What was your experience in getting desired duty stations?

This is question for Assignment Officers (detailers). There is a method to the assignment madness. The military assignments manual (CIM 1000.8) can lay out the basic foundation for how it all works but it’s a little difficult to understand without talking to someone that’s knee deep in it on a regular basis. The best strategy I can give you for getting a preferred assignment is to ask your unit’s assignment point-of-contact (POC) (i.e. Senior Chief, Master Chief) if you can request "Career Counseling" from your Assignment Officer or request to communicate with your Assignment Officer directly. The manual can tell you how but it’s important not to skip the chain of command if at all possible. Doing this as early in your career as possible can help but no strategy is concrete because service needs change rapidly. To answer your question, I received my #1 assignment preference at E-5/6 (same unit), and E-9. At E4, I got my #2 assignment pick. At E7, I received my last pick on my dream sheet (E-Resume) and my E-8 assignment orders were just handed to me because I had short-toured my previous assignment (forcing a transfer) even though I just completed back-to-back overseas assignments.

0 big fat Juicy ZERO.
Never once got what i asked for.

OTOH every where I went was friggin' awesome. I probably would have screwed myself if I'd ever gotten what was on my list.

For my first duty assignment, I did not get my #1 choice (Japan). I did get somewhat of a choice though. They gave me 4 different stations to choose from. I chose Korea out of that list.

My 2nd duty station was needs of the Army. I did not get a say in it.

I gave HRC my top three choices two months ago. Japan, Korea, and Hawaii.
I didn't get the elusive Japan, but I did get Korea and I'm headed to Seoul late next year.