What's the WORST career advice you have gotten or heard someone else get? It happens...

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 09:50:29 -0400

Career Advice

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Aug 16 at 2014 8:12 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 20:12:52 -0400

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

That made me create ArmyReenlistment.com...the Army never had a dedicated retention page (still doesn't...I do haha)

Response by COL Randall C. made Aug 16 at 2014 8:52 PM

COL Randall C. — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 20:52:14 -0400

I always loved computers from my pre-teen days (still remember the Program 101 fondly) and in my junior year my high school guidance counselor told me to stay away from computer science as a major when I went to college.

"The field is going to be so flooded by the time you get your degree, you'll never be able to get a job".

Actually listened to him which is why I ended up with a minor in physical chemistry and mathematics (before I switched in the latter half of my Sophomore year to CompSci).

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2014 9:01 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 21:01:20 -0400

Our battalion was de-activating at Ft. Bragg, so I was on the phone to Branch looking for an assignment. A former 1SG from our Bn was assigned as one of the managers there. His advise was to come up there and take his position, it would be a shoe in for me to SGM. My big ass mouth engaged before my slow ass brain (as usual) and I said, "Bernie, then why the hell are retiring as a MSG instead of SGM...Thanks!" Hung up the damn phone!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2014 9:24 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 21:24:15 -0400

I was told as a young private when I meet one of my first Squad Leaders (SSG BALL), I was riding in his truck to get my DCU issue for OIF II. On the way there I noticed that he had no combat patch but did have an Air Assault Badge. Me the young 18 year old private asked then SSG Ball how long he had been in the Army? SSG Ball responded with "almost 19 years".. I without thinking opened my big mouth and said "gosh 19 years and your only a Staff Sergeant and still a Squad Leader?". His first response was WTH do you mean by that? Then his advice/explanation to me was that " he never kissed A$$ and if you wanted to make rank that was the only way to do it.

I was blessed to make this years SFC promotion List at 10 years in service. If you were to ask anyone who knows me I am far from the arse kisser. SSG Ball taught me a lot that day in that I did not want to be a Squad Leader like him and a Staff Sergeant at 19 years in service.

Response by Capt Richard Desmond made Aug 16 at 2014 10:28 PM

Capt Richard Desmond — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 22:28:03 -0400

Mine was a person who was not a very good officer. It was, "Its not personal its business." He would utter this anytime he felt he had to convey something unpopular and did not have the fortitude to stand up to his superior's bad orders and decisions. First off we are not a business, we are a service that requires sacrifice, commitment, and character. We do not have a bottom line, stock price, or profit margin that we chase. We provide national security voluntarily under the most extreme circumstances so that that the other 99% of the US can live free. Second, it is always personal. Everything the military does, and we as leaders, is personal. When you raise your right hand and vow to protect the constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic with true faith and allegiance to the same, with the understanding that could mean at the cost of your life, that is personal. Our "business", or the correct term our service, is a personal matter at its core and that was something this commander did not understand and tried this trite advise to try and not be the bad guy.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2014 9:14 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 09:14:34 -0400

I once heard a CSM tell a SSG the reason he didn't make SFC was because he was stationed at Fort Campbell and never been to Air Assault School.

Response by MSG(P) Michael Warrick made Aug 17 at 2014 10:30 AM

MSG(P) Michael Warrick — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:30:29 -0400

Do not go to school for an education but just to get promotion points !

Response by 1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2014 10:55 AM

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 10:55:53 -0400

Mechanics can't be airborne. What, are you gonna jump out of a plane with your toolbox?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2014 11:58 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 11:58:03 -0400

Worst advise ever received in over 12 years of srevice was "You're a f**king Soldier in the United States Army. Your job is to follow my f**king orders when I give them and not ask any f**king questions!" This was in front of twenty some odd civilians and about five SPC and below. I was a SSG at the time and so was he. The order in question. Get the colonels vehicle moved because the parking lot was getting repainted. My offending question you ask? Where would the Colonel prefer it to go, location x or location y? How dare I wonder. This is yet another reason I started my recent question and poll. I am highly skilled, can MAYBE fit two more schools on my ERB and am working on my Master's but not allowed to use common sense and now even on orders to an assignment where not one of my specialties that the Army paid a crap ton of money for is going to be utilized. Ok. Sorry. Rant over.

