What are the biggest things you’ve learned in military service and life to date?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 23:50:36 -0400

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 15 at 2015 12:09 AM

PO1 John Miller — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 00:09:21 -0400

Make sure your brain to mouth filter is in proper working order.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Jun 15 at 2015 12:23 AM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 00:23:30 -0400

Don't make the same mistake twice, then it's a problem.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 15 at 2015 1:12 AM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 01:12:04 -0400

No matter the place, the job or the situation INTEGRITY will take you farther than just about anything.
The Old tale of the father telling his son "I gave you a good name, protect it." is true. Many times I have seen an individual that may not have been the smartest, the most knowledgeable, but because he had a reputation for personal honor and integrity, he advanced in the company.

Response by SFC Rollie Hubbard made Jun 15 at 2015 1:55 AM

SFC Rollie Hubbard — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 01:55:29 -0400

I would have to say learning about people/soldiers how to be a great leader as a platoon sergeant. Now as I am retired I had to learn how to deal with silly civilians.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 2:01 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:01:37 -0400

That it really is important to be on time.
If you just take one more step than someone else would you are more prosperous.
Everyone has a boss.
Never ever lie.
You need to know somebody, who knows SOMEBODY.
Keep your circle small

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Jun 15 at 2015 2:09 AM

LCpl Mark Lefler — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:09:26 -0400

Do it for yourself because no one is going to do it for you.

Response by CSM James Winslow made Jun 15 at 2015 2:22 AM

CSM James Winslow — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:22:11 -0400

Life is not fair. Get over it.
Work hard, play hard.
There is always someone bigger, faster, smarter, stronger and better looking.
Use your skills and talents to your unit's advantage.
Knowledge does not equal wisdom, and Degrees do not confer common sense.
Learn something new every day. In the end, no one can take your experiences from you.
Take vacations. You never know when the next one will be allowed.
Finally- whatever task you are assigned, make it yours. Put all of your effort and knowledge behind it. Sucesses get you a pat on the back, failure can break a reputation.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 15 at 2015 2:27 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:27:02 -0400

Life is fragile.

God protects us from a lot of breakage.

There is always someone who will pick something up in the sandbox 30 minutes after being told not to at quarters and blowing himself up.

Homecoming is the best!

REMFs are the worse.

Response by SGT Edward Perez made Jun 15 at 2015 2:56 AM

SGT Edward Perez — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:56:16 -0400

Sounds funny but i learned how to be competitive. Not in sports like manner, cause i hate sports. My dad forced sports on me hardcore like. He's been coaching 40 yrs he's a paid kind of guy. Sorry, anyways. Competitive meaning how to compete for different positions in my field. (Infantryman). Theres guys way more physically fit than i was, but i liked the technical part of the job. Weapons mines, jungle ops etc. If you remember ARMY had the SQT testing. MOS tests. So in order to learn i had to get to know people, and those people were the best damn infantryman you could find. Smart too! So one in particular, he was an ass, but with him knowing i would that SOB aint going to keep me down. Well he made me the best grenadier in Battalion because in taught me something i cant explain. But to be cornie sounding "To Be All I Can Be".
Thats has taken me far in civilian life. To let know man keep me from my job at hand. And that is to include my father, whom i love very much.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 2:59 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 02:59:42 -0400

Freedom isn't free.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jun 15 at 2015 3:20 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 03:20:40 -0400

The older I get, the more I realize how little I know.

Response by SSG Melvin Nulph made Jun 15 at 2015 5:11 AM

SSG Melvin Nulph — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 05:11:30 -0400

1. In the military: "Education can be taken from you". Long and or Short Term Memory Loss is bad, both can be "Damn Scary" at times!

1. In life: Be careful what you wish for.
Because it can become a dream that isn't as fun or exciting as you once thought it would or could be.

Response by SSG Adam Wyatt made Jun 15 at 2015 5:45 AM

SSG Adam Wyatt — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 05:45:58 -0400

If they are worth the price of one 5.56 round, they are worth five.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 7:10 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 07:10:38 -0400

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 7:50 AM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 07:50:24 -0400

There a few things that come to mind. I was 18 years old when I joined the Army in 1998.
1. Everyone doesn't actually love the Army like I do.
2. Not all leaders deserve their rank or position.
3. You always will have more room to grow and improve on your technical abilities and your leadership skills.
4. Being in the Military doesn't guarantee you respect from the civilian world.
5. Believe it or not, you are technically just another number to your service, you are replaceable.
6. The more that you invest into the military the more that you will earn in experience and success.
7. You will have to make difficult and unpopular decisions.
8. If you joined the military to be rich, you were highly mistaken.
9. There are no true excuses to not earning a higher education while in the Military.
10. I've learned that no matter how tough situations get, I have the ability to overcome adversity in the face of danger and I can do so with honor, integrity and selfless service. There are more important things in life than yourself.

Response by SSG Trust Palmer made Jun 15 at 2015 8:32 AM

SSG Trust Palmer — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 08:32:21 -0400

Don't enjoy life by the minute. Enjoy life by the second. Life is not promised.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Jun 15 at 2015 8:55 AM

Maj Chris Nelson — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 08:55:22 -0400

Embrace the suck. It could always be worse.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jun 15 at 2015 11:58 AM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 11:58:41 -0400

LTC Private RallyPoint Member I'm thankful for the relationships that I developed over the last 37 years and all soldiers that I've met and been able to motivate, shape, mold, and move to the next level. Thankful for those who were my mentors and coaches as well. That has given me the most enjoyment over my military career! Selfless Service!

Life to Date: Thankful for all the blessings in my life (parents, daughters, family, and friends) and the freedom we enjoy each day!

