What Rank Was The Most Challenging But Rewarding?

Without a doubt, civilian!

I think my hardest was going from enlisted to Warrant Officer

Lieutenant (O3) was most challenging. I was responsible for 25 senior enlisted and 800 brand new sailors at Recruit Training Command Orlando. As a Lieutenant, I was senior enough to have a lot of responsibility, but still junior enough to be able to experiment and ask for forgiveness if I got over my skis too far. It was a great paygrade/rank to improve my leadership skills and learn what kind of officer I wanted to be.

Command Sergeant Major. The ability to influence others at that level in the accomplishment of all missions is awe inspiring. Whether it be daily Garrison activity, Family support, Daily training and maintenance, squad, section, platoon, company and Battalion it all holds the same sense of responsibility. Being ultimately responsible for preparing an entire Battalion to be combat ready is one that cannot be matched in any environment.

This is not to take away from similar responsibilities at all other levels, below and above. Each is unique in its own right and each leader bares the weight of the organization. One has to live it to understand it.

Thank you all for your awesome service and dedication. God Bless. Let’s help the Ukraine.

Transitioning from NCO to 2Lt.

The promotion I received from E-5 to WO-1. In March of 1983 I was assigned to Ft. Rucker Alabama to attend the U.S. Army rotary wing flight school. It was a course that lasted for the next 10 months, all the while I was a WOC, Warrant Officer Candidate. It was almost like being in a prison from which I even tried to resign from and was counseled not to. I graduated from the course in Feb. of 84, was promoted to WO-1 one day with the awarding of my basic Army flight Wings the following day. I know, it’s just my opinion, but it doesn’t get much more challenging or rewarding than that. And a month after my graduation from Flight School I married the most beautiful young lady born who lived in Michigan while I got trained to fly Huey’s in Southern Alabama. I retired with the rank of CW-4 with the Army’s Pilot’s Master Wings, and for all the heavy lifting at the beginning, deployment’s and additional training it was one of the greatest career’s a person could have. Most of my flight hours were logged in Huey’s with the rest of them logged in Blackhawks. The Army kept gassing em up so I was more than happy to burn it up. But while being retired I miss driving those great birds, I miss the Soldiers I served with even more. I had a great career serving with the greatest soldiers to have ever worn our Nations uniform. It can’t get any better than that.

Buck Sargent, E4 - USAF - during 1966-1970.

2LT was very challenging because after OCS I was assigned to the same unit where I was a SGT E6. I wasn't sure how the soldiers I served with would react to my recent promotion. Of course there a few who just would not respond to my "orders." However after they saw the new rank didn't go to my head they were OK with me in my new role. WHEW!

E-5 Sergeant was the most challenging and rewarding. I had to learn how to be a leader, build confidence in myself as a leader but still was responsible for impacting the lives of soldiers

The first one after completing basic training. I had never completed anything so when I finished basic and was given my first stripe, oh what a feeling. That motivated me to go on and in my twenty year career completed/accomplished many things. Awards, college degree, promotion to SMgt and travels to lands I never knew existed. And it all started with the first stripe.