Do you have any advice for an E6 moving towards E7 (e.g. ASI, PME, College, etc.)?

2017-04-22T22:20:31-04:00

Not just the typical AR, DA PAM jargan. But the meat and potatoes of what seperated you from your peers.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2017 10:30 PM

2017-04-22T22:30:46-04:00

Back when I made E7, I came out number 1 on the list for my MOS, and from the secondary zone. Everyone in my MOS looked similar in regards to ASIs, PME, secondary MOS, etc. I had a college degree complete (prior to enlisting) and most on the list did not. The same was true for the E8 and E9 lists.
Finish your college degree.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2017 10:33 PM

2017-04-22T22:33:27-04:00

Honestly, have a good picture make sure all your uniform candy is squared away. Your assignment history needs to look "clean", this means being consice and accurate and matching your NCOERs. Make sure you have and updated PT score and weapons qual REGARDLESS OF CMF/mos total soldier concept here. If you have college needs to be on there. If you have and OPI/DLpT/DLaP score with language get it on there. As for schools and ASIs NEVER SAY NO TO A SCHOOL!! Regardless of what it may be, and ENSURE that when our have a school you annotate it on your NCOEr by performing those duties from the school you attended. Seek the hard jobs and you will be rewarded. That's my best advice and I just got my sequence number for MSG on my second look in a VERY competitive MOS with only 13 years of service. I hope this motivates you. Good luck.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 22 at 2017 10:35 PM

2017-04-22T22:35:27-04:00

Sorry for the misspelling, small phone, big fingers and crappy service.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Apr 23 at 2017 12:41 AM

2017-04-23T00:41:38-04:00

You cannot be over qualified, and Military courses, advanced schools or college background You can add will only help. If You can stand out above others on experience back ground ,Military appearance, in uniform military bearing, job knowledge and communications skills. Be prepared, the person that stands out above others will be the one selected for promotion. If You make no effort to stand out chances are pretty good You won't be selected. This doesn't just happen overnight, it needs to be Your constant goal to succeed !

Response by SFC George Smith made Apr 23 at 2017 1:37 AM

2017-04-23T01:37:18-04:00

... get as Much civilian schooling as you can and Make Damn, sure its In your records...
There are many Online universities you can link into...
an associates degree Helps Greatly and the additional 300 and 400 level courses will show you are trying to improve your self... Your Local education center should Have a Boat Load of courses and try to stay close to your MOS or Career Field or go with a Business Admin, and US and World History always Looks good to the selection Boards ...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2017 5:50 AM

2017-04-23T05:50:27-04:00

College for sure! Get it done, you were selected for SFC, so as far as PME you should be tracking. Attempt to get schools that will align you for MSG like EO, SHARP, Battle Staff, and SPO Course if you can get them. If you have Platoon Sergeant time as a SSG I would recommend trying to get some as a SFC. Have fun and good luck in all your endeavors.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2017 11:56 AM

2017-04-23T11:56:59-04:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member if you want to make E8 I am noticing it is harder to make without a Bachelor's Degree. So if you have that to make E7 you are ahead of the game. ASIs that I notice are good are the "hot issues" ones like SHARP and MRT. Make sure of course you have all of your PME and SSD courses done that you need to make E7.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2017 8:42 AM

2017-04-24T08:42:37-04:00

Seek broadening assignments such as staff, special duty (ie recruiter, DI, IG), and institutional training. They will serve you well in practical application as well as give you a leg up when competitive promotion boards come around.
If you haven't done so yet, make sure you get some troop time as a squad, section, of platoon sergeant. All three are useful and develop different qualities.
Seek out opportunities to attend ABIC and BSNCO courses. Both will serve you well down the road.

One more thing from me to you that I have learned and preached for over two decades now: never stop learning. Our operational environment is dynamic and constantly evolving. You must as well. Too often, I have watched leaders and peers try to fight the proverbial "last war", while wondering why TTPs that were used in Haiti don't work in Bosnia, why what was used in Kosovo doesn't work in Iraq, why what was used in Afghanistan doesn't work in East Africa...
I'd like to think that we are smarter than that, but it keeps happening. Innovation is hard, but necessary in order to win while minimizing cost - something I've learned all too well when it is my resources being expended and my Soldiers getting hurt or killed executing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2017 9:23 AM

2017-04-24T09:23:38-04:00

Keeping my career in my own hands and writing my own NCOERs. Getting help from someone who actually knows what my ERB and records should look like (being prior service).

Response by MSgt Mark Bucher made Apr 24 at 2017 8:04 PM

2017-04-24T20:04:59-04:00

Being the absolute best at what you do and how you do it. None of the other wallpaper fluff BS matters in my book. What matters is DUTY PERFORMANCE. I know numerous people who were promoted on the fluff side of their' ratings. They were total write offs when it came down to being experts in their' fields. I know numerous people who never deployed anywhere who became SrNCO's. They were totally lost when they were finally called upon to go downrange. During my second tour in Iraq, I got calls from people who were deployed with one of those SrNCOs. Idiot was sitting up at Baghdad International AP wanting to have exercises and inspections. I had to call him, chew his ass, then appeal to his vanity by asking how it would look if somebody was injured or killed while he was having reaction drills in the middle of the night. Anyway, do your job, be the best you can be at all you do.

Response by MSG Michael McKenzie made May 1 at 2017 2:26 AM

2017-05-01T02:26:15-04:00

Diversity of assignments. Seek out opportunities for broadening. Get out of your comfort zone. Get your required duty assignments as well (ie- PSG, shop NCIC, etc.), but balance that with other MOS immaterial assignments. And get/ finish college.