What's One Thing That Makes or Breaks a Military Career? Share and Be Entered to Win!

An open mind can make not only your military career but also heighten your experiences. Unwillingness to adapt will certainly lessen, if not break your military career.

For me simply put it would be leadership, self dedication to duty and respect.

Hi

The one thing that makes or breaks a career is conditioning. What do I mean?
There are three things you need to learn immediately:
1. Get to work on time. That includes meetings, Quarters, etc…
2. Look good. Square that uniform up so that you’re sharp.
3. Be nice. So many people think kindness is overrated. It created opportunities for me.

Education.
You need to keep learning; for your job performance, your promotion potential, your understanding of mission requirements and interpersonal relations.
Educate yourself, keep learning. If you rest, you rust.

Absolute obedience

Promotions vs Responsibility - What is meant by that is Senior NCOs are only looked at for promotion once a year and even then, no "description" or "list of requirements" of what is being looked at. I mean, i knew an E7 who had 3 Combat tours, received his Masters and Bachelors in two different disciplines (One being Criminal Justice) , been passed over at least 5 times, had served as a Detachment NCO, Squad Leader, Assist. Platoon Sergeant and a Platoon Sergeant. It gets very frustrating to be tasked into these different job descriptions and receive little to no recognition. I, myself, was passed over for E8 on at least 6 occasions without an explanation of what i could do better/ needed for the next grade. Now, I've been retired for almost 5 years and some of the Soldiers I've served with (who i keep in contact with) are complaining about the same thing.

Failing the whizz quiz. ...
Taking one drug to hide another. ...
Getting too drunk to remember what happened. ...
Sex with someone who's underage. ...
Sexting using a government phone. ...
Playing fast and loose with marital status. ...
Solving an argument with a fist. ...
Failure to be not fat.

Covid vaccination.

Breaks—drugs, DWI, assault

Makes- initiative, people/leadership skills