Posted on Mar 3, 2015
SFC Senior Drill Sergeant
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A year and a half ago, NCOs and DA Civilians from HRC's Infantry branch came to Fort Campbell to talk with Infantry Soldiers and NCOs about the assignment process. They told us that we could expect to be on station for 3-5 years before moving onto another location. We were also told that certain positions, namely Platoon Sergeants, could expect to move after attaining 24 months of professional development time. However, here I am, at 18 months on station, and I'm already on orders for Drill Sergeant School, yet there are other NCOs who have been here, either in the same company, or at least the same battalion, for more than 5 years. How is this possible, and what happened to sharing the wealth throughout the Army? In almost 19 years, I have only been at a location for 3 years twice, once on recruiting duty, and the other at my last duty station. Where is the stability that we've all been looking for for our families and lives in general? What about the stability for units by keeping experienced Soldiers and NCOs for a few years instead of having a changing of the guard every year and a half?
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Responses: 6
CSM Charles Hayden
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SFC Matthew Wood, Thank you for 19 years service to the Nation. You must be a great NCO who has attracted positive command attention. Given the current turmoil in the Army; great senior Drills are needed to guide the SSG Drills and maintain continuity, (instructional memory). Your Drills will be the best the Army has. That is before you start to work with them!
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SFC Senior Drill Sergeant
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I did not mean this to sound as though I was complaining about being selected for Drill Sergeant duty, just that I would like, for once, to have some kind of stability in an operational assignment of more than a year and a half. I understand that the CSA is pushing for qualified NCOs to fill DS and Recruiter billets, so I go where the Army sends me. It would be nice if HRC stuck to their "3-5 years before moving you" position.

The way this has happened, it's almost like HRC doesn't want SFCs to get any more than 24 months PSG time, yet I've seen other Soldiers who have spent 5+ years at a location before finally being moved on, even if they request to PCS. I'm just tired of the dart board approach to assignments and individuals that HRC uses.
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CSM Charles Hayden
CSM Charles Hayden
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SFC Matthew Wood, As I said earlier, 'some command', with authority has recognized your skills and decided that you won't be a homesteader, but one of the stand-out NCOs that cannot escape their radar. Congratulations, you have a great career awaiting!

Enjoy all you can and use leave time to decompress and enjoy a bit of life. My little brother had 30 days delay enroute before he flw to Nam. He squeezed the army out of an Additional 30 days thank Heaven,before his 26 day round trip to Nam.

Please enjoy when you can, you have many things to watch and enjoy. Use leave time!
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SFC Senior Drill Sergeant
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CSM Hayden, after my last tour to Afghani-land, I was more than willing to take all 30 days my unit allowed us to take, and I do intend to take as much as I can between the time I am supposed to finish DS School and when I'm scheduled to report to Fort Benning's School for Wayward Boys.

As I'm sure you did, I'm just trying to leave the Army in a better state than when I got it, or at least as much of the Army as I can affect anyway. If my way to do that is by being on the "Trail," then that's how I'll do it.
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SGT Jim Z.
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It is obvious that the Department of Army has plans for you and they just have not shared them with you. Instead they reveal little hints like Drill Sergeant School and though it sucks that you have not stayed very long often it will one day come to an end.
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