What’s the best assignment you ever had in your career? Why?

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:53:25 -0400

Was it location? Duties? Who you worked with or for? Joint assignment? Overseas? Etc?

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2021 1:55 PM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:55:30 -0400

Mine is between two great assignments! 5th SFG (A) and Saudi Arabia! Both great assignments as a Senior Parachute Rigger!

Response by SPC Nancy Greene made Oct 12 at 2021 2:17 PM

SPC Nancy Greene — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:17:07 -0400

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member the best duty station for me was Ft McClellan! I worked in STU/Trainee MILPO. Class B was the uniform and the only duty I had to pull was CQ because we had trainees for guard duty. I enjoyed Germany, however it was cold and we were always on ‘alert’ and I didn’t have much time off to travel. Of Course this was during the Cold War and 2nd Armored Division (FWD) was the closest post to the Berlin Wall. I also really enjoyed working the E7 Board at Ft Benjamin Harrison

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Oct 12 at 2021 2:31 PM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:31:35 -0400

Company Commander, B Company 206th Engineers (Mech) Kentucky Army National Guard. Almost every Officer I have meet thought that Company Command was the best job in the Army. #2 would be Assistant Brigade Engineer, 82nd Engineers, Bamberg, Germany. That's special staff to Brigade, so you are where the rubber meets the road and I liked the Bamberg area. Too bad is was TDY.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2021 3:24 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 15:24:14 -0400

Probably Spartan Shield. It was Kuwait sure but I got tossed between the 3666th SMC with the Arizona National Guard, the 142nd CSSB out of 1st Armor, ran transportation missions for the 508th PIR out of the 82nd Airborne, worked for the 304th SB with the Army Reserves, and finally the 101st DSB out of the 101st Airborne. Provided support to a lot of units and Soldiers across five battalion and two brigades, good times. Even got a fancy thank you from some guys out of the 36th ID, Texas National Guard working with Task Force Spartan.

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made Oct 12 at 2021 5:12 PM

MSG Stan Hutchison — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:12:25 -0400

I had the good fortune to have mostly all good assignments, but to name the best? Tough. I would have to say, as a single young troop, HQ, USAEUR & 7th Army, Heidelberg, FRG and since marrying, 172nd LIB, Ft Richardson, AK, although maybe HQ ARADCOM, Ent AFB, Co, or maybe 4th Inf Div, Ft Carson,,,,, oh, never minded,,,

(HQ, 8th Army was pretty good for a single men also)

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Oct 12 at 2021 5:17 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 17:17:48 -0400

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member My best duty station was at Pirmasens, Germany. My M.O.S. was Recreation Services. I was a Sports Director for Dependent Youths.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 12 at 2021 6:01 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:01:03 -0400

Engineering Officer, Naval Support Force Antarctica (Operation Deep Freeze). Helped build the first artificial sea-ice wharf, flew in during the winter to build sea-ice runways, lead surface SAR, laid out routes to inland stations, AND had to suffer going to blasting school to do my job. On the side I helped capture the first penguins for Sea World and ran the high end booze racket (not for profit). Not bad for O-1. Pretty much unlimited authority to make good things happen. That and epic pranks that would get you scorched CONUS side.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 12 at 2021 6:18 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 18:18:43 -0400

Honestly, I’m enjoying my current assignment at Fort Drum, NY as a BN S-3, for both the job and location! Crazy, I know.

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Oct 13 at 2021 7:13 AM

CSM Chuck Stafford — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 07:13:58 -0400

The best one was always the next one, so full of potential. I never had a worst one, though there were for sure challenges and lessons learned that made me a better leader

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2021 12:20 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:20:45 -0400

By far, when I was a SPC in the USAR I was put on long term orders as an Intel Analyst doing stuff (there was a team of us). We were augmenting the intel mission of our Active Intel Brigade, but the money was funded outside of the DOD. So this gravy train could have technically gone on forever.

