What's the best advice you've ever gotten from someone in the military?

General,

Not many officers out there that care enuff about their soldiers to do that. Most only care about themselves.

Keep a copy of my orders until I retire-------He should have said pay vouchers
They didn't start keeping electronic records till around 1995. Also, as a reserve/guard soldier------check and make sure the yearly retirement points add up to what you actually did. My didn't and I had to have them updated.

When I first obtained a leadership position, I was told by my Platoon Sergeant, "Just remember you can't remember everything, that's the reason for manuals.

I was to told to stay flexible, Semper Gumby...Meaning don't be afraid to bend when it is necessary or the right thing to do. Don't get to set on rules or regulations, because they will probably change.

I believe in the military the only constant, is change.

Best one I've ever gotten was from my instructor in the Armorers Course.
"Don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution"
Ever since that day, that's what drives me every day.

MG Peter Bosse Sir, there have been so many. I was fortunate to have been influenced by great leaders and subordinates alike. Many, I am lucky enough to call friends.

That said, the best piece of advice I received was from a USMC LtCol who related I should return to the service and stay until retirement. We were contractors together in Monrovia, Liberia - West Africa conducting security missions at the US Embassy. When my two year contract was up, I did just that. He added the second greatest piece of advice ever. "Easy to be hard, hard to be smart."

Sir,

When I was a naive little 2nd LT stationed at Thule AB, Greenland, my Squadron Commander came into the Missile Warning Operations Center, kicked out my Crew Chief and Space Console Operator and sat in the left seat for some mentoring time. During the conversation, he pointed out. "You won't get it yet, but in your career, you'll find the Air Force makes the extraordinary an every day event." He went on to talk about how I need to savor it and not take it for granted.

Here I am, 22 years old, sitting in the Arctic Circle in a multi-million dollar space radar ops center and I can't help but think "What is he talking about being extraordinary? Is the old man off his rocker?"

How could I not see the irony? I blame it on being a 2LT.

It took me a couple years and some maturity, but, I realize how true those words are. I lived in the Arctic Circle. I was a Missileer responsible for Nuclear Weapons. I became an Intelligence Officer and traveled around the Middle East. I would have not met my wife if I'd never joined the Air Force.... The list goes on.

I now try to pass that wisdom on to the younger Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines that have worked for me since then. I hope they catch on quicker than I did.

Memorize your SOP

The best advise I have received was "don't do stupid" from Gen McDew. We are all trained to take a task/program and make it our own by trying to create this magnificent master piece. But if the task/program you were given does not benefit your organization or Air Force in any way then why continue to keep the program in existence?

The best advice I ever got was "stay humble". Success can have a negative affect if you handle it incorrectly. The moment you start to gloat and put yourself on a pedestal you lose site of what you really accomplished. No one wants to work with someone that thinks they're better than everyone else. I make it a point to remind my airmen of this not long after congratulating them for something.