What are the Top 10 things your branch manager has told you?

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 19:48:51 -0400

Here are a few for starters:
(1) This is a great assignment. If you don't take it right now, someone else will.
(2) A Pentagon assignment would be a great career move. (3) A TRADOC assignment will make your career.
(4) I don't have a choice. They really need combat veterans in Korea.
(5) If you take this job, I will guarantee your next assignment.

Response by MSgt Ryan Tanner made Sep 18 at 2013 9:53 PM

MSgt Ryan Tanner — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 21:53:06 -0400

Unfortunately assignments within the Air Force is determined in a sterile mushroom farm at Randolf AFB, TX where there's a lonely phone and fax machine that no one ever answers...everyone is a number in a manpower equation. They're slowly bringing on board a vectoring program to put quality people in critical careers but still doesn't consider the members wishes other than a dream sheet that rarely matches up. It is like playing lawn darts with Ray Charles, and about as fun, especially when you get Del Rio Tejas...coyotes and decapitated tourists.

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2013 12:44 AM

CAPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:44:05 -0400

Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to your next duty station as the billet can close at any time. or the other person can re-up for his same post.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 26 at 2013 11:53 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 23:53:28 -0400

It seems that you have had a love/hate relationship with your Assignment Manager. Some good and bad things I have heard from both my Assignments Manager and Branch Chief are:1) "Love the one your with." Just because an assignment is not your favorite, do you best. You are graded on how well you do a job regardless of how much you like it. Not everyone can get their dream assignment every time.2) Your ORB is critical. Keep it updated, when considering officers for key or hot assignments the first thing we look at is your ORB. If it's not up-to-date we move to the next officer.3) Aide-de-Camp jobs are far and few in-between. If the opportunity arises, take it!4) Ensure you seek broadening assignments. Working outside your field every once in a while is good for your career.Here are some bad ones:1) You don't need a deployment or deployment experience to get promoted.2) You don't need joint experience until you are a Field Grade: (In my opinion Joint Service benefits officers at any rank)

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2013 9:31 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 21:31:04 -0400

"There's no one else in the entire Army who meets the requirement for this assignment." Turns out, that was not true.

Response by CWO2 Shelby DuBois made Feb 19 at 2014 9:36 AM

CWO2 Shelby DuBois — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 09:36:47 -0500

1. Never be on time. Being on time is being late.

2. Remember the Detailers maps at HQMC are upside down... which is why when you ask for an East Coast assignment you get the West Coast..and vice versa.

3. Always get a signature... everyone signs for everything. Yes, General.. you too.

4. Remember that your weapon is made by the lowest bidder. Care for it like my life depends on it... okay... your life depends on it, too.

5. One more deployment will set you apart.

6. Accept the State-side staff billet...your peers going in theater will not get any special treatment on the next promotion board.

7. Stay with this squadron... these OV10B's will be around for the next 20 years.

8. Yes... there are floatation devices for the crew... (said to 15 Marines in back of a H46 with a severe hydraulic leak over South China Sea) but you are not crew.

9. The Warrant Officer is always right.

10. When in doubt, see number 9.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2016 4:29 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 04:29:23 -0500

Me: "Hey, I'm looking at the Functional Area designation board and I'm not seeing Acquisition Corps on here like you mentioned last week on the phone..."
Him: "Oh, Acquisition Corps does it's own separate board, sorry, I forgot."
Me: "No worries, when does that convene?"
Him: "Let me check... Oh crap. Two weeks ago, sorry man..."

Response by SSG Kurt Edwards made Jul 16 at 2017 10:51 PM

SSG Kurt Edwards — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 22:51:02 -0400

1. This assignment is highly selective. Be grateful you're even being considered.
2. You can choose your next duty billet after this one if you'll take it (the special duty post, that is).
3. My favorite was getting orders to one site, only to learn from my sponsor that the site was closing and I was going to be re-routed ENROUTE!

Response by SSgt Jimmy Jackson made Jul 18 at 2017 2:53 PM

SSgt Jimmy Jackson — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 14:53:19 -0400

It's just a year remote. It will fly by....

