How you take control of your "Career Progression"?

2014-03-28T10:42:59-04:00

I am trying to determine what is a good next step in order to be leveled with my peers and competitive for the next level. I'm stuck at this assignment until Nov '15, I have been doing a lot of self development courses to try and keep myself current on my MOS but doctrine will only help so much without any concurrent hands on training. I tried to request schools and specialized training but no luck so far. How do you keep yourself competitive on your field if everything in your career from schools to assignments is at the mercy of someone else?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2014 1:33 PM

2014-03-28T13:33:06-04:00

When all else fails, work on college courses. If you start earning a degree, there isn't much that leadership can do to stop that. Sometimes we just get stuck in those positions where we are "indispensable" and don't have an opportunity for schools. Just keep doing the best you can until it is your time to leave.

Since you work in the IT field, I would recommend also going for some civilian IT certifications in addition to a college degree. If you can document that you have been working to improve yourself, and especially with something that directly improves job skills, then that should help a lot.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Mar 28 at 2014 11:19 PM

2014-03-28T23:19:03-04:00

Have you already looked through your NCO Professional Development Guide?

DA Pam 600-25, NCO Professional Development Guide (Updates)

10 Years Army Strong for Soldiers and Families

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2014 11:42 AM

2014-03-29T11:42:40-04:00

My recommendation is to manage and worry about what you can control. You can continue to better yourself with civilian education and you can push yourself when you are able to attend NCOES. There are many NCOs that see WLC, ALC, SLC as a break from their daily duties and do not take it seriously. As we slim down the force, they won't be cutting the Honor Grads and NCOs with stellar NCOERs, rather they will be promoted.

I would also recommend you have a candid discussion with your branch manager indicating that you would like an opportunity to further expand your career and knowledge base. Talk to him/her about a nominative assignment.

Response by SFC Steven Harvey made Mar 29 at 2014 11:54 AM

2014-03-29T11:54:01-04:00

Depending on your unit you can actually go years without any type of Military Schools. That's just the way it is sometimes and no amount of volunteering or performance will matter. It was so bad at my last unit that I tried to actually take leave to goto a school and even willing to pay out of pocket. It just was not going to happen, unit funding doesn't work like that. Your first stop should be College. It's the one thing any unit is going to let you do if you find the time. The second thing is technical certifications if your MOS leans on them.

Really the only thing that matters in my opinion are the bullet comments on your NCOERs. If your OMPF and DA Photo are good enough where they take time with your NCOERs you're more than half way there.

It's the only thing that is a universal constant with centralized promotions. Some Senior NCOs have a ton of Military Ed, some have a lot of college, some have various assignments, some had broadening assignments, some had Audie Murphy Memberships, etc.

But they all had consistent NCOERs with specific and justifiable bullets with good flow and Senior Rater comments.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2014 1:26 PM

2014-03-29T13:26:04-04:00

I appreciate all your responses I was really frustrated with the whole thing. Just to give you all a little background story I've been deploying every other year since I got in. The only reason I took this assignment was in order to be able to get Garrison experience some NCOES, military and civilian schooling under my belt. Long story short it has been impossible for me to get any NCOES at my current assignment and I currently enrolled in college only taking 1 course at a time is all I can currently handle, being an instructor is very challenging and eats almost all of my time not to mention my brain is mush after instructing the whole day but as the old proverb says: "slow and steady wins the race" class by class I'll get my degree eventually. Thanks again all of you for your responses and words of encouragement

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2014 5:15 PM

2014-03-29T17:15:30-04:00

SSG Santana,

If you have a chance you should try to get out and hook up with your peers on your base. It might help you stay online with your peers and if you could interact with other units NCODP's that may help as well.

Good luck

1SG Haro

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2014 5:21 PM

2014-03-29T17:21:54-04:00

When I was a private, my first squad leader told me to do anything to the absolute best of my ability. If it was to clean the latrine, then brasso all the steel, etc... So put 100% into your current job. That being said, some mos's stagnate and upward progression is very hard. Look to re-class or ID what will set u apart. In the infantry, combatives level 3 or 4 helps, as well as college and 1, 1 on ncoer's. I recommend talking to any SGM that came from your specialty. They usually have all the answers to the test.