Posted on Jan 1, 2014
What should an IET Soldier's first duty station be?
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<p>I'm curious to hear other opinions across the services, but especially within the different Army CMFs. I feel that IET Soldiers should not be assigned to a strategic or fixed unit, as their first duty station. If at all possible, I would push that all IET Soldiers be assigned to a BCT or tactical type unit. Majority of Soldiers in my opinion miss out on that quality leader development time needed to effectively lead others later on in their careers. Most Soldiers that hit a fix unit will most likely leave there as a SPC, SPC(P), or SGT and be expected to know their jobs and effectively lead upon being assigned to a "Line Unit".</p><p><br></p><p>For example: Let's take a 25Q Multichannel-Transmission Systems Operator-Maintainer. When I enlisted, it was 31R. I have several battle buddies who struggled after their first duty assignment in the technical and team leader aspects, because of the type unit they were assigned to. Most worked administrative, staff, or completely outside their MOS from PVT - SGT. Once assigned to a line unit - they had forgotten a lot of their basic technical skills needed as 25Qs and those that were 25Q2Os never lead Soldiers prior to going to their promotion boards. The units were severely "top heavy" at the time. It was a complete shock for them as team chiefs of Small Extension Nodes (SENs), V(3)s, or other signal assemblages they should be technically sound with.</p><p><br></p><p>Feel free to share your experiences with previous units and thoughts of how to assist those Soldiers assigned to a fixed station/strategic assignment to maintain their skills prior to going to a "line unit".</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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I absolutely agree that a BCT is the right place for a first term soldier unfortunately TRADOC and other generating force assignments need soldiers too. I think assigning a new soldier to any unit outside of their MOS and MTOE paints a bad picture to our soldiers because they grow to believe the Army is like TRADOC and it's not.
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SFC (Join to see)
I agree with you. I am currently in TRADOC and we are having a rough time with the junior enlisted that we have. Finding a job for them is difficult. They cannot instruct so they mainly just stand around and get lazy. I have 4 new ones we just received that graduated OSUT a year ago and went to Korea and now are back in TRADOC land. Being an instructor its hard to mentor these guys and develop them. I started trying to involve them in the training and having them lead the trainees patrols but its all simple stuff so its not what they need
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CSM (Join to see)
Great point SGT Unger and I have been there as a OC there are NO lower enlisted so when it comes to area beautification or PMCS you had one SGM supervising and 60 SFCs pulling weeds. I liked the experience because it reminded me that I am still just a soldier and must do my duties too! Now every time we do our area beautification as a 1SG I pull weeds too to show the Soldiers dirty work has no rank boundary.
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CSM (Join to see)
SSG Zelbst brings a great point up, the TRADOC to Korea and return to TRADOC assignments. Assignments like that have to be stopped by branch managers and senior NCOs. It's never good to go back and forth to units like that and unfortunately it happens a lot with Benning and Korea.
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MSG Bobby Ewing
1SG,
Outstanding points. This debate has been one I have carried on with me since leaving recruiting in 2010. I feel the initial assignment is crucial with the overall impression of the Army. At all levels of experience, there will be times when our skills may go to the waste side for furthering our careers: Recruiters (technical and tactical skills), Drill SGTs (technical skills), or some form of borrowed manpower taskings. I feel it's easier for a Solider to over come these challenges without having to battle the extreme culture shock that SGT Unger stated above.
With all the advancements in social media, networking, and development of different development programs, an experienced Soldier would be able to get mentorship and continue progress much easier than an IET. I do agree that this debate is a tough one. As for the question which is more important, I don't feel that one particular stage in a Soldier's development/career path is more important than the other. I feel the overall development and the paths taking are what's key. I hope that's not confusing to anyone.
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<p>Totally agree! As someone who has been to BCTs with 10th Mountain and 101st Airborne, and is now stationed at Fort Leavenworth, I see new Soldiers come in and adopt the relaxed atmosphere of a unit with a very slow OPTEMPO. If and when these Soldiers get to a BCT, they will be in for a huge culture shock. Both the constant deployment, redeployment, train-up for the next deployment, and the discipline that comes with that OPTEMPO are totally different from a small post environment.</p><p><br></p><p>It's not all leadership either. Leaders can only affect Soldiers so much. We cannot look over their shoulders 24x7. Attempting to instill the BCT-type discipline in a low OPTEMPO unit is almost counterproductive. </p><p><br></p><p>Send all new Soldiers to BCTs first. Low OPTEMPO units should be used as "breaks" from BCT assignments.</p>
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Agreed SFC Ewing. As I posted above, perhaps PFCs with one posting to a BCT could be assigned to smaller posts/units.
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MSG Bobby Ewing
SGT Unger,
We would have slim pickings for PFCs with one posting to a BCT or similar assignment when you factor in TIS, TIG, promotions, etc. We would have to look at those Soldiers coming off Korea tours or something similar. But that goes back to 1SG Rinks comments about a challenge for branch managers.
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SGT Charles Wheeler
When I was active duty 1983-1986 there was no such thing as a "BCT". There where no deployments except for major exercises. The Army had been in a peacetime, garrison, "9-5" mode since the end of the draft in 1973. It was still the era of VOLAR (look that up). Everything was relaxed! In theory we trained to stop a massive Soviet Army assault across the inter-German border (look that one up too) but we 'knew' that was about as likely as tossing a coin and having it land on its edge. We all did our jobs, did them well, followed orders, but didn't get too exited about anything. NCO's or Officers who where too "gung ho" tended to chill out after awhile.
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SGT Charles Wheeler
How much the military "corporate culture" has changed in 30-35 years is amazing. Then again, the last of the old-line Vietnam era NCO's, Warrants, and Officers said that about the Army of the '70's and '80's. It was another world!
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CONUS based assignments and MOS-Organic units for initial training and orientation into their own MOS fields (ex: Quartermaster soldiers should go to a Quartermaster unit). From my experiences soldiers coming straight out of IET should not be put into specialty units (ex: SOCOM) where they are assigned as primary support and are not yet proficient in their field. I think then they should be exposed to environments like 18th ABN Corps (101st, 82nd 3rd and 10th) BCT's and such. Even though there are such units in OCONUS (i.e. 1AD) newly graduated IET soldiers may lack the maturity these assignments require. I say this very loosely because the shoe doesn't fit all and I know a lot of seniors/seasoned soldiers get into trouble over there too.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
You make a lot of good points, SFC Gates. New Soldiers need to learn their jobs FIRST. What is taught in AIT only scratches the surface of what happens out in a real unit. Without that education and experience, the Army is doing the Soldier a disservice.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Well said! Less than a month after I graduated AIT in 05 I found myself in IRAQ with the Rakassans of 101st. Earned a great great appreciation for how bad life COULD be. You never forget the burning shit and 12 hour OP shifts. My follow on assignment was the 1st time I actually did my job which lead my to being well rounded and earning my stripes above my peers who had never been. It's refreshing that this view point of yours is well received because its absolutely spot on.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Well said! Less than a month after I graduated AIT in 05 I found myself in IRAQ with the Rakassans of 101st. Earned a great great appreciation for how bad life COULD be. You never forget the burning shit and 12 hour OP shifts. My follow on assignment was the 1st time I actually did my job which lead my to being well rounded and earning my stripes above my peers who had never been. It's refreshing that this view point of yours is well received because its absolutely spot on.
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