Response by MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 18 at 2014 4:56 PM

MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:56:42 -0400

The worst I have heard..... When I was an E5 I was told if I did not learn to kiss ass I would never see E6. Well sadly that person was eventually kicked out and I am still in and an E7.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Feb 22 at 2015 8:15 AM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 08:15:39 -0500

CSM Private RallyPoint Member, that I could not be Drill Sergeant, it surprised him after I got selected and did two years on the trail at C/2-47 IN, Charlie Rock, Panther Battalion (Fort Benning, Georgia 2006-2008). It pissed him off so more, I have never heard or seen him again in almost 10 years. Always believe in yourself and not the nay-sayers who don't believe in you.

Response by SFC Walter Mack made Feb 22 at 2015 10:06 AM

SFC Walter Mack — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 10:06:01 -0500

We had a CSM that got us together during NCOPD at my new unit and told us that Drill Sergeant, Instructor, or WTU platoon sergeant is great for your career. However, he told us that recruiting was a waste of time, and he looked very poorly upon recruiters for promotion. That said, I had just come from recruiting, then he disappeared right about the time of the SFC board. I was pretty sure I was hosed, but that's the board I got picked up on, and he was sitting on it. I guess my time as a recruiter didn't hurt me so bad after all.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2015 11:18 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 11:18:40 -0500

Worse Advice: Use NCI transcripts for promotion points as opposed to actually going to school.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Feb 25 at 2015 1:05 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 13:05:59 -0500

"Be an Army Officer"

I wanted to enlist while in college, get a few years, get that e if I did eventually commission. And in my time in service I have found out that I would prefer to be a Warrant.

Just doing what Dad did (and therefore his only real experience in the Army)

Response by COL Randall C. made May 22 at 2015 8:51 AM

COL Randall C. — Fri, 22 May 2015 08:51:50 -0400

High school guidance counselor ... "Computers are going to be such a flooded field when you get out of college, you'll never be able to get a job". Initially listened, but glad his advice didn't stick.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made May 22 at 2015 1:11 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Fri, 22 May 2015 13:11:35 -0400

You can go for a full time masters if you want, but the guys who come back, they are not quite as sharp as they once were....actual career advice from a newly retired LTC (DA Civilian) to me as a Company Commander returning from a combat deployment on whether to Go take an ACS slot or not.

Response by SFC Stephen Carden made May 23 at 2015 3:25 AM

SFC Stephen Carden — Sat, 23 May 2015 03:25:43 -0400

"Never volunteer for anything." Bull. How are you supposed to get ahead of your peers if you don't? I say volunteer for everything. The guy who gave me the advice? Former SGT from the 1st Cav Div, circa 1969. My dad. I had to tell him that things had changed in the Army since Vietnam! LOL

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 4:00 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 04:00:29 -0400

I think the worst career advice is to not ask for help or try to always be the example. You can't always be the perfect soldier and will have to rely on other people's input.

Response by MSG Clyde Mills made Feb 3 at 2021 7:34 AM

MSG Clyde Mills — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 07:34:07 -0500

Wanted to become an Officer and was told by my Platoon Sgt. at first Duty Station when I went Active Duty in 1981 from the National guards. He told me point blank, you don't want to become an Officer and insult your Intelligence. Still think to this day I would have made an outstanding Officer in the Military. Also while serving in the Army Reserves as an E-8. Was getting very close to Retiring and thought long and hard about continuing my stay in the Military and Transfer / Enlist in the Air Guard just to try a Different Branch of the Military. Since I was still young enough to serve and Train Soldiers. Contacted the Air Guard Retention / Recruiting Officer and asked what I would have to do to transfer / Enlist. Told them I was an E-8 and had a Supply/ Logistics MOS. I was informed that if I wanted to Transfer I would have to be demoted all the way down to an E-5 in order to get into the Air Guard. I declined the offer to change Branches in a heartbeat. No way was I going to go from and E-8 down to an E-5 just to see how another Branch of the Service would work for my Career. So I stayed in the Army Reserves and retired in Oct. 1999. Had already had to drop a grade in rank when I went from the National Guards from an E-3 to an E-2 in order to go Active Duty. Wasn't about to Drop in rank again in my Career.