When did you take charge of your career?

The day I retired from the Army. That was the day when ONLY I was responsible for MY career. I saw entirely too many NCOs get promoted ahead of me with zero tough assignments, less advanced schooling, and sometimes numerous instances of non-judicial punishment on their records. So, yeah, only when I was able to look the person responsible for promoting me in the eye did I feel and know I had control of my career, and it has worked-out quite well.

I took charge of my career while at sea on my first sea tour while serving as the Main Propulsion Assistant and Navigator aboard the USS Gridley, CG-21. I qualified as the Engineering Officer of the Watch and Surface Warfare Office (SWO) (1110) during that first at sea tour. That accomplishment opened many doors as a young LTJG, including being selected as a Flag Aide, shore duty and not having to do back to back sea tours to get my SWO qualification.

I was in the same boat as you ... no NCO in my first section. I was a line medic and only knew what I read. It got me recongized and I was told that I was going to the SGT E5 Board at 22 months in. I declined and told the 1SG I wasn't ready, that just because I had the highest PT score didn't make me a leader. This put me on the back burner as deployment to OEF and then PCS came quickly. I didn't make SGT till 62 months in. I learned that my peer group was ahead of me and I was knowledgable ahead of them. So now as a E7 looking good for E8, I a little ahead of the train now.