So there I am a 40 y/o brand new MOSQ soldier, and I get a temp job doing my MOS. This went on for a year, and then a deployment and promotion to SGT followed just as the long term orders ended.

I was making about $50K a year with BAH, didn't have to worry about anyone buy myself, and my tasks, and with that the grand realization that while I was making considerably less than I did in my civilian job the BAH portion was tax free, and the training I had to do the job was only 7 months long, and just about any teenager that could get a TS/SCI could be in the very same position I was at the time (in fact they were, because of my other team members). Plus, an hour a day was allocated to fitness (my APFT score has never been higher), and the SCIF was shut down by 16:30 by the civilian facility administrator so there was no staying late EVER.

Then there was the realization that no one was really looking at our intel production. It just went into a network folder no one cared about as just incase the balloon goes up. So really, it was only us that were deciding if our production was up to snuff or not.

It was the most chill job I've ever had my entire life.

I hope to maybe take the MI branch transition course, become a USAR Intel Officer and then use my position to be the guy that sources the funding for these kinds of gigs. I found additional funding sources at the time, but of course completely lacked the influence to even start the conversation to fund another mission set. The money is out there for the intel community, it's just no one knows where the intel customers are, and no one knows where the idle intel personnel are. They sort of stumble upon each other.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Oct 13 at 2021 8:03 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 20:03:14 -0400

I was assigned to 17 Tactical Airlift Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, AK, as a newly minted major. The squadron had a real mission sustaining remote radar sites throughout Alaska and sometimes Northwest Canada. While the C130 units in the lower 48 were mostly flying training missions, we had real cargo and people to move. Our training missions were flown in permissive air space over beautiful countryside where almost nobody lives. As a major I was excepted from some dirty details, but got snagged for others, such as sitting on Courts Martial. Base housing was very nice. The public schools were good for my kids. We all enjoyed winter sports and salmon fishing. Unfortunately I got myself assigned to the Ops Group staff. I worked hard and was promoted to Lt Col. This ended my flying career as soon as I PCSed from AK.

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Oct 14 at 2021 3:51 PM

GySgt Kenneth Pepper — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:51:59 -0400

MAG 24 Det, Stewart ANGB, NY. I&I duty/babysitter for a bunch of part timers. Only 12 aircraft (C-130) and all almost brand new. Location was awesome. Local people were awesome. Work was easy.
I was the unit Color Sergeant, so part of my responsibilities was burial details. That was actually a great experience considering the seriousness of the task. It was almost guaranteed we would get invited to the local VFW, fire house, etc., afterwards for beers and food.
Attended the FBI/Marine Corps Association Birthday Ball in downtown Manhattan.
Color Guard at 2 World Series games in the Yankees back to back winning years.
Too many good times to mention.
And yes, it is amazing no one ever got in any serious trouble.

Response by SPC Roger Dunn made Oct 15 at 2021 2:46 PM

SPC Roger Dunn — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 14:46:58 -0400

Germany....great BEER and well food

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2021 1:08 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 01:08:27 -0400

US Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana. Was an E-5 Air Guardsman at the time backfilling for an unfilled AD Defense Attaché NCO slot. First joint assignment ever worked in, supervised by an Army O-5 and basically provided logistical and admin support to Military Liaison Office (MLO) staff and personnel TDY in country. Great opportunity to see how DoD and Dept. of State work hand-in-hand. Worked normal office hours with weekends off, easy to catch flights to the Caribbean or South America during down days. Another plus was not having to wear uniform, only business casual. Only time I recall having to wear uniform was for official embassy functions or when meeting with host county military during meetings.

Response by CPO Bob Jaeger made Dec 28 at 2021 11:47 AM

CPO Bob Jaeger — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 11:47:18 -0500

Best duty station Navy Communications Station, Puerto Rico, Ft Allen. Small base on south side of island, Rum Factory 1 mile away, Beaches, Sun, and Fun.