Cadre Interveiw: Company First Sergeant
- Nordic Milsim
- 14 hours ago
- 7 min read
Name: Jonathan Westny
Callsign: West
Military background: Swedish Ranger Battalion Event: The Segezha Strike
Faction: NATO
Position: Company HQ, NATO
Role: Company First Sergeant
Nordic Milsim Staff positions "The Segezha Strike"
NATO
CO: JOHAN FORSBERG
XO: TBA
1ST SERGEANT: JONATHAN WESTNY
1ST PLATOON SERGEANT: TBA
2ND PLATOON SERGEANT: ADAM VADI DRIS
RUSFOR / PMC KARPOVA
CO: CAMERON STEVENS
XO: LEVENT PALMQVIST
1ST SERGEANT: TBA
1ST PLATOON SERGEANT: TBA
2ND PLATOON SERGEANT: JIMMY BODMAR
Introduction
You will serve as the Company First Sergeant (1SG) during The Segezha Strike. As the senior enlisted leader of the company, you are the commander’s eyes, ears, and backbone, responsible for standards, discipline, morale, and the overall well-being of the force.
Operating between Company Headquarters and the units in the field, you maintain situational awareness, support mission execution, and ensure the company functions as a cohesive fighting unit.
This interview gives players insight into how leadership, discipline, and care for the force are maintained throughout the operation.
Section 1 – Background & Identity
Callsign & background
What is your callsign, and how would you describe your background in leadership, coordination, or mentoring roles?
My callsign is West. I have a background in military service with the Swedish Ranger Battalion and over ten years of active involvement in milsim. During that time, I’ve done leadership roles ranging from HQ, platoon leadership to platoon sergeant, as well as working as an organizer and cadre at large-scale events such as Nordic Milsim, Bellum and Beget. Outside of milsim, I actively work with leadership and have a strong interest in military leadership, responsibility, and organizational culture.
Why First Sergeant?
The 1SG is a demanding role focused on people and standards. What made you take on this responsibility at The Segezha Strike?
The First Sergeant role is where leadership becomes real. It’s less about "rank" or authority and more about responsibility for people. What drew me to this role is the opportunity to support leaders, protect the players under our command, and ensure that standards and intent actually work on the ground. I strongly believe that good leadership is about enabling others and taking responsibility when things are hard and not stepping back. It also gives me the opportunity to oversee the event, both from the HQ perspective and with boots on the ground.
Senior enlisted perspective
How does your perspective as a senior "enlisted" leader differ from that of commissioned command roles in milsim?
As a senior "enlisted" leader, my focus is on execution, welfare, and standards rather than planning and command decisions alone. I act as a bridge between intent and reality. My responsibility goes both ways: supporting the commander’s intent upward while protecting and advocating for the players and leaders executing the mission downward. That balance is critical for trust and cohesion.
Section 2 – The Role of the First Sergeant
Defining the 1SG role
In your own words, what is the core purpose of a Company First Sergeant?
The core purpose of the First Sergeant is to ensure that the company functions as a cohesive, resilient unit under pressure. That means maintaining standards, discipline, morale, and situational awareness while actively supporting leaders and players. A good 1SG identifies problems early and fixes them before they affect the mission or the player experience. In addition to this, my role is somewhat dual, as I am one of the main organizers behind Nordic Milsim. This means that part of my responsibility also concerns the event as a whole, ensuring that everything runs according to plan, and that when unforeseen situations arise, we are still able to adapt the organizational structure of our team so that the player experience always remains the top priority.
Standards and discipline
How do you establish and maintain standards without negatively impacting immersion or enjoyment?
Standards should never feel arbitrary or punitive. I establish them by leading through example and explaining the purpose behind them. When corrections are needed, they are handled calmly and professionally, often away from the spotlight. Discipline should reinforce immersion, trust, and fairness- not undermine them.
Morale and cohesion
What signs tell you that a unit is functioning well—or that problems are starting to form?
A healthy unit communicates openly, supports its leaders, and maintains momentum even when conditions are uncomfortable. Warning signs include frustration, isolation, fatigue being ignored, or leaders trying to carry everything alone. Those are early indicators that intervention and support are needed.
The commander’s representative
How do you act on behalf of the Company Commander when you are forward with the units?
When I’m forward, I represent the commander’s intent, not personal opinions. I clarify priorities, reinforce decisions, and provide honest feedback upward if something isn’t working on the ground. Trust is built by being consistent, transparent, and reliable in that role.
Section 3 – Presence & Situational Awareness
Sensing the force
Real-world doctrine emphasizes that a 1SG must “sense” the unit. How do you build a true understanding of what is happening across the company?