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 15 at 2015 12:05 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 12:05:11 -0400

Even in darkness there's light.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 12:33 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 12:33:28 -0400

Mandated schooling does not prepare you for the real world.

Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Jun 15 at 2015 12:35 PM

MAJ Bryan Zeski — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 12:35:42 -0400

You are the master of your own destiny. If you want something, do everything you can to get it. Don't let others tell you that you can't, that you aren't qualified, that you're too late - just find the loop hole and do it.

There is no can't. There is always an answer or solution - you just have to find it and present it and know how far up the chain the approval authority is. I had a boss who walked me through the mud to figure that one out. In the end, I learned that it's not my job to say what we will do, it's my job to identify the problems, come up with solutions (no matter how far out of my "pay grade"), and present those to him for approval, execution, funding, or for pushing further up the chain. Something that seems "impossible" at my level may just be a simple phone call to a buddy from college for someone higher up.

Networking is the answer to pretty much every problem. Knowing PEOPLE is usually much more useful than knowing THINGS.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Jun 15 at 2015 12:41 PM

MSgt James Mullis — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 12:41:05 -0400

Learn from the difficulties you face in life and move on. No matter what it is or how upset you are today, take a deep breath, carry on, and in 6 months or so it will be better. In fact you may not even know why you were so upset at the time.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2015 12:46 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 12:46:08 -0400

Soldiers can accomplish the mission without coercive leadership.

Response by SGT Edwin Claudio made Jun 15 at 2015 1:10 PM

SGT Edwin Claudio — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 13:10:31 -0400

Live, laugh and love. You never know when it's your last day.

Never take anything for granted.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Jun 15 at 2015 3:18 PM

SPC David Hannaman — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 15:18:47 -0400

If it's your time to leave this earth nothing will keep you here.
If it isn't your time, nothing can take you out.
So run into the jaws of death knowing you're bulletproof, because if it's your time the golden BB will find you in your foxhole.

That realization gave me peace... the only thing I feared in the valley of death was getting maimed.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Jun 15 at 2015 3:51 PM

SPC David Hannaman — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 15:51:36 -0400

Drink lots of water.

Sounds stupid, but I didn't... lucky I have good veins and it's easy to pump a bag into me. I never pass a water fountain without taking a drink.

Response by SGT Jason Weisbrich made Jun 16 at 2015 11:03 PM

SGT Jason Weisbrich — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 23:03:31 -0400

Making on the spot corrections is not just superior to subordinate, but goes both ways. But kissers will always get theirs in the end. Never ask anyone to do something you are not willing to do yourself. Many soldiers get promoted for all the wrong reasons and far too soon.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2015 2:53 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 14:53:36 -0400

No plan survives contact. You have to be able to relate METT-TC and OCOKA to every tasks and goals, and think on the move

Life is not fair. Those that prepare for that tend to do better than those that don't.

Tactical questioning is great with teenagers, it will lead you to what you want to know if done right.

There is always someone out there that is training to beat you, and he often doing it with less than you have. So train to beat yourself, wake up in the morning look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are to beat that SOB in the mirror, because today it is not the same river and you are not the same man.

If it is stupid and it works, it is not stupid. K.I.S.S.

The only thing you really take with you anywhere you go, combat or where ever in life, is you. Your weapons, your gadgets, and all else can be taken away. So make yourself the best weapon you can. Condition your mind and body to be the sword.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 6 at 2015 10:50 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 10:50:46 -0400

Leadership is an art that people often expect to just learn on the job. We spend months working on equipment, reading TM's, and asking our peers for help when it comes to learning our basic job. However, when it comes to leadership most people will never pick-up a book, refuse to accept advise from others and spend no time (outside mandated time) to conduct team building exercises. Something I have learned from the military and life is that Leadership is a tool like anything else you learn you must constantly sharpen or you will become a complacent leader.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 7:17 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:17:45 -0400

Military - Doesn't matter how insane and off plan your new assignment seems to be at first sight, in the long run, it all comes together for a better you.
Life - life is like a beautiful and unique sunset, it is only a few minutes length but we'll worthy...

Response by SFC Patricia Tucker made Jul 23 at 2015 5:15 PM

SFC Patricia Tucker — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 17:15:56 -0400

That not everyone is going to agree with you all of the time. That's why I wore the uniform, proudly, for 29 years. I also learned that it doesn't matter if they agree with you or not. I hold steadfast to my moral and ethical compass despite what other believe.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2015 3:11 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:11:48 -0500

It is all what you make of it. It is not how one falls but how one gets up. And that things are never what they seems like. Also that Karma does exist. And finally do your job and don't worry what others are not doing as long as you contribute your part everything will come together. Also is not about you is about the team.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 3 at 2015 4:50 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 16:50:47 -0500

Take care of the NCOs and soldiers and they have a greater propensity to rally as a team.

Response by SFC Karen Lassiter made Nov 25 at 2015 2:03 PM

SFC Karen Lassiter — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 14:03:15 -0500

The biggest thing I've learned is that there is always an exception to the rule/law/regulation etc....

Response by PV2 Shawn Tyrrell made Dec 29 at 2015 10:00 AM

PV2 Shawn Tyrrell — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 10:00:59 -0500

Learned in the military, works great in civilian life. Adept, improvise and over come. Amazing how so little words can do a lot in life.

Response by CPL Justine Dauenhauer made Jan 27 at 2016 3:51 PM

CPL Justine Dauenhauer — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 15:51:54 -0500

That you can work with anyone... attitude and actions are a choice. Choose wisely.

Response by Ernest Gonzalez made Nov 4 at 2021 3:50 PM

Ernest Gonzalez — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:50:33 -0400

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