Best way to make a great first impression at your first duty station/unit

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 May 2014 12:08:09 -0400

I know what I need to work on, my pushups in PT and my Run time but Im wondering what else will help me make a great first impression, I wanna succeed so bad not just for myself but for my family as well, Ive fought to get to where I am now, not alot of people believed I could make it as far as I am today,

Response by CPT Jacob Swartout made May 22 at 2014 12:41 PM

CPT Jacob Swartout — Thu, 22 May 2014 12:41:03 -0400

PVT Kinder, sounds like you are doing quite well from where you started out. Listen to you NCOs and do what you are asked to do each day. Show up on time and in the right uniform. Be willing to ask good questions and seek advice to learn your MOS. Render the proper respect and discipline you were taught at BT/AIT. Be eager to learn and you will do alright.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2014 1:01 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 May 2014 13:01:04 -0400

Pv2 Kinder, sure you've heard it before. Be where you'd supposed to be, when your supposed to be there in the right uniform. Don't question the orders of those appointed over you. If it's not illegal, immoral or unethical execute the mission given. Give 100% to every task given. Attack missions with extreme fervor, even if it's just sweeping the floor. Start training for and tell your NCOs you want to go to the soldier of the month board. Ask your NCOs what they expect of you and what can do to get get recommended for promotion waiver. If they tell you, then do it.

Do not follow your battles down the wrong path, peer pressure is a beast.

Set short term goals such as get promoted, win the Soldier of the month board, enroll in school etc. Set long term goals so that you know what you need to do now to get there as fast as possible, such as obtain some bachelors degree, get promoted to sergeant etc. Even as a PV2 you should be working with sergeant in mind.

Above all seek and find strong, competent, committed leaders that you can follow. Find someone to work out with you and help you get that 300 on the APFT and someone to study for the board with you.

Lastly, treat all Soldiers with dignity and respect. Especially your leadership. Stand at parade rest, use Sergeant with every sentence when talking till am NCO. So you have discipline by not acting like a child when others are, standing at the position of attention and parade rest properly in formation. Do not talk on formation when your not supposed to.

As CPT Swartout said, use the skills that you learned in AIT and BCT the same way you used them there and your NCOs will handle the rest.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2014 4:08 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 May 2014 16:08:17 -0400

Be a sponge. Ask to go to a Soldier of the month board. A lot of the times we get so busy with day to day duties that it becomes easy to just do your job everyday and go home. Seek ways to stand out from your peers. Best way to do it is Winning a Soldier of the month board.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2014 7:34 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 19:34:39 -0500

PT is the first thing your unit will see. By far the easiest to do to set a great first impression. Be willing to listen and learn. You do not know much yet, so you need to rely on your peers and leaders to teach you everything you need to know to be successful. Lastly, master your trade! be the best at what the Army recruited you to do!

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Oct 18 at 2015 7:55 PM

SGT Michael Glenn — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:55:29 -0400

Keep a uniform to the side all squared away and pre read the unit history.

Response by SSG Leo Bell made Oct 18 at 2015 7:58 PM

SSG Leo Bell — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:58:56 -0400

Do allot of walking at army standards for the ruck march. 4 miles in a hour then when you get it down pick up the speed. Work on your Tri- cepts for push ups and your chest muscles. Not allot of weight just high reps.

Response by SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres made Oct 18 at 2015 8:12 PM

SGT Jose Perdelia-Torres — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 20:12:32 -0400

PV2 Kinder, everything (literally) what everyone else has said. Unit history (know it, be able to recite it), know all of the company Commanders and First Sergeants in your unit. Either way give the greeting of the day to the First Sergeant and Company Commanders-- trust me, PFC Torres got reamed onetime by a 1SG in his unit. Do not ever backtalk an NCO, even if they are wrong. Bring it up to your team leader later.

Know the Sergeants Major, Know the Battalion Commanders, or the Commanders of your unit element. Do not ever call the Sergeant Major or 1SG a Sergeant. I seen a Sergeant E-5, get his behind chewed off for doing so....it was not pretty.

Move quick fast and in a hurry in all of your tasks, but don't half ass them. "Fervor" like the SFC mentioned.

Be able to see the big picture. We have Soldiers clean the AO _ area of operations. and the bathrooms because sanitation kills the chance (greater) of getting a disease. Soldiers get sick and disease spreads, no training gets done etc. That is one of the reasons why we have menial tasks.

Take advantage of TA (tuition assistance), and anything you can do to acquire points for later when you are trying to get promotion points for your E-5.

I got loads of information, but that is what comes to mind. If you don't know something ask and be prepared to look and research on your own. TAKE THE INITIATIVE!!!!!

Response by CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2016 8:47 PM

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 20:47:47 -0500

Be respectful. Be a sponge. Self study in your free time. Your attitude alone will put you in front of your peers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 4:10 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jun 2016 04:10:58 -0400

PV2 Kinder, Stay away from the crowd and respect your peers below and above you....be at the appropriate place at the appropriate time and always keep your military bearing.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2017 6:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 02 Sep 2017 18:13:00 -0400

What everybody else told you plus: Grow a thick skin if you don't have one already.