Posted on Feb 17, 2018
What is the best lesson an NCO/Officer has ever taught you?
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What is the best lesson/piece of advice an NCO or officer has ever taught you? Personally, I would say the most impressionable advice an NCO has ever taught me was that at the end of the day, my military career is in my hands. My decisions reflect my career and at the end of the day, if I want something done (schooling opportunities, career advancement) to ALWAYS push and never give up.
What's the best advice you have ever received?
What's the best advice you have ever received?
Advice
Lessons Learned
Leadership
Training
Military Career
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 128
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Never utter the words “this f’ing sucks sir” to a LTG when asked how things are going. One ☝️ f my Sgts during Desert Storm did this during our deployment and was paid in ass chewings from the LTC to the Plt Sgt. we all had quite a laugh about it later though.
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"Sir, think of life like a pie. Think even of the Army as a pie. You usually don't eat the whole thing all in one sitting, so attack the pie in slices. That is the key to life, the Army, and leadership. To be a good leader, start out with pieces. Be an expert at the fundamentals, then take another piece of the pie. Doctrine. Then another. Enlisted functions. Then another. Personnel actions. And the list goes on. Take things in slices, and you will be successful in all you do."
SSG Michael Lang, a 35M, Human Intelligence Collection NCO. I was a brand new, newly minted 2LT fresh from college. He wasn't my platoon sergeant at the time, but since I took charge of the platoon within the company that did not have a platoon sergeant, he took me under his wing as well in addition to the other 2LT in his platoon. We were out on a field exercise when he told me this, and I'll remember it forever. An amazing human being.
SSG Michael Lang, a 35M, Human Intelligence Collection NCO. I was a brand new, newly minted 2LT fresh from college. He wasn't my platoon sergeant at the time, but since I took charge of the platoon within the company that did not have a platoon sergeant, he took me under his wing as well in addition to the other 2LT in his platoon. We were out on a field exercise when he told me this, and I'll remember it forever. An amazing human being.
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My first deployment as a division officer, I had a Senior Chief "take my under his wing" when my Chief was sent home following a medical emergency. He was the first SNCO to teach me that while it was good that I respected and learned from the Chiefs...I needed to learn to still "wear" the rank on my collar. He taught me to remember that every officer the Sailors see...from the CO to the CNO started out as a "butter bar", and the men expect to see the "seeds" of that leadership even from a JO. It is a lesson that I hope I gave evidence of learning...not only in my active service, but leadership in the private sector and at home.
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Suspended Profile
A Senior Chief I worked with would often tell me not to downplay my part or my role. "But Senior, there's no way I could do this job without your input. You save my bacon daily when I want to do something and you tell me why I can't or there's a better way to do it."
"Sir, my job is to advise you. This is your show. Don't forget for one minute that you're in charge here, and the fact that your take that advice into consideration is evidence that you care about doing it right. I work for you."
He really taught me how to feel comfortable in my own skin and rank while doing a difficult job, and exactly how to toe the boundary lines with the Goats' Locker so as to have an outstanding relationship with them, one in which I can show my appreciation for their experience and skill without seeming to lose the authority of my office.
That man is an incredible mentor. I'm sad he's retiring next month.
"Sir, my job is to advise you. This is your show. Don't forget for one minute that you're in charge here, and the fact that your take that advice into consideration is evidence that you care about doing it right. I work for you."
He really taught me how to feel comfortable in my own skin and rank while doing a difficult job, and exactly how to toe the boundary lines with the Goats' Locker so as to have an outstanding relationship with them, one in which I can show my appreciation for their experience and skill without seeming to lose the authority of my office.
That man is an incredible mentor. I'm sad he's retiring next month.
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NCOs and SNCOs in my line of work are well worth the advice for knowing how to do the job better. Officers help me to understand a bigger picture, and in many cases the "why" behind certain parts of the job. I've gotten solid advice from both.
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This is my own advice. "Work hard and be nice to people, unless they give you a reason not to be nice."
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I learned this on my own in the Army; so I am not sure if this is what you are looking for, SSG (Join to see), but I learned that one can learn from the Private on up- and from the General on down. I mean, with this statement, absolutely NO disrespect to Privates. You Privates are professionals just like the Generals are.
-Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired
-Margaret C. Higgins U.S. Army Retired
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One of the PSGs I hated the most gave me the best advice. If you don’t like where you are at, rank up.
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CW3 Jeff Held
I’ve been enlisted and WO and have had the luxury of working with some real sharp folks. It would be impossible to cut down to less than a full page what they have taught me. By “they” I mean E1’s through GO’s.
I’m really at a loss for words which is uncharacteristic of me.
Superb question.
I’m really at a loss for words which is uncharacteristic of me.
Superb question.
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You need to make sure that your family comes first in all your decisions because if no matter if you do 4 years and get our or do 20+ and retire your time in the military will eventually come to an end and your family will be all you have left when your military career eventually ends.
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