Response by CPT Joshua Hill made Jul 18 at 2017 4:25 PM

CPT Joshua Hill — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 16:25:04 -0400

1) Your record is strong, it can "survive" this (branch immaterial) assignment straight out of OAC
2) Only the strongest officers get selected for this type of assignment... the next week - this program is not meeting the Army's needs, so it is being canceled, right after your class...
3) Yes, the rest of your OAC class is going straight to CAS3, but it is critical you get to your assignment, but we will get you a slot as soon a possible (knew that was BS)... 2 years later, oh wait, you haven't been to CAS3 yet??? That kinda messes up that assignment you wanted / I promised you...
4) Yeah, I know this other guy wants the assignment I'm giving you, and you want the one I'm giving him, and you are probably a better fit for, but I'm not going to change it, and no I'm not going to tell you why...
5) Sure, you will get another shot at a command within your branch (that has limited command positions) after you have had a branch immaterial one... followed by sure you will get considered for a within branch BN level command after not having a Co grade command within your branch...

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Jul 18 at 2017 5:16 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 17:16:31 -0400

I once had my monitor call me and advise me I was about to receive orders to Okinawa on an unaccompanied tour. Since he and I had served together on my last such tour, I reminded him that he sat in the seat next to me when we rotated back to the states, so why didn't he go instead of me. I could imagine the smile on his face as he reminded me that he was the one in charge of assignments and didn't believe in shooting himself in the foot.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2017 7:49 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 19:49:40 -0400

If your not an nco I don't want to talk to you. This was the civilian.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jul 19 at 2017 1:23 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 01:23:50 -0400

1. "Yeah, you've been sitting on your ass in CONUS, you need to go OCONUS" OD Branch Captains Assignments Manager commentary on my protest to PCSing from my first duty station... 4 years in the OPFOR at Fort Irwin CA to the Republic of Korea following The Advanced Course and my first ten months of marriage. Identified all potholes on I-40.

2. "Man, Irwin to Korea, Someone really must not like you, but your luck is about to change..." The next OD Captains Manager arranging my follow on assignment from 13 months in Company Command in Korea to a post BQ congressionally mandated AC-RC assignment at Fort Carson.

3. "You are at risk for promotion if you don't get another command" the next OD Captain Manager leveraging me to leave Fort Carson with my 6 months pregnant wife to take command of an AIT TDA Command at Redstone....followed by my immediate counter that my BC would put me in command if need be, even though I was BQ. Immediately rejected by my BM as homesteading. Ultimately went to Redstone, to the only MTOE Company Command on RSA vice AIT. Validated all potholes on I-40.

4. "You have about 6 weeks to find (the cheapest Army Logistics-acceptable) Masters program, and get accepted to it, otherwise you'll lose this." Next OD Captain Manager, who,while doing me a solid, throws a 6 week suspense on getting Advanced Civil Schooling, fully accepted to an MBA program, and cram for and pass GMAT; which I had been trying to get done for the last 5 years with no traction at branch. Wife not pregnant, fortunately. Revalidated all potholes on I-40.

5. "..........<static on a dead net>......" feedback on orders for my first KD assignment as a Major following ILE and unit slates were filling up.

6. "We have you penciled in for that nominative assignment, just hang in there..." BM 48 hrs before losing an OCONUS nominative assignment and scrambling for a new assignment late in the cycle after my KD time as a Major.

7. "you better enjoy Germany because you ain't ever going again" BM right before cutting the replacement assignment to number 6.

8. "....well, that's hard to say, it is all luck and timing." BM trying to explain to you that you don't have the senior support of that level of luck allocation for the cool guynassignment you have dreamed about and you are so far out of cycle to do that you should just forget it. Why didn't you do this three years ago?

9. "You are competitive for O6." Leading up to the O6 board.

10. "You have to acknowledge that LTC and successful Command is a very successful career" BM letting you know you are done following the O6 PZ autopsy.

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Jul 19 at 2017 9:25 AM

CH (LTC) Robert Leroe — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 09:25:56 -0400

When I was in, Chaplains did not have Branch Managers (we were one of the few that didn't). We were told to go to our supervisory Chaplain who would talk to the next one in line, and eventually someone at the Chief of Chaplains Office might hear our concerns. It didn't work well. Some of us would sneak into the Pentagon to quietly chat with the DA Civilian who managed assignments.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 12 at 2019 3:15 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 15:15:13 -0400

Honestly, I've only spoken to my branch manager once in the last 15 years and that was when I was having trouble getting a slot for ILE.

Response by SGT Tom Recupero made Jun 28 at 2020 9:42 PM

SGT Tom Recupero — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 21:42:26 -0400

“Why are you calling me, don’t call me”