What is the most challenging position/ assignment you have ever had?

My most challenging assignment was - believe it or not, SSG Christopher Freeman - as a student at the Defense Language Institute. Not because I had trouble just passing the course, rather because I wanted to excel. During my 47-week course, I spent three to four hours every evening and more hours on the weekends studying Polish, memorizing vocabulary, learning verb forms, grammar, etc. (you name it).

I see now that this was a self-induced challenge, but at the time I was just trying to be all I could be, and the pressure I put on myself was pretty intense. In the end it led to success - top graduate in the class and a max score on the DLPT in Polish.

Being and Infantry Platoon Sergeant in an Armor Bn. That was not a fun assignment for me at all. Had a 2lt that told me he should have been enlisted and he acted that way as well. Overall the toughest leadership challenge ever.

I received an assignment to give courses on "NCO DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION" to the Ukraine Ministry of Defense General Staff in Kiev. The courses were a week long and I had to prepare all my material and submit it to the Military Liaison Team in Kiev NLT 45 days prior so it could all be translated into the Ukraine language.

Upon arrival I spent the first day with my translator who was fantastic and very professional. It took a little for us to get in it together, but soon I learned how much I could say before she needed to take over. I'd prepared power point slides and when I looked at them, they were now all in Ukraine language, so I had to really know my material. We began at 0900 and finished at 1530. I think the question / answer periods at the end of each block of instruction was the hardest. At the end of a day I was exhausted, almost more than if I'd spent the day under a ruck in the field.

The attached is me presenting a Command coin to the 3 SNCOs from Ukraine military (l), myself, my translator

Performing duties that I could not discuss with others. Finally decompressing in special VA program for Acute PTSD.

From a career of PFC to 1SG, then 2LT to MAJ; I can say with all certainty the Battalion S-3 of an Airborne unit with minimal, if any staff! Between two battalions, been at it for almost 5 years now. I either suck at it and continually being punished, or I'm actually good at it.

I used to think it was being a DET SGT (zulu position) in Afghanistan 2002, but now being an officer for the past 13 years, and being the constant BN S-3 in an airborne battalion with no S-3 Air section for the past 8 years, is begining to kick my ass!!!

The most challenging position I ever had?

Easy one . . .

As a junior 1LT, I was assigned as the Post Operations Officer of FT Greely, AK. 634,000 acres, mainly training area. Northern Warfare Training Center (NWTC), Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC), approx.. 1,000 permanently assigned personnel, and up to 10,000+ visiting troops at any given time. Intel, NORAD, JTF plans, etc. Worst part was being over 100 miles from any real civilization, while dealing with temperature reaching over -60F.

To me the most challenging position I have ever served in is Recruiter, especially in a town that is nowhere near an active duty Army base. You are the face of the Army, your job is sales based meaning that "no" is a very common word that all recruiters need to get used to hearing. They say that something like 90% of the country is not qualified for military service, it is your job to find the other 10% and show them how the Army is the right choice. You are constantly doing this while competing against the other branches, colleges, the private sector, and against stereotypes (i.e. join the Army and you will go to war and die, or the Army is the branch for those with no other options etc....). Once they are in you need to train them so they are somewhat competent before shipping.

I was told once that being recruiting was the purest form of leadership and when I first got there I doubted it, but after three years doing it I agree completely. You are their NCO but all you really have in your favor in regards to leading them is your natural charisma. You have little to no true authority over them, you can't counsel them for failure to appear or doing something (you can, but it holds absolutely no weight). Your only recourse for those who do not want to do the right thing is to threaten to remove them from the Army or actually do it which is exactly the opposite of what the Army and USAREC actually wants you to do. You have to keep these kids who change their mind like the wind motivated to ship when most of their friends and peer groups and in some cases schools are telling them they are making a huge mistake. Some kids join as a junior in high school and they won't ship off for 14 or more months so you as their leader have to keep them motivated for that long and ensure they actually graduate on time. Anyone who has teen would understand how flaky they can be at times.

Lastly you have to show them how the Army is right for them while giving them a strong dose of reality. In other words if you have a DUI give up on going medic or MP, or you don't have the scores for MI, or you have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting firefighter, or how Airborne Ranger and Sniper are not MOS's. Also you have to motivate them while keeping them humble as most think they are doing the Army a favor by considering the Army. Plus you have to do all of this while dealing with constantly changing regulations and ensuring all paperwork is correct. It was without a doubt the most challenging assignment I have ever done.

I think it is about to ensue..............Command Chief Warrant Officer