To my peers: Any advice on how to regain the motivation I used to relish just be merely wearing the uniform?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 May 2019 15:48:49 -0400

I feel slightly bad posting this, as I am now an NCO and should be one to motivate Soldiers and be the standard. Though, I do not have peers in my current organization who are Soldiers (I'm on ADOS orders helping civilians), and I just needed to ask some experienced folks who been through the rough parts of their career already. Basically, I have been extremely motivated and dedicated for the majority of my career. Though eventually after just completely failing on my goal to get a Conditional Release to go Active Duty about 10+ times, and many of my former Reserve SNCOs completely leaving me to hang multiple times, I lost sight of what I once wanted so badly. In fact, sometimes I dont really know if I want it that bad anymore. It sucks seeing how much i fell off. I struggle to motivate myself to PT and educate myself, but I do nothing to change it. I need a spark of inspiration but I can't seem to find it. Any words of wisdom to push myself? I know motivation comes from within, but I just cant see clearly lately.

Thank You,

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2019 3:52 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 May 2019 15:52:45 -0400

It seems like you are not in a great position within your organization. You do not have great mentors and the people you work for do not foster an environment of growth and motivation. My suggestion to you is to talk to your local Army Reserve Career Counselor about reclassification options and/or consider doing a TPU to TPU transfer. Sometimes a change of scenery goes a long way.

That aside, also apply for AGR. Just be willing to do whatever is given to you, likely 79R Recruiter, and drive on. Talking to people about the Army is a lot of fun and I think you can make a great impact on our organization and ultimately feel like you're part of something bigger.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 15 at 2019 4:08 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Wed, 15 May 2019 16:08:28 -0400

MSG Private RallyPoint Member is correct about a change in job or location sometimes giving you a new perspective on yourself and your work. I suggest you consider a potential major change in your Service. Contact active duty (you said you wanted to go Active) recruiters from the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard. As an IT specialist, your knowledge and skills should be in demand in all the Services. Be sure to talk to recruiters who work with prior-service members. There may be some issues with your current enlistment contract, but recruiters can help you work a deal to get out of that contract to go active duty. Personally, I'd try the Air Force first. Everything you ever heard about the Air Force having great locations and facilities is true. Also, Air Force IT folks tend to work in fixed base facilities. The Air Force has a major cyber security mission.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made May 15 at 2019 4:35 PM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Wed, 15 May 2019 16:35:17 -0400

If you don't mind it coming from the Blue-side, here's what I've got: Motivation is an attitude, and as you already know...one's attitude tends to lead them where they belong. We can't control everything. You can't impact the needs of the Army, bring everyone of your peers, superiors, and subordinates up to standards... or even prevent the occasional B.S. that can turn a bad day into a bad year.

You can only control how you handle all of the above.

I'd suggest focusing on what you have already that many wish they still had... a chance. As hard as it is to make that transition into AD, it's even harder realizing that (relative to one's military career) you're day is done. If going on AD is your goal, keep driving, and take comfort from the words of one hard-hitting expert at motivation:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

-Teddy Roosevelt

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made May 15 at 2019 4:35 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Wed, 15 May 2019 16:35:34 -0400

I'm just curious, for whatever it might be worth...what is your main object? What are you seeking, ultimately? A full active duty (AD) 20 yr.+ career? Senior NCO? Warrant? Commissioned? I only ask that as i have an interest in such career/educ stuff as you'd asked, and was just wondering if you might perhaps be able to elaborate at all, so far as possible...associates? Bachelors? Masters or higher? Grades? GPAs? STEM coursework done? I'd seen you were apparently IT, so I'm assuming you've been through a many of the usual Microsoft and/or CISCO certifications, or those similar to such; that being said, knowing more as to your basic motivations would help a good deal in trying to suggest things for you, honest...trust me, I've gone through many such questions on here many times with many others at this point, which is why if you could possibly go into such stuff, it'd obv be a major help to let us all try to help you, for real, OK? That'd include hobbies, reading interests, sports (esp. any martial arts), what type of civilian work you now do (at least just generally, not necessarily any specifics, just enough so we'd all just get an even basic idea, I'm guessing you also do civilian IT, I'd expect, though, of course, you hadn't gone into any of that in what you'd said). Quite often on here, I gather I've generally fairly decent at suggesting stuff for circumstances like yours (though sometimes I'm told I can have rather a tendency to overwhelm, bombarding others on the site with similar problems with my ideas, in which care you'd obv need to tell me to ratchet it down a notch, I gather), so, if you'd wanna go into more, so far as you might be able, I'd be glad, obviously, to try throwing a few suggestions out there, so far as I can, OK? No rush, just if you want to, whenever you might possibly have some time...the only thing I'd ask is, the more specific you can be, typically, I've found, the more I and/or others on here are generally able to suggest things...clearly, some things you might be willing and/or able to go into by way of detail, others you might obviously prefer to not, I of course entirely get that, as well, honest...I hope that helps, for real, as I'd said, I find such problems of interest, which is why I try to answer such questions as yours in the fashion I have here. So, no rush, whenever you want, as I'd said, OK?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2019 5:44 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 May 2019 17:44:01 -0400

When you’ve been doing it for a while it tends to wear on you. I have often found myself in a similar situation.

