Posted on Mar 31, 2016
If there was anything different that you could have done throughout the course of your military career, what would that have been?
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Advice
Career Advice
What Would You Do
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 36
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM not specifically in my career but it did affect it. I would have won my war over obesity sooner and joined earlier. I was obese all my life and couldn't make the weight, finally at 31 I joined. I'm pretty sure that if I joined at least 7 years earlier, I would be a SSG by now. So now I have to wait and make SGT at the age where pretty much everyone is SSG or SFC.
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
SGT(P) (Join to see) ,
No worries, and most certainly nothing to be regretful about. You overcame your challenge and were able to do what you wanted, that being serve your country. That gesture alone speaks volumes with regards to your passion and determination Do not worry about age, as it does not serve as a defining gauge of one's mindset or maturity for that matter. Stay focused on your goal and may you successfully achieve it. Thanks for sharing.
No worries, and most certainly nothing to be regretful about. You overcame your challenge and were able to do what you wanted, that being serve your country. That gesture alone speaks volumes with regards to your passion and determination Do not worry about age, as it does not serve as a defining gauge of one's mindset or maturity for that matter. Stay focused on your goal and may you successfully achieve it. Thanks for sharing.
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SPC Bob Tolford
I'm 59 years old brother. It would be nice to be in your situation. Stick with it, you'll get there.
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Not have put off finishing the college courses needed and earning my bachelors until after I was already eligible for retirement. Probably the difference between retiring an E7 instead of E8. My advice to young NCO's it to use the resources available and get your degree early on. Requires sacrifices in your time between the Army mission and family, but is key to your advancement. I see you have already earned civ ed credentials, congrats. That will definitely help you in your career path.
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
SFC J Fullerton ,
Spot on self-reflection and advice for future recruits! Thanks for sharing.
Spot on self-reflection and advice for future recruits! Thanks for sharing.
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SFC J Fullerton
Those that join the Army straight out of high school and re-enlist are already at a competitive disadvantage to the "fast trackers" who enlisted after college and come in as an E3 or E4. Makes it all that more important to earn college credits early and often for promotion points for E5 and E6, and have a degree earned by the time you are eligible for the E7 board. Can't stop there either, because then you need advanced degrees to be competitive for E8 and E9. Some of your peers will already have that all out of the way because of what they accomplished before they even enlisted, and the hard work they put in early in their career.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Same here. When I earned a Bachelors degree on active duty while at Ft. Bragg as a buck Sergeant, the change in the way officers and senior NCOs interacted with me was amazing. I had to sacrifice a lot of leisure time and sleep, but it was worth it in the end.
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I would have loved to have had the opportunity to go Airborne and also Drill Sergeant. Unfortunately my career path never took me to the places where this was an option. However I look back at my 27 years filled with pride in all I have done!
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
CSM Michael Poll ,
Thank you for responding and sharing. Going Airborne was an early thought in my career also. Like you, the career path never took me towards that direction. Nonetheless, no regrets and still grateful.
Thank you for responding and sharing. Going Airborne was an early thought in my career also. Like you, the career path never took me towards that direction. Nonetheless, no regrets and still grateful.
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
SSG Ed Mikus ,
Thank you for responding and sharing. I also echo that thought.
Thank you for responding and sharing. I also echo that thought.
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SGT Allen Goatcher
In 1988, I tried to seek wise counsel. I had being diagnosed with kidney disease which would make me undeployable. I had a physical Profile that said that I that could only breathe, and no other physical activity. This was the time were they just changed schools and other training was PT in and then PT out. I though then and still say it is true. I just got to the point that the Army was becoming a family, after 10 years of service I foung that where they sent me I found that I knew someone there. This on its own made being in the Army fun and less stressful. For I learned that now nowhere they sent me I would find friends that I could once again rekindle that friendship again. So I asked to talk with my Command Sargeant Major so I could gain some kind of wisdom. Well I told him this whole story and asked him some professional advice. He then told me that he had the same profile and he hasn't found any difficulty with it. I then commented to the Sargeant Major you are already at the peak of the enlisted. I was at the bottom of the NCO Corp with probably more time in grade and who hasn't even been boarded for SSG yet. To which the Sargeant Major had no further advice for me. About a 6 Month time past and I finaly made one of the hardest decisions in my life. It was time for me to leave the Army that I truely loved. So I talked to my Doctor at 120th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany asking him to please start the paperwork for a MEDIVAC back to the States. I left Germany I belief late spring headed for home in Washington where I was placed pn the TDRL list. Not 6 months later I was on dialysis. On April 21, 1991 I recieved my transplant at Walter Reed Hospital. My final chapter is still being written cause in 2010 I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, for which there is no known cure. Maybe I will beat the odds on this too for am in it to win it. My purpose for saying all this is really saying I didn't appreciate the Command Sargeant Majors advice for I didn't think you can compare an E5 to an E9, so be careful who you pick as a wise consulor. It isn't going to be an easy or quick choice. And then finaly these kind of decisions end they are always just around the next corner.
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Hi, SSG Lewis.
Oh, man. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. I would have done college right the first time and gotten my commission in AD Air Force. I would have tried to get into the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations (OSI), the Af equivalent of CID and NCIS.
I am very proud of my service. I just wasn’t done yet.
Oh, man. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. I would have done college right the first time and gotten my commission in AD Air Force. I would have tried to get into the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations (OSI), the Af equivalent of CID and NCIS.
I am very proud of my service. I just wasn’t done yet.
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I believe we should use our blessings. As an advisor to general officers at the 2 star rank as part of the Command Advisory Group (CAG) and civilian consultant I would have directed my military career toward creating meaningful dialogue between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State (DOS). After talking with members of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) and the imbedded PRTs, which are different in scope, I believe more emphasis could be constructed between the DOD and the DOS. Both are important, but the environments must be better understood as we project our Nation's Strategy. I would have been better as a diplomat to help move that further down the line. I hope that honesty is appreciated.
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
LTC Terrence Farrier, PhD ,
Thank you for sharing. I most certainly agree with the use of our blessings. Unfortunately, we are not always able to see when they are being presented. At times, it comes in the form of hindsight and reflection. Nonetheless, it still serves as a learning curve for future circumstances and opportunities.
Thank you for sharing. I most certainly agree with the use of our blessings. Unfortunately, we are not always able to see when they are being presented. At times, it comes in the form of hindsight and reflection. Nonetheless, it still serves as a learning curve for future circumstances and opportunities.
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LTC Terrence Farrier, PhD
Absolutely. Further, we must take the time for that reflection..so that we can learn from them.
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In hindsight I would have not accepted the regular commission but would have remained with the reserve commission.
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CW3(P) Derrick Robinson
I would have definitely went to Warrant Officer Course earlier. Everything else is good. Ive had great assignments in great locations with great people.
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SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM
CW3(P) Derrick Robinson ,
Thank you for sharing. Also glad to hear that your career has been everything you wanted it to be, congratulations on that.
Thank you for sharing. Also glad to hear that your career has been everything you wanted it to be, congratulations on that.
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CW3(P) Derrick Robinson
SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM - thank you and believe me if it wasnt i wouldve left the military a long time ago
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