You build understanding by being present. I move between units, observe interactions, listen to concerns, and talk to players informally. Casual conversations often reveal more than formal reports. This allows me to sense morale, fatigue, and cohesion in real time.
Forward presence
You often leave Company HQ to link up with units in the field. Why is physical presence such a critical part of your role?
Physical presence builds credibility and trust. When players see senior leadership sharing discomfort and “embracing the suck,” it sends a strong message. It also allows me to verify information firsthand and address issues immediately instead of reacting too late from a distance.
Ground truth vs reports
How do you balance radio reports and formal updates with what you personally observe on the ground?
Reports are necessary, but they are never the full picture. I use them as a baseline and validate them through direct observation. Ground truth allows better decisions and prevents misunderstandings from shaping outcomes.
Section 4 – Linking Recon, QRF & Logistics
Recon to decision
You are often the first connection point between recon elements and the company. How do you help turn reconnaissance into action?
Recon only has value if it leads to action. I help translate reconnaissance into clear, concise, and actionable information and ensure it reaches the right decision-makers quickly. My role is to reduce friction between information and execution.
QRF and logistics coordination
How do you assess urgency and priority when units request support, extraction, or resupply?
I prioritize based on mission impact, player fatigue, safety, and timing. Not every request is urgent, but every request deserves acknowledgment. Clear communication prevents frustration and keeps trust intact.
Preventing escalation
How do you identify and resolve small issues before they grow into mission-level problems?
Most problems start small- miscommunication, fatigue, unclear intent. By staying present and engaged, I can address these early and prevent them from escalating into larger disruptions.
Section 5 – Cadres, Welfare & Leadership Development
Player welfare
In real-world doctrine, the 1SG is responsible for soldier welfare. How does that translate into a Nordic Milsim environment?
Player welfare is directly linked to performance and immersion. Monitoring fatigue, morale, and stress ensures that players remain engaged and capable. Taking care of people is not separate from mission success, it enables it.
While real-world doctrine might place the responsibility of player well-beeing on the First Sergeant, Nordic Milsim maintain a closer connection between the infantry platoon and the platoon sergeant. My focus will therefore primarily be on Recon and QRF/Logistics in this regard.
Working through cadres
How do you use the cadre network as extensions of your leadership across the company?
Cadres are essential for maintaining situational awareness at scale. They provide insight into morale, cohesion, and emerging issues, allowing leadership to respond early and effectively.
Mentoring leaders
How do you support platoon and squad leaders without undermining their authority?
I mentor leaders by advising privately and supporting them publicly. Corrections happen away from their subordinates. Leaders must always feel trusted and backed by higher leadership.
Section 6 – Discipline, Immersion & Flow
Enforcing the chain of command
How do you handle breakdowns in discipline or communication during the event?
Breakdowns are addressed calmly and proportionally. The goal is correction and clarity, not punishment. A functioning chain of command enhances immersion, trust, and efficiency.
Invisible problem-solving
Many of your actions happen behind the scenes. How do you fix issues without disrupting immersion?
The best leadership is often invisible. Quietly resolving issues keeps the game flowing and allows players to remain immersed without unnecessary interruptions. Clear communication between all cadre before, during, and after the event is crucial to implementing the best possible solutions if problems arise.
Balancing realism and enjoyment
How do you ensure that consequences feel authentic but still fair and motivating?
Consequences should reflect realism without discouraging players. They must be understandable, proportional, and focused on learning and improvement rather than punishment.
Section 7 – Nordic Milsim & The Segezha Strike
Why this system works
From your perspective, how does the Nordic Milsim command and cadre system support realism and player experience at scale?
Nordic Milsim works because it respects the players and invests in leadership. The command and cadre system allows realism at scale while still prioritizing safety, immersion, and player experience. With staff embedded with the players, we can resolve issues before they become problems while remaining fully immersed in the game.
Operating a large force
With up to 250 players in the field, what is the biggest leadership challenge for a First Sergeant?
Maintaining situational awareness without micromanaging. Trusting subordinate leaders while staying informed is critical for cohesion and tempo.
Section 8 – Message to the Company
To platoon and squad leaders
What do you expect from leaders in the field to maintain standards and cohesion?
Communicate early, be honest about limitations, and take responsibility for your people. You don’t have to solve everything alone, but you are responsible for trying.
To every player
What mindset do you want every player to bring into The Segezha Strike?
Bring resilience, responsibility, and teamwork. Do your best with what you have, never quit on your team, whether you chose all your squad members or not, and remember to appreciate life outside the game as well.
Final words
Any final thoughts before stepping off at Rödjenäs Gård?
Milsim is about challenge, shared hardship, and growth. If we embrace discomfort, support one another, and lead with integrity, The Segezha Strike will be an experience worth remembering, for all the right reasons.
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