I ended up in the technician program, so now my civilian career requires me to maintain a military career and I’m in it for the long haul.

You could try transitioning to the Guard and getting into the AGR or Technician programs. You could do the same in the Reserves. I do hear a lot more horror stories coming from the Reserves than the Guard though.

If being full-time is what you’re aiming for, you can do it in the RCs but not have to worry about the constant moving around.

If getting out of dodge and seeing new places is what you’re going for, keep trying.

Response by COL Gary Gresh made May 17 at 2019 4:35 AM

COL Gary Gresh — Fri, 17 May 2019 04:35:53 -0400

Alan; Stay true to your goal. If you want active duty, then continue to pursue any opportunity. Have faith in yourself. You can do this. Everyone has personal leadership doubts throughout their career. It is when you are at your lowest that you can sometimes reach for the sky. Do not become bitter, egotistical, or beaten down. You are your best advocate! Keep your attitude positive and always try to be upbeat! No one ever impresses anyone else being down in the dumps..... Hang in there...G-man

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2019 3:11 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 May 2019 15:11:23 -0400

My recent standing on so many things as I approach my final year before pulling the ‘chute” is that the worst day of my career was when I stopped seeing Blue/Green and began seeing clearly. As a new service member and junior NCO I didn’t know any better. I always though that integrity, dedication and hard work would propel me to great success in my career. It was lack of perspective at the time that allowed me maintain such a fantasy-like view and shallow definition of success. Situational Integrity, dedication to the right people and cause, and hard work relative to the current “hot topic” are all of the things that my naivety blinded me to. In the military, just as in society, there will be many who are promoted to the top tier without hard work, by knowing the “right” people, pushing the most current hot topic item or cause, and those willing to accept that old adage from leadership that, “Perception is reality”. Integrity can cost you, at times, more than it can win you career wise. HARD WORK and LOYALTY definitely fall hand-in-hand. Finding Loyalty for the one who holds the ability to make or limit your career and working hard toward meeting their goals has long since outweighed the ideologies that are pretentiously adored. I have tried my best to convey the importance of doing what’s right so that you can sleep at night, not because it will afford a beach front home or buy you a luxury mattress. You will always find those who wear the face, sale the cookies, organize the clubs, and stand in the right place promoting ahead of those pulling the mission. If you are consistently out of the local duty section pulling the mission, no one in the driver’s seat sees your face. If you’re not the one that they hear answer the phone or see at the desk, they won’t remember your name. In too many cases, problems don’t exist until those problems are demonstrated. Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy a bigger rug than it is to clean out from under the rug. Sometimes that greatest recruiter is the pilot who can fit into the right flight suit. It’s not necessarily one who can best fly the plane. In a day when “career progression” requires you to stop your pursuit of excellence and proficiency and mandates that you settle for mediocrity to by doing something of high visibility for a while. In medicine, that is exactly how you end up with the MTFs and VA clinics that we have today. It is this type of toxic and half-assory that has opened my eyes to a great ideology absent of conviction. When I push the button next year, I will carry with me the accomplishments from deployments, the travels over the years and the impact made in other countries and their people. Unfortunately, the facade that I once associated with being a member of the armed force has long since past. I will exit with no sense of loss and with the solidly established view point that I was looking for a job when I found this one.

Response by SPC Michelle Goodhart made May 24 at 2019 5:25 PM

SPC Michelle Goodhart — Fri, 24 May 2019 17:25:28 -0400

Volunteer and help the veterans who were your brothers and sisters in arms.

Response by CW4 Craig Urban made Jun 3 at 2019 3:33 AM

CW4 Craig Urban — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 03:33:31 -0400

Get your stuff together young man

Response by MSgt Gregory Balint made Jun 3 at 2019 9:16 AM

MSgt Gregory Balint — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 09:16:41 -0400

Reach back for your personal core values. Focus on why you were guided towards wearing the uniform of choice.

Response by SSG Michael Love made Jun 13 at 2019 11:26 AM

SSG Michael Love — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:26:13 -0400

Get over the best you can, I worked for the USACE and retired from there to. I made 4 tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. I was taxed on every cent I made there. The Contract employees, AKA Black Water made 3 times as I and did not pay the taxes I did. If the Army can contract it they will. Still a SFL.