Talking to your Branch Manager.

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 12:26:21 -0500

Here is the dilemma I've run into throughout my career when it comes to talking to my branch manager. The only reason you talk to your branch manager is because you want something. I know that. My branch manager knows that. So how do you build a professional relationship with a person when the foundation of that relationship is inherently selfish on my part?

My goal is to get to Hawaii post Career Course. That's 2-3 years away so it's a ways off, but I'm a planner. I know that assignment is wanted by everybody in the Army and it can be a crap shoot to get.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 25 at 2013 2:28 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:28:35 -0500

So this is where you call branch and Volunteer to take a low desire assignment, such as a post people are trying to get away from, in the hopes that you early flexibility will get you some good will post MICCC. The good thing for MI types is that they are everywhere, so there are always posts hurting for MI officers, particularly places that don't have MI-CO's since that's the assignment every MI LT wants.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2013 5:39 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 05:39:12 -0500

Inquire about a short tour like Korea or a World-wide Individual Assignment System (WIAS) tasking. Other than was has been suggested, looking and acting like a professional is pretty much all you have. ORB, DA Photo, and IPERMS updated in a timely manner are a start. Learn the cycles HRC uses to manage people, for instance, Signal HRC managers use quarterly blocks of time. Make thoughtful inquires during your managers low optempo periods. Thoughtful means stuff you can't just find out for yourself in 5 minutes on Google. Lastly, demonstrate that you read their newsletter and perhaps base you questions off of that.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Nov 26 at 2013 9:55 AM

SGM Matthew Quick — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 09:55:05 -0500

You can build rapport with a Branch Manager by asking professional development-type questions or "Where do YOU think my next career move should take me for professional growth?"<br><br>You can ask for something without actually asking for it...empower yourself by asking for advice with suggestions.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2013 10:42 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 10:42:02 -0500

I like that idea but my wife would not approve.

Response by CPT Mike M. made Nov 26 at 2013 5:05 PM

CPT Mike M. — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:05:47 -0500

First of all, there's nothing you can do. Assignments post-Career Course are given to each class on a needs-of-the-Army basis. For example, my class had 1 Germany slot, 1 Hawaii slot, a couple to Korea, like 12 to Fort Hood, etc. If your class hits the timing wrong there may be no slots for Hawaii and there's nothing you can do about it.

Second of all, just be professional when you talk to him/her. They're customer service and they know it. It's their job to balance your desires/needs with the needs of the Army. At the end of the day it's going to come down to what the Army needs and trying to find something you want that fits or comes close to fitting that need.

Be wary of the short tour thing. It can usually work out to get an assignment of choice but I've heard numerous stories of people volunteering for a deployment or a Korea tour to get what they want afterward, something coming up in the world, the needs of the Army changing and then they don't get what they want.

Just be flexible and make the most of any assignment you get. My next assignment is the first one I've ever got that I WANTED. However, every job I've had (with the exception of an XO in TRADOC as a first job in the Army) was the perfect job for me at the time, I learned a lot from, performed well, and went on to the next bigger and better thing.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2020 8:02 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 08:02:13 -0400

I would just like to point out some career counselors aren’t permanent either. Depending on who it is they could switch every 2-3 years.