Best advice you received in your career?

CPL Zachariah Chitwood — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:55:46 -0400

I'm just wondering what some of the advice that y'all have received has served you well. For me, it was from my Drill Sergeant. Thirteen years later, I still remember his words. "Private, one day you'll be a leader. Let me tell you something. You'll meet many men who are here to further their own careers, and they have no problem throwing their men under the bus to get that next promotion. Look at these Privates and see how some of them are barely cutting it? Remember that. Remember that when you become a leader. Never forget where you came from. Never forget that you were a Private once, too.". Drill Sergeant MacIntosh, thank you! That advice served me very well, Drill Sergeant.

Response by Maj Matt Hylton made Jun 10 at 2015 5:06 PM

Maj Matt Hylton — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:06:06 -0400

"To be one time is to be late; to be early is to be on time." - from a Lt Col when I showed up right on time for a meeting with him as a 2nd Lt.

Response by CPT Bob Moore made Jun 10 at 2015 9:14 PM

CPT Bob Moore — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:14:35 -0400

Learn from all of your leaders, the good and the bad. Learn what to do from the good ones, and what not to do from the bad ones.

I still use that advice (and pass it on to others, too)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 9:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:16:18 -0400

"It's always darkest before dawn. Keep your head up and you are going to see the morning."-SSG Williams (Basic)

"Come talk to me. I've been there."-SGT Scott

"Good job, Mulder. At ease."- MAJ Roland (my mentor)

I've had some great NCOs and officers over the years. I will never forget 'em.

Response by SSG Sean Thoman made Jun 10 at 2015 9:26 PM

SSG Sean Thoman — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:26:51 -0400

THINK- a hooah speech by General Harold Moore, not the one attached, it was 1989 or 1990 at Fort Benning or in Korea
. https://youtu.be/PJo6YZTbPXg

We Were Soldiers - Lt. General Hal Moore on Leadership 2007 AVC Conference

"The Game of Life" - Lt. General Hal Moore gives his keys to Leadership. Recorded at the 2007 American Veterans Conference, Washington D.C. For more informat...

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made Jun 10 at 2015 11:01 PM

SGT Kevin Brown — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 23:01:22 -0400

The best advice I ever received was from a Naval Officer I interviewed for a military leadership seminar I was presenting for a teenage leadership conference. He asked me many questions in return, including why I choose the Army and not the Navy, as well as if I planned on doing 20+ years or not. At the time I was only 4 years in and had just finished an 12+ month tour to Afghanistan, so I was a little reluctant to say yes to staying in for 20.

When he asked why I noted that as a reservist I will not see retirement pay or major benefits until I am 60 years old and since men in my family usually don't live to be 55, the gamble wasn't worth the cost for me to stick it out that long (I was young and dumb).

His response "So you are telling me you don't want to serve your country your whole life because you might not get to draw your retirement", "survivor benefits aside, that is a piss poor excuse to not want to go all the way". If I remember right I gave him a pretty hard look after he said that. His next words were the greatest advice ever, "Look if you stay in and have a great career and are awarded your retirement and live to see 65 then you have at least a few years to enjoy your retirement, and if you die before you are old enough to draw it, what the hell are you going to care, you'll be dead."

It was that advice that encouraged me to re-enlist twice and fight the MEB twice (even though I lost the third time and am now medically retired) following my injury in Iraq with my sole goal of staying in until they kick me out (accomplished).

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 2:21 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 02:21:46 -0400

Mission, Troops and then You. I had a retired SGM tell me as long as I remembered that I could never wrong. I've passed this on to my Future Soldiers when I talk with them after FS Training. I've also told them to take the good and bad from their NCO's. I tell them to put the Good in their tool bag and discard the bad.

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Jun 11 at 2015 2:32 AM

Cpl Mark McMiller — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 02:32:27 -0400

Watch out for No. 1; don't step in No. 2

Response by CPT Alan W. made Jun 11 at 2015 2:53 AM

CPT Alan W. — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 02:53:15 -0400

The two cardinal rules of decision making: 1) Don't make a decision until you absolutely have to and, then 2) don't fall in love with it an marry it.

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 3:42 AM

SN Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 03:42:41 -0400

Rdc in boot camp told me to define my rank and to never let it define me. Something I will always keep in mind if/ when I make it that far.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2015 6:49 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 18:49:36 -0500

***Pardon the Adult language***

"Senior leaders change out rather quickly. Wait out the shitty ones, dont base your career on an asshole who is only going to be around a year or two out of twenty."

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2019 12:17 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:17:26 -0400

Trust but verify....

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Jun 7 at 2019 12:23 PM

CW4 Craig Urban — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:23:36 -0400

I am so mad I can eat tar and nicotien. Or jane fonda and her brother can go see the devil.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Jun 7 at 2019 5:33 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 17:33:59 -0400

The entire three years of my enlistment gave this old man so many sound principles and self discipline that I cannot pick out any single piece of advice,although my old Platoon Sergeant’s admonition still rings true “Don’t Quit”

Response by SFC Michael D. made Mar 22 at 2020 12:41 PM

SFC Michael D. — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 12:41:44 -0400

Keep your mouth closed and your eyes open.

Response by SP5 Charles Gould made May 19 at 2021 11:23 PM

SP5 Charles Gould — Wed, 19 May 2021 23:23:05 -0400

“If someone likes what you do, they will tell someone else. If they don’t like what you do, they will tell ten other people!”