Posted on Apr 11, 2015
Would anybody admit to being promoted before you were ready?
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Maybe having been promoted too soon to any particular grade. In retrospect I can probably say I was not ready, or probably fully qualified to be an NCO at 21 with less than 3 years TIS. My PLT SGT saw alot of drive, tenacity, fire and fight in me, and took me under his wing. Sheer pride to out do my peers, made me memorize FM's and study guides better than my peers, however my practical knowledge was minimal at best. I attended every board i could, and never turned down a school. Have yet to make a Commandants, but never failed a school i was sent to either.
Point is, I endured alot of heart aches, embarrassment and swollen pride my first 2 years in stripes. I was grilled for things I should have known, and a hand full of times got my ass handed to me for not being meticulous as an NCO should. I am a better leader today for it, and expect to improve tomorrow, but had I not been so ambitious(awkward saying that ) i would have beeb pinned NCO soon enough, and probably saved myself some pain. Interested in your views and opinions.
V/R
Danny
Point is, I endured alot of heart aches, embarrassment and swollen pride my first 2 years in stripes. I was grilled for things I should have known, and a hand full of times got my ass handed to me for not being meticulous as an NCO should. I am a better leader today for it, and expect to improve tomorrow, but had I not been so ambitious(awkward saying that ) i would have beeb pinned NCO soon enough, and probably saved myself some pain. Interested in your views and opinions.
V/R
Danny
Posted in these groups: 
Leadership
Promotions
Leadership Promotions
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 26
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Philosophically...No one is ready...They think they are. We are not perfect. Remain humble and learn. Peeps get promoted and seem to think they are the best thing since pants with pockets. I was amazed, when I got promoted, with all the things I thought I knew. I was wrong. Was I ready? I felt I was. I acted like I was. Truth be told, I was not looking at the bigger picture. So for me, I had a lot to learn.
Soldiers are our biggest asset. Train, mentor, and develop leaders you would follow through hell and back. That is my goal.
Mag Empty....
Soldiers are our biggest asset. Train, mentor, and develop leaders you would follow through hell and back. That is my goal.
Mag Empty....
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SGT Daniel Aldana, I entered the Army in 1986 and at that time, combat medics were retiring at the grade E5. Our leadership encouraged those they felt capable to attend 91B30 school or our next development level for medics that nearly guaranteed a promotion to E5. By the time my number would have come, we had a new platoon sergeant who looked down on me . In his book, I wasn't the right material after a few social gatherings and he learned that I didn't drink and that my values were not moved by the influence of rank or pressure. I was refused the E5 promotion board and other opportunities. It took me 6 years to make E5 and 9 years to make E6.
After finishing my career and looking back, I have a great appreciation for being well grounded before promotion and it really paid off for me in consideration for senior ranks. My goal became absorption of everything I could, the team, making a difference and career wise, my mark was 20 years versus E9. Our saying when I came in was, "Be, all that you can be."
I'd say, remember where you came from:
Remember the good so that you repeat it and make things better. Remember the bad leadership experiences, learn from them so that you never forget them so that you don't repeat them and make a difference for the future.
Know your assigned Soldiers:
Who can you trust? When you are entrusted with mission as an NCO, you can't fail, even when you can't personally be present for everything. How do you find out who to trust, delegate small tasks, and look for attention to detail. An example is motor pool maintenance. Were all tasks accomplished? (Maintenance, police, oil stains, vehicle alignment, drip pans, chalk blocks and others) If small tasks are cared for with attention to detail, its a good sign that greater tasks will too.
Make a difference:
Respect your Soldiers down to the lowest grade, be fair, and develop your Soldiers. Document development, it means a lot to know a leader took the time to find something good, even with the Soldier that acts up. I've seen bad Soldiers become good, simply because someone did pay attention and document all the way down to the end of the DA 4856 and taught them how to be better versus having a punishment driven demeanor.
Showing that you believe in someone can go a long way. I have a SPC who drag raced down the main blvd on Fort Hood. She was punished and was given the opportunity to recover. She's now made E7 is now an Officer and she turned her energy to personal development and making a difference.
