Posted on Mar 19, 2021
What steps should I take to voice concern of my personal training and progress?
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I’m new to the Army straight out of AIT, I’ve been with my unit for 3 months now and training has been a struggle. I’m a 42a and been having some difficulties. The office itself has its own organization issues that have as of recently worked on, however for myself I find myself getting lost. The specialist that’s supposed to be training me lacks organization and the attention span needed for me to start working. I’m eager to learn but keep getting the “yea yea, just click that” or some scrapped together explanation that makes no sense. I can ask him “do I need to print these forms out” and the response will be “no” but later he’ll say “oh man I didn’t mean then, you needed copies when your done to send...” or some crazy random reasoning. I have tried asking the NCO in the office about getting properly trained on things, she will take a moment to listen to me and brush off a quick response like there is no interest in teaching me. We have a meeting almost once a week where it’s us getting in trouble foe not doing something correct, which always ends with “keep up the good work, we’re a family” but the plan is never held accountable. I really want to be a good sm, and I fear going hire up without finding another solution to keep this at my NCO level. Any suggestions would help. Thank you.
Posted in these groups: 
Training
42A: Human Resources Specialist
Human Resources Clerk (S1)
Career Counselor
Career Advice
Training 42A: Human Resources Specialist Human Resources Clerk (S1) Career Counselor Career Advice
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
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Every S1 shop you walk into will be set up a bit differently, and manned depending on who they have available. It sounds like you're just stuck with someone who is too busy to really train you. It's a sad truth that in today's S1 shops most of the shops have had the SFC pulled to the Brigade, leaving the less experienced SSGs to fill the NCOIC role.
The best thing you can do is start learning your craft. Every single thing that goes down in an S1 is covered by a policy or regulation. Learning your job isn't about remembering everything you're told, it's about finding out what regulation or policy tells you what or how to do the thing you have to do. Each section within S1 - strength management, awards, PERSTAT, promotions, etc - has a separate regulation or DA Pam that gives you explicit instructions on how to do whatever your task is. Every data system you use has a handbook or instruction manual to answer any questions you have about how to use that system.
A good place for you to start would be FM 1-0 Human Resources Support. It will give you an overview of the roles of each of the sections. It will give you the reference for the DA Pam or AR that covers the functions of each of those roles individually.
The second thing you'll want to have on hand is the emilpo user manual. As a junior S1 Soldier this is the datasystem you will use almost exclusively, so you want to master it early. Later you'll want to get smart on PERNET, EDAS, MS51, Datastore, Topmis, and IPSS-A when it is finally released. Getting familiar with Microsoft Excel will be a huge help to you in the future as well
Study those and in a year you will be the subject matter expert in your office
The best thing you can do is start learning your craft. Every single thing that goes down in an S1 is covered by a policy or regulation. Learning your job isn't about remembering everything you're told, it's about finding out what regulation or policy tells you what or how to do the thing you have to do. Each section within S1 - strength management, awards, PERSTAT, promotions, etc - has a separate regulation or DA Pam that gives you explicit instructions on how to do whatever your task is. Every data system you use has a handbook or instruction manual to answer any questions you have about how to use that system.
A good place for you to start would be FM 1-0 Human Resources Support. It will give you an overview of the roles of each of the sections. It will give you the reference for the DA Pam or AR that covers the functions of each of those roles individually.
The second thing you'll want to have on hand is the emilpo user manual. As a junior S1 Soldier this is the datasystem you will use almost exclusively, so you want to master it early. Later you'll want to get smart on PERNET, EDAS, MS51, Datastore, Topmis, and IPSS-A when it is finally released. Getting familiar with Microsoft Excel will be a huge help to you in the future as well
Study those and in a year you will be the subject matter expert in your office
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Awesome! Thank you for the help SFC. I will be sure to take the initiative and begin working on these things.
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SGT Robert Wager
By far the best advice you will ever see here on RP! Sometimes new soldiers get lost in the wake of a busy S-1 office. If that young SPC is not taking the time to explain things to you maybe try and tactfully explain to him that you need him to slow down a bit and explain it better.
Ask the Personnel Sergeant for a counseling session and have him lay out what his expectations are of you and what are your monthly goals. It’s never easy being the FNG but you have to stay proactive in your growth and training.
Ask the Personnel Sergeant for a counseling session and have him lay out what his expectations are of you and what are your monthly goals. It’s never easy being the FNG but you have to stay proactive in your growth and training.
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Why does your profile say "Civilian Recruit" if you're active duty in a unit for 3 months now?
If your NCOIC isn't listening, go to your OIC. If they don't listen, go to the 1SG and keep going until someone listens. I've heard the "we're a family" crap for most of my career in any unit and rarely was it true. You have to do what's best for you and if your NCO isn't doing it, your OIC won't help and no one in the section helps you learn, then take it higher so then someone listens.
I really got no training when I got to my first unit out of AIT. I had to figure it out as I went and I was the only enlisted in my shop for 2 years and the first deployment. My OIC did what she could since I had no steady NCOICs.
If your NCOIC isn't listening, go to your OIC. If they don't listen, go to the 1SG and keep going until someone listens. I've heard the "we're a family" crap for most of my career in any unit and rarely was it true. You have to do what's best for you and if your NCO isn't doing it, your OIC won't help and no one in the section helps you learn, then take it higher so then someone listens.
I really got no training when I got to my first unit out of AIT. I had to figure it out as I went and I was the only enlisted in my shop for 2 years and the first deployment. My OIC did what she could since I had no steady NCOICs.
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Sgt (Join to see)
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff PV2 Moreno is having a problem updating his profile. I have sent a note to a Senior RallyPoint Administrator to fix his profile.
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SGT (Join to see)
When I got to my first unit I was told that this is the real army and you have to figure it out on your own. I make sure the soldiers I sponsor can always call me and ask questions. If I don't have an answer I'll hunt it down. Most NCOs assume you learn everything at AIT and when you get to your unit you're good to go. This isn't the case for everyone.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
SGT (Join to see) - He should be taught and I got lucky my first OIC taught me anything. She was far more competent than the NCOs they stuck in the S2 like a revolving door. She even counseled me better monthly than any NCOIC I had. She set my counselings up like the NCOER - each section and then 2-3 bullets and then a summary of the month. That's how I set up counselings. My first NCOIC did this for counseling me: "Good job this month. Your uniform looked good." Literally what he wrote.
I don't think that NCOs should be like his or like I had. I tried my best to teach soldiers. My first soldier though...ooh.
But they don't teach us shit in AIT about our jobs or the Army honestly.
I don't think that NCOs should be like his or like I had. I tried my best to teach soldiers. My first soldier though...ooh.
But they don't teach us shit in AIT about our jobs or the Army honestly.
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First and foremost - had you had your initial performance counseling by your FFL and expectations? if not, you need to get in writing ASAP. Also, do not fear taking your issues a level up if you know for a fact you've tried your best to keep things at your level...someone above you will be held accountable for failure to teach, train and mentor their junior Soldiers.
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