring out - as his comments.

3. Some of the maj aspects brought out by the author are given in the succeeding
paragraphs.

4. Command and leadership are two quite different functions, yet inextricably interrelated.

5. Humor has a broader place in military life than in civilian life. Humor is an effective but
tricky technique in command and leadership, beneficial when used wisely and with skill, but it
can back fire into a dangerous booby trap if overworked or crudely employed.

6. Stand up for what you think is right – but temper your behaviour with prudence.

7. Being a good officer is an art. The personal and professional reputation of an officer
lives in the memory of hundreds, and cannot fail to help or hinder you in some measure. An
officer has to be a gentleman – hence saying “An officer and a gentleman” is redundant. Class
distinction has no meaning in today’s Army.

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8. Nothing can replace the most effective principle of company level leadership – the day to
day personal interest of the commander. A constant spot check – what in Indian Army
parlance we call stock taking – requires little effort and is cumulative in effect.

9. Basic element of overall efficiency is the ability of individuals to understand and get
along with others.

10. There may be a few men in a unit of limited ability – the commander has to assign him
duties that will make the most of his capabilities. The way such soldiers are treated by the
commander is viewed by other men as a weather vane of the commander’s judgment, fairness
and personal interest in his men.

11. All of us are concerned about own turning points in life. Similarly we should be
perceptive and alert about the aspirations of our men. It is like finding four – leaf clovers; they
are always there, but we must look for them. Otherwise we may crush them underfoot unaware.

12. Good manners and courtesy are a must for a commander; however, nothing in good
manners can serve as an excuse for poor discipline and mediocre execution.

13. Whether a bachelor or a married officer, the man in uniform should live by a standard of
discipline.

14. Do not over do the “direct approach”. There is no substitute for empathy when deciding
how direct you can be in your dealings with others; and as far as you are concerned, take no
offense when none is meant.

15. Attempts to gloss over or hide errors usually amplify them, Admitting a mistake as you
notice it, causes action to be taken to minimize the impact of the mistake. Chinese proverb
“When a king makes a mistake, all the people suffer.”

16. Character is the central characteristic for a leader. Recognize the importance of each
individual in an organisation and interest yourself in personal welfare of the men you command.
Commander should be approachable. Good memory is not a substitute for checking facts. Select
the proper men for vital jobs. “Trust everybody but check the facts in things that matter”.
Nothing can replace the inspiration and lift that comes from commending a job well done.
Aviod hoisting undue pressure on your command. There are three things that ought to be
considered before some things are spoken – the manner, the place and the time. Stern measures
have to be taken to ensure discipline; however, temper blind justice with judgment. When
there is nothing to say, say it. The commander, in battle, should go to the “hot spot”. He
should prove himself in the eyes of his troops.

17. This book is recommended to be included for reading and review by officers.

Reviewed by
KEV
 REVIEW ON – FOLLOW ME PART II

BY

Maj Gen Aubey S. ‘Red’ Newman, Retd

Published in India by Lancer International, 1990

(Originally published by Greenhill Books, London)

(Pages 267)

1. Maj Gen Aubrey S. “Red” Newman, USA (Retired), served in the US Army (Infantry).
The officer took part in the Second World War, in the Philippines, as a regimental commander.
The author himself sums up his service in the Army as follows “Served in eight infantry
companies, and commanded three of them for a total of five years. Served in eight infantry
regiments and commanded three of them: 34th Infantry in New Guinea and the Philippines, 511th
Airborne Infantry, 11th Airborne Division and 505th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division.”
The author retired in 1960, after thirty five years of commissioned service. The author was
immortalized in a poster from the “US Army in action”.

2. The book “Follow Me II”, like Follow Me Part I, deals with the basics of handling men -
the management of men in command and leadership. The author brings his experience and
first hand information to come to decisive conclusions. The major part of the book is from
collections of a column named “Forward Edge” written by the author for the ARMY magazine
for more than twenty one years – from September 1966 to January 1988. The book is laid out in
three parts – PRIMARILY COMPANY LEVEL TOPICS, PRINCIPLES FOR ALL LEVELS
OF COMMAND and REFLECTIONS ON COMBAT SITUATIONS. Further, these three parts
are divided into chapters. Towards the end of each chapter, the author sums up the essence -
what he wanted to bring out - as his comments.

3. Some of the maj aspects brought out by the author are given in the succeeding
paragraphs.

4. Things you learn as a Lt will help you a lot in the higher ranks. Examine the history of
your branch (corps) and review your own experience. You will feel a renewed pride as a soldier
in the Army. Write your orders, not only so that they can be understood, but so that they cannot
be misunderstood. Lead others as you would they should lead you, if your positions were
reversed.
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5. It is not the physical stamina but the inner will to endure that is the ultimate test for
military men. The primary source of courage in battle is the intangible collective support of
those there with you. There is no finer measure of a soldier than how he carries out orders,
especially when the success or failure of an order to accomplish the intended task depends upon
the initiative and ability of subordinates. The author brings out in graphic details how to adopt
procedures to place all kind of information on record.

6. The author feels that basically there is no major difference between the old army and the
modern army. The author gives out the way he has attempted to write articles – i.e., firstly have
something to say, give an opening narrative followed by the body of the article, and lastly give
an ending with some comments.He considers use of comments as an ending as a new technique
in writing his articles.

7. This book is recommended to be included for reading by officers.

Reviewed by
KEV