Posted on May 23, 2016
SENIORS/LEADERS* If you knew then what you know now, what would you have done differently to get the most out yourself during your service?
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Military Life
Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA)
Senior Leaders
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
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Not married my first wife. Took advantage of Tuition Assistance. Wish they had TSP earlier on in my career.
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saved more money, gone to more schools and volunteered for a couple different assignments that I hedged one way or the other on and opted to not do.
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SPC Bruce Nichols
Definitely have tried to save more money, it's tough because of the "live for the moment" culture shoved down our throats every day.
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I would have ensured that I tried to put my Family first when at ll possible. It is impossible to do so all the time and I tried, but the more senior we get the harder that is. Keep your family in your frontal lobe at all times. Make sure that in 25 or 30 years you look back with very little rge=ret regarding the Family. It takes a special person to be the spouse of a service member, treat them that way "SPECIAL"!!!
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SPC Bruce Nichols
I wasn't aware of just how important of a role higher education plays in the uniformed service.
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SFC Wayne Theilen
It's about promotion points. And when your going for E-7. It's DA selection. And if I have a BS in science. And you have one also but a MS in science. You can be selected over me.
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MSG (Join to see)
SPC Bruce Nichols - Sorry. I was being sarcastic when I typed that. When I was a young junior soldier, we were still using typewriters. But in all honesty, while there are many things that I like to have done differently, I feel that what I did and how I did it (whether right or wrong) has gotten me to where I am today.
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Start the caring for other people thing earlier vs. just mission alone. Amazing how much better things go when you do.
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SPC Bruce Nichols
Awesome answer sir, I think we are so mission oriented we forget that we are what keeps the mission going.
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Stayed in until Retirement, I listened to other people instead of my little voice.
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