How involved are you in YOUR (and your service-members') career?

MSG Quick, I am being the best I can be for this level and the next.  With some guidance from a previous CSM and a 1SG, I have continued to obtain the jobs they suggested would set me up for future success in my career.  Now that doesn't mean I don't think about transitioning, because I do.  I think it's smart to spread your "eggs" out.    So with regards to post military, I have begun working from home in a lot of aspects, taking more business classes and doing things that will allow me to work from home when my time comes to transition and even if that time is not soon, I am still building up my network and my businesses slowly but surely.

I was taught early "manage your career, or someone else will" also, "chase your dreams, else you'll be helping someone else chase theirs for the rest of your life."

MSG, the message I try to convey is to focus on the things that are immediately recognizable to personnel manager as concerns, and insure that they stay "in the green". Are you immediately deployable? (up to date PHA, dental, personal/family deployment plan) Are you fully qualified for the position you hold? (attended the appropriate schools; completed the needed personal qualification standards{PQS}/job requirement qualifications{JQR}) If not, have you submitted requests for a slot to the schoolhouse, and are you striving to complete PQS/JQR? Are you fully qualified for & have you competed for advancement to the next pay grade? Do you have any adverse personnel actions completed or pending? Did you pass your last PT assessment? Are you within USCG weight standards? And finally, how flexible are you? Are you willing to cross rate to another job specialty, or take a less desirable assignment to keep you career going?

I try diligently to model the appropriate path for each of these questions because I understand that current situation will dictate people's future without prejudice or mercy if they are not involved in the process. I fully appreciate the impact for our people because I too am faced with a potentially difficult situation. Force reduction has eliminated or reprogrammed some E9 spots in my rate preventing me from advancing to MCPO. This means barring some change in policy, I will reach my maximum number of years service for E8s soon, and be asked to retire. It's devastating because my desire is to stay until I reach thirty but the current environment may preclude that.

The idea is to control the things that we can control, and pray for good outcomes with the things we can't. Work hard at doing what you can do, but be mindful that there are simply things beyond your control. The term most often touted from higher up the food chain is "manage the work force's expectations". 

For those transitioning, the advice I offer is to take advantage of every resource (T/A, professional education, career planning, resume writing seminars, Post 9/11 Gill Bill, etc.) the military has, and to start as early as possible to facilitate a smooth move from the military to civilian environments

Also I am just departing a WTB......it has opened my eyes tremendously to transition resources..... ACAP is our friend. The transition coordinators are excellent! As tedious as that 4-5 days is, its little chunks of gold embedded all throughout.