You already have a standard of staying above the status quo, now put that effort into leadership. Seek the responsibility of your next rank as you master your current rank. Develop in your MOS and know your job. Don't give leadership what they want to hear when the circumstances don't line up or regulation doesn't back an order or directive. Do what's right and give leadership what they want by execution and advising them of road blocks you can't move right away. You protect your leaders by keeping them out of trouble as well. You already sound resourceful, just apply it.
After finishing my career and looking back, I have a great appreciation for being well grounded before promotion and it really paid off for me in consideration for senior ranks. My goal became absorption of everything I could, the team, making a difference and career wise, my mark was 20 years versus E9. Our saying when I came in was, "Be, all that you can be."
I'd say, remember where you came from:
Remember the good so that you repeat it and make things better. Remember the bad leadership experiences, learn from them so that you never forget them so that you don't repeat them and make a difference for the future.
Know your assigned Soldiers:
Who can you trust? When you are entrusted with mission as an NCO, you can't fail, even when you can't personally be present for everything. How do you find out who to trust, delegate small tasks, and look for attention to detail. An example is motor pool maintenance. Were all tasks accomplished? (Maintenance, police, oil stains, vehicle alignment, drip pans, chalk blocks and others) If small tasks are cared for with attention to detail, its a good sign that greater tasks will too.
Make a difference:
Respect your Soldiers down to the lowest grade, be fair, and develop your Soldiers. Document development, it means a lot to know a leader took the time to find something good, even with the Soldier that acts up. I've seen bad Soldiers become good, simply because someone did pay attention and document all the way down to the end of the DA 4856 and taught them how to be better versus having a punishment driven demeanor.
Showing that you believe in someone can go a long way. I have a SPC who drag raced down the main blvd on Fort Hood. She was punished and was given the opportunity to recover. She's now made E7 is now an Officer and she turned her energy to personal development and making a difference.
You already have a standard of staying above the status quo, now put that effort into leadership. Seek the responsibility of your next rank as you master your current rank. Develop in your MOS and know your job. Don't give leadership what they want to hear when the circumstances don't line up or regulation doesn't back an order or directive. Do what's right and give leadership what they want by execution and advising them of road blocks you can't move right away. You protect your leaders by keeping them out of trouble as well. You already sound resourceful, just apply it.
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WO1 (Join to see)
I really appreciate this advice, Top. I was especially surprised by your amount of time in grade for E4 and E5. It gives me a better look at perhaps my assumptions on my current promotion status and that I should be more patient with how and why I look at it, currently.
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1SG Henry Yates
SFC (Join to see) - Please forgive my late response. Thank you SGT Aldana. We can never forget the bad examples of leadership we experience and we shouldn't. We make a difference and keep a horrible history from repeating especially when we remember where we came from. Some say forget the bad, it can be blocked, but it's always there. Since we can't forget the good either, it's the brighter side. That's what you hold on to when it's tough. When you have the privilege of leading, remember the good examples.
SFC Yokum, made me paint a whole weekend for being late to formation when I was a private. Without me really noticing, he rewarded me for tightening up my shot group on timeliness, but mainly because he saw my uniform standard change for the better. The most disheartening times I've had is when leadership expected the worst of me, expressed or by gesture. I only sought approval in myself and my belief, I always knew that truth stands in action without explanation; it really does.
SFC Yokum, made me paint a whole weekend for being late to formation when I was a private. Without me really noticing, he rewarded me for tightening up my shot group on timeliness, but mainly because he saw my uniform standard change for the better. The most disheartening times I've had is when leadership expected the worst of me, expressed or by gesture. I only sought approval in myself and my belief, I always knew that truth stands in action without explanation; it really does.
