What advice do you have for junior enlisted?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:18:39 -0500

I'm new to my first duty station as a 35F. I've been AD for 10 months, and am gearing up to be promoted to PFC. I strive to be the best at everything I do(junior enlisted in this case). I am hoping to receive advice from other soldiers on what constitutes a great junior enlisted in their experience. Thank you in advance!

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Mar 4 at 2021 11:24 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:24:33 -0500

Find a mentor. Find a squared away PFC or SPC and do what they do. Stay away from the E-4 mafia types.

First of all, don’t be in a hurry. Learn your job. Be the best that you can be at your level. After you have mastered that, learn your NCO’s job.

Stay humble and get educated. Take advantage of any education opportunities and get a degree.

Keep the drinking under control. And most important, don’t do stupid stuff.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 12:03 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:03:24 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member You have excellent advice from SMSgt Thor Merich and SFC Stephen Hurst. I will add this:

Be a planner, set goals, and then execute those plans. Have a backup plan in case you need to make a course change.

Live beneath your means, save as much money as you can, utilize savings/retirement plans, and learn investing. You will need money for cars, homes, families, vacations, retirement, etc.

Good luck on achieving your goals!

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Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 12:50 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:50:06 -0500

Do your best, save money, have fun. Only you know what your best is, but time can be your best friend with savings. Even $100 a month will compound over 40 years into over $100,000 at 4% yield. There are countless calculators available online, and you'll be amazed. If you can't have fun, you're wasting time. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. https://www.investor.gov/financial-tools-calculators/calculators/compound-interest-calculator

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Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 4 at 2021 1:10 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 13:10:52 -0500

I had a PFC tank loader who I loved. He always smiled. He had initiative and was willing to learn. He was reliable, but the best attribute was he had a great attitude.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 2:22 PM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 14:22:57 -0500

SPC Private RallyPoint Member Stay curious! Keep an open eye and a sharp ear in order to observe and learn what is going on outside your specific MOS. Never know when some little item tucked away in memory will come in handy - BTW, I'm 80 and still wondering.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 3:28 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 15:28:09 -0500

3 things.

1. Good on you for asking and wanting to better yourself.

2. Can't say too much cause all the others have given great advice thus far.

3. Do you enjoy 35F so far, and if so are you planning on making it(this) a career?

I am a 35F as well, have been my whole career and love it and love mentoring fellow 35Fs, especially since I currently don't have any soldiers to mentor in person where I work.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 4:19 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 16:19:24 -0500

I've not seen it mentioned yet.

CLOTHING RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pull your clothing record from AKO, and see what they Army says you have, and what you actually have. At this point, if you are missing stuff, you better start looking on E-Bay and find a replacement with the exact item NSN.

Such things can go both ways. I was given a holster for my deployment, but it wasn't on my record. By time I found that out I had already turned it in. Not that it was any good, but still.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2021 5:22 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:22:40 -0500

Showing the willingness to learn as much as you possibly can; a great attitude; loyalty to what you signed up for. Try not to complain too much (we've all been there), and the upmost respect and dignity for everybody no matter if any biases you may have.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 4 at 2021 5:52 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:52:23 -0500

I am sure others have great info, but I will add some stuff. Learn your MOS, learn the Technical Manuals that go with them, be familiar with Field Manuals, Regulations, and other information you would need in your field. Avoid the troops who seem fun to hang out with, but will most likely get you on that "Special List," the one the First Sgt has for "details." Look and act like a soldier should be. If people in your section give some one a hard time, don't be one of them, others will notice and should strive to be more like that (believe or not people who pick on others were picked on by some one else, hence they felt powerless and now seek to get "revenge" on others). Don't turn down challenges (work related, not beer drinking). Continue to work to better yourself in PT, marksmanship, Boards, and education.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 4 at 2021 7:41 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 19:41:22 -0500

Learn to search. This question, or ones VERY similar to it, has been asked numerous times on here.

I am not saying that to be a dick, but you are a 35F. Even as a PV2, you need to start learning how to find your own answers / BEGIN the research process without oversight. Trust me, your NCOs will LOVE you if you bring them preliminary research when asking them questions.

And I mean legit stuff, not barracks lawyer BS. But if you are trying to piece together an OB, go through what you have, what you can find, and what you have been given. Piece it together and identify your holes. Then go to your NCO and say "Hey, SGT, I am trying to fill in this OB. This is what I have so far. Can you help me find references or reports that can help me fill in these holes I have at points A, B, and C?" If you can do that as a PV2 or PFC, you will be a superstar.

In terms of this question, it would have been posed as something like "I have looked at References A,B, and C on Google, and D, E, F, and G, on RallyPoint. The basic themes seem to be 1, 2, and 3. Is there anything else that you would recommend?"

That right there is a superstar I am prepping for Soldier of the Month as soon as they pin PFC and prepping for the promotion board as soon as they pin SPC.

Response by Wayne Soares made Mar 4 at 2021 10:25 PM

Wayne Soares — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 22:25:04 -0500

Thanks for the question Travis

Response by SPC Joshua Lickey made Mar 11 at 2021 6:09 AM

SPC Joshua Lickey — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 06:09:13 -0500

As someone who wasn’t given any advice and figured it out all on my own, the hard way, do everything you do with maximum effort. Be the soldier your leaders don’t worry about. The soldier that’s first to PT, first to formations, first to volunteer, last to leave. Become the soldier that no one would ever entertain a rumor or lie told about you.

Response by SPC Tom McDermott made Mar 23 at 2021 2:36 PM

SPC Tom McDermott — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:36:11 -0400

Honestly, the best advice I can give is to never stop paying attention. Listen and look, learn how the world around you works, and it will help you in your MOS. Whether you're working on ops or assisting an S2, you should always be learning. Learn about how the Army works for your own sake. Learn about how people work, and it will help you in your MOS. The saying goes that a day without learning is a day wasted; well, that goes double for 35F. Always be on the bounce.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2021 10:18 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 22:18:01 -0400

-I would definitely make sure you stay in shape, the pt you do at your unit will most likely not be sufficient.
-Make sure to show the proper respect to NCOs and Officers, many come out of AIT not doing the right thing.
-Try to learn as much as you can from the people you work with.

Response by SGT Grant Rushton made Apr 23 at 2021 9:01 PM

SGT Grant Rushton — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:01:58 -0400

Be on time, do your job and stay away from trouble.