Who do you pick as the best mentor you've had in your military career and why?

2016-01-10T16:54:50-05:00

Who is your best/favorite mentor in your career and why? For me it was SGM Wallace Goodlow (RIP my friend). Back when I was a young, brash, junior enlisted soldier I was stationed at my first duty after BCT/AIT at a Army Hospital in Vicenza, Italy. It was me, a junior enlisted to me, and an officer in our section. I had no NCO in my section, let alone in the country in my field. I was there about a year when he came on board and noticed that. He took me under his wings and molded me. He encouraged me and others to pursue an education and taught me how to lead like an NCO. He helped me turn a page in my life and career. I had been out of the active Army for 8 years and had not seen him in about 14 when I saw him again while I was at Reserve officer basic at Ft Sam. I walked up to him, a little embarrassed about switching over to "the dark side". Went up to see if he remembered me. Of course he did. And he was proud and ecstatic about my education and commissioning. What a stand up guy and leader! I know more of you have similar stories and great mentors.

Response by SGT Larry Prentice made Jan 10 at 2016 4:56 PM

2016-01-10T16:56:57-05:00

Ive had many. My first was a guy I saw a bunch of guys talking to and he was regarded as the best Field Artilleryman around so I started talking to him.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 10 at 2016 5:03 PM

2016-01-10T17:03:29-05:00

I would say a future Armor Brigade Commander. He kept pulling me and pushing me when times go terrible. He also put the seed in my brain that saying thank you in innovative was is important.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jan 10 at 2016 5:45 PM

2016-01-10T17:45:56-05:00

Unfortunately I was pretty much abandoned when it came to the mentoring piece so the School of Hard Knocks had to bring me along. The exception was my first Senior Chief when I moved from E-4 to O-1. Ralph taught me to be patient in most cases to see how things are playing out. The tragedy was I lost him quickly due to cancer and never had anything that close and interested in helping me along since. So I just turned what I wanted into what I did and started mentoring others lest they get left out. Over time, I felt better about it.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2016 7:12 PM

2016-01-10T19:12:13-05:00

SFC White, a thousand years ago (1981) - who taught me that Senior NCO's were supposed to take junior Officers under their wings and teach them.

SFC Percy Clayton (RIP), who truly taught me how to lead. He would give us the standard to which we were to finish, and let US figure out how to get there. He'd poke his head in every so often to ask us questions about why we were doing things a certain way, but he let us make our own way - for better or worse.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2016 8:01 PM

2016-01-10T20:01:15-05:00

ISG David N Conroy.
He taught me how to be a "Real NCO" and to take the NCO Creed not just as something to memorize, but something to live.