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1SG Henry Yates
WO1 (Join to see) - SPC Edward, I hope it doesn't take you as much time is it did for me to make rank. I know you won't pass up opportunity. When leadership won't teach you, just watch, observe and man, Google is a heck of a resource for finding regulation you don't know how to resource. It gets you started. We always say know your regulation and the truth is, know the corps ones, but learn resourceful ways of finding answers in referencing regs often. Just Friday, in my current job, I was assisting a Reserve CPT. I had to help her with Incantation Pay (INCAP) and an appeal of an Line of Duty finding (LOD). I don't speak the Reserve or National Guard language very well as I was active my whole career. Some exposure allowed to know the resources she needed, but I didn't fully understand them. Yeah, I had the jitters for a moment, but went to old faithful for answers; regulation. I admitted to her that I needed to research and asked if she had the time. Within 20 min, I understood the process, explained them and printed copies of the applicable pages. Learn from your peers as well. I only hope that your leadership are mentoring you and giving you every opportunity to rise above your known potential. If they don't, find every opportunity you can and work with what you have.
The last thing I'd like to mention, I didn't know what to call it, but I was bullied throughout my career, more than not. I maintained my goals and standards, but when someone of influence has sized you up to be something you're not and limit you as such, work with what you have and remain committed to excellence in everything you do. I was tasked in lane training to teach NBC during a train up for JRTC. I simplified the learning process and made it fun/ dynamic to the response of each audience as they came through. My main point was that we only have one antidote kit and it's designed for nerve agent. I drove it home, that exposure really isn't an option, know and observe the environment, and animals. Keeping these things in mind, gear available and the appropriate response to the NBC situation. Our Battalion Commander was new and I had no idea she was there training on my lane. As someone intended to embarrass me with the hardest lane training responsibility, just like everything else, don't challenge me because, I can't fail. Soldiers get things done. That Battalion Commander saw to my elevation and keeping my battle rhythm throughout my career, she was the officer presiding over my E8, centralized board when I was promoted. Shine through for who you are even in the smallest of missions. You'll do well, set your internal eye far beyond your current situation. My goal was to 1st make E6, so that I'd be eligible for retirement maintain excellence by my definition to exceed standard and the prize was to retire. I was 38 years old when I retired. The active service was the only job in my time that guaranteed a passive income with benefits within 20 years. For me, I've been retired since 2006 and it has been more than worth it. That paycheck is there in the bank every single month. You'll do well.
The last thing I'd like to mention, I didn't know what to call it, but I was bullied throughout my career, more than not. I maintained my goals and standards, but when someone of influence has sized you up to be something you're not and limit you as such, work with what you have and remain committed to excellence in everything you do. I was tasked in lane training to teach NBC during a train up for JRTC. I simplified the learning process and made it fun/ dynamic to the response of each audience as they came through. My main point was that we only have one antidote kit and it's designed for nerve agent. I drove it home, that exposure really isn't an option, know and observe the environment, and animals. Keeping these things in mind, gear available and the appropriate response to the NBC situation. Our Battalion Commander was new and I had no idea she was there training on my lane. As someone intended to embarrass me with the hardest lane training responsibility, just like everything else, don't challenge me because, I can't fail. Soldiers get things done. That Battalion Commander saw to my elevation and keeping my battle rhythm throughout my career, she was the officer presiding over my E8, centralized board when I was promoted. Shine through for who you are even in the smallest of missions. You'll do well, set your internal eye far beyond your current situation. My goal was to 1st make E6, so that I'd be eligible for retirement maintain excellence by my definition to exceed standard and the prize was to retire. I was 38 years old when I retired. The active service was the only job in my time that guaranteed a passive income with benefits within 20 years. For me, I've been retired since 2006 and it has been more than worth it. That paycheck is there in the bank every single month. You'll do well.
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I pinned E-5 with only 23 months TIS. I thought I was high speed, hard charging and was ready and rearing to go. It took awhile for me to come to realization that I wasn't ready. Within 3 months of my pinning my E-5, I was asked to turn my packet into the board for E-6. I turned them down because I definitely was not ready for that next step. Overall, I turned down E-6 three times because I was not mature enough nor did I have the experience needed for the position.
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WO1 (Join to see)
Honesty is always the best. I find honesty to be a great leadership quality, sir. Good for you to do what you felt was right and not what your immediate leadership felt necessary.
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