Were you able to learn from all ranks; or from just those who outranked you?

2015-08-01T21:23:39-04:00

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Aug 1 at 2015 9:25 PM

2015-08-01T21:25:19-04:00

I found that I could learn from privates on up; and from Generals on down.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2015 9:31 PM

2015-08-01T21:31:49-04:00

Eyes and ears always opened, like a sponge I soaked up everything, the right way to do things and the wrong way, I learned from everyone. (even civilians, hehe!)

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2015 9:32 PM

2015-08-01T21:32:49-04:00

If you are not learning from everyone in your organization you just might need to do some self assessment. Everyone has something to bring to the table.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Aug 1 at 2015 9:50 PM

2015-08-01T21:50:30-04:00

As a Signal platoon Sergeant in the 80's and 90's there was no way to even know for sure what equipment you would have in your next assignment let alone know everything about that equipment. The secret was to ask your troops questions, a lot of questions. And ask them like you were testing the troop. I learned so much about switchboards that I never knew. I was a radio jockey and COMSEC expert... When I got a Switch platoon I was as good as lost, But the troops never knew it...

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Aug 1 at 2015 10:11 PM

2015-08-01T22:11:12-04:00

SPC Margaret Higgins I can honestly say yes. There were a number of MOSs that I had negative knowledge on in the Logistics arena, as well in the Sustainment Brigade and I always would hunt down the SMEs and have them walk me through what their job was and what they knew. You can learn a lot from all the members of your Brigade Team at all the levels and ranks. I'm learning a lot on RallyPoint today from all the various ranks in the other service branches. You never too big, too old, too high in Rank to learn from others. You should never stop wanting to learn. Everyone has different knowledge and experience in different fields. Take advantage of that.

Response by TSgt David L. made Aug 1 at 2015 10:11 PM

2015-08-01T22:11:46-04:00

EOD is a career field that EVERYONE has a say, and rank isn't important as a good suggestion as long as you're open to it.
If you don't speak up lives may hang in the balance. E1-O3, the best way to defeat an IED can come from a joke or simple comment. Yes I learned from every rank.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 1 at 2015 10:16 PM

2015-08-01T22:16:07-04:00

I was able to learn for all ranks both good and bad lessons. An important part of military education in the field is to learn positive lessons from good examples of leadership, operations, and technical training as well as remembering mistakes from others that we would never repeat after seeing the results SPC Margaret Higgins.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Aug 2 at 2015 12:49 AM

2015-08-02T00:49:04-04:00

Actually, I learned most everything I know from an NCO.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Aug 2 at 2015 12:50 AM

2015-08-02T00:50:58-04:00

I listened to anyone that could teach me what I wanted to know.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 2 at 2015 1:10 AM

2015-08-02T01:10:53-04:00

Everyone has something to teach those open to education.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2015 2:01 AM

2015-08-02T02:01:49-04:00

Every man is my superior in some way. In that way, I learn from him.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2015 9:21 AM

2015-08-02T09:21:50-04:00

Yes, but my biggest influence was my platoon sgt. He was the one who took me under his wing. He guided and shaped me into the NCO I became. Great question!

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 2 at 2015 12:04 PM

2015-08-02T12:04:52-04:00

Heck yes. When I went from E-4 to O-1 and was assigned to Operation Deep Freeze, one of my collaterals was Blasting Officer which had me sent off to blasting school. There's book learning and field certifications and then there was EO-1 Ed "Boom Boom" Bujanowsky. He was missing a couple of fingers losing an argument with Det Cord, but he taught me more tricks than I can remember. Most of them were quick easy ways to tie, string, load holes, etc. We blew using chemical caps as much as we could. The biggest pucker factor work was working with electrical caps as with the high amount of static down there, you could put a cap out on the ice and it would self detonate sometime in say 20 minutes. You just didn't know when. So when I had jobs that needed it, we'd bridge the cap wire with aluminum foil with a ring around the foil and line. So we'd stand back, pull the ring through the foil and then hit the plunger. Ed said I was "alright" as an engineer. Just one example of the many enlisted who schooled me up over the years.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Aug 2 at 2015 12:56 PM

2015-08-02T12:56:56-04:00

SPC Margaret Higgins - Spec; Yes.

Sometimes I learned because they knew more about something than I did and sometimes I learned because they knew less about something than I did.

[You can learn a whole lot about inspecting fuel tanks by watching someone use a lighter to look inside one.]

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2015 3:46 PM

2015-08-02T15:46:30-04:00

I like to keep in mind that everyone is an expert in something. It can be a fresh out of AIT Pvt or a Senior NCO. They are bound to know something I don't.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 3 at 2015 2:11 AM

2015-08-03T02:11:29-04:00

Those who say no are either liars or kiss asses instead of true leaders!

A true leader, hell a true learner, learns from everyone, up and down, good and bad!

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 3 at 2015 2:18 AM

2015-08-03T02:18:25-04:00

Shortly after the Navy switched to their newest uniform, the Navy Working Uniform or the blue camouflages, none of us knew how to properly roll the sleeves. The reason was because we don't roll them like Marines do, but how the Air Force does and how the Army used to in your old BDU's.

Luckily I had a new girl in my section whose Dad is an Army General and she had been in Army JROTC in high school and Army ROTC in college (she didn't graduate college hence the reason she wasn't an Army Officer) but knew how to roll sleeves. So I had her conduct training with the entire section on how to roll sleeves. We ended up with the best sleeves in our division, all because of the training and assistance provided by a boot E-3!

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 3 at 2015 1:36 PM

2015-08-03T13:36:17-04:00

It doesn't matter the rank. You can learn from anyone. Do we not learn from our children and from our parents? Samething.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 3 at 2015 3:58 PM

2015-08-03T15:58:09-04:00

I have learned from the lowest ranks to highest ranks. A PFC who always busts his ass and smiles is a pure joy to work with.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2015 4:12 PM

2015-08-03T16:12:07-04:00

Those who have learned only from those who outrank them are not doing their jobs. It is impossible not to learn from those junior to us if we are paying them the attention required of us as leaders. Even without soliciting feedback we should pick up on some things to improve just based on their reactions to our decisions.

Not always, but often, feedback from the most junior personnel will be marred with less politics and much more straight forward.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2015 9:29 PM

2015-08-03T21:29:07-04:00

I most certainly learned, and continue to learn, from leaders, peers, and subordinates. On a SF team we are divided by specialty and each specialty is that subject matter expert on a team. Each specialty must maintain proficiency on the newest equipment and TTPs in his field, team training is continuous.

Response by LTC Donell Kelly made Aug 4 at 2015 12:36 AM

2015-08-04T00:36:35-04:00

During my re-introduction to the Army, via the USAR, I learned my First/Best lessons from senior NCO's who were Vietnam Green Beret Vets. Those lessons encompassed taking care of your soldiers and selfless service; the work wasn't done until it was ALL done and your subordinates safety & best interests came first.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2015 8:56 PM

2015-08-04T20:56:58-04:00

I have learned from all ranks... I enjoy learning from lower ranks because it gives me perspective on their wants and needs. It keeps me modest and reminds me of when I was in their shoes. And if you work with the lower ranks, it helps build rapport and trust... which goes a long way when you want